Allison D. (alleigh) reviewed on 6/18/2008 + 15 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

The Venetian Affair by Andrea Di Robilant is one of those rare pieces of historical writing that reads like one of the great works of fiction. The book contains excerpts from the love letters exchanged between Andrea Memmo, a descendent of one of the founding fathers of Venice, and Giustiniana Wynne, whose background and claims to nobility were slightly questionable. Di Robilant uses the heart-wrenching love letters that were exchanged for over a decade as a foundation, and he fills in the details and the history surrounding the letters to create a masterful real-life love story.

The are moments where the book drags on, especially because many of Giustiniana's love letters are repetitious. However, this is more the nature of the futileness of the relationship and the lack of actual events in between each weekly letter, rather than the fault of Di Robilant. There are mundane aspects to every person's life, even clandestine lovers, and the book reflects that.

There are also moments where it would be helpful for Di Robilant to not only use the month and day as a reference point when he discusses events, but also the year. The reader may have to look back several chapters for the closest year notation, and count forward several from that point. This may mean that several seasons have passed, which can get a little tedious.

Overall, though, The Venetian Affair is an interesting tale of romance, politics, social class, and love in 18th-Century Venice. During that period, Venice was a society that was very attuned to the intrigue that can arise when these difference areas of life mix, and Di Robilant's account of Andrea and Giustiniana provides a unique look into the results of such a love story.

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