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When Commissario Brunetti is summoned in the middle of the night to the hospital bed of a pediatrician, he is confronted with more questions than answers. Three men-a young carabiniere captain and two privates from out of town-burst into the doctor's apartment while the family was sleeping, attacked him, and took away his eighteen-month-old boy. What could have motivated an assault by the forces of the state that was so violent it has left the doctor mute? As Brunetti delves into the case, show more he begins to uncover a story of infertility, desperation, and illegal dealings. Then his colleague, Inspector Vianello, discovers a money-making scam between pharmacists and doctors in the city. Medical records are missing and it appears as if one of the pharmacists is after more than money. What secrets are in the records? And what has been done with them? show lessTags
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Commissario Guido Brunetti is awakened from his sleep to go to the scene of a home invasion that left its victim, a pediatrician, hospitalized and mute. The more Brunetti uncovers about the event and its causes, the less he likes it. Meanwhile, Inspector Vianello’s months-long investigation into fraud involving some of Venice’s pharmacies is coming to a head. These investigative threads become tangled with tragic consequences.
Leon explores a different social problem in the books in her Brunetti series. This book looks at infertility and black market babies. Brunetti reflects on his love for his children throughout the book, yet the children are largely absent from the novel, appearing only in one brief dinner scene. I enjoy the show more Brunetti family dynamics and I missed their good-natured banter. Brunetti finally got to the truth, as he usually does, but at a price that I suspect will haunt him. show less
Leon explores a different social problem in the books in her Brunetti series. This book looks at infertility and black market babies. Brunetti reflects on his love for his children throughout the book, yet the children are largely absent from the novel, appearing only in one brief dinner scene. I enjoy the show more Brunetti family dynamics and I missed their good-natured banter. Brunetti finally got to the truth, as he usually does, but at a price that I suspect will haunt him. show less
A big draw for this series is the city of Venice. Commisario Brunetti's love for the city is beautifully evoked. Another is Donna Leon's deft use of contemporary social issues as raw material for her plots. The available material is a deep vein to mine. The third is her skillful portrayal of the interior life of her characters.
That interior life is primarily through the eyes of Brunetti but shows up in other characters as well. We see the deep love and compassion that can spring from the human heart as well as the breathtaking cruelty, greed and hatred that can manifest from it. There is a long and storied history of novels that spend so much time in the interior life of their protagonists running all the way back to Henry James, the show more favorite of Brunetti's beloved, Paola.
There are a myriad of other richly developed characters as well, Signorina Electra, Inspectore Vianello, Vice-Questore Patta, Sergeant Scarpa. And that is before the sometimes startling stream of consciousness of the villains that inhabit her novels. She steers clear of the temptation of dwelling too long in the internal landscape that many authors of this genre fall into. Much of hers is within the mind of the speaker as the dialogue unfolds or in Brunetti's musings as he reads the ancient masters. Leon wields her sharp knife and her deep sense of irony in this engaging device.
Don't look for a seamless plot or a neatly tied procedural. But if you enjoy a gifted writer's nuanced insights into the interior life that drives us all written in a storied locale, then you might want to give this series a try. It's one of my favorites. show less
That interior life is primarily through the eyes of Brunetti but shows up in other characters as well. We see the deep love and compassion that can spring from the human heart as well as the breathtaking cruelty, greed and hatred that can manifest from it. There is a long and storied history of novels that spend so much time in the interior life of their protagonists running all the way back to Henry James, the show more favorite of Brunetti's beloved, Paola.
There are a myriad of other richly developed characters as well, Signorina Electra, Inspectore Vianello, Vice-Questore Patta, Sergeant Scarpa. And that is before the sometimes startling stream of consciousness of the villains that inhabit her novels. She steers clear of the temptation of dwelling too long in the internal landscape that many authors of this genre fall into. Much of hers is within the mind of the speaker as the dialogue unfolds or in Brunetti's musings as he reads the ancient masters. Leon wields her sharp knife and her deep sense of irony in this engaging device.
Don't look for a seamless plot or a neatly tied procedural. But if you enjoy a gifted writer's nuanced insights into the interior life that drives us all written in a storied locale, then you might want to give this series a try. It's one of my favorites. show less
Just on the edge of sleep, in the middle of the night, Commissario Guido Brunetti gets an urgent phone call from Inspector Vianello. Three policemen who broke into the home of a local paediatrician have assaulted him and snatched his eighteen month old son. Even in his sleep-befuddled state Brunetti can hear the urgency in Vianello’s voice. The doctor has possible brain damage, and, in Vianello’s words “We’ve got a mess”.
On his arrival at the hospital Brunetti learns from the Carabinieri captain who led the raid that the invasion of Doctor Pedrolli’s home is part of a nation wide investigation into baby trafficking. The charge against Doctor Pedrolli is the illegal adoption of his son Alfredo even though his birth show more registration shows Pedrolli as the father.
As always with Donna Leon’s Brunetti series, this story is set mainly in Venice, but this time there is less focus on Venice and more on an issue that has become prominent in the Western world. SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN is a story set against themes of baby trafficking and surrogacy that have emerged recently in books by other authors. Declining fertility in the Western world is contrasted with the apparent fecundity of refugees and immigrants; and the desire of women for children is set against the apparent willingness of some to sell the only thing they can produce – their child. Brunetti’s investigation takes him out of his comfort zone. His own love for his wife and children is a subtle motivator for him to get to the truth.
While the rising waters of Venice don’t dominate this story, the reader is made aware that there are times when the tidal flow reduces accessibility, and at one stage Brunetti’s assistant Signorina Elettra talks about the efforts to raise the sidewalks against acqua alta. I love the glimpses we are given of Venetian life: doctors and pharmacists who are defrauding the medical system by claiming for services not carried out: the influence of those who have money; the differences between the local police and the national Carabinieri are among them.
And there is always more to learn about Commissario Guido Brunetti. He is a fascinating protagonist. The interplay between himself and those he works with, and with his family continues to provide interest.
Donna Leon is an American author living in Venice. This is the sixteenth title in her Venice/Brunetti series- she has basically published a book a year since 1992. For me the books evoke a wonderful sense of Venice which I have been lucky enough to visit several times. Her official website is at http://italian-mysteries.com/DLap.html show less
On his arrival at the hospital Brunetti learns from the Carabinieri captain who led the raid that the invasion of Doctor Pedrolli’s home is part of a nation wide investigation into baby trafficking. The charge against Doctor Pedrolli is the illegal adoption of his son Alfredo even though his birth show more registration shows Pedrolli as the father.
As always with Donna Leon’s Brunetti series, this story is set mainly in Venice, but this time there is less focus on Venice and more on an issue that has become prominent in the Western world. SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN is a story set against themes of baby trafficking and surrogacy that have emerged recently in books by other authors. Declining fertility in the Western world is contrasted with the apparent fecundity of refugees and immigrants; and the desire of women for children is set against the apparent willingness of some to sell the only thing they can produce – their child. Brunetti’s investigation takes him out of his comfort zone. His own love for his wife and children is a subtle motivator for him to get to the truth.
While the rising waters of Venice don’t dominate this story, the reader is made aware that there are times when the tidal flow reduces accessibility, and at one stage Brunetti’s assistant Signorina Elettra talks about the efforts to raise the sidewalks against acqua alta. I love the glimpses we are given of Venetian life: doctors and pharmacists who are defrauding the medical system by claiming for services not carried out: the influence of those who have money; the differences between the local police and the national Carabinieri are among them.
And there is always more to learn about Commissario Guido Brunetti. He is a fascinating protagonist. The interplay between himself and those he works with, and with his family continues to provide interest.
Donna Leon is an American author living in Venice. This is the sixteenth title in her Venice/Brunetti series- she has basically published a book a year since 1992. For me the books evoke a wonderful sense of Venice which I have been lucky enough to visit several times. Her official website is at http://italian-mysteries.com/DLap.html show less
Suffer the Little Children is written by Donna Leon. The title is Book #16 of the Commissario Guido Brunetti series.
Every title in this series seems to be a ‘morality play’ Cases are solved (usually) but there is rarely justice.
I don’t know how he copes. He is a very moralistic man and the constant and commonplace criminality of Venice must drag him down to the depths of his understanding.
The plot is complicated, suspenseful, sad and set in the glorious city of Venice “seething with small-town vice.”
A highly recommended title and series. ****
Every title in this series seems to be a ‘morality play’ Cases are solved (usually) but there is rarely justice.
I don’t know how he copes. He is a very moralistic man and the constant and commonplace criminality of Venice must drag him down to the depths of his understanding.
The plot is complicated, suspenseful, sad and set in the glorious city of Venice “seething with small-town vice.”
A highly recommended title and series. ****
Donna Leon’s Commissario Guido Brunetti Venice-centered mysteries are always a delight. Low key, witty, and descriptive with interesting, realistic characters and a glimpse at the frustrating ways of trying to solve crimes while working around the restrictive regulations and the political hack who heads the department.
In SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN, a pediatrician and his wife were asleep when a masked trio burst into their apartment. The doctor managed to pound one of the assailants on his nose but the doctor himself ended up in the hospital with a head injury, unable to speak. The attackers took away his eighteen-month-old son.
It turned out the attackers were Carabinieri, members of an official national military police force. The show more kidnapping was part of a multi-city raid targeting families that had adopted their children through a private source, lying about the parentage of the babies. The children were placed in orphanages, which really upset Brunetti..
Brunetti and his partner, Inspector Vianello, set out to find out how the doctor was targeted and how the entire adoption program worked. They uncovered a ring that involved pharmacists, doctors and pregnant women willing to sell their babies.
Once again, wealth and position do have advantages in the culture.
There is an interesting section about finding the truth on the internet and changes in birth rates.
It’s wonderful being able to read a novel that doesn’t include unnecessary violence, foul language, or sex scenes. Unfortunately, the chapters are unnecessarily short. show less
In SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN, a pediatrician and his wife were asleep when a masked trio burst into their apartment. The doctor managed to pound one of the assailants on his nose but the doctor himself ended up in the hospital with a head injury, unable to speak. The attackers took away his eighteen-month-old son.
It turned out the attackers were Carabinieri, members of an official national military police force. The show more kidnapping was part of a multi-city raid targeting families that had adopted their children through a private source, lying about the parentage of the babies. The children were placed in orphanages, which really upset Brunetti..
Brunetti and his partner, Inspector Vianello, set out to find out how the doctor was targeted and how the entire adoption program worked. They uncovered a ring that involved pharmacists, doctors and pregnant women willing to sell their babies.
Once again, wealth and position do have advantages in the culture.
There is an interesting section about finding the truth on the internet and changes in birth rates.
It’s wonderful being able to read a novel that doesn’t include unnecessary violence, foul language, or sex scenes. Unfortunately, the chapters are unnecessarily short. show less
Brunetti investigates the invasion of a pediatrician's home by another branch of law enforcement. The doctor, who acquired a baby illegally, faces multiple charges, most of which are suddenly dropped. Brunetti's investigation, however, connects with his colleague Inspector Vianello's investigation into pharmacy fraud. I missed the normal interaction between Brunetti and his family members in this installment. Their presence in a few scenes leaves the reader hungering for more. I also noted fewer descriptions of meals--both at home and in restaurants. Leon always includes social justice issues in her plots, but her outcomes tend to show how the system works rather than achieving the result true justice demands.
Brunetti receives an urgent call to come to the hospital in the middle of the night. He arrives to find a pediatrician with a bashed head. Attacked by three men in the middle of the night, who then kidnapped his son, the questions are why and who? The doctor is well known and respected. What has he done to have this attack?
Brunetti’s investigations lead him to the world of illegal adoptions and blackmail: a world where people from foreign countries, of low income, will sell their babies for money, not for the child to have a better life, but as a commodity. The buyers are well off but for some reason cannot conceive. Besides the moral issue, there is also the legal issue of this. For this, Brunetti goes undercover to investigate.
He show more also finds a member of the medical community is very judgmental of clients’ lives. By revealing personal medical matters to people without the clients’ permission or knowledge, the client can find their lives ruined and relationships destroyed.
The pediatrician seems to be unable to speak, after his attack, which leaves Brunetti without answers, as the wife is bewildered by the attack. Bit by bit, Brunetti find the medical world isn’t as sanitary as expected. show less
Brunetti’s investigations lead him to the world of illegal adoptions and blackmail: a world where people from foreign countries, of low income, will sell their babies for money, not for the child to have a better life, but as a commodity. The buyers are well off but for some reason cannot conceive. Besides the moral issue, there is also the legal issue of this. For this, Brunetti goes undercover to investigate.
He show more also finds a member of the medical community is very judgmental of clients’ lives. By revealing personal medical matters to people without the clients’ permission or knowledge, the client can find their lives ruined and relationships destroyed.
The pediatrician seems to be unable to speak, after his attack, which leaves Brunetti without answers, as the wife is bewildered by the attack. Bit by bit, Brunetti find the medical world isn’t as sanitary as expected. show less
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Donna Leon
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Author Information
61+ Works 46,204 Members
Donna Leon was born on September 29, 1942 in Montclair, New Jersey. She taught English literature in England, Switzerland, Iran, China, Italy and Saudi Arabia. She is the author of a Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery series. Friends in High Places, a novel from the series, won the Crime Writers Association Macallan Silver Dagger for Fiction in show more 2000. German Television has produced 16 Commissario Brunetti mysteries for broadcast. She was a crime reviewer for the Sunday Times. She has written the libretto for a comic opera and has set up her own opera company, Il Complesso Barocco. Her titles Jewels of Pardise, The Golden Egg, By Its Cover, Falling in Love and The Waters of Eternal Youth made The New York Times Bestseller List. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Suffer the Little Children
- Original title
- Suffer the Little Children
- Original publication date
- 2007
- People/Characters
- Commissario Guido Brunetti; Paola Brunetti; Inspector Vianello; Doctor Gustavo Pedrolli
- Important places
- Venice, Veneto, Italy
- Related movies*
- Lasset die Kinder zu mir kommen (2010)
- Epigraph
- Welche Freude wird das sein,
Wenn die Götter uns bedenken,
Unsrer Liebe Kinder schenken,
So liebe kleine Kinderlein!
How happy we will be
If the gods are gracious
And bless our love with childre... (show all)n,
With darling little children!
Die Zauberflöte
The Magic Flute
Mozart - Dedication
- For Ravi Mirchandani
- First words
- '. . . and then my daughter-in-law told me that I should come in and tell you about it.
- Quotations*
- Welche Freude wird das sein,
Wenn die Götter uns bedenken,
Unsrer Liebe Kinder schenken,
So liebe kleine Kinderlein!
Wat een vreugde zal dat zijn,
Als de goden ons bedenken,
Onze Liefde kinderen schenken,
Die Zauberflöte
Mozart - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)'Vianello, would you open the door, and we'll take the dottore back to his cell.'
- Original language*
- Engels
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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