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mhoffrob's review against another edition
4.0
Each Commissario Brunetti adventure is like reuniting with an old friend. Through the years, readers have been able to get to know Guido Brunetti, his thought process, his family, and his beloved Venice. Each investigation reveals more of his personality and his city, through the marvelous writing an dbeautirul descriptions of art, architechture, food, people, and, of course, crimes. Delightful addition to this beloved series.
annieb123's review against another edition
5.0
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Trace Elements is the 29th (!!!) Guido Brunetti mystery by Donna Leon. Released 10th March 2020 by Grove Atlantic on their Atlantic Monthly Press imprint, it's 320 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.
For fans of the series, the author, her style, the characters, and the settings need no introduction. For readers unfamiliar with the author who are looking for a solid series (and I mean -the entire series- there's not a clunker in the lot), this could definitely be the answer. This is a gently paced book with perfectly delineated characters who are well drawn and acting true to nature. They breathe and feel and Ms. Leon manages to imbue them with 3 dimensions without ever once abusing the reader's trust. The dialogue is well rendered and believable. There is humor, pathos, humanity, and decency, if not always justice in the strictest sense. Although it's one of a series (and I heartily recommend reading them all), it works perfectly well as a standalone.
The author doesn't shy away from shining a light on the seedier side of the government infrastructure along with the 'realpolitik' involved in the interoffice shuffling of inconvenient media problems as well as juggling privacy and data protection laws to mostly stay on the right side the law while still managing to solve crimes. Commisario Brunetti and his colleagues and family are so well written that it's always a delight to catch up and 'visit' them. I like it very much that Brunetti has a healthy family life and that he's a reader himself. There are small literary asides peppered throughout the book which show his humanity and intelligence and in a way, his love and appreciation for his wife, who is a professor of literature.
Leon is a capable and gifted storyteller, writing in top form and providing pure delightful high quality entertainment. This is a warm and well written mystery procedural. Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Trace Elements is the 29th (!!!) Guido Brunetti mystery by Donna Leon. Released 10th March 2020 by Grove Atlantic on their Atlantic Monthly Press imprint, it's 320 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.
For fans of the series, the author, her style, the characters, and the settings need no introduction. For readers unfamiliar with the author who are looking for a solid series (and I mean -the entire series- there's not a clunker in the lot), this could definitely be the answer. This is a gently paced book with perfectly delineated characters who are well drawn and acting true to nature. They breathe and feel and Ms. Leon manages to imbue them with 3 dimensions without ever once abusing the reader's trust. The dialogue is well rendered and believable. There is humor, pathos, humanity, and decency, if not always justice in the strictest sense. Although it's one of a series (and I heartily recommend reading them all), it works perfectly well as a standalone.
The author doesn't shy away from shining a light on the seedier side of the government infrastructure along with the 'realpolitik' involved in the interoffice shuffling of inconvenient media problems as well as juggling privacy and data protection laws to mostly stay on the right side the law while still managing to solve crimes. Commisario Brunetti and his colleagues and family are so well written that it's always a delight to catch up and 'visit' them. I like it very much that Brunetti has a healthy family life and that he's a reader himself. There are small literary asides peppered throughout the book which show his humanity and intelligence and in a way, his love and appreciation for his wife, who is a professor of literature.
Leon is a capable and gifted storyteller, writing in top form and providing pure delightful high quality entertainment. This is a warm and well written mystery procedural. Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
carmenere's review against another edition
3.0
There's something fishy about the Venetian water system and a young woman on her deathbed feels the need to bring it to Commissario Brunetti's attention.
Overall, I found Leon's 29th installment a pretty good mystery with a few red herrings thrown in to keep readers on their toes.
Jaded? Brunetti? Yeah, seems the years have shown him some all to true facts about the judicial system and acts, for him, accordingly.
The conclusion, in my opinion, was rather lackluster but, still, who doesn't enjoy a trip through the streets and canals of Venice with Brunetti and company.
Thank you NetGalley, Leon and her publishers for granting me approval to read this ARC.
Overall, I found Leon's 29th installment a pretty good mystery with a few red herrings thrown in to keep readers on their toes.
Jaded? Brunetti? Yeah, seems the years have shown him some all to true facts about the judicial system and acts, for him, accordingly.
The conclusion, in my opinion, was rather lackluster but, still, who doesn't enjoy a trip through the streets and canals of Venice with Brunetti and company.
Thank you NetGalley, Leon and her publishers for granting me approval to read this ARC.
richardpierce's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars. As good a read as ever, just not enough of Brunetti's family (splitting hairs, I know). The ultimate question is how do we choose which is the greater crime if presented with a choice of two? What does morality mean in such a context? This, in truth, is what makes Leon a great writer in my view - that she considers such universal and momentous questions of philosophy in what could just be humdrum police dramas.
pomodoro's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
coolfisch_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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
4.5
cj_mo_2222's review against another edition
4.0
Venice police officers Commissario Guido Brunetti and his colleague, Claudia Griffoni, are called to the hospice bedside of Benedetta Toso. Benedetta’s husband was recently killed in an accident that has been ruled a suicide. Before she passes, Benedetta utters a few cryptic sentences that lead Brunetti and Griffoni to suspect her husband Vittorio may have been a victim of murder. Their investigation leads them to details about Vittorio’s life as well as bringing up questions about the inspection process that ensures the cleanliness of Venice’s water supply.
There are several previous books in this series but this is only the second one I have read. I really enjoy the vivid descriptions of Venice that really give the reader a picture of the city. The author also includes just enough of the local language to make the setting even more authentic without being confusing to those who don’t speak Italian.
The scenes with Brunetti at home with his own family are wonderful. A little more is revealed about newcomer Griffoni’s personal life and I look forward to getting to know her better in future books. Secretary and research wizard Signora Elettra Zorzi is also a delight, but somewhat of an enigma so I hope we get to see more of her outside the office as well.
I enjoy how well Brunetti and Griffoni work together to solve the case. The story of Benedetta is heartbreaking, so I like the compassion the pair shows for her and her family. The issue of water contamination is interesting, although the details included sometimes slow the pace of the story as a whole. The way the case wraps up is surprising and somewhat of a letdown. As hinted in the book’s description, justice can be ambiguous and I understand why Brunetti made the decision he made, but it’s not entirely satisfying. Overall, I really enjoyed this well-written book. The characters are unique, the setting is beautiful, and the plot is intelligent and entertaining, so I recommend this book.
I received this book through the courtesy of Atlantic Monthly Press. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
There are several previous books in this series but this is only the second one I have read. I really enjoy the vivid descriptions of Venice that really give the reader a picture of the city. The author also includes just enough of the local language to make the setting even more authentic without being confusing to those who don’t speak Italian.
The scenes with Brunetti at home with his own family are wonderful. A little more is revealed about newcomer Griffoni’s personal life and I look forward to getting to know her better in future books. Secretary and research wizard Signora Elettra Zorzi is also a delight, but somewhat of an enigma so I hope we get to see more of her outside the office as well.
I enjoy how well Brunetti and Griffoni work together to solve the case. The story of Benedetta is heartbreaking, so I like the compassion the pair shows for her and her family. The issue of water contamination is interesting, although the details included sometimes slow the pace of the story as a whole. The way the case wraps up is surprising and somewhat of a letdown. As hinted in the book’s description, justice can be ambiguous and I understand why Brunetti made the decision he made, but it’s not entirely satisfying. Overall, I really enjoyed this well-written book. The characters are unique, the setting is beautiful, and the plot is intelligent and entertaining, so I recommend this book.
I received this book through the courtesy of Atlantic Monthly Press. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
4.0
I was a bit underwhelmed by this one. Still good, and I always love reading about Venice, will never tire of that! But the murder, centered around corruption and water testing results being faked, seemed a bit ...predictable, and bound to be discovered, and I wasn't entirely sure it was worth killing over, but there you have it. Perhaps I'm more cynical than Brunetti? I do still enjoy his character, quite a bit