Award-winning historical fiction set in 16th-century Venice
Benjamin Franklin Digital Award
IPPY Award for Best Adult Fiction E-book
National Indie Excellence Award Finalist
Eric Hoffer Award Finalist
Shortlisted for the da Vinci Eye Prize
From the author of Made in Italy comes a tale of artisanal tradition and family bonds set in one of the world’s most magnificent settings: Renaissance … artisanal tradition and family bonds set in one of the world’s most magnificent settings: Renaissance Venice.
Venetian gondola-maker Luca Vianello considers his whole life arranged. His father charted a course for his eldest son from the day he was born, and Luca is positioned to inherit one of the city’s most esteemed boatyards. But when Luca experiences an unexpected tragedy in the boatyard, he believes that his destiny lies elsewhere. Soon he finds himself drawn to restore an antique gondola with the dream of taking a girl for a ride.
The Gondola Maker brings the centuries-old art of gondola-making to life in the tale of a young man’s complicated relationship with his master-craftsman father. Lovers of historical fiction will appreciate the authentic details of gondola craftsmanship, along with an intimate first-person narrative set against the richly textured backdrop of 16th-century Venice.
A Venetian page-turner
“I’m a big fan of Venice, so I appreciate Laura Morelli’s special knowledge of the city, the period, and the process of gondola-making. An especially compelling story.” –Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun
“Laura Morelli has done her research, or perhaps she was an Italian carpenter in another life. One can literally smell and feel the grain of finely turned wood in her hands.” –Pamela Sheldon Johns, author of Italian Food Artisans
“Romance, intrigue, family loyalty, pride, and redemption set against the backdrop of Renaissance Italy.” –Library of Clean Reads
“Beautiful, powerful evocation of the characters, the place, and the time. An elegant and thoroughly engaging narrative voice.” –Mark Spencer, author of Fiction Club: A Concise Guide to Writing Good Fiction
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I have spent 16 days in Venice in 2012. 13 of those days my husband was in the hospital. 3 days as a tourist was enough but 13 days as a participant of the Venician life was the best except the worry how to get my husband back to the USA. Translation issues for insurance, infections, transportation on an airplane since he could not travel unless he was lying down per his surgeon. I wanted to know more about an area and people I was just beginning to understand. Why do people live on an almost non existing land area? The housing was so expensive. Why were there gondolas/? My questions were somewhat answered and more by reading this book.
If you have ever wanted to visit Venice – or have been fortunate to have gone – this will put an extra spin on the romance that is the city of Venice.
Great book with a somewhat predictable story but I learned so much about Gondolas, artisans of that era and the hold of guilds on the country at that time.
Lov d it!
Great historical fiction… with ongoing tale. Loved it.
Too slow.
I was very disappointed in this book….boring & predictable.
Interesting and well-written historical fiction set in Venice, Italy.
Fascinating detail around the building of gondolas. Engaging characters illustrate the age-old dilemma of love across social strata.
a TRULY DIFFERENT SYORY WELL TOLD.
Interesting period and setting, good story, well written.
The history of times was accurately presented.
I read the whole thing, it was good, I didn’t love it.a little unbelievable, but ok.
This book was very well researched; I especially enjoy historical fiction when I can learn a lot about the period described.
I picked this book as it looked interesting, especially given I visited Venice a few months ago. Reading about life in that ‘water-infused’ city, way back in the past, and having been to several of the places mentioned in the book – it gave a good insight into life of the craftsmen of the time, as well as of the culture of the period. Enough twists to keep one interested too!
In the beginning the book got a little carried away with the description of how gondolas are made but then it became very interesting. I can’t wait to read the next book in the sequel.
Could not put it down, very historically informative,
Historically informative. really enjoyed the book and plan to read more by this author.
Wondeful insight to what is a disappearing art.
I thought it was fascinating, informative and well researched.