John Berendt leads us on an intimate journey, walking the calles of Venice. We’re drawn in by the elaborate description and intriguing relationships he forges along the way, unveiling the secrets, the lies and the scandal beneath the ornate exterior.
Immediately we are introduced to the focal point of the whole book, the suspicious fire of 1996, which consumes the Fenice Opera house, breaking the hearts of Venetians all over the city. What follows is an enthralling series of interviews with the eccentric people of Venice, each with a story to tell and a deep rooted love for their country. We become captivated as suspicion causes rifts throughout the tight knit community, an unthinkable crime that rocks the foundations of this picturesque city.
With mentions of the Mafia and the exposure of corrupt officials, this is not your average travel account but verges more on being a journal, exposing the raw intricacies of such a high profile city.
On the trail for justice we get to experience the beauty of the canals, and how they act as veins feeding the heart of Venice, an intricate system of waterways used for hundreds of years by the likes of Ezra Pound and Casanova.
In The City of Falling Angels, John Berendt has produced an exquisite ‘tribute to a people’. Venice is exposed through the eyes of its inhabitants. They are ‘the beating heart’ that keeps the city thriving, the people with secrets to tell.
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