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Rating: 
Summary: a fun read
Review: I had just returned from Florence when I started _The Dante Game_ and it proved extremely helpful in easing the pangs of withdrawal. All the place descriptions and the drawings were exactly as I'd just experienced. The front flyleaf had an illustration of the street scene that was the exact view from my pensione window. And the story itself was fun and fast-paced. I do wish the characters had more depth, however. A lot was said about their looks (but no pictures, which I thought odd considering there were illustrations of all the sights they visited, so why not include sketches of the people, when their descriptions were just as prominent in the book) and a lot was expected to be gleaned from these descriptions, especially the near saintliness of the stunning woman at the center of it all and the unlikability of the oafish fat boy, which was just a tad too convenient, I thought, and not especially fair. But this makes it sound as if I didn't like the story, which I did. Also, I can't say enough about the beautiful illustrations of Florence's views. I sighed at the sight of each one.
Rating:
Summary: a fun read
Review: I haven't read the rest of the series, but enjoyed this one. Very well-plotted. If you're lucky enough to be in Florence when you read it, you'll enjoy all the references to locations. It works well, and whetted my appetite for more by this author.
Rating: 
Summary: where was the mystery?!
Review: Pretty much of the story's outcome is evident before the reader is half way through the book. There is really only one "surprise" at the ending and I felt that it got wrapped up a little too neatly and quickly. There is some suspense, but it builds in choppy intervals and deflates, only to be pumped up again.A number of ideas and characters didn't really go anywhere. The idea of a bumbling American academic involved in uncovering a major criminal conspiracy has much potential, but here Homer Kelly is a regular annoyance and the book could've done without him. Further, Julia's discovery of herself in Florence and in captivity could've have also thickened the stew and deepened her character, but instead Langton has her do a "Patty Hearst turn" and then repent - so we're told. She gets a hubby and a kid at the end but we understand little of her entry into redeeming domesticity. The best character in the novel is the city of Florence, and Langton reaches genuine literary heights at the close of the book with her philosophical musings on the city and its history. There are also some amusing motifs, one being the portrayal of romantically-inclined, college-age students and their "like, you know" indifference to Florence's splendid cultural treasures. Methinks Langton may have once done an unsatisfying stint in a "study abroad" program. The Dante Game is likely to satisfy those about to travel to Florence or who have just returned. Mystery buffs are better advised to read the classics: P.D. James, Martha Grimes. etc.
Rating: 
Summary: The Missing Mystery
Review: This is an odd and ultimately unsatisfying book. The premise (a Game that revolves aroung Dante and the Divine Comedy) sounds wonderful, but it is completely under utilized and finally dropped completely. The settings and descriptions are well done, and the pictures scattered about the book are a nice touch. But the confusing thing is that Ms. Langton has a very bizzare concept of what constitutes a 'mystery.' For example, in a traditional mystery, the reader does not learn who the villian is on page 6! This strange technique basically removes any mystery to the story, and turns it into a not-so-thrilling thriller. Thus, this book's only saving grace is the descriptions of Florence, which is enough to elevate it above one star... barely.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Mystery, but something missing
Review: This is the second Jane Langton mystery I have read and I enjoyed it more than "Dead as a Dodo." Langton's scenic descriptions of Florence are tempting to those who have never been there. However, as with the aforementioned novel, she comes up short with the character development. You are indeed kept guessing until the end, but when you finally get there it is hard to feel empathy, disgust or anything at all. The characters seem complex, but we never get to see those complexities revealed, and when they are, it is in a hurried fashion to tie up loose ends. The book will appeal to anyone involved with university academia, anyone who has been to Florence, or anyone interested in the socio-political climate surrounding the Vatican. The writing is versatile and the cast of characters is amusing. I am not sure "A Homer Kelly Mystery" is an apt description because he is not featured in any special way in the novel and is one of the least interesting characters. Overall, a good airplane read.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Mystery, but something missing
Review: This is the second Jane Langton mystery I have read and I enjoyed it more than "Dead as a Dodo." Langton's scenic descriptions of Florence are tempting to those who have never been there. However, as with the aforementioned novel, she comes up short with the character development. You are indeed kept guessing until the end, but when you finally get there it is hard to feel empathy, disgust or anything at all. The characters seem complex, but we never get to see those complexities revealed, and when they are, it is in a hurried fashion to tie up loose ends. The book will appeal to anyone involved with university academia, anyone who has been to Florence, or anyone interested in the socio-political climate surrounding the Vatican. The writing is versatile and the cast of characters is amusing. I am not sure "A Homer Kelly Mystery" is an apt description because he is not featured in any special way in the novel and is one of the least interesting characters. Overall, a good airplane read.
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