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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Interesting characters that you cared about their lives. The plot moved along without dragging. Interesting details about a time and place I didn’t know much about.
I loved this book. The scenes of Venice are revealing and true. Haunting and
surprising. A must read!
Good historical perspective of Venice in the 1560s
An amazing glimpse into the life of a Venetian tradesman during the Renaissance period. This was truly an inspirational and interesting account of a gondola Craftsman who, for circumstances beyond his control, found himself in a social struggle between the lower class in which he lived, and the love interest of one in the higher class. This was rich in detail, and would interest anyone who has a penchant for Italian history, boat building and art history in general.
I enjoyed this novel of 16th century Venice very much. With an interest in art history, I found this novel very informative about the history of the area and the time. Ms. Morelli combined her knowledge with the creation of wonderful, compelling characters. It was a wonderful tale.
Original story taking place in a place and period I’m not familiar with. How much harder lives the children of yesteryear endured. Makes you realize just how much times have changed.
An historical novel set in Venice about the Gondola maker’s craft and how it affects families. A young man runs from his family and away from what would be his inheritance. He then must find himself all over again after having lost his identity. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Predictable, cardboard characters, a disappointment. There are much better novels on Venice in the old days.
I didn’t really expect to, but I really enjoyed it.
I think it has well deserved awards it has won. I enjoyed the characters and learning more about the time period in Venice as well as information about gondolas.
It created an historic reference for a great story. I enjoyed the read.
loved the ending
really enjoyable story
Strong setting
This was an informative historical novel. I enjoy traveling to other countries in different time periods, to immerse myself in the time and culture. This was a wonderful example of combining historical aspects with romance . I look forward to reading more by this fabulous author.
Really enjoyed this book. Full of interesting facts about gondolas and life in early Venice, as well as interesting characters.
Beautifully written, carefully detailed, exhaustively researched, no doubt. This story has a host of believable characters whose lives cross in Venice. The artists are especially brought to life in the many processes of creativity, the way they describe inspiration.
The main character, the unproven gondola maker, seeks to reinvent himself following a tragedy of his own making. He is befriended by the lowly gondoliers, but also by a very wealthy painter. By chance, the young man falls in love with the subject of a painting and he doggedly seeks to meet her.
This is multilayered story telling at its finest, how each person influences each other, and how the past shapes our present selves.
Enjoyed it.
I loved this book. It is full of interesting and informative detail. The author really portrayed an era in Venice unknown to this generation and did so beautifully. Many of us have been to present day Venice and seen, or ridden in one of the charming gondolas, but I was enchanted by the history and problems of life during an earlier era.
Some very good historical scenes