Vaporetto 13

Rating:
Summary: Not your typical dead end love affair
Review: Robert Girardi is never content just to write magnificently. Mr. Girardi is, at heart, a philosopher. His philosphy advocates and embraces christianity and the consolation it provides. In this, his third novel, he once again works within a christian (or more precisely, Catholic) framework. The reader is taken to Venice, a city which is literally "dying" as it descends into the ocean, where the hero falls in love with a beautiful woman who has, to put it mildly, a past. This beautiful woman, Caterina, refuses to divulge her history except by inference. It is this mystery which is the horror. Although the engaging writing and exquisite love story make this a compelling read, make no mistake: at its core, this is a terrifying novel. Mr. Girardi confirms some tenants of the Catholic faith which have lately fallen out of fashion (such as the existence of Purgatory, the validity of prayer and the reality of saints). Yet it is the absence of faith which Mr. Girardi is encouraging the reader to abandon--indeed, faith and prayer itself are set out as (literally) being the salvation of others long since dead. Clearly, Mr. Girardi believes that death is not the end. Further, entrance into the next world is most definitely merit based. Hardly a new concept, but always controversial. The love story is a vehicle for Mr. Girardi's bigger point: life isn't about material acquistion, life isn't about sexual conquest, life isn't about senseless narcissism--life is about loving human relationships. And in those relationships are where happiness and salvation can be found. Be warned: indulgence in the deadly sins will most certainly land you in a world where you will have a long time to ponder the mistakes made in life. Beautiful prose, beautiful women, beautiful Venice, beautiful inspiration--get this book and read it. It might save your soul.

Rating:
Summary: Abandon hope all ye who enter Gerardi's Venice.
Review: Sorry, lovey, but even a novelist writing "paint-by-numbers" fiction knows how sky complements dawn, which is a roundabout way of saying this novel is about as engaging as warm beer. One star, as that's as low as one can rate a book here. Farewell.

Rating:
Summary: Eh...
Review: This book wasn't as good as Madeline's Ghost, which kept me hooked, but it was still entertaining. What I like about Girardi's writing is he writes about everyday people who have trouble with jobs, relationships, etc. Nobody's filthy rich and all-powerful, living in a New York penthouse (a la Judith Krantz) in any of HIS novels and that's good - makes me feel more connected to the main character. But I digress...i had my suspicions about Caterina when she always had to leave before sunrise, and her skin was always cold. I was thinking of the V word myself, and probably not the first. Next up for me...The Pirate's Daughter.

Rating:
Summary: Eh...
Review: This book wasn't as good as Madeline's Ghost, which kept me hooked, but it was still entertaining. What I like about Girardi's writing is he writes about everyday people who have trouble with jobs, relationships, etc. Nobody's filthy rich and all-powerful, living in a New York penthouse (a la Judith Krantz) in any of HIS novels and that's good - makes me feel more connected to the main character. But I digress...i had my suspicions about Caterina when she always had to leave before sunrise, and her skin was always cold. I was thinking of the V word myself, and probably not the first. Next up for me...The Pirate's Daughter.

Rating:
Summary: A Ghost Story
Review: This is a fine, quasi-literary attempt at a ghost story, about an insomniac foreign exchange trader visiting Venice who falls in love with a nocturnal, cat-tending woman who lived, apparently, centuries ago. The writing is crisp and unpretentious, suitably skeptical for the topic, and totally lacking in the cheap shock tactics stuffed into most supernatural fiction. It is more a rumination on events than a hair-rising tale, which is good, as obviously the premise of the story is difficult to accept. The lead characters are well developed and the exploration of the son's disillusioning relationship with his father is real and disturbing. While the book is a far cry from Poe--the themes, death of culture and family in "modern" life, are not adequately resolved--the story is several intellectual steps forward from Stephen King, primarily because the author does not patronize the reader. If you like paint-by-numbers fiction, however, you probably should skip it.

Rating:
Summary: Vaporous 13
Review: This is exactly the type of book I should've enjoyed: surreal cover, hip young author, and a mysterious tale which takes place in Venice. I'm a huge fan of the new genre of books which I refer to as, "Fairy Tales for Adults." You know the type, stories that like to blend gritty realism with more than a hint of fantasy. So, when I spotted "Vaporetto 13" on the shelves last week, I was positive that this would be the book for me. Wrong. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that this is a pale comparison to Girardi's previous two novels, perhaps it was the lack of depth...for whatever reason, it was all I could do to finish this book! I found the tale to be predictable in it's unpredictability. I also had a difficult time feeling much sympathy at all for the main character; a young, wealthy businessman with a huge chip on his shoulder. I got the distinct impression that Girardi was rushing to complete this novel...it has that hurried, unfinished feel to it. I also wonder if, before writing this novel, Girardi had just completed a marathon Anne Rice reading session. The story smacks of her gothic descriptions and love of pairing sex with death. I give this book a three rather than a zero because, in spite of everything, it was a nice idea for a story and I love Venice!

Rating:
Summary: An entertaining slightly off-beat modern novel.
Review: This one sort of defies categorization. Is it a "ghost story" or a "mystery"? Maybe a bit of both, but a macabre novel without being a horror story is my best description. Almost like Kafka, but without the edge. Anyway, an entertaining novel set in modern Venice. A love story, in love with the intrigue of this historic city, or at least infatuated with its oddities. You will keep reading and you might even learn some interesting bits of Venetian history and culture along with your entertainment.

Rating:
Summary: Nice Imagery of Venice.
Review: When Jack first meets Caterina, I guessed a ghost or vampire story. Jack is forced to reevaluate his life, in the long run for the better. You also realize differences in culture when he goes to visit his father in Arizona. He realizes Arizona has no real past, Venice lives in it. The book ends with Jack being a much better rounded person. This isn't to say there were problems. 1. Predictable story with Caterina. He describes her and her crowd as pale. When she wont see him in daylight, you think vampire. (Then again, nothing was mentioned about fangs, biting and stakes through the heart). 2. After all, the whole thing could have been a hallucination. Like seeing the Vaparetto 13 (which wasn't there). Maybe it was all meant to teach him a lesson, like Scrooge in Christmas Carol. I did enjoy it and found it a quick read.

Rating:
Summary: Too much like "Madeleine's Ghost"
Review: While "Vaporetto 13" has its own charms, I found it a bit too similar to author Robert Girardi's first novel, the exquisite "Madeleine's Ghost." In this, his third book, it's as if Girardi were trying to throw together all the left-over ideas from the first novel just to fulfill a contractual obligation. Entire scenes from "Vaporetto 13" are lifted from "Madeleine's Ghost" almost wholly intact, including one passage where a ghostly woman sits on a bed, telling the hero a long expository story. Additionally, "Vaporetto 13" ends a bit abruptly, as if Girardi wasn't sure how to wrap things up but had to finish quickly to meet a deadline (perhaps under that supposed contractual obligation). It would've been nice if the author showed how the hero struggles to live up to the agreement he makes in the preachy final scene, featuring a character that, again, could've come straight from "Madeleine's Ghost." Of course, the third book does have its qualities. With the lyricism and wit that marked his first novel, Girardi evokes haunting images of Venice, a sinking city with a history as deep as the Mediterranean. Most of his characters are drawn in rich, colorful detail, even the ones who resemble those in "Madeleine's Ghost." And the otherworldly premise is intriguing. If only Girardi had shown more originality, this novel could've soared above its present mediocrity.

Rating:
Summary: Too much like "Madeleine's Ghost"
Review: While "Vaporetto 13" has its own charms, I found it a bit too similar to author Robert Girardi's first novel, the exquisite "Madeleine's Ghost." In this, his third book, it's as if Girardi were trying to throw together all the left-over ideas from the first novel just to fulfill a contractual obligation. Entire scenes from "Vaporetto 13" are lifted from "Madeleine's Ghost" almost wholly intact, including one passage where a ghostly woman sits on a bed, telling the hero a long expository story. Additionally, "Vaporetto 13" ends a bit abruptly, as if Girardi wasn't sure how to wrap things up but had to finish quickly to meet a deadline (perhaps under that supposed contractual obligation). It would've been nice if the author showed how the hero struggles to live up to the agreement he makes in the preachy final scene, featuring a character that, again, could've come straight from "Madeleine's Ghost." Of course, the third book does have its qualities. With the lyricism and wit that marked his first novel, Girardi evokes haunting images of Venice, a sinking city with a history as deep as the Mediterranean. Most of his characters are drawn in rich, colorful detail, even the ones who resemble those in "Madeleine's Ghost." And the otherworldly premise is intriguing. If only Girardi had shown more originality, this novel could've soared above its present mediocrity.