Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by the author, publisher, or other related entity.
Synopsis:
Cover Love:
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Breakdown Review:
Midnight at the Tuscany Hotel by James Markert is a hard book to categorize. It has elements of contemporary fiction, historical fiction, as well as a mythological retelling and magical realism. This is not at all a bad thing and worked very well to grab my interest and slightly surprise me.
There are multiple components and layers to the narrative as it shifts between different time frames and points of view. There is a smoothness to the narrative that would not necessarily be expected given the use of this alternating style. The only exception of this is the very beginning of the book. Though Vitto's past and experience in the war is vital to the story, I didn't feel that it was as fully developed as it could have been in order to provide a smooth transition from the early chapters to the remainder of the book.
Once I made it to the portion of the book where Robert has disappeared, I found myself finally being involved in the story. At that point, I really became interested in the book and in the development of both characters and the side plots that were developing along with the main narrative.
The characters are fairly decently developed. I particularly loved the character of Magdalena and could easily have done with more of her in the book. While Vitto is the primary protagonist through the novel, I didn't feel as connected to him and felt that his story could be explored further. In this way, there is a feel that a sequel could be helpful, though the final chapter of this novel does somewhat close that possibility.
I very much enjoyed the mythological references in the novel and felt that they built the novel quite well and gave it more excitement and enjoyment. Overall, I had a good experience with the book and felt that it had a good emotional component as well as the ability to interest me in the things that were left unsaid. The ending was fairly solid, but wasn't the direction I wanted the story to go. I was happy with the ending, but I was left wanting more. I could definitely do with more exploration of the characters and the development of a more fantasy based sequel. Midnight at the Tuscany Hotel left me contemplating a lot of things beyond the written page.
** Additional note: Now that I have completed the novel... I do enjoy the title, as it was part of what drew me to this book. However, I now think that the book would more appropriately named Last Call at the Tuscany Hotel. Those who have read the full story will likely understand why I suggest this change. **
Emotional Response: Midnight at the Tuscany Hotel by James Markert is a hard book to categorize. It has elements of contemporary fiction, historical fiction, as well as a mythological retelling and magical realism. This is not at all a bad thing and worked very well to grab my interest and slightly surprise me.
There are multiple components and layers to the narrative as it shifts between different time frames and points of view. There is a smoothness to the narrative that would not necessarily be expected given the use of this alternating style. The only exception of this is the very beginning of the book. Though Vitto's past and experience in the war is vital to the story, I didn't feel that it was as fully developed as it could have been in order to provide a smooth transition from the early chapters to the remainder of the book.
Once I made it to the portion of the book where Robert has disappeared, I found myself finally being involved in the story. At that point, I really became interested in the book and in the development of both characters and the side plots that were developing along with the main narrative.
The characters are fairly decently developed. I particularly loved the character of Magdalena and could easily have done with more of her in the book. While Vitto is the primary protagonist through the novel, I didn't feel as connected to him and felt that his story could be explored further. In this way, there is a feel that a sequel could be helpful, though the final chapter of this novel does somewhat close that possibility.
I very much enjoyed the mythological references in the novel and felt that they built the novel quite well and gave it more excitement and enjoyment. Overall, I had a good experience with the book and felt that it had a good emotional component as well as the ability to interest me in the things that were left unsaid. The ending was fairly solid, but wasn't the direction I wanted the story to go. I was happy with the ending, but I was left wanting more. I could definitely do with more exploration of the characters and the development of a more fantasy based sequel. Midnight at the Tuscany Hotel left me contemplating a lot of things beyond the written page.
** Additional note: Now that I have completed the novel... I do enjoy the title, as it was part of what drew me to this book. However, I now think that the book would more appropriately named Last Call at the Tuscany Hotel. Those who have read the full story will likely understand why I suggest this change. **
I enjoyed the book quite a bit and found that it caused me to contemplate things beyond what I was given in the plot. It also aroused interest in me in subjects contained within the scope of the book, but in ways that far extend the pages. This instigation of a longing for information is a good thing. The book made me think and makes me want to learn more.
Series Continuation Likelihood:
Rating:
This is a very solid 4-star read. I enjoyed it very much. It read easily once I got through the first few chapters and I found myself eager to return to it each night. There was some emotional involvement in the narrative, but it just didn't feel fully explored. That is what kept me from going with the 5 on this one. However, it did lead to quite a bit of interest and intrigue on my part, which I think deserves some kudos.
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