[.ca] City Of Falling Angels (ISBN 1594200580)

WONDERFUL CITY, WONDERFUL WRITING:
A witty and urbane tour through the private (as opposed to the tourist) Venice. Along with Berendt we encounter an extraordinary roster of Venetians and expatriates--the people who actually live in Venice. And what a collection of eccentrics and oddballs! I was hooked from the very beginning in which Berendt describes the spectacular fire that destroyed the Fenice opera house, as seen through the eyes of the people who were on the scene, including the 87-year-old master glassbower of Venice, who watched from his bedroom window a mere 30 feet away from the blaze and then went to his glassmaking factory and started work on a series of bowls and vases representing the awful fire. While he follows the twists and turns of the Fenice story--the investigation into the causes of the fire and the chaotic rebuilding of the theater--Berendt weaves in a number of other fascinating stories that reveal the mystery, the intrigue, the social climbing, the back biting, and the corruption seething in this magical and beautiful city. Couldn't put it down. Didn't want it to end. This book in many ways remindes me of George Kostantinos's masterpiece thriller~~The Quest.

It's a hit!:
Just like his "Midnight in the Garden," Berndt's CITY is another great book, with the same great writing and plot that you'll find in MIDNIGHT, only with an entirely different setting. So often an author's second book just doesn't come close to the first, but in my opion, CITY is even better. For some other captivating reads, I recommend Jackson McCrae's KATZENJAMMER and the highly entertaining ABOUT A BOY. All are great, but buy and read CITY first.

Disappointing:
On January 29 1996, a sensational fire destroys the historic Fenice Opera House. A catastrophe for Venetians, made worse by the revelation that arson may be the cause. Berendt visits Venice shortly after the fire and intrigued by the ongoing investigation decides to write about it. The author encounters a rich cast of characters and takes the readers on an unusual voyage into the heart of Venice, adding elements of chaos, corruption and crime as the story unfolds. I expected this book to be as good as "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" capturing the essence of the city and its inhabitants what I got was a disappointing and frankly boring narrative. The book started well, introducing the readers to a strange and amusing cast of characters but as the story progresses things crumble as each chapter stands alone and you are faced with a lack of a cohesive plot. I felt more than once like abandoning it but I was determined to finish.