Italy is staring at the end of World War II, at least at their involvement. Venetian fisherman's Cenzo's role ended a long time ago, after refusing to drop mustard gas on villagers when Mussolini invaded Abyssinia (now Ethiopia). His brother Giorgios', on the other hand - hero, movie star, radio propagandist was alive and active for as long as Mussolini's government was. At least that was how it appeared, until he came across the body of the young Jewish woman Giulia floating in the lagoon and learned that the German SS was looking for her, AND that she wasn't nearly as dead as she first appeared.
Author Martin Cruz Smith returns to his roots as an author of standalone novels, with "The Girl From Venice". He ambitiously uses this novel to explore various topics, including the end of the war in Italy and the people directly affected by it, family strife with the external symptoms and the underlying causes as well as just how much familial devotion exists during such conflict, love vs. obligation, and others. Quite an ambitious undertaking for a 300 page novel.
For the most part, Mr. Smith fulfills his commitment to the reader. He develops some interesting characters and allows various levels of interplay between them. His setting is certainly unique not Venice per se, as it is the 4th book I've read this year set in that famed locale, but rather the Venice that the tourists don't flock to see, and a time period typically neglected by all but authors describing great Allied battle victories.
I admit to not having entirely warmed to the characters in this book; however, I also freely admit that I didn't warm to Smith's Russian cop Arkady Renko at all until the second book in that series. Perhaps it is just an oddity in the author/reader relationship between Mr. Smith and myself.
In summary yes, the book is worth your investment in time and money. I would definitely rank it in the Top 20% of the 160 books that I read this year, but am not sure I would put it as high as the top 10%.
RATING: 4 stars.
NOTE: I was provided a free copy of this book in a random draw, with the hope (but not requirement) of an honest and hopefully prompt review.
Author Martin Cruz Smith returns to his roots as an author of standalone novels, with "The Girl From Venice". He ambitiously uses this novel to explore various topics, including the end of the war in Italy and the people directly affected by it, family strife with the external symptoms and the underlying causes as well as just how much familial devotion exists during such conflict, love vs. obligation, and others. Quite an ambitious undertaking for a 300 page novel.
For the most part, Mr. Smith fulfills his commitment to the reader. He develops some interesting characters and allows various levels of interplay between them. His setting is certainly unique not Venice per se, as it is the 4th book I've read this year set in that famed locale, but rather the Venice that the tourists don't flock to see, and a time period typically neglected by all but authors describing great Allied battle victories.
I admit to not having entirely warmed to the characters in this book; however, I also freely admit that I didn't warm to Smith's Russian cop Arkady Renko at all until the second book in that series. Perhaps it is just an oddity in the author/reader relationship between Mr. Smith and myself.
In summary yes, the book is worth your investment in time and money. I would definitely rank it in the Top 20% of the 160 books that I read this year, but am not sure I would put it as high as the top 10%.
RATING: 4 stars.
NOTE: I was provided a free copy of this book in a random draw, with the hope (but not requirement) of an honest and hopefully prompt review.
Martin Cruz Smith is one of my favorite authors and I try and read everything he has written. I liked the way he developed the characters and the story line was a different way of looking at the end the WWII in Italy. Liked the story, liked the characters, liked the book.
Sorry, just couldn't warm up to this one. Gave it 113 pages, still found story uninteresting. WWII, Hitler still in power in Italy, Americans haven't arrived to save the day, Cenzo the Fisherman trying to help The Girl From Venice......snooze.
