The City of Falling Angels (ISBN 1594200580)

city of falling angels:
Follows the pattern of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil but with a very different setting. 'Un-put-downable' is an overused phrase but it certainly applies to this book. As a frequent visitor to Venice, I found the descriptions very evocative, and the characters would not be out of place in a Donna Leon story. Where next for John Berendt?........hopefully Sydney.

Fantasically written!:
While I was a little disappointed with "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," I still wanted to see what John Berendt's next book would be like. I wasn't disappointed. "The City of Falling Angels" gives a wonderful insight to the lives of the allusive residents of Venice with a well-told story from an insider's (Berendt's) view. While I had a hard time keeping track of the characters in "Midnight," I was able to follow along "The City of Falling Angels" without any problems, possibly due to the uniqueness and memorability of each character. Thanks to Berendt's glossary at the back of the book, he is able to tell the story of the Fenice Opera House with an authenticity that would not be possible unless the reader either knew Italian, or had access to a translator.

An interesting look at Venice, but not a "great" book:
A friend gave this book to me as I was headed off to Venice for vacation. I had no expectations regarding the kind of story, but I did expect a great story given the author and topic. However, I was disappointed. It almost felt like a Vanity Fair article, or one long gossip column. Even so, I did persevere and finish the book because the redeeming qualities were that of the details. Venice is indeed a unique and enchanting city. So I enjoyed learning about some of the areas and buildings and the ins and outs of the people while reading the book. I do believe it had an impact on my impression of the city. So for that, I was pleased. But if you are expecting a good mystery, or a coherent plot line at best, don't; it's not that kind of book at all.

A must read:
I have had to buy a new book as the original one was so tatty from being passed on and re-read. It is essential reading if you have never visited Venice and are planning to do so. Thoroughly entertaining, too.

Loved it.:
If this book had been pure fiction I would say it was filled with charming and quirky characters, a la Anne Tyler. As it is billed as non-fiction, I will say that it takes a different view of the players. I have been to Venice only once and fell in love with the city. This book reminds me of the city, quiet, winding, much more under the surface than it appears. I enjoyed this book so much I was sad when it finished it.