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The Venetian Mask
Enduring friendships and long-held vendettas come alive against the splendor and decadence of eighteenth-century Venice.
In 1775 Venice--known to outsiders as “the brothel of Europe”--the tradition of mask-wearing has allowed adultery and debauchery to flourish. But Marietta and Elena, two friends at the Ospedale della Pietà, a world-famous orphanage and music school for girls, know little of that milieu--until they come of age.
Elena is forced to wed the head of the Celano clan, a jealous, brutal man, while Marietta marries Domenico Torrisi, whose family vendetta with the Celanos is centuries old. Tradition dictates that the friends should never speak again, but their bond is too strong to break.
As the French Revolution unsettles all of Europe, Elena’s husband frames Domenico and he becomes a political prisoner. Marietta and Elena plot to save him, and the women discover that Venetian masks have noble purposes, too--but will their efforts put their own lives at risk?
Embodying the glitter and the treachery of the city it portrays, The Venetian Mask will keep you turning pages long into the night.
In 1775 Venice--known to outsiders as “the brothel of Europe”--the tradition of mask-wearing has allowed adultery and debauchery to flourish. But Marietta and Elena, two friends at the Ospedale della Pietà, a world-famous orphanage and music school for girls, know little of that milieu--until they come of age.
Elena is forced to wed the head of the Celano clan, a jealous, brutal man, while Marietta marries Domenico Torrisi, whose family vendetta with the Celanos is centuries old. Tradition dictates that the friends should never speak again, but their bond is too strong to break.
As the French Revolution unsettles all of Europe, Elena’s husband frames Domenico and he becomes a political prisoner. Marietta and Elena plot to save him, and the women discover that Venetian masks have noble purposes, too--but will their efforts put their own lives at risk?
Embodying the glitter and the treachery of the city it portrays, The Venetian Mask will keep you turning pages long into the night.
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
69 people are currently reading
2610 people want to read
About the author
Rosalind Laker
81 books191 followersA pseudonym used by Barbara Øvstedal.
Barbara Øvstedal was an author previously writing under the pseudonym Barbara Paul and Barbara Douglas. She wrote a few books under this pseudonym but later changed to Rosalind Laker when Barbara Paul gained recognition. Her many books include The Sugar Pavilion and To Dance with Kings.
Barbara Øvstedal was an author previously writing under the pseudonym Barbara Paul and Barbara Douglas. She wrote a few books under this pseudonym but later changed to Rosalind Laker when Barbara Paul gained recognition. Her many books include The Sugar Pavilion and To Dance with Kings.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
November 23, 2021
Read 2009
One of my top favorites. It is so good. Two sweet innocent girls. One faces life's troubles and finds love and the other has a horrendous marriage. Both survive through their friendship. The history goes from corrupt Venetian politics to Napoleon and the end of Carnival.
I'll write a better review later bc it deserves one. I highly recommend!!!
One of my top favorites. It is so good. Two sweet innocent girls. One faces life's troubles and finds love and the other has a horrendous marriage. Both survive through their friendship. The history goes from corrupt Venetian politics to Napoleon and the end of Carnival.
I'll write a better review later bc it deserves one. I highly recommend!!!
November 12, 2022
Ovaj roman je prava književna poslastica za ljubitelje historijske fikcije i ljubavne radnje.
Radnja je smještena je u Veneciju u 16.vijeku, neposredno pred slabljenje države i francusko osvajanje.
U centru zanimanja su dvije zaraćene porodice i prijateljice koje spletom okolnosti postaju supruge krvnih neprijatelja. U opsežnoj historijskoj sagi, bore se ljubav i osveta, spletke i podmetanja, majčinska ljubav i nemogućnost ostvarenja iste.
Čitajući roman imala sam dojam da sam u samoj Veneciji. Tome su doprinijeli slikoviti opisi atmosfere karnevala, raznolikost maski, anonimnost i mogućnost skrivanja od drugih, te uživanje u zabranjenim ljubavima.
Hoće li snaga prijateljstva srušiti zidove davno započete vendete (krvne osvete), hoće li dvije prijateljice naći porodičnu sreću i ljubav, saznaće na ovih 500 stranica u kojima sam zaista uživala.
Radnja je smještena je u Veneciju u 16.vijeku, neposredno pred slabljenje države i francusko osvajanje.
U centru zanimanja su dvije zaraćene porodice i prijateljice koje spletom okolnosti postaju supruge krvnih neprijatelja. U opsežnoj historijskoj sagi, bore se ljubav i osveta, spletke i podmetanja, majčinska ljubav i nemogućnost ostvarenja iste.
Čitajući roman imala sam dojam da sam u samoj Veneciji. Tome su doprinijeli slikoviti opisi atmosfere karnevala, raznolikost maski, anonimnost i mogućnost skrivanja od drugih, te uživanje u zabranjenim ljubavima.
Hoće li snaga prijateljstva srušiti zidove davno započete vendete (krvne osvete), hoće li dvije prijateljice naći porodičnu sreću i ljubav, saznaće na ovih 500 stranica u kojima sam zaista uživala.
February 8, 2009
My love affair with Rosalind Laker began after reading To Dance with Kings. What a wonderful novel! And while I liked The Venetian Mask, I do agree with other reviewers that her novels have a bit of a pattern to them. However we are also in agreement that it doesn't make the story less for it. The story starts off slow, but no worries, it does pick up.
Laker transports the readers to 18th century Venice; see the majestic palaces that rise from the water along the Grand Canal, experience the decadence and licentiousness of The Carnival, and feel surrounded by the music...ahh...the sweet music. The gondoliers with their booming voices, often accompanied by violins or flutes, the street bands that played in the squares and the angelic voices of the Pieta girls.
Obviously venetian masks feature heavily in the story; the making of them we see through the eyes of Marietta and the various misdeeds that can be done while hiding underneath were quite intriguing. All in all, The Venetian Mask is a good read.
Laker transports the readers to 18th century Venice; see the majestic palaces that rise from the water along the Grand Canal, experience the decadence and licentiousness of The Carnival, and feel surrounded by the music...ahh...the sweet music. The gondoliers with their booming voices, often accompanied by violins or flutes, the street bands that played in the squares and the angelic voices of the Pieta girls.
Obviously venetian masks feature heavily in the story; the making of them we see through the eyes of Marietta and the various misdeeds that can be done while hiding underneath were quite intriguing. All in all, The Venetian Mask is a good read.
February 7, 2020
This spellbinding story of friendship and perseverance kept me riveted. The strength that Marietta exhibits throughout the story is inspiring and gives an interesting perspective on women of this time period. The city of Venice—with its extraordinary customs, political intrigue, and Carnival—serves as an exquisite stage, and I love how the author has woven the culture of Venice into the story itself.
February 19, 2023
Pamtim knjige Rozalind Lejker kao pametnije, sa mnogo manje drame uprkos konstantnim obrtima i dešavanjima. Magija Venecije ovde najviše vadi prosek.
February 5, 2023
4.8 stars
⏳ [Re-read project #1 of 2023, 1st proper review, rating maintained]
This book has always been special to me. Ironically, the book was originally a gift made to my sister and she never read it. When I first read it, I immediately fell in love with this epic romance. RL was an author who had a knack to weave a beautiful story seamlessly into real, historical facts and personages. Through her simple and clever prose, she had an uncanny skill of breathing life and colours to History, via charming and unforgettable characters who might just have really existed.
And this book is probably the most romanesque story brimming with passion that she ever wrote. It has all the ingredients of epic romance: love, sensuality, century-old family feuds, 18th century Venice with its sultry carnival and mysterious atmosphere, wealth and decadent splendour, jealousy, music, pride, duels and blood sheding, conspiracies and lies, intrigue, sex, sequestration and abuse, courage, death and sorrow, angst, retribution... All would have amounted to naught, if the complex plot set by the beautiful pen of RL had not been at work. Despite being no history expert, it is so obvious that RL invested a lot of research into historical facts, places and persons so as to best tell her tale. So real big kudos to the late author for her talent and generosity.
Although there is a lot more happening in the book, the center plot is undoubtedly the romance between Marietta and Domenico. And what a romance! *sigh* Their love story gives new meaning to the word serendipity. During this re-read, it remained a delight of mine to witness each and every time RL showed how the destiny of orphan Marietta Fontana was irremediably entwined with that of wealthy and powerful Domenico Torrisi. Though I know by heart how the story enfolds, each time, I find their story so exhilarating, romantic and so written in the stars, and at the same time heartbreaking. Marietta was a superb heroine, full of courage and passion. And virile and dashing Domenico was probably one of my first sigh-worthy book boyfriends!
My heart ached anew every time I read about all the unfair obstacles put on their way. They do have a beautiful HEA in the end but still there is some lingering bittersweetness about it for all the time lost and tears shed between them. Needless to say that I hated everytime the story spent time on the hateful and backward Celanos (except for Pietro) and Bianca irked me with the way she naively sided with Filippo.
My only tiny wishful critique would be that I would have wanted to have gotten a lot more of Domenico. As it is, with 10 years him being away in jail, the story necessarily focused on Marietta and how she rose to formidable heights of courage to get back her Domenico. Which is as it should be because this book is Marietta's story. But still, I missed Domenico a lot and the epilogue of sorts in the last chapter was not enough 😍.
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P.S. Without a doubt, my short visit to Venice in 2016 was certainly prompted a great deal by my youthful fantasies inspired by this book. I am so glad that I was able to visit many of the landmarks mentioned in this book. Though time did not permit a visit to the Santa Maria della Pietà, I did get a good photo of it from the island of San Giorgio. I was surprised and enchanted to see a copy of this book in a Venetian library near the Piazza San Marco. I don't know when, but one day, I am determined to go back and lose myself in Marietta's Venice!
P.S.2 This story would make a lovely mini-series for Tv, that I would die to watch! A plea to Netflix?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2021
You have feelings that you are in Venice... If you are fan of historical books, so, this is "must read" book!
February 24, 2016
Great book about life in Venice cerca 1700. Teh book concentrates on two girls raised in an orphanage and schooled in music. They grow and marry two opposing families. The story is chock full of adventure and thick plots. Very good read especially if you enjoy descriptions of Venice the way it use to be.
Merged review:
I love reading historical fiction and since this is a far cry from that it does show you Venice in the late 1700s taking many liberties....the Pieta...does exist...or at least did as it was portrayed in the book. It is a very romantic historical account about a girl who was brought to an orphanage in Venice when her mask-making mother took ill and died. Marietta met and befriended Eleana in the orphanage and the two of them ended up marrying the "Hatfield adn MacCoys". The story takes you through Marietta's life in the orphanage to become a prima donna singer and then into her marriage into nobility in the Venice of the 1700s...very good book and it kept my interest even through the romantic nonsense entwined with the historic viewpoints of that era...
Merged review:
I love reading historical fiction and since this is a far cry from that it does show you Venice in the late 1700s taking many liberties....the Pieta...does exist...or at least did as it was portrayed in the book. It is a very romantic historical account about a girl who was brought to an orphanage in Venice when her mask-making mother took ill and died. Marietta met and befriended Eleana in the orphanage and the two of them ended up marrying the "Hatfield adn MacCoys". The story takes you through Marietta's life in the orphanage to become a prima donna singer and then into her marriage into nobility in the Venice of the 1700s...very good book and it kept my interest even through the romantic nonsense entwined with the historic viewpoints of that era...
September 20, 2011
The Venetian Mask by Rosalind Laker is a dramatic and romantic novel about two orphaned girls, who reside in the famous Ospedale Della Pieta. The Pieta is renowned for its beautiful and innocent girls, who are presented to society through their music and artistic talents. Marietta and Elena, as they reach adulthood, each engage in personal and often devastating pursuits for love, all the while maintaining that cherished and long-lasting friendship that they have created.
Like many other romance novels, I am left feeling utterly confused by this book. I both love and hate it. I love the sweeping romances, the implausible plot-lines and the daring schemes which occur. However, I did not enjoy the writing, nor did I find the characters particularly believable.
Rosalind tends to narrate the book in the viewpoint of whomever is most important to the plot. However, as these perspectives are not segmented into chapters, there is often a quick and random switch to other characters, which can not only get incredibly confusing but also annoying. By knowing other characters thoughts, an element of mystery is also lost, as key moments are divulged to the reader without a focus on suspense.
The characters also could have been written with more flaws. Although that may sound bitter, especially as all females are explained as being impossibly beautiful, there is something to be said about being normal. However, all four of the main characters are popular for their beauty or their hair or some other characteristic which has men dying over them. With the knowledge that they are beautiful, it's difficult to see any real personal development occur about their bodies, as everything is always connected to a lover's opinion on beauty or a tragedy of sickness. As these are young girls, it was strikingly odd to read about characters who felt absolutely convinced that they were beautiful.
I also thought that her portrayal of them was really strange. Rosalind definitely tries to make them seem quite individual, feminist and strong willed. However, a lot of what happens and the way that they interact with others around them does not seem to encourage this view point. The women's dependency on male attention is incredibly evident, especially as their inability to refuse attention from higher classed men often leads them into horrifying situations. While I understand that they are repressed and such, being women in that time period, their endless pursuit for love and attention by men makes them seem almost needy and desperate.
The plot-lines were also very familiar territory and I did not really feel that the authoress took a chance with her story. It was very much the unhappy wife, the barren woman, the disappointed lover or the pinning young gentlemen. While she pulled these stories off quite well, it would have been interesting to have included the rawer side of Venice, as in the prostitutes, smugglers and thieves. By focusing so intently on the nobility, it was almost a disconnect from the fact that there were other sides to the floating city. While she made it very clear that the nobility were heavily flawed, she did not venture past that class and into the poorer regions, which would have been really interesting.
However, as a lover of Venice who had just returned from the city, I was really drawn into the book by the authoress's ability to create atmosphere or really enrich the scene with her explanations of scenery. She quite romantically builds a scene of the city.
Although I really enjoyed her explanations of the city and the plot-lines that, although predictable, were entertaining, I don't think I can give this book any higher then a two star rating. As the rating states, 'it was okay,' but I can definitely see the flaws in it.
Like many other romance novels, I am left feeling utterly confused by this book. I both love and hate it. I love the sweeping romances, the implausible plot-lines and the daring schemes which occur. However, I did not enjoy the writing, nor did I find the characters particularly believable.
Rosalind tends to narrate the book in the viewpoint of whomever is most important to the plot. However, as these perspectives are not segmented into chapters, there is often a quick and random switch to other characters, which can not only get incredibly confusing but also annoying. By knowing other characters thoughts, an element of mystery is also lost, as key moments are divulged to the reader without a focus on suspense.
The characters also could have been written with more flaws. Although that may sound bitter, especially as all females are explained as being impossibly beautiful, there is something to be said about being normal. However, all four of the main characters are popular for their beauty or their hair or some other characteristic which has men dying over them. With the knowledge that they are beautiful, it's difficult to see any real personal development occur about their bodies, as everything is always connected to a lover's opinion on beauty or a tragedy of sickness. As these are young girls, it was strikingly odd to read about characters who felt absolutely convinced that they were beautiful.
I also thought that her portrayal of them was really strange. Rosalind definitely tries to make them seem quite individual, feminist and strong willed. However, a lot of what happens and the way that they interact with others around them does not seem to encourage this view point. The women's dependency on male attention is incredibly evident, especially as their inability to refuse attention from higher classed men often leads them into horrifying situations. While I understand that they are repressed and such, being women in that time period, their endless pursuit for love and attention by men makes them seem almost needy and desperate.
The plot-lines were also very familiar territory and I did not really feel that the authoress took a chance with her story. It was very much the unhappy wife, the barren woman, the disappointed lover or the pinning young gentlemen. While she pulled these stories off quite well, it would have been interesting to have included the rawer side of Venice, as in the prostitutes, smugglers and thieves. By focusing so intently on the nobility, it was almost a disconnect from the fact that there were other sides to the floating city. While she made it very clear that the nobility were heavily flawed, she did not venture past that class and into the poorer regions, which would have been really interesting.
However, as a lover of Venice who had just returned from the city, I was really drawn into the book by the authoress's ability to create atmosphere or really enrich the scene with her explanations of scenery. She quite romantically builds a scene of the city.
Although I really enjoyed her explanations of the city and the plot-lines that, although predictable, were entertaining, I don't think I can give this book any higher then a two star rating. As the rating states, 'it was okay,' but I can definitely see the flaws in it.
May 20, 2010
This is a wonderful read about two friends in 1775 Venice. Both are singers who must marry wealthy men. Remember that women have few rights and privileges in this era. However, the men the friends marry are vicious enemies. For Elena whose love dies from illness just prior to their marriage, marriage to his brother, Filippo, is a nightmare. He is cruel, abusive and jealous. For Marietta who loses her first love to another through deceit, her marriage to Domenico Torrisi is all she could ever hope to have. The two friends find it difficult to keep in touch because of the feuding of their husbands' families yet the friendship perseveres. Life for both becomes very complicated as the tale moves on. I truly enjoyed this book.
December 19, 2016
Read this novel in a Reader's Digest Condensed collection when I was a kid, and it left a lasting impression. A Gothic novel set in the glittering, glamorous, ugly world of Venice.
December 31, 2019
ENGL:
A beautiful book that took me to Venice in 1755. I love it when I can see a time where the book is set in front of my eyes and this is a case with this one. I enjoyed a story about friendship and I loved descriptions of that beautiful place. Truly amazing book.
------------------------------------------------
SRB:
Divna knjiga koja me je vodila kroz Veneciju iz 1700-te. Svidelo mi se kako sam mogla da vidim vreme u kome se knjiga odigrava pred mojim očima kao i sam opširan i živopisan opis knjige. Ućivala sam u ovoj priči o prijateljstvu. Divna knjiga.
A beautiful book that took me to Venice in 1755. I love it when I can see a time where the book is set in front of my eyes and this is a case with this one. I enjoyed a story about friendship and I loved descriptions of that beautiful place. Truly amazing book.
------------------------------------------------
SRB:
Divna knjiga koja me je vodila kroz Veneciju iz 1700-te. Svidelo mi se kako sam mogla da vidim vreme u kome se knjiga odigrava pred mojim očima kao i sam opširan i živopisan opis knjige. Ućivala sam u ovoj priči o prijateljstvu. Divna knjiga.
June 15, 2019
Za sve one koji vole price o Veneciji, tom vecnom gradu, ovo e knjiga koju morate procitati.
January 14, 2011
Set in 18th-century Venice, this novel is about three orphaned girls who grow up together at a special charity music school called the Ospedale della Pieta. They are all brilliant musicians, but instead of pursuing their careers they decide to try their chances at love and making babies. In the process many Tragic and Dramatic Things happen (including, but not limited to: blood feuds, sudden and inexplicable deaths, false imprisonments, treachery and treason, pregnancy cover-ups and dungeons) and they must rely on their bond with each other to carry on.
This book had just about every over-used melodramatic trope it possibly could have had. You could see the "plot twists" coming from a mile away, and the characters left a lot to be desired. The good ones were all strong, gorgeous/handsome and could do no wrong, and the bad ones were all bad just for the sake of...being bad. The three women were very much put upon merely because they were women, and I think the author was trying to make a point about the unfairness of society at that time (which is a valid point), but it got old. There was sex scene fail here, too. I believe at one point there may have been reference made to a "golden stallion", but I have blocked it from my mind.
In other words it was pretty much a typical romance novel. It was very sappy.
At the same time, I kept reading it, although I can't exactly say why. It was an entertaining kind of bad. And the setting was interesting. I think if the characters had been more complex, the overall tone of the book had been less saccharine, and the author had actually thrown in something unpredictable every now and then it could actually have been pretty good.
This book had just about every over-used melodramatic trope it possibly could have had. You could see the "plot twists" coming from a mile away, and the characters left a lot to be desired. The good ones were all strong, gorgeous/handsome and could do no wrong, and the bad ones were all bad just for the sake of...being bad. The three women were very much put upon merely because they were women, and I think the author was trying to make a point about the unfairness of society at that time (which is a valid point), but it got old. There was sex scene fail here, too. I believe at one point there may have been reference made to a "golden stallion", but I have blocked it from my mind.
In other words it was pretty much a typical romance novel. It was very sappy.
At the same time, I kept reading it, although I can't exactly say why. It was an entertaining kind of bad. And the setting was interesting. I think if the characters had been more complex, the overall tone of the book had been less saccharine, and the author had actually thrown in something unpredictable every now and then it could actually have been pretty good.
December 30, 2014
Rosalind Laker is fast becoming one of my favorite historical fiction authors. I have also read her novel The House by the Fjord and I just started two others, To Dream of Snowand This Shining Land.
The Venetian Mask tells the story of two friends, Marietta and Elena, who grow up together in the Ospedale de la Pieta, an orphanage and music school. Their romantic lives entangle them in feuding families. The story follows them over several decades as their personal trials and struggles intersect with the political life of Venice in the late 18th century through the arrival of Napoleon's forces during the Directory period in France.
A unique feature of the book is the detailed information about the business of making ornate masks that truly concealed identities, not only at Carnival time, but all through the year. This practice of mask-wearing facilitated the intrigues that were already common to Venetian life, and Marietta, who came from a family of skilled mask-makers, is ideally suited to playing a pivotal role among the nobility and bureaucrats who wished to buy them and hide behind them.
The prose is smoothly and skillfully written and the story is well-paced and suspenseful, with plenty of risk and danger. The two women's friendship is a constant emotional thread binding their disparate fates.
The Venetian Mask tells the story of two friends, Marietta and Elena, who grow up together in the Ospedale de la Pieta, an orphanage and music school. Their romantic lives entangle them in feuding families. The story follows them over several decades as their personal trials and struggles intersect with the political life of Venice in the late 18th century through the arrival of Napoleon's forces during the Directory period in France.
A unique feature of the book is the detailed information about the business of making ornate masks that truly concealed identities, not only at Carnival time, but all through the year. This practice of mask-wearing facilitated the intrigues that were already common to Venetian life, and Marietta, who came from a family of skilled mask-makers, is ideally suited to playing a pivotal role among the nobility and bureaucrats who wished to buy them and hide behind them.
The prose is smoothly and skillfully written and the story is well-paced and suspenseful, with plenty of risk and danger. The two women's friendship is a constant emotional thread binding their disparate fates.
August 5, 2017
I'm not sure why I kept passing this on my reading list at the library but I did for several months. Previously having read and enjoyed The Golden Tulip it just didn't make sense. Maybe I just needed a break from historical fiction.
Regardless, I finally cracked open the ebook and started and once I got into it, I realized I should never have passed it over. It was a wonderful story of intrigue, deceit, pain, love, longing and happy endings. It highlighted the strength of bonds formed through difficult times and the power of love to sustain.
Interestingly, I also learned a lot about The Carnival of Venice and the practice of wearing different kinds of masks in normal society of the 1700's. In doing Google searches as I read about things in the book, I found some of the most beautiful masks and costumes that are still being made today. If ever I make it to Venice (still on my bucket list), I would love to see Carnival.
Regardless, I finally cracked open the ebook and started and once I got into it, I realized I should never have passed it over. It was a wonderful story of intrigue, deceit, pain, love, longing and happy endings. It highlighted the strength of bonds formed through difficult times and the power of love to sustain.
Interestingly, I also learned a lot about The Carnival of Venice and the practice of wearing different kinds of masks in normal society of the 1700's. In doing Google searches as I read about things in the book, I found some of the most beautiful masks and costumes that are still being made today. If ever I make it to Venice (still on my bucket list), I would love to see Carnival.
September 8, 2012
The plot described in the jacket copy of this novel doesn't even come into play until past the half-way point. I felt that it was much more "romance" than historical fiction, so I felt I had been misled. I was disappointed and felt that it was simplistic.
March 24, 2019
This is the story of two orphan girls raised within the Ospedale della Pieta, a convent, orphanage and music school in Venice. Set at the end of the eighteenth century, it was a time of excess and Venetian decline. The story follows them through their adventures, marriages and tribulations.
On the plus side: Laker does a great job setting the scene. the descriptions are vivid and one can easily "see" all that she describes. The sense of a lost time is evident throughout along with an understanding of why America was so much freer than Old Europe
The not as good: shifting POV, too much information, lots of telling rather than showing. I think the story would have been stronger had it been pared down much more brutally: we get many details not necessary to move the story or develop the characters, who are largely flat. Laker often tells the reader how to feel, leaving little to chance, but as a reader I found that frustrating. Unlike some other readers, the use of many dramatic romance novel tropes didn't bother me - just that they weren't all used effectively or believably. It's ok to use a trope to create drama - it just has to be used well.
That said, I mostly enjoyed this and felt like I was dipping my toes into the past as I read it. It didn't hurt that I have been to Venice more than once, or that I am currently streaming The Borgias. So...do I recommend it? It's no worse than others in this genre. If you liked Pillars of the Earth, this will probably appeal
On the plus side: Laker does a great job setting the scene. the descriptions are vivid and one can easily "see" all that she describes. The sense of a lost time is evident throughout along with an understanding of why America was so much freer than Old Europe
The not as good: shifting POV, too much information, lots of telling rather than showing. I think the story would have been stronger had it been pared down much more brutally: we get many details not necessary to move the story or develop the characters, who are largely flat. Laker often tells the reader how to feel, leaving little to chance, but as a reader I found that frustrating. Unlike some other readers, the use of many dramatic romance novel tropes didn't bother me - just that they weren't all used effectively or believably. It's ok to use a trope to create drama - it just has to be used well.
That said, I mostly enjoyed this and felt like I was dipping my toes into the past as I read it. It didn't hurt that I have been to Venice more than once, or that I am currently streaming The Borgias. So...do I recommend it? It's no worse than others in this genre. If you liked Pillars of the Earth, this will probably appeal
February 24, 2021
Three orphaned girls placed in a school for the gifted, form a bond that even when tested with the most violent of pasts is unbreakable.
Kind hearted Adrianna, the eldest and most nurturing seems to have it all with her singing career in full height but surprisingly decides to retire early. A love match is what she chooses and although unlikely, it is exactly what she’s always desired.
Strong and brave Elena knows what exactly she wants and isn’t afraid to reach for it. She becomes betrothed to a man with a rich family and just when she appears to happy, fate has a different end in sight.
Marietta the most loyal and talented of the three is at first devastated with the loss of her mother but embraces her new life. She reaches her full singing potential, travels to many different cities and makes a name for herself but somehow still feels something missing. When a match is proposed with non other than the foe of Elena’s husband, Marietta is at first hesitant but the girls have sworn to always support one another and uphold the pact that friends are more than family.
A story where sisterhood surpasses all while the glittery Venetian 18th century plays in the background. I enjoyed the history aspect but thought that this was more romance than was necessary and the historical events somehow got blurred in between. Not to say it wasn’t a good read, which it was, I just personally feel it should’ve been labeled a different genre.
Kind hearted Adrianna, the eldest and most nurturing seems to have it all with her singing career in full height but surprisingly decides to retire early. A love match is what she chooses and although unlikely, it is exactly what she’s always desired.
Strong and brave Elena knows what exactly she wants and isn’t afraid to reach for it. She becomes betrothed to a man with a rich family and just when she appears to happy, fate has a different end in sight.
Marietta the most loyal and talented of the three is at first devastated with the loss of her mother but embraces her new life. She reaches her full singing potential, travels to many different cities and makes a name for herself but somehow still feels something missing. When a match is proposed with non other than the foe of Elena’s husband, Marietta is at first hesitant but the girls have sworn to always support one another and uphold the pact that friends are more than family.
A story where sisterhood surpasses all while the glittery Venetian 18th century plays in the background. I enjoyed the history aspect but thought that this was more romance than was necessary and the historical events somehow got blurred in between. Not to say it wasn’t a good read, which it was, I just personally feel it should’ve been labeled a different genre.
August 11, 2017
This novel takes place in Venice, Italy during the late 1700s. Venice, known to outsiders as "the brothel of Europe" due to its excess in hedonism and debauchery, is also known for its many festivals including the infamous Carnival with its merry-making and masks and elaborate costumes. Marietta is only twelve years old when her mother died of illness and is left at the Ospedale della Pieta as an orphan. The orphanage is only for orphan young girls to be trained in singing and music. She befriends another orphan her same age, Elena. They go through the ups and downs of first love together that ends tragically for both. Elena is forced to see the head of the Delano clan, a jealous, brutal man, while Marietta marries Domenici Torrisi, whose family vendetta is centuries old. Tradition dictates that the friends should never speak again, but their bond is too strong to break. As the French Revolution unsettled all of Europe, Elena's husband frames Domenico and he becomes a political prisoner. Marietta and Elena plot to save him, and the women discover that Venetian masks have noble purposes, too - but will their efforts out their own lives at risk? Embodying the glitter and the treachery of the city it portrays, this novel will keep you turning pages long into the night.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2024
3.5 stars
This was a very slow starter for me, although it did pick up as I gradually became invested in the characters. I’m a big fan of Marietta’s. She is brave, loyal, intelligent, and determined. Her growth from a young orphan, to a prima donna, to a senator’s wife, to a mask maker is marked by plenty of adversity and she handles it all admirably. Elena is another strong character, somehow never growing bitter despite her unfortunate situation. A weaker woman might break from what she is subjected to, but Elena bears her burden with dignity and grace and bravery. The enduring friendship between the two women is a core feature of the story. They support and lift each other up unwaveringly, and it’s their deep loyalty to each other that leads to the story’s climax and resolution. Beyond that, I really enjoyed the insight into late 1700s Venice. Venice is almost a character itself, full of debauchery and secrets and cruelty and romance and opulence. The unique setting combined with the strong characters makes this a memorable story.
This was a very slow starter for me, although it did pick up as I gradually became invested in the characters. I’m a big fan of Marietta’s. She is brave, loyal, intelligent, and determined. Her growth from a young orphan, to a prima donna, to a senator’s wife, to a mask maker is marked by plenty of adversity and she handles it all admirably. Elena is another strong character, somehow never growing bitter despite her unfortunate situation. A weaker woman might break from what she is subjected to, but Elena bears her burden with dignity and grace and bravery. The enduring friendship between the two women is a core feature of the story. They support and lift each other up unwaveringly, and it’s their deep loyalty to each other that leads to the story’s climax and resolution. Beyond that, I really enjoyed the insight into late 1700s Venice. Venice is almost a character itself, full of debauchery and secrets and cruelty and romance and opulence. The unique setting combined with the strong characters makes this a memorable story.
September 16, 2025
Убава приказна за животот во Венеција во 18 век. Улогата на маските, видовите маски што се користеле за време на карневалот, но и во секојдневниот живот.
Пјета, дом за деца сираци, каде девојчињата учат пеење и свир��ње различни инструменти. Инкубатор на оперски певици, во тоа време, многу ценети. Мариета завршува таму, откако мајка ѝ умира, но нејзиниот борбен дух ќе ја внесе во високите кругови на Венецијанските големци.
Се заљубува во Французин, но животот има други планови. Сепак успева да роди шест деца, а на тој пат, смирува две закрвени семејства и останува цврста поддршка за нејзините другарки од Пјета.
Розалинд Лејкер ја читав првпат со „На бал со кралот“. Ако ги споредам двете, „Балот“ е далеку над очекувањата. Оваа ми е малку спора, конфузна и не толку привлечна. Но, заслужува внимание. Прочитајте ја! Во делата на Лејkер хероини се секогаш неконвенционални жени, жени пред своето време, кои со својата остра и одлучна природа, успеваат да внесат промени во општеството.
Пјета, дом за деца сираци, каде девојчињата учат пеење и свир��ње различни инструменти. Инкубатор на оперски певици, во тоа време, многу ценети. Мариета завршува таму, откако мајка ѝ умира, но нејзиниот борбен дух ќе ја внесе во високите кругови на Венецијанските големци.
Се заљубува во Французин, но животот има други планови. Сепак успева да роди шест деца, а на тој пат, смирува две закрвени семејства и останува цврста поддршка за нејзините другарки од Пјета.
Розалинд Лејкер ја читав првпат со „На бал со кралот“. Ако ги споредам двете, „Балот“ е далеку над очекувањата. Оваа ми е малку спора, конфузна и не толку привлечна. Но, заслужува внимание. Прочитајте ја! Во делата на Лејkер хероини се секогаш неконвенционални жени, жени пред своето време, кои со својата остра и одлучна природа, успеваат да внесат промени во општеството.
March 22, 2023
I love Rosalind Laker's books - wonderful historical fiction.
Though the ending seemed a little bit rushed there's so much mystery, romance, tension, history, and creativity here that I simply devoured it.
It made me interested in a time period and I found myself looking up the various, beautiful masks and costumes that are not only often referenced but an important part, in many ways, to the story.
Marietta and Elena make a wonderful pair, both of whom the reader is endeared to from the very beginning. Their two stories weave together, separate, complement one another, and often stand in contrast.
The Pietà makes a fabulous backdrop for about the first half of the book, and stands as a constant and steadfast symbol in the background for the rest of the story.
I want more of this author <3
Though the ending seemed a little bit rushed there's so much mystery, romance, tension, history, and creativity here that I simply devoured it.
It made me interested in a time period and I found myself looking up the various, beautiful masks and costumes that are not only often referenced but an important part, in many ways, to the story.
Marietta and Elena make a wonderful pair, both of whom the reader is endeared to from the very beginning. Their two stories weave together, separate, complement one another, and often stand in contrast.
The Pietà makes a fabulous backdrop for about the first half of the book, and stands as a constant and steadfast symbol in the background for the rest of the story.
I want more of this author <3
August 13, 2017
I have enjoyed the other books by Rosalind Laker and this one is no exception! Having visited Venice multiple times, I can easily picture the various places she describes throughout the story. She does a fantastic job developing the characters and weaving the plot but unlike some of her other books it is more focused on the fiction than on the history. All the same, the story draws you into the struggle between these characters as they grow up in the Pieta. I would heartily recommend this book for anyone that enjoys Italian travel or culture.
February 10, 2018
I thought this would be an historical novel but it is more of an historical romance. (I have to stop buying books from Book Bub.). I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it so much if I hadn't recently visited Venice and knew exactly where much of the action took place. Not a reader if romances I don't have much basis of comparison but it was engaging read. Well written, interesting characters, plot good enough to keep me going. It was a good travel book.
January 29, 2023
I enjoyed where everything was explained to the latest detail. And an end that was never imagined!
A proof that love always wins, if something is yours - it will come!
I rated it 4 only because there were nany mistakes in the translation.
However, it will be one of my favourite books, since it's not only a love story, it is also their history, where you can learn many things, and enjoying history in another words lovely words.
I noe know Venice as I have visited it.
A proof that love always wins, if something is yours - it will come!
I rated it 4 only because there were nany mistakes in the translation.
However, it will be one of my favourite books, since it's not only a love story, it is also their history, where you can learn many things, and enjoying history in another words lovely words.
I noe know Venice as I have visited it.
January 30, 2019
navistina mi se dopadnaa istoriskite faktu okolu opisite na maskite, nivnoto znacenje zakonot, koga i kako i koj da nosi opredelena maska i dekadencijata na Venecija na rabot na vojnata so Francija . Megutoa knigata treba da te privlece so sekoja strana edvaj gi proturkav prvite 200 strani neinteresno razvleceno , no imase opredeleni momenti...vtoriot del odlicen
March 15, 2020
Great Characters!
I have come to love Rosalind Laker books. This story of a poor orphan girl rising to the top at la Pietra is not as realistic as her other books. Usually there r more twists. How these two girls
Sing to end a vendetta is entertaining. Circle of Pearls is still my favorite. I enjoyed this as the characters are well written.
I have come to love Rosalind Laker books. This story of a poor orphan girl rising to the top at la Pietra is not as realistic as her other books. Usually there r more twists. How these two girls
Sing to end a vendetta is entertaining. Circle of Pearls is still my favorite. I enjoyed this as the characters are well written.
January 26, 2020
Lakerin tarina yllätti, odotin harlekiinitasoa, selvästi tasokkaampi kirjoittaja. Lyhennetty suomennos selvästi lässäyttää tarinaa, sen verran hahmot ja värikäs Venetsia Lakerin käsissä kuitenkin kiinnosti että täytyy kaivaa alkuperäinen teos esiin.
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