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| Author: Donna Leon
Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press
Category: Book
List Price: $24.00
Buy New: $13.12
You Save: $10.88 (45%)
New (31) Used (6) from $10.75
Avg. Customer Rating:  21 reviews
Sales Rank: 2156
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6.3 x 1.2
ISBN: 0871139804
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780871139801
ASIN: 0871139804
Publication Date: May 13, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Over 600,000 Feedbacks Posted!!! BRAND-NEW IN-HOUSE READY TO SHIP!!! NOT A REMAINDER, BARGAIN OR BOOK CLUB BOOK!!! WE ARE A FIVE-STAR SELLER!!!
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| Customer Reviews:
 Excellent shipping but a novel without interest May 31, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Unlike the first books of Donna Leon, this one shows a deep lack of inspiration and imagination. Therefore, the reader is not really bound to find any interest in this novel.
 Best in the series May 30, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Donna Leon has created a winner with this latest book in the Brunetti series. David Colacci does his usual excellent job of interpreting the voices. Learning the inner workings of the Venice police force is fascinating. Both story lines are interesting and are resolved in interesting ways. No pat endings for Leon. She can't write fast enough for me. One word of advice, start at athe beginning of this series. Well worth the effort.
 Very Disappointing May 28, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
This book felt like Ms. Leon started with one story, the religious scam, then got a better idea, the dead gypsy child. Instead of going back and starting over, she just added on the second story to what she'd already written.
(Or Ms. Leon took a long vacation or was ill or got distracted in the writing of this book; the two elements are that much unconnected.)
I don't mind the leisurely pacing of the Donna Leon's books. Nor the fact that the corrupt system often prevents the punishing of crimes. The books are well worth reading for the atmosphere of Venice and the scenes of Italian family life.
But as a loyal, grateful fan of Donna Leon I feel my trust was abused by this latest effort.
 Rich and detailed... May 27, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Such a fan of this one: Donna Leon has an exquisite eye for detail that makes the read incredibly rewarding. The story has a way of taking its time that never drags, but rather draws you further into the world. Commissario Brunetti is an amazing and original take on the investigator archetype, and the Venetian setting was an extra treat. I read this one at the same time I was reading Adam Gittlin's new novel THE DEAL, and even though they're wildly different in tone and plot, I found myself noticing that they both had the same eye for detail and character. Enjoy them both.
Darker and more pessimistic than previous Brunetti stories May 21, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
But still a terrific piece of writing by Donna Leon. Commissario Brunetti has long voiced frustrations with institutions in Italy and elsewhere. In "The Girl of His Dreams," his concerns are principally for "outsiders" (in this case, the Roma) and how they are treated by mainstream society. Leon has explored this theme in earlier books, and it's clear that poor immigrants from East Europe have problems getting along in Italy. In this particular episode of the "Brunetti chronicles," the author also shines a light on possible clerical fraud. The subplot has obviously upset some readers. As it turns out, one clerical suspect in this story is "acquitted" and ultimately presented as a decent person who has been exploited by the religious institution that he served. That exploitation has actually been going on in various forms for many years in many places and so, it is strange that anyone would react negatively when it is discussed.
All in all, for Donna Leon fans, "The Girl of His Dreams" will be a highly satisfying read. It is a visit with an old friend who is becoming older and a little more weary of an imperfect world. It's probably not the book in the Brunetti series to start with, however. I would agree with the reviewer who suggested that newcomers to Leon go back to "Death at La Fenice" .
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