Beastly Things

Beastly Things (2012) Donna Leon

Although I had forgotten most of the mystery, the scenes of Brunetti and Vianello going into the slaughterhouse I remembered quite vividly–their horror and disgust at what they witnessed.

Again, Rizzardi continues to be one of my favorite characters, even though we usually only see him once a book.

‘Miracle?’ Brunetti asked.
‘In a manner of speaking,’ Rizzardi said. ‘Something wonderful.’ Rizzardi looked at his friend and must have seen something he liked, or trusted, for he went on, ‘If you think about it, the most ordinary things we do – picking up a glass, tying our shoes, whistling . . . they’re all tiny miracles.’
‘Then why do you do what you do?’ Brunetti asked, surprising himself with the question.
‘What?’ Rizzardi asked. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘Work with people after the miracles are over,’ Brunetti said for want of a better way to say it.
There was a long pause before Rizzardi answered. At last he said, ‘I never thought of it that way.’ He looked down at his own hands, turned them over and studied the palms for a moment. ‘Maybe it’s because what I do lets me see more clearly the way things work, the things that make the miracles possible.’

I will note one negative–it seems that Donna Leon doesn’t carefully track her plots and characters. I’ve noticed this previously, but reading the books one after the other brought it out more clearly.

For instance, this passage:

The driver reminded him about the seat belt, and Brunetti, thinking it foolish to use it for what would prove such a short trip, put it on nevertheless.

It’s as if the car accident he was in that killed a colleague never happened.

It’s just a small thing, but as I said, when reading the books one after the other, these inconsistencies stick out.

There are, of course, the thoughts and comments on human nature:

‘How stupid does he think we are?’ Vianello burst out.
‘Probably very,’ Brunetti said, almost without thinking. Being underestimated, he had learned – however unflattering it might be – always conveyed an advantage. If the person doing the underestimating wasn’t very bright to begin with – and Brunetti had a sense that Meucci was not – that increased the advantage.

This isn’t one of my favorite stories, but I do believe this book has both my favorite funeral scene (I know that sounds weird, but it’s true) and my favorite ending. So many of the funerals Brunetti attends are sparsely attended, or the dead seemed as if they would be quickly forgotten. This scene, however, was lovely in a heart breaking way (it brings me to tears, remembering it).
Rating: 8/10

Published by Atlantic Monthly Press

• Browse the archives:
  
• The Golden Egg » »
• « « Drawing Conclusions