The Immortal City

Pros:
- Atmosphere
- Mix of magic and mythology and history
- The beginning

I really was enjoying this book in the beginning although fair warning, the murders ESPECIALLY the first one are written quite graphically. Besides the murders the rest is written with a sense of wonder. The thing is once Penelope stays at the tower, the plot slows way down.

Cons:
- Murder mystery?? what murder mystery??
- 1D side characters (7 magicians and I kept forgetting who they all were)
- Romance
- Middle of the book slows down
- Shallow world-building

So, the romance was not insta-love, but it felt like it??? Probably because I don't understand how feelings developed between them. Penelope goes from “I don't have time to date” to jumping his bones without any internal change. Chemistry is there, but I don't believe it.
The side characters disappear and rarely use magic – also their magic is different??? How? Instead of telling stories of their past or figuring out who they were in history, how about explaining how the magic works?
AND are magicians not human? There is a line were one of them says they were human before becoming magicians and I shouted “WHAT!?” aloud because they keep talking down about humans, only for it to be said the people of Atlantis WERE human, but somehow magicians are made and live forever?? Why is none of this explained?? I need more present day/time information to help me understand the world, not another story about how Zo, the poet, was Homer or wrote Dante's Inferno.
The mystery disappears mid-book as they dig into history sigh.


So, do I recommend it? Yes and no. If you like the Venice setting and want some magic with romantic tension you should totally dive in. This is also a great beach read since it won't take too much concentration.
If you're looking for an adventure and puzzles with steamy scenes, no this isn't the one for you.