Plagued

by Mary Donnarumma Sharnick

Since its initial strike in 1347, plague, called "The Death" by those who rightly fear it, has been continuously decimating populations across the known world. By 1401, the Venetian fleet has lost so many men to the disease's swift and brutal fatality that the doge has resorted to recruiting foreigners to take up the republic's oars. Enter Michael, a sixteen-year-old boy from a small fishing village on the Isle of Rhodes. Seeking adventure and escape from a dreary existence, Michael dreams of a larger life, perhaps even a heroic one. Little does he suspect that, within the idyllic myth of Venice the republic perpetuates and he is eager to embrace, a concerted, systematic attack on innocence as gruesome as "The Death" itself will quickly obliterate his juvenile misconceptions and initiate him into a grown-up world where his physical strength, his religious faith, and his very identity are challenged. Learning how to navigate both the seas his galley travels as well as the circuitous social machinations of Venice that mirror the city's intricate canal system, Michael comes of age. What does his growth cost him? Where do his decisions lead? Can conscience trump cowardice? What, in the end, defines a man?

264 pages, Paperback

First published June 9, 2014

Reviews

[Maria]

Perseverance

I am moved by the pain the main characters endured to continue shedding for humanity and justice with conviction.
Thank you

[Gus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Sharnick takes us back to Venice with a new story, just as fascinating and suspenseful as her first novel, Thirst. Plagued is the story of a headstrong, ambitious young man who yearns for adventure, and whose travels expose him to some of the best and the worst in human nature. We follow young Michael as he attains one of his dearest goals (becoming a rower for the great sea power of Venice), and quickly learns that his strength and cunning are badly needed for much more than transportation. Michael confronts abuses of power and person much like those that remain in our headlines today. Plagued is a coming of age novel, an adventure story, and a thriller, and it works on each of these levels. Highly recommended!

[Thomas McDade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly researched and excellently written account of a Venice filled with corruption, mayhem and intrigues, bravely faced and battled. The characters are so well drawn they reach off the pages to seduced,embrace or maul.