PanSeeing the World Through BooksOne of the charms of the Ricciardi series (as opposed to the Lojacono series) is that there has always been a feeling that the author is quietly smiling in the background during many scenes involving his very human characters. I missed that feeling here. The writing is not as tight as it was...and it feels loose, lacking a sense of unity and direction.The dialogue is sometimes stilted and simplistic ... Throughout the novel, Maione appears more aggressive—not just impatient—and less grounded than the warm person who has shared his family with us in the past. Ricciardi seems less empathetic, more self-absorbed. With a cast of approximately sixty characters, some of them minor characters with unnecessarily detailed backgrounds, the novel may discourage new readers ... The intensity, feeling, and sense of direction which de Giovanni’s other novels have had in abundance were sadly missed here, and I greatly hope that de Giovanni’s narrative \'smile\' returns soon.
