The Girl From Venice

By: Martin Cruz Smith

Narrated by: Zach Appelman

From “a master of the international thriller” (The New York Times), a suspenseful World War II love story set against the beauty, mystery, and danger of occupied Venice.

Venice, 1945. The war may be waning, but the city known as La Serenissima is still occupied and the people of Italy fear the power of the Third Reich. One night, under a canopy of stars, a fisherman named Cenzo comes across a young woman’s body floating in the lagoon and soon discovers that she is still alive and in trouble.

Born to a wealthy Jewish family, Giulia is on the run from the Wehrmacht. Cenzo chooses to protect Giulia rather than hand her over to the Nazis. This act of kindness leads them into the world of Partisans, random executions, the arts of forgery and high explosives, Mussolini’s broken promises, the black market and gold, and, everywhere, the enigmatic maze of the Venice Lagoon.

With Martin Cruz Smith’s trademark suspense, action, and breathtaking romance during World War II Italy, The Girl from Venice is “a gripping evocation of a beautiful nation and of two people, trapped in the lunacy of war and the bravery it can inspire” (The Seattle Times).

Terrific great Characters

His depiction of Mussolini is so close to trump / guess humans never learn. Love this author! Narrator exceptional !

tedious and trite

it is hard to believe this is a book by Martin Cruz Smith. It is barely more than a sketch for a screenplay. the characters are two-dimensional and unbelievable and the storyline is formulaic. If you love Mr. Smith, do yourself a favor and skip this book.

Brothers...War....and a Girl

Would you listen to The Girl from Venice again? Why?

No...I have too many other books on my list to listen to The Girl from Venice again.

What does Zach Appelman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The story really came to life with Zach Appelman's reading. He does a very good German accent, too. He was able to help me visualize scenes and people by the tone and inflection of his voice.

Great Story

Would you consider the audio edition of The Girl from Venice to be better than the print version?

That is how I listened to it, and yes, I would definitely suggest listening to it.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Girl from Venice?

The end

What does Zach Appelman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Good voice, which some readers do not have

Who was the most memorable character of The Girl from Venice and why?

Chenzo

Any additional comments?

No

Great start, mediocre middle, predictable end.

I can't quite pinpoint my disappointment, but the story didn't really grab me. Too many moving parts mixed in with what seemed like the author was trying show off as knowledge about an array of random subject matter. The end result being padding for what could have been a shorter, more to the point book.