Fatal Remedies (Commissario Guido Brunetti)
by Donna Leon
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Book Reviews of Fatal Remedies (Commissario Guido Brunetti)
Book Review: Leon's develops multiple themes in her most far reaching novel yet
Summary: 5 Stars
Anyone familiar with the Commissario Brunetti series knows that Donna Leon likes to take a social theme and intertwine it with the plot of a police procedural. She plays the two off each other deftly in her books.
In this book, she uses two themes, and brings the action right into Brunetti's family, As a result, we also get to wrestle with how to confront evil doing at a very personal level.
The book opens with an act of vandalism against a tourist agency which allegedly helps book sex tours to southeast Asian countries which exploit children as prostitutes. This particular act threatens Brunetti's career and reputation. It's an act which many would dismiss as stupid or naive. Yet Leon really gives the reader a holographic view of the act from all angles. With a fine nuance, something most writers would bobble turns into a satisfying reflection on responsibility in a world occasionally gone mad.
Separately, there is a robbery, which starts a long thread towards a similar act of exploitation, tainted medicines for the third world. Although two separate issues, Leon combines them in her plotting as if they were two sides of a zippered jacket. The resolution is quite satisfying.
Book Review: Let Your Consious Be Your Guide
Summary: 5 Stars
Fatal remedies
A of powerful look into the marriage of police DetectiveCommissario Guido Brunetti and his professor wife Paola and their marriage problems and and strong differences. This is one of author Donna Leon's most engaging and intriguing novels offers series of the Italian detective earnestly. Every page is riveting with the issues of corruption, social moral and immoral issues and behavior, and unpleasant but real look at political posturing. At some point you as the reader will find that you also have to take a stand. As in all her novels that take place in Venice Italy is fun and informative to travel around the old historical city with Commissario Brunetti, a man that I have learned to admire and respect ( even if he is only a made-up character, one that I'd love to see come alive on the screen. Who would play him though?) This book is a most intriguing whodunit story. As a fan of Ms. Leon's series, I must say this is one of her best.
The Skye in June
Book Review: Leon Nails Venice!
Summary: 4 Stars
It's a pleasant feeling to be in Venice while reading a Donna Leon book, as I was recently. It's like being in the book itself. This is an interesting Brunetti procedural, which starts off with his wife breaking the law -- willfully. But that's really not what this story is about, although it's a theme that keeps replaying throughout the book. Brunetti and his wife have always had poignant conversations between themselves, but this one is a little more interesting, as you might imagine. The major plot in this book is worthy and compelling and Brunetti solves it in typical Brunetti fashion. Leon's Brunetti books are (for the most part) compelling and addictive. This is no exception. And as for Venice, few writers have captured the essence of this wonderful city like Leon has.Book Review: A Husband and Wife in Crisis
Summary: 5 Stars
For the first time Donna Leon brings both Brunetti and his wife Paola into the body of the story at the same time. Dottoria Paola (the future Contessa) has always been determined and headstrong (a barely covered stand in for Leon). She has her own mind and is not afraid to express it. In this case it has to do with the sending of Italian men on 'sex vacations' to Asia, where they have sex with young girls and boys.
Leon does a fine job in tying it into a murder that Guido is working on without doing any silly gyrations. The flow of the story intertwines the two plots but with a deft and subtle hand and it never feels like Leon has added something to 'jigger' the story. All in all a fine addition to a well written series.
Book Review: Social Relevance
Summary: 4 Stars
One of the joys of reading Dona Leon's Venetian mysteries is the social relevance of her stories. It doesn't give away anything to say that in this novel she tackels the heinous practice of some travel agents - illegal in this country, I think - of packaging tours to Asian countries for the purpose of providing wealthy men with greatly underage prostitutes; part of the world wide abuse of children. The practice continues in much of the so called "first world."
Additionally, Leon provides another lovely tour of Venice and its surrounds and a glimpse into Italian culture in a way that tourists seldom see.
A great read!