Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19094 in Books
• Published on: 2004-06-21
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Synopsis
Set in a parallel world, where Italy is called Talia and Venice is called Bellezza, the narrative follows Lucien, who in our world is very ill. Given a marbled notebook to help him communicate when his throat hurts too much to speak, the notebook is the means that transports Lucien to this magical, dangerous new world set in an alternative sixteenth century, and thrills to the delight of political intrigue and danger of assassination attempts both foiled and successful. The parallel Venice is astonishingly evoked, with the silks and velvets, the sensuousness of the food and the elegance of the city and its waterways all beautifully and powerfully described. The world of Talia is unforgettably and convincingly real.

Customer Reviews

Amazing
This is my favourite book of all time...
i've been trying to get my friends to read this book since its release in 2002 and urge you to do the same! It captivating, unique and intoduced me to the beauty of Venice and Mary Hoffman. The characters are fantastic, each with a gripping story and personality. 'City of stars' and 'City of secrets' are just as amazing. Faultless. You'd be a fool to miss this! Can't wait for the next one!

A PLEASANT READ
Stravaganza: City Of Masks is the first in a trilogy. It is very well written but I fear the political plot and plethora of characters will make this hard going for younger readers. Incest is also mentioned, which I think is unsuitable in a children's book and not really essential to the story. The returning to Lucien's own world after his 'death' and his visits to his parents are very brief and rushed at the end of the book which felt a little unsatisfying, I think this could have been played out a bit more. It is evident that this story has had a great deal of thought and research put into it and will be more enjoyed by those with a connection or interest in Italy. Nevertheless, it is a good enough read for those into history, time-travel and parallel worlds.

A surprise find worth finding
This was one of those books I picked up on the off chance and to be honest I'm very glad I did.

The story is focussed around Lucien, a teenage boy who finds himself travelling between his own troubled life in modern day England, and an alternative version of Italy (based around the Remus and Romulus saga).

The descriptive writing is superb and the story grips you from the very beginning. All of the characters are subtly believable and you don't find yourself wondering if the story is a little far fetched.

One warning I will give is that if you are prone to bouts of 'the weepies' I would keep a few tissues handy, as I found myself in need of them as the story came to an end!

Whilst the sequels are very good and are well worth reading, the original will always be the best.