The Jewels of Paradise by Donna Leon, read by Cassandra Campbell
This is the first of her books I've read that isn't part of the Commissario Brunetti series, and I enjoyed it. Food wasn't as prevalent here as in the Brunetti books, but it still gets a mention every now and then.
Here we have musicologist Caterina Pellegrini, as the main character. Caterina has a love for song, but knew she wasn't of the caliber to go far in a singing career. She tried law, and was unsatisfied so decided to go into the study of music, specializing in baroque opera. Unfortunately for her, jobs were not in abundance and she ended up in a university in England. Thanks to a contact there, she has found a short-term contract position back in her home town of Venice, going through the papers in two trunks belonging to a 17th century composer, right in her time period.
The men that hired her are after a treasure they believe was hidden by the composer, and the lawyer serving as intermediary may have his own agenda. Caterina is an interesting woman, passionate about her chosen field, and a good researcher, fluent in many languages. She has a good relationship with her family and maintains contact with them despite the distance sometimes between them. The composer was also a bishop and Caterina finds herself thinking about religion a bit more than usual.
This book has intrique, humour, and a good story. I'd sure love to see Caterina again. The reader for the audiobook did an amazing job, using a lovely Italian accent throughout, making me feel like I was there in Venice. Like all her books, this one really brings Venice to life. Really loved the ending.
No comments:
Post a Comment