Customer Reviews

The City of Falling Angels

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On January 29 1996, a sensational fire destroys the historic Fenice Opera House. A catastrophe for Venetians, made worse by the revelation that arson may be the cause. Berendt visits Venice shortly after the fire and intrigued by the ongoing investigation decides to write about it. The author encounters a rich cast of characters and takes the readers on an unusual voyage into the heart of Venice, adding elements of chaos, corruption and crime as the story unfolds.

I expected this book to be as good as "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" capturing the essence of the city and its inhabitants what I got was a disappointing and frankly boring narrative. The book started well, introducing the readers to a strange and amusing cast of characters but as the story progresses things crumble as each chapter stands alone and you are faced with a lack of a cohesive plot. I felt more than once like abandoning it but I was determined to finish.

"Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?" -- Deuteronomy 4:33 (NKJV)

If you have ever been to Venice, surely you've wondered what it's like to live in one of those palazzos and to be there when the city is under water in the winter. The native's Venice and the day tripper's Venice couldn't be further apart in perception and vantage point.

John Berendt managed to meet a lot of real Venetians and to spend extended time there. Gradually, some of the doors to what the tourists never see were gradually opened to him. Surprises waited inside.

His time there overlapped with the burning down of the Fenice Opera House and its difficult reconstruction. That's the main focus of the book, but there are rewarding side canal visits to subjects such as the Save Venice organization, maintaining the heritage of Ezra Pound, and playing a role in Venetian culture and society. While that combination may sound a little out of focus, realize that there's a mystery in the middle of riddle here. Who did what to whom in Venice? Who will take the blame? Who will steal the credit?

The three main stories are examples of a bigger theme, residents trading on interest in the glorious past of Venice to gain unearned benefits in the present. Normally, that would be unattractive, but Mr. Berendt manages to capture the "glamour" that the outsider sees that makes the fight over the remnants of Venice more interesting than the typical selfish squabble.

I recommend listening to Holter Graham's unabridged (no pun intended) reading as a way to capture the reverence for things Venetian that makes the events more interesting. Awe and caring are in his voice in a way that your own "mental" voice won't be. As a result, the story becomes more dramatic, grander, and decadent . . . at the same time.

Although the base story isn't as interesting as in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, there's plenty to attract here.

Some people may tell you that this book will add a lot to your enjoyment of going to Venice. I doubt that. In fact, it may reduce it. The topic is really human character, seen through the mirror of Venice from the native's point of view.

Just like his "Midnight in the Garden," Berndt's CITY is another great book, with the same great writing and plot that you'll find in MIDNIGHT, only with an entirely different setting. So often an author's second book just doesn't come close to the first, but in my opion, CITY is even better. For some other captivating reads, I recommend Jackson McCrae's KATZENJAMMER and the highly entertaining ABOUT A BOY. All are great, but buy and read CITY first.

A witty and urbane tour through the private (as opposed to the tourist) Venice. Along with Berendt we encounter an extraordinary roster of Venetians and expatriates--the people who actually live in Venice. And what a collection of eccentrics and oddballs! I was hooked from the very beginning in which Berendt describes the spectacular fire that destroyed the Fenice opera house, as seen through the eyes of the people who were on the scene, including the 87-year-old master glassbower of Venice, who watched from his bedroom window a mere 30 feet away from the blaze and then went to his glassmaking factory and started work on a series of bowls and vases representing the awful fire. While he follows the twists and turns of the Fenice story--the investigation into the causes of the fire and the chaotic rebuilding of the theater--Berendt weaves in a number of other fascinating stories that reveal the mystery, the intrigue, the social climbing, the back biting, and the corruption seething in this magical and beautiful city. Couldn't put it down. Didn't want it to end. This book in many ways remindes me of George Kostantinos's masterpiece thriller~~The Quest.