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Les joies del paradís by Donna Leon
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Les joies del paradís (original 2012; edition 2012)

by Donna Leon

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5803940,718 (3.02)31
Caterina Pellegrini is a native Venetian, and like so many of them, she's had to leave home to pursue her career. With a doctorate in baroque opera from Vienna, she lands in Manchester, England. Manchester, however, is no Venice. When Caterina gets word of a position back home, she jumps at the opportunity. The job is an unusual one. After nearly three centuries, two locked trunks, believed to contain the papers of a baroque composer have been discovered. Deeply-connected in religious and political circles, the composer died childless; now two Venetians, descendants of his cousins, each claim inheritance. Caterina's job is to examine any enclosed papers to discover the "testamentary disposition" of the composer. But when her research takes her in unexpected directions she begins to wonder just what secrets these trunks may hold.… (more)
Member:quico.sala
Title:Les joies del paradís
Authors:Donna Leon
Info:Edicions 62 (2012), Edició: 1, Perfect Paperback
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The Jewels of Paradise by Donna Leon (2012)

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» See also 31 mentions

English (33)  Spanish (3)  Catalan (3)  All languages (39)
Showing 1-5 of 33 (next | show all)
Las joyas del Paraíso
Donna Leon
Publicado: 2012 | 232 páginas
Novela Intriga

Caterina Pellegrini, experta en ópera del Barroco, rastrea la existencia de una valiosa herencia en unos documentos hallados por los descendientes de un genial compositor vinculado a la Iglesia católica. Caterina se adentra en la Venecia de finales del siglo XVII, investigando, sin proponérselo, la supuesta implicación del músico en el crimen más famoso de la época. En Las joyas del Paraíso, Donna Leon reúne sus tres grandes pasiones: la novela negra, la ciudad de Venecia y la música barroca. Una trama magistral, como la mejor aria, la partitura perfecta, aquella en la que cada nota, cada protagonista, esconde su propio secreto. Las joyas del paraíso, sobre la vida del compositor del siglo XVII Agostino Steffani. Proyecto en común con la mezzosoprano Cecilia Bartoli, que grabó a su vez el disco «Mission».
  libreriarofer | Feb 19, 2024 |
A compelling, yet weird, no-body mystery that reminds me in many ways of Josephine Tey’s Daughter of Time. Set in modern Venice, Italy with our MC researching the recently discovered papers of Baroque composer and bishop Agostino Steffani, in an attempt to settle a centuries old dispute over who inherited.

So much of this book is research, which was sometimes interesting but never what you’d call fast-paced, and while I love classical music, I dislike opera (no singing please, just the music), so at the beginning I worried for my attention span. It soon becomes clear that the letters have very little to do with his ‘side’ career as composer and more to do with his diplomatic mission for the Vatican. Even that sounds more exciting that what you get, but it is interesting.

The writing is good but the structure is wobbly and the characters all fail to set and feel half-formed or as though Leon couldn’t commit. Leon obviously has issues about her own faith that bleed out through the pages. The book remains an academic exercise until just past the mid-way point, when suddenly Leon throws connections to Opus Dei in, but never explains them, nor develops them. Morretti’s motivations are never explained; we’re supposed to believe he’s a ‘bad guy’ but with no tangible reason or proof. But she also seems unable to commit to whether this was going to be a suspenseful mystery, or an academic one. A scene of menace is jarring and effective for its psychological impact, but nothing ever becomes of it and its eventual explanation is ineffective, at best.

I loved the ending though – such a perfect twist on importance between the secular and the religious. The ending was almost perfect.

It was a good read, though as a standalone, it left too many threads dangling, and the author was too transparent about her own feelings about faith in my opinion; I thought it was good, but had it been better balanced and better executed it could have been amazing. ( )
  murderbydeath | May 12, 2022 |
Donna Leon is best known for her Commissario Guido Brunetti series of mysteries. This is not one, but instead a stand-alone tale.

Caterina Pellegrini is a native Venetian who has been working abroad. When she hears of a position in Venice, she sees it as a chance to go back home.

The job is to examine papers left by a famous Italian baroque composer. Two people, claiming to be distant descendants, have gained access to two trunks full of papers from around 300 years ago. They are looking for a storied treasure that they may claim.

Caterina’s reading of the papers takes her on a research foray into the history of the composer and the era. She also finds an attraction between herself and the attorney who hired her is developing. She also learns of the greed of the two cousins who hope there truly is a treasure waiting. Their idea has nothing to do with history but only of gold, Jewellery and items of that kind.

It is a bit of a mystery, but also a study of personality that can be obvious and hidden in people. Leon’s writing portrays it well. ( )
  ChazziFrazz | Mar 28, 2022 |
I think the fact that I went and read another whole book about 30 pages from the end of this one shows how little interest this historical investigation held for me. Reading about someone reading old documents was very boring and I cared very little about either the current or the historical characters. Quite disappointing especially when Brunetti didn't turn up! ( )
  Stephen.Lawton | Aug 7, 2021 |
This is Ms. Leon’s first standalone novel after a long series of mysteries featuring Commissario Brunetti. In “The Jewel of Paradis” Caterina Pellegrini, an opera expert from Manchester comes back to Venice to research the contents of trunks believed to have belonged to a renowned baroque composer, Agostino Steffani, so that his descendants can divide the estate.

This is one of the most difficult books I read in a long time. Ms Leons serves up so much historical detail, obscure names and subjects. It seemed this story showcases more the author knowledge in Italian, cultural events and classics in music and literature. So, if you are not into baroque opera you may find this story heavy, neither enjoyable nor interesting.

There may be a mystery somewhere but the actual story line is so sparse and boring I was hoping for a quick ending….”This is definitely a paradise lost…..” I have no more to say…… ( )
  Tigerpaw70 | May 2, 2019 |
Showing 1-5 of 33 (next | show all)
The bad news is that Commissario Guido Brunetti is nowhere in sight in Leon’s new novel. The much better news is that the book’s fresh central character is far more beguiling than Brunetti. This paragon of smarts, who’s also gifted with an amusing acerbic streak, is Caterina Pellagrini, a native of Venice and a musicologist specializing in baroque opera. Pellagrini is hired by two untrustworthy Venetians to check out the papers of their ancestor, a brilliant composer of three centuries earlier. The two slippery guys figure a potential windfall lies within their grasp. The book’s puzzle is engaging, Venice is captivating, but most amazing of all, Jewels makes research seem a glorious and exciting pursuit.
added by VivienneR | editThe Toronto Star, Jack Batten (Jan 25, 2013)
 

» Add other authors (8 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Leon, Donnaprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Figueroa Evans, MaiaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Epigraph
Oh mio fiero Destin, perversa sorte!
Spari mia vita e non mi date a morte.

Oh, my proud Destiny, perverse Fate!
To destory my life, but not give me to death.


Agostino Steffani,
Niobe, Act 2, scene 5
Dedication
For Markus Wyler
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Caterina Pellegrini closed the door behind her and leaned her back and then her head against it.
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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Caterina Pellegrini is a native Venetian, and like so many of them, she's had to leave home to pursue her career. With a doctorate in baroque opera from Vienna, she lands in Manchester, England. Manchester, however, is no Venice. When Caterina gets word of a position back home, she jumps at the opportunity. The job is an unusual one. After nearly three centuries, two locked trunks, believed to contain the papers of a baroque composer have been discovered. Deeply-connected in religious and political circles, the composer died childless; now two Venetians, descendants of his cousins, each claim inheritance. Caterina's job is to examine any enclosed papers to discover the "testamentary disposition" of the composer. But when her research takes her in unexpected directions she begins to wonder just what secrets these trunks may hold.

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