Review: Enjoyable
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 20, 2013
I've mentioned previously how much I've enjoyed Kim Fielding's work, and so I was happy to see she has a new book out: "Venetian Masks."The story starts out a bit dryly, perhaps, with detailed accounts of Jeff planning and embarking on his trip; the very beginning of the book seemed more like a travel guide than a novel. While at least one Amazon reviewer found this opening slightly dull, it didn't bother me at all---I've never been on a similar trip myself and didn't mind getting a sense of the process.Once the protagonist arrives in Venice, however, the story takes off. By the midpoint of the novel the reader is faced with a full-blown mystery, which then turns into a light sort of thriller/action piece after Jeff discovers what is really going on with Cleve.Venice does have a certain sort of allure for me: I've read a few books and seen a few films set in that ancient city and so was pleased that it was the setting for much of the novel. I checked in with Google Earth a few times while reading, as an aid in getting a real sense of the place. It really does help get into the spirit of a story, to see maps and photographs of the specific sights and locations that the main characters are experiencing.I don't know that this quite compares with Fielding's best work---I am always going to have a particular fondness for "Brute"! But I'd rate this at the upper end of the "pleasant diversion" scale. I enjoyed it, and will recommend it for pleasant light reading.