The author, much like he did in his highly successful best-seller Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, commences with a significant event and subsequently constructs a multi-faceted story of the city and the individuals involved. In this instance, it is Venice, Italy, and the tragic destruction by fire of the historic Fenice Opera House.

The Fenice was a cherished landmark, and its demise was truly devastating for the Venetians. The question loomed large: was it arson or an accident caused by negligent workmen?

The author relocated to Venice just three days after the fire with the intention of penning a book about the decay and the Venetians' unwavering dedication to preserve their unique water city. However, he instead decides to "investigate" the fire. His pursuit leads the reader through the enchanting streets of Venice, where we encounter some of the captivating people who reside there (and those who once lived there, such as Ezra Pound and Robert Browning).

It quickly becomes evident that the Venetian lifestyle is distinct from that of any other city in Italy, and their rules of social etiquette still bear resemblance to those of 100 years ago. It seems as if every other person is a Count or Countess, and those hereditary titles still hold great significance in the functioning of the city.

This book is not only a love letter to the city and its people but also an in-depth investigation into the cause of the Fenice Opera House fire. It is a truly interesting and personal account that offers a captivating glimpse into the heart and soul of Venice.

*Midnight* was an extremely entertaining and captivating book, which made it only natural to seek more works from Berendt. Regrettably, this book, *Falling Angels*, fails to meet those expectations.

Although Berendt attempts to provide a convincing narrative arc in *Falling Angels* (and one would assume it would have one, given the built-in mystery of the burning of the Fenice Theatre), the story simply doesn't come together.

In part, this isn't entirely Berendt's fault; it can be attributed to "reality." In the typical Italian way, there is no clear-cut good or bad guy. The person convicted of arson may or may not have committed the crime (and it may or may not have been arson). The rebuilding process dragged on for years, and Berendt's informants inconveniently passed away, among other issues.

However, to a certain extent, it is indeed his fault. He places his focus in entirely the wrong area: on the spoiled, backbiting, nasty, venal, social climbing, and ultrarich individuals (for the most part) who were involved in the Fenice project and populate Italian "high society" in general.

Admittedly, there is no snob quite like an Italian snob (unless it's an English or American expat snob, and that's an entirely different matter), but Berendt seems to have had an especially hard time finding a single decent or likable person among his cast of liars, petty criminals, reprobates, sycophants, self-important individuals, name-droppers, arrivistes, and plutocrats. In fact, there is barely one.

Moreover, the book doesn't offer anything particularly revealing about Venice, the Venetians, or Italy (despite what the jacket copy might suggest), as Berendt spent all his time in such an esoteric, nihilistic, and cutthroat echelon that *Falling Angels* ultimately becomes a book about the generic rich and bored (in any city, on any continent) rather than about Venice or the Fenice.

As a result, it's difficult to determine who could be interested in what amounts to 400 pages of society-page gossip about people one doesn't know, will never know, and doesn't particularly want to know. But that's precisely what the book devolves into, lacking a true mystery to explore.

After all the time, effort, and money that Berendt and his publisher invested in Venice, I'm sure it would have been extremely difficult to walk away and say, "There's no book here." However, that would very likely have been the honorable thing to do.

I didn't manage to complete the entire book. But from the portion that I read, which was approximately three-fourths of it, I didn't have a favorable impression. There was only one section that caught my attention, and that was the one about Ezra Pound. However, I still couldn't quite figure out the connection with the burning of the Fenice theater.

The book gave me the impression of a never-ending Dominick Dunne piece for "Vanity Fair". It was filled with continuous name-dropping and what seemed like irrelevant gossip. Name-dropping can only be enjoyable when you are familiar with the people being mentioned. Sadly, I'm not well-versed in Venice society.

Nevertheless, the writing itself, specifically the use of language, was as wonderful as expected. Bernendt is indeed an excellent writer. It's just that the content didn't appeal to me.

A very good read by the author of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," John Berendt. He has an extraordinary ability to integrate himself into the upper echelon of Venetian Society. This allows him to gain a deeper and better understanding of the enchanting City of Canals. Berendt's arrival in Venice curiously coincides with a significant event in the city's history - the tragic loss of its historical opera house, Il Fenice.

The real characters he encounters in Venice, both native Venetians and expats, are just as fascinating as the ones he discovered and made famous in his renowned tome about Savannah. These individuals add a rich and vibrant layer to his exploration of the city. Berendt's keen观察力 and talent for storytelling bring to life the unique charm and complexity of Venice, making this book a captivating and engaging read for anyone interested in this beautiful and historic city.

It's always a strange feeling when I'm reading something and find myself unable to determine whether it's fiction or non-fiction. On two occasions, I had to flip back to the dust jacket to make sure that Berendt's portrayal of Venice was indeed the truth, as much as it could be.

The interwoven tales of intrigue in the book reveal sympathetic characters, lies, mysteries, and dozens of strange asides and questionable happenstances. This provides an intimate look at a mysterious city that is defined more by its people (and those who believe they're its people) than by the history and architecture that usually populate my image of Venice.

The City of Falling Angels reads, for the most part, as excellent non-fiction. However, at times, the stories seem so personal and mysterious that they rival good fiction. Berendt's understanding of the interpersonal intricacies and the subjectivity of accounts add flavor to a narrative that is both meandering and focused. Each chapter tells a story that could stand on its own, culminating in a revealing insight into what helps define Venice for the locals.

Although the lack of clarity sometimes hampers the overall feel of the book, and the factual nature of Berendt's statements sometimes lacks the elegance of excellent prose, the positives of The City of Falling Angels far outweigh the negatives. I fully expect that I will look back on this book more favorably than perhaps any other non-fiction book I've picked up.

I truly loved this book.

It is a unique blend of a travelogue, a history lesson, and a suspenseful story all rolled into one.

The setting is Venice, specifically in the aftermath of the devastating fire that destroyed the Fenice Opera House, a place of great significance as Verdi had premiered five of his operas there.

As you read, you often find yourself forgetting that this is not a work of fiction.

The author has created a vivid and engaging world filled with so many interesting and colourful characters.

Each character adds depth and complexity to the narrative, making it a truly captivating read.

The descriptions of Venice are so detailed that you can almost picture yourself walking through the narrow streets and canals.

The historical aspects are seamlessly integrated, providing a fascinating backdrop to the story.

Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone who loves history, travel, or a good mystery.

It will transport you to a different time and place and keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Disappointing as it was, I had expected something more atmospheric to truly reveal the neighborhoods and common people of Venice. The way the stories were woven together was indeed admirable. However, a significant portion of this read felt more like a gossip column and a summary of court proceedings. Just because it was set in Venice doesn't necessarily mean it fully captured the essence of the city. It's probably a case of missed opportunities. There were moments when I thought the author was on the verge of uncovering the true spirit of Venice's neighborhoods and the lives of its ordinary citizens, but then it would veer off into something less substantial. Overall, it left me with a sense of dissatisfaction, longing for a more in-depth and authentic exploration of this beautiful and mysterious city.

The story presented here is nowhere near as captivating as that of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil." However, the city of Venice, taking on the role of the main character, remains truly fascinating. Berendt skillfully portrays a diverse cast of characters, each entangled in numerous scandals. These elements combined make me long to spend more time exploring the enchanting city of Venice. In fact, it might be more appropriate to consider this book as a travelogue rather than a non-fiction murder mystery, as was the case with "Midnight."

This perspective allows us to appreciate the rich tapestry of Venice's culture, history, and the unique personalities that inhabit its streets. Through Berendt's vivid descriptions, we can almost smell the canals, feel the ancient stones beneath our feet, and envision the glamorous and sometimes seedy world that exists within the city.

While the murder mystery aspect may not be as gripping as in "Midnight," the overall experience of reading this book is still one that transports us to the magical city of Venice and leaves us with a desire to discover more of its secrets.

Written by the same man who penned Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, this book transports the reader to Venice shortly after the famous Fenice Theatre burned down. Berendt presents a plethora of theories regarding the fire, ranging from Mafia involvement to a negligent renovation crew.

There are few unified threads in this book. There is the enigma surrounding the fire of the Fenice, and there are gossipy tales involving many of the locals (most of whom are actually expatriates rather than native Venetians). The most captivating "soap opera" was the one concerning Ezra Pound and his companion of over 50 years, Olga Rudge, and the battles she waged after Pound's death to safeguard his life's works.

In what is certain to soon be regarded as Berendt-style, he provides an inside look into the lives of some fascinating characters he encountered, such as the Rat-Man (who earned a living designing gourmet rat poisons with different ingredients depending on the location where the poison was required), a walking Plant Man, a depressed homosexual poet who loved people, and so on. Similar to Midnight, it appears that Berendt believes his popularity stems from the inclusion of eccentrics. However, unlike Midnight, there were too many stories that never quite cohered in the end. If one were to view this as a collection of essays rather than a single work of nonfiction, perhaps it would have had a different impact.

His depictions of Venice, nevertheless, were remarkable and added a certain degree of mystery to all of the stories, which, undoubtedly, was his intention all along but somehow failed to fully achieve.

Berendt is perhaps most renowned for his nonfiction exploration into the complexities behind an infamous crime in Savannah, GA - Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. This work spent an unprecedented (and still unbroken) 216 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List.

Following that success, he journeyed to Venice for a holiday, just days after a fire had engulfed and destroyed the famous Fenice Opera House, where five of Verdi's operas had premiered. The conspiracy theories, counter theories, gossip, innuendo, half-truths, and outright lies surrounding this event piqued Berendt's interest and led to the creation of his second book.

Berendt's writing transports the reader directly to the scene. You can feel the warmth of the summer sun, soak in the glow of a beautiful sunset, smell the salty air, taste the champagne, and be amazed by the cacophony of Carnival. Similar to Venice itself, the book is populated with numerous colorful characters, each having an opinion (and some with facts) about the fire and the restoration efforts. Competing factions seem more concerned with emerging victorious than with actually rebuilding the opera house. It offers a captivating and interesting perspective on one of the world's most recognizable cities.

This book had the potential to be so much more than what it actually became.

The plot seemingly revolves around the fire that ravaged the Fenice opera house in Venice and the mystery regarding its cause, with elements of Italian life interwoven into the narrative.

On the positive side, the author clearly did extensive research on the fire, the Fenice, and even relocated to Venice to conduct his investigations.

Regrettably, the book transformed into a hybrid of the author's personal travelogue and a revealing account of the expat community residing in Venice.

I continued reading, anticipating (based on having read this author's previous works) that he would artfully tie everything together at the end. But that wasn't the case.

The book began very strongly. The story of the Fenice fire was captivating and expertly told. The subsequent development of the people and circumstances surrounding the fire was interesting and well-executed.

However, when the book started to deviate, I persisted, believing there was more of a connection than was initially evident as to why the author was delving into such great detail about rather marginal (and that's being generous) characters.

When the book went on and on about Ezra Pound and his mistress, I was completely confused. What did this have to do with the fire? Why was I reading this book?

Hoping for some sort of redemption in the subsequent pages, I pressed on. Then we became completely embroiled in the organization formerly known as Save Venice.

Similar to the story of Ezra Pound's mistress, this vignette focused heavily on the politics and arguments of the organization's members, mostly ex-pats.

What did this have to do with Venice or the Venetians? As it turns out, very little. The Venetians and the history and culture of the place were always just a minor backdrop in this book.

This is precisely why I found it extremely frustrating and disappointing.

I have a deep love for the Italians, with all their chaos, colorful lives, vivid imaginations, sense of style, passion, and wonder.

For a book that claims to center on an event in a mysterious and historically rich part of the country, this one simply didn't measure up.

I initially began reading this book on several occasions but repeatedly put it aside. However, I'm truly glad that I finally persisted. Berendt delves deep, taking you into the inner sanctum of high-society in Venice and introducing you to the families that have had a profound impact on shaping the city over the centuries.

The story is centered around the mysterious fire that ravaged the renowned Fenice Opera House and the subsequent endeavors to reconstruct it. This book offers a delightful blend of captivating characters, a rich historic backdrop, and valuable insights into the modern-day city.

It provides a unique perspective on Venice, not only showcasing its glamorous high-society but also revealing the complex web of relationships and history that lies beneath the surface. Through Berendt's vivid descriptions and engaging narrative, readers are transported to a world of elegance, mystery, and intrigue.

Whether you're a lover of history, a curious traveler, or simply someone who enjoys a good story, this book is sure to captivate and enlighten you.