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historybooksandtea's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
400mom's review against another edition
4.0
The Gabriel Allon books are always thought-provoking, educational and great thrillers. I recommend them all.
tessisreading2's review against another edition
1.0
This was my first book in the series and it wasn't what I expected - it went from a mystery thriller set in the Vatican/Rome to an international conspiracy on the part of cardboard-cutout Muslim villains and a lot of angst on the part of the hero related to his obviously lengthy and complicated backstory. Since this book was my introduction to all of the characters, I just didn't really care that much, and the "peak" of the book (which, seriously, WHAT) had basically nothing to do with the beginning of the book (museum curator gets murdered). It also has that weird parallel universe thing going on - probably because it is the twelfth novel in a series - where some political and sociopolitical events and movements are the same and others are not. I found this a little discomfiting especially when dealing with the Middle East. I know enough about the politics and history of the Middle East to know, essentially, that I don't know much about the politics and history of the Middle East, and this book was very... thriller-like, and facile, and that was uncomfortable to read because it's presenting a very simple narrative (as thrillers do) about something that is not simple at all.
clockworkpenguin's review against another edition
4.0
Classic Allon. Globe-trotting, death-defying, yet still remarkably human and engaging.
ms_dzt's review against another edition
4.0
Trinity of story lines. Loved the archaeological storyline
liberrydude's review against another edition
4.0
In the recurring theme of this series, professional assassins never retire, Gabriel is working on an art restoration project for the Vatican in Rome when a woman, the Vatican art curator, is murdered in one of the Vatican’s many chapels. It’s dismissed as a suicide since it was a fall. Gabriel is asked by the Pope’s assistant to investigate.
It would be enough to investigate and find out she had discovered items were missing and it led to a massive, organized crime antiquities network. But there’s more. As usual. The theft ring is financing Hezbollah. But there’s more. This could easily be several books with the subplots.
Next we find ourselves dealing with Iranian deception operations, kidnapping a diplomat, a terrorist attack in a European capital, a papal visit to Jerusalem, and a frantic race against time to find a bomb.
Oh, and the murdered woman gets her justice too. Lots of ground covered in this one!
It would be enough to investigate and find out she had discovered items were missing and it led to a massive, organized crime antiquities network. But there’s more. As usual. The theft ring is financing Hezbollah. But there’s more. This could easily be several books with the subplots.
Next we find ourselves dealing with Iranian deception operations, kidnapping a diplomat, a terrorist attack in a European capital, a papal visit to Jerusalem, and a frantic race against time to find a bomb.
Oh, and the murdered woman gets her justice too. Lots of ground covered in this one!