Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
By this time (book 25 of 28 in the series), I feel as though Salvo Montalbano is a beloved uncle, and The Safety Net brings this wily curmudgeon into the world of teenagers and social media. It also brings him into a situation all too familiar to Americans-- gun violence in schools.
With his trademark humor, Andrea Camilleri sets us down in a town seething with excitement over the presence of a film crew in its midst. Some of the situations Montalbano and his team have to deal with are quite funny. But Camillleri can be quite serious, too.
The author shares his opinions about gun violence in schools as well as what he thinks about the internet and social media. ("How was it possible... that this vast new realm had only created a multitude of loners...?") And Montalbano shines when dealing with teenagers in this story. He starts out believing that he doesn't even come close to speaking the same language as the youngsters, but once he begins to apply himself to the task, he's better at it than he'd imagined. And-- wonder of wonders-- he even sits down with Catarella to do some work on the computer!
I've loved this series for a good long time. I love the setting, the food, the humor. The mystery of the home movies here in The Safety Net is a good one as well. But what I really love is Salvo Montalbano, a man so particular about his food that, if you invite him to dinner and he makes an excuse not to come, you know you're a bad cook. I hate to see my time with this series getting nearer to the end.
With his trademark humor, Andrea Camilleri sets us down in a town seething with excitement over the presence of a film crew in its midst. Some of the situations Montalbano and his team have to deal with are quite funny. But Camillleri can be quite serious, too.
The author shares his opinions about gun violence in schools as well as what he thinks about the internet and social media. ("How was it possible... that this vast new realm had only created a multitude of loners...?") And Montalbano shines when dealing with teenagers in this story. He starts out believing that he doesn't even come close to speaking the same language as the youngsters, but once he begins to apply himself to the task, he's better at it than he'd imagined. And-- wonder of wonders-- he even sits down with Catarella to do some work on the computer!
I've loved this series for a good long time. I love the setting, the food, the humor. The mystery of the home movies here in The Safety Net is a good one as well. But what I really love is Salvo Montalbano, a man so particular about his food that, if you invite him to dinner and he makes an excuse not to come, you know you're a bad cook. I hate to see my time with this series getting nearer to the end.
