The Girl of His Dreams
by Donna Leon
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Book Summary Information
Author: Donna LeonEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-04-07
ISBN: 0143115618
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Book Reviews of The Girl of His Dreams
Book Review: A Good read but best if not your first Donna Leon novel
Summary: 4 Stars
I "discovered" this series in 2000 when I was in Venice and was looking for a book for the plane ride home. It was, fortunately, Death at La Fenice - first in the series. I was so fascinated by the story, I walked by the opera house only to see it under repair from the fire that caused so much damage.
Since then, I have been reading my through the novels and find them well written and full of the kind of local details that give the reader an insider's feel for a city as complex as Venice.
This novel shows a new side to Brunetti - displaying has passion for children and contempt for uncaring parents. Happily, he maintains his love for food, wine, a city without tourists and his family. But my favorite character remains Venice and to a lesser degree, the Italian character and spirit. Italians are a passionate people and this passion centers on family, wine and food, in that order (in my experience). Donna Leon gives us a main character who exemplifies all of these but not in a cartoon. Brunetti seems to be a real person who is both complex and unpredictable.
When confronted by a Gypsy family that shows no love for a lost child, you can tell Brunetti is made both angry and sad. Angry at the lack of passion for a lost little girl by the father and sad for the child who lost her youth and innocence long before she was drowned in a canal.
Leon writes about Venice without rose colored glasses. There are warts to be seen, and she does not shy away from showing the reader that this city is more than art, food and churches.
I look forward to reading them all and recommend that you try to read them in order as I find Ms Leon is evolving as a writer, delving into more complex plots and sub-plots. Without the prior knowledge of her journey, you may not appreciate the delicate nuance she writes into every page.
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