Carlotta Brentan uses a mellifluous Italian cadence for this tale of two highborn yet impoverished sisters and their unexpected lives in 1509 Venice. The City of Canals is at war with Pope Julius II, under threat of excommunication. Naïve 13-year-old Rosa wants to join the San Zaccaria convent but is married off to an abusive aristocrat to bolster her family's fortunes. The story is told through the point of view of her sister, Justina, a self-confident 16-year-old who is in love with nouveau-riche Luca Cicogna, but she is given to the convent instead of Rosa. Brentan captures the suspense as Justina and Luca try to rescue Rosa from her in-laws' clutches and restore the Soranzo family's fortunes. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
In sixteenth-century Venice, one young noblewoman dares to resist the choices made for her
Venice in 1509 is on the brink of war. The displeasure of Pope Julius II is a continuing threat to the republic, as is the barely contained fighting in the countryside. Amid this turmoil, noblewoman Justina Soranzo, just sixteen, hopes to make a rare love marriage with her sweetheart, Luca Cicogna. Her hopes are dashed when her father decides her younger sister, Rosa, will marry in a strategic alliance and Justina will be sent to the San Zaccaria convent, in the tradition of aristocratic daughters. Lord Soranzo is not acting only to protect his family. It's well known that he is in debt to both his trading partners and the most infamous courtesan in the city, La Diamante, and the pressure is closing in.
After arriving at the convent, Justina takes solace in her aunt Livia, one of the nuns, and in the growing knowledge that all is not strictly devout at San Zaccaria. Justina is shocked to discover how the women of the convent find their own freedom in what seems to her like a prison. But secrets and scandals breach the convent walls, and Justina learns there may be even worse fates for her than the veil, if La Diamante makes good on her threats.
Desperate to protect herself and the ones she loves, Justina turns to Luca for help. She finds she must trust her own heart to make the impossible decisions that may save or ruin them all.
Set against the backdrop of the Venetian Republic on the brink of war, 'The Virgins of Venice' is a sweeping saga of love, honor, and sacrifice that will captivate readers from beginning to end.
With its feminist themes, unusual women, and engrossing plot, this book is a great read for anyone who loves historical fiction with a twist.
HarperCollins 2024
In sixteenth-century Venice, one young noblewoman dares to resist the choices made for her
Venice in 1509 is on the brink of war. The displeasure of Pope Julius II is a continuing threat to the republic, as is the barely contained fighting in the countryside. Amid this turmoil, noblewoman Justina Soranzo, just sixteen, hopes to make a rare love marriage with her sweetheart, Luca Cicogna. Her hopes are dashed when her father decides her younger sister, Rosa, will marry in a strategic alliance and Justina will be sent to the San Zaccaria convent, in the tradition of aristocratic daughters. Lord Soranzo is not acting only to protect his family. It's well known that he is in debt to both his trading partners and the most infamous courtesan in the city, La Diamante, and the pressure is closing in.
After arriving at the convent, Justina takes solace in her aunt Livia, one of the nuns, and in the growing knowledge that all is not strictly devout at San Zaccaria. Justina is shocked to discover how the women of the convent find their own freedom in what seems to her like a prison. But secrets and scandals breach the convent walls, and Justina learns there may be even worse fates for her than the veil, if La Diamante makes good on her threats.
Desperate to protect herself and the ones she loves, Justina turns to Luca for help. She finds she must trust her own heart to make the impossible decisions that may save or ruin them all.
Set against the backdrop of the Venetian Republic on the brink of war, 'The Virgins of Venice' is a sweeping saga of love, honor, and sacrifice that will captivate readers from beginning to end.
With its feminist themes, unusual women, and engrossing plot, this book is a great read for anyone who loves historical fiction with a twist.
HarperCollins 2024

The Virgins of Venice: A Novel - A Feminist Saga of Love and Honor in Renaissance Italy

The Virgins of Venice: A Novel - A Feminist Saga of Love and Honor in Renaissance Italy
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Product Details
BN ID: | 2940175861892 |
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Publisher: | HarperCollins |
Publication date: | 12/13/2022 |
Edition description: | Unabridged |
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