Unto Us a Son Is Given by Donna Leon

Reviewed by: Dawn Dickey, Library Volunteer

Genre: Mystery

Suggested Age: Adult

What is the book about?: The central character of Donna Leon’s Venetian series, Commissario Guido Brunetti, is asked by his wealthy, elderly father-in-law, Count Orazio Falier, to intervene in a proposed adoption. Falier’s longtime friend, retired art gallery owner Gonzalo – unofficial uncle to Brunetti’s wife – is poised to ease the loneliness of his retirement by adopting an adult man to be his son. This adoption would prevent Gonzalo’s sister and brothers – his current heirs – from inheriting Gonzalo’s massive estate when he dies. Brunetti is unwillingly drawn into looking into the adoptee, and matters soon take a serious turn.

My Review:  Donna Leon is a master at character development. I haven’t read every book in the series, but picking up a new one is like greeting a loved family member that you haven’t seen in a long time. The culture and setting play a big role in this book, yet a reader can identify with the problems that are thoughtfully considered within the plot. For example: How can Brunetti possibly refuse his wealthy father-in-law’s request, or how can he refuse his supervisor’s request to intervene in a problem with the supervisor’s neighbors? Brunetti is intriguingly, perennially caught between duty to family and work, navigating delicate family and work matters as easily (or with as much difficulty) as he navigates the streets and canals of Venice. You will enjoy this highly interesting mystery!

Three Words That Describe This Book: Venice, surprising, families

Give This a Try if You Like… mysteries set in countries outside the U.S.; books by Magdalen Nabb or Christobel Kent

Rating: 5/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

Inheritance by Dani Shapiro

Reviewed by: Genna Buhr, Library Director

Genre: Memoir

Suggested Age: Adults

What is this book about?  A woman who has always had a strong outward defense of her identity but hasn’t always felt at ease with her place in her world suddenly discovers that there might be more to her than she thought she was. Following an impromptu over-the-internet DNA ancestry test, Dani Shapiro learned that her father was not, in fact, her biological father. What follows is her journey to determine who and why that might be and what that might mean in her life.

My Review: An admittedly slow reader, I managed to work through this book in just two days, as I found her story to be intriguing, equally thoughtful and emotional, and beautifully told. In just about 270 pages, she envelops us in her past and her now and makes us wonder what we might do if the solid ground on which we’ve built ourselves suddenly shifted. What of our identity is based in biology, what of us is based on our upbringing, and what if that line isn’t as clear as we’d like to think?

Three words that describe this book: thought-provoking, engaging, well-paced

Give this a try if you like…Finding Your Roots (PBS show), emotional mysteries, combing your family photo albums

Rating: 5/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography By Neil Patrick Harris

Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Reference Assistant

Genre: Autobiography

Suggested Age: Adults

What is the book about? Ostensibly, this is an autobiography of the TV and stage actor Neil Patrick Harris. However, there is a quirky twist. This book is set up like a Choose Your Own Adventure where the story is told using 2^nd person point of view (you are Neil Patrick Harris) and the reader can make life choices which can lead to either a happy, fulfilled life, end in an account of “your” untimely death, or somewhere in between. Choose wisely!

My Review: I listened to the e-audiobook version of this book, but it is also available in print and in CD book form.  The audiobook is read by the author and would not be as entertaining if it had been read by someone else.  Due to the limitations of listening instead of turning pages, the life choices were most often “wait for it” or “keep listening.” Because the print book would have the different story fragments arranged throughout various sections of the book, listening to the audiobook was kind of like reading a Choose Your Own Adventure story from cover to cover…not usually the best idea. However, the main autobiographical sections were generally close to chronological order or at least mentioned a calendar year, so the reader can mentally place the story within the timeline. In between autobiographical anecdotes are silly side stories that are either obviously fiction or at least highly dubious. I liked how there seemed to be nuggets of truth in a fictional portion and I sometimes wondered if there weren’t elements of imagination in the autobiographical accounts, too. I did not think this was a bad thing. On the contrary, it kept me guessing…literally. It’s full of very personal details delivered in a humorous and self-deprecating manner.  Despite the fact that Neil Patrick Harris has written a few children’s books, this one is definitely for adults.

Three Words That Describe This Book:  Sardonic, Scandalous, Poignant

Give This a Try if You Like…Choose Your Own Adventure books, How I Met Your Mother TV series, anything starring Neil Patrick Harris

Rating: 5/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.