Friday, January 13, 2023

All the Lost Places

 

When all of Venice is unmasked, one man's identity remains a mystery . . .

1807
When a baby is discovered floating in a basket along the quiet canals of Venice, a guild of artisans takes him in and raises him as a son, skilled in each of their trades. Although the boy, Sebastien Trovato, has wrestled with questions of his origins, it isn't until a woman washes ashore on his lagoon island that answers begin to emerge. In hunting down his story, Sebastien must make a choice that could alter not just his own future, but also that of the beloved floating city.

1904
Daniel Goodman is given a fresh start in life as the century turns. Hoping to redeem a past laden with regrets, he is sent on an assignment from California to Venice to procure and translate a rare book. There, he discovers a city of colliding hope and decay, much like his own life, and a mystery wrapped in the pages of that filigree-covered volume. With the help of Vittoria, a bookshop keeper, Daniel finds himself in a web of shadows, secrets, and discoveries carefully kept within the stones and canals of the ancient city . . . and in the mystery of the man whose story the book does not finish: Sebastien Trovato.

My thoughts: A lot of the split time stories I have read have a part of the story set in more modern times, so it was fun to read something a little bit different with this one! I enjoyed both of the stories and getting to know the characters. The story of Sebastien was a little harder to follow, since I felt like I was missing out a bit by not understanding the culture of Venice at that time. It was interesting to learn more about the history of this fascinating city though. 
Daniel was an interesting character, with his loss of ability to picture things and having once been an artist. as he seeks for answers for his employer, he also has the chance to discover the forgiveness that has been there the whole time. 
This is a well written, lovely historical read that I enjoyed reading.
I received this book from Bethany House. This is my honest review.


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