What do you think?
Rate this book
The Palace
One of today's most imaginative and lyrical writers, Lisa St. Aubin de Teran weaves together passion, idealism, and adventures in this mesmerizing fable set against the ornate backdrop of nineteenth-century Italy. The palace is the vision of Gabriele del Campo, a young, idealistic stonemason's apprentice imprisoned for supporting Garibaldi's revolutionary unification of Italy. A poor peasant, he has falen in love at first sight with the rich and beautiful noblewoman Donna Donatella. He yearns to be pulled out of poverty, and dreams of winning Donatellaa's heart and building a palaceworthy of his love. As del Campo languishes in prison, he takes the first steps toward his dream. His cellmate Colonel Giovanni Vitelli, a nobleman, educates him in the customs of the gentry; meanwhile, in his mind elaborate plans for the palace's construction are already taking shape. Twice escaping execution, del Campo emerges from prison to find wealth as a fearless gambler in the corrupt underworld of Venice. Winning a large estate in Castello at a sinister high-stakes gambling house, Gabriele begins to build the palace of his dreams. At last he might win Donna Donatella's love.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
2 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Lisa St. Aubin de Terán
64 books61 followersLisa St. Aubin de Terán was born Lisa Rynveld in South London. She attended the James Allen's Girls' School. She married a Venezuelan landowner, Jaime Terán in 1971, at the age of 17, and became a farmer of sugar cane, avocados, pears, and sheep from 1972-1978.
Her second husband was the Scottish poet and novelist George MacBeth. After the marriage failed, she married painter Robbie Duff Scott and moved to Umbria, Italy.
In 1982, St. Aubin de Terán published her first novel, Keepers of the House. This novel was the recipient of the Somerset Maugham Award. Her second novel, The Slow Train to Milan, won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize. She received the Eric Gregory for Poetry in 1983. Her work includes novels, memoirs, poetry, and short-story collections.
St. Aubin de Terán has three children, including a daughter by her first husband, Iseult Teran, who is also a novelist.
She currently lives in Amsterdam with her partner Mees Van Deth, where she runs a film company and has set up the Terán Foundation in Mozambique.
Her second husband was the Scottish poet and novelist George MacBeth. After the marriage failed, she married painter Robbie Duff Scott and moved to Umbria, Italy.
In 1982, St. Aubin de Terán published her first novel, Keepers of the House. This novel was the recipient of the Somerset Maugham Award. Her second novel, The Slow Train to Milan, won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize. She received the Eric Gregory for Poetry in 1983. Her work includes novels, memoirs, poetry, and short-story collections.
St. Aubin de Terán has three children, including a daughter by her first husband, Iseult Teran, who is also a novelist.
She currently lives in Amsterdam with her partner Mees Van Deth, where she runs a film company and has set up the Terán Foundation in Mozambique.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 9, 2025
Last year I decided to clear my backlog of unread books. I own far more than I’ve read because of my stupid habit of buying new ones before I’ve read ones I have already bought. Those unread then get shunted further and further down the unread pile and eventually ignored or forgotten.
This is a good example of the latter. I’ve no idea when I bought it, why it caught my eye and where I got it from. The only clue is that it contained a Christmas card some friends sent us when people still did that kind of thing.
It turns out that The Palace is every bit as strange and mysterious as this edition’s origins. I have been to Venice in winter and experienced the dense fogs, the all-pervading damp and rot, the strange, sinister atmosphere the city generates, the sense of being trapped inside a fever dream it can engender.
The author captures that as well as anyone in this odd historical novel. It feels unclear, or at least it was to me, whether it is intended to be an account of events or a haunted fantasy of a dying man.
Some of the descriptive passage, especially those of Venice were superb, but, although it is not a long novel it felt over-written and meandered to a finish.
Nevertheless, reading forgotten books is highly recommended. You never know quite what will turn up!
This is a good example of the latter. I’ve no idea when I bought it, why it caught my eye and where I got it from. The only clue is that it contained a Christmas card some friends sent us when people still did that kind of thing.
It turns out that The Palace is every bit as strange and mysterious as this edition’s origins. I have been to Venice in winter and experienced the dense fogs, the all-pervading damp and rot, the strange, sinister atmosphere the city generates, the sense of being trapped inside a fever dream it can engender.
The author captures that as well as anyone in this odd historical novel. It feels unclear, or at least it was to me, whether it is intended to be an account of events or a haunted fantasy of a dying man.
Some of the descriptive passage, especially those of Venice were superb, but, although it is not a long novel it felt over-written and meandered to a finish.
Nevertheless, reading forgotten books is highly recommended. You never know quite what will turn up!
July 16, 2010
By "like it" what I really mean is that the story is good, but the story-telling left something to be desired. There was alot of good material in this story---a Count of Monte Cristo -esque stay in prison and subsequent societal rise, arriving masked by gondola to a mist enshrouded island gambling house, and, of course, the design of the palace of your dreams in the countryside of Italy. I especially appreciated how the main character's passion for building his palace united the town such that everyone could find a task in which they could thrive and aid in the construction. Despite all this goodness, the story-telling was a tad dreary and the ending standard.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2011
So dreamy...but that was what I had expected from other reviews and the dream-like aspect was perfect for the subject...a palace in the mind, realized in a wonderful way. AND, while traversing through my wonderful Venice in addition.
I first encountered de Teran in a garish covered (typical Carnival masked people...) 'venetian-life' piece that I picked up while in Venice - and was just thrilled by the writing and personal quality of her observations on - Venice in the this case but actually, how she saw the world.
The Palace doesn't disappoint in those characteristics...a lovely, wonderful reading experience.
I first encountered de Teran in a garish covered (typical Carnival masked people...) 'venetian-life' piece that I picked up while in Venice - and was just thrilled by the writing and personal quality of her observations on - Venice in the this case but actually, how she saw the world.
The Palace doesn't disappoint in those characteristics...a lovely, wonderful reading experience.
December 26, 2009
I picked this book up after I studied abroad in Italy. The book takes place in Venice, my favorite city in Italy. But...this style of writing is not my favorite. She is very descriptive, and tries to create the scene. I like to picture it myself, without the descrip. The story was good, but could have been told in about half of the pages.
June 12, 2015
Life is too short to spend time fighting through a book with which you feel no "chemistry". I give up. It might be a fine book, but it is not the one for me.
July 7, 2021
Ugh. I’ve slogged through 95 plodding pages; this book is not for me. DNF.
October 4, 2023
I think this novel was aiming to be shelved next to classical literature with its sweeping analogies and thick narrative, but just fell flat and bored me, DNFed in the middle of the book.
First off, the MC…. If we are to believe that the MC is madly and passionately in love with some unattainable woman, but still sleeps around with half of Venice, you’d better give him some redeemable qualities or he’s just going to come off as weasely (which he did.) Also, the plot just moved along and skipped over huge plot turns with zero dialogue or character exposition, so there was a lot of “wait what???” moments. The MC is in prison with this supposed genius but we’re just given a huge info dump instead of a character reveal, what a snore. The MC also escapes execution twice, for no apparent reason I could follow. Or maybe I was just so turned off by the book at that point.
Two stars because I love descriptive books on Venice, which at the very least was satisfying somewhat.
Sorry for the rant I really wanted to like this book.
First off, the MC…. If we are to believe that the MC is madly and passionately in love with some unattainable woman, but still sleeps around with half of Venice, you’d better give him some redeemable qualities or he’s just going to come off as weasely (which he did.) Also, the plot just moved along and skipped over huge plot turns with zero dialogue or character exposition, so there was a lot of “wait what???” moments. The MC is in prison with this supposed genius but we’re just given a huge info dump instead of a character reveal, what a snore. The MC also escapes execution twice, for no apparent reason I could follow. Or maybe I was just so turned off by the book at that point.
Two stars because I love descriptive books on Venice, which at the very least was satisfying somewhat.
Sorry for the rant I really wanted to like this book.
February 25, 2019
Loved this book and also her memoir set in South America.
July 22, 2014
I should have a "couldn't finish it" book category.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews