Venetian Vespers

A Novel

De: John Banville

Narrado por: Luke Thompson

A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK • A NEW YORKER RECOMMENDED BOOK • IRISH BESTSELLER

“A stylish escapade that even Henry James might relish." —Wall Street Journal

A masterful, enthralling new novel from the Booker Prize winner

Everything was a puzzle, everything a trap set to mystify and hinder me. . . .

1899. As the new century approaches, struggling English writer Evelyn Dolman—a hack, by his own description—marries Laura Rensselaer, daughter of an American oil tycoon. Evelyn anticipates that he and Laura will inherit a substantial fortune and lead a comfortable, settled life. But his hopes are dashed when a mysterious rift between Laura and her father, just before the patriarch’s death, leads to her disinheritance.

The unhappy newlyweds travel to Venice to celebrate the New Year at the Palazzo Dioscuri, ancestral home of the charming but treacherous Count Barbarigo. From their first moments in the mist-blanketed floating city, otherworldly occurrences begin to accumulate. Evelyn’s already jangled nerves fray further. Where has Laura disappeared to? How to explain the increasingly sinister circumstances closing around him? Could he be losing his mind?

Venetian Vespers is a haunting, atmospheric novel from one of the most sophisticated stylists of our time.

Enchanting Treachery

Quality of writing by Banville as great as ever. Beautiful descriptions of both internal and external images.

Great performance of a middling story

Great performance but the story was ultimately unsatisfying - very clever deception with a morally compromised victim, yet it ultimately felt a bit pointless

Slow

Everything was just ok. I would not recommend this book. Characters were not believable was my opinion.

Fun!

I seldom leave five stars but this book is delightful. Great story. Wonderfully read. Descriptions were so well done. I loved it!

Bravo

A well written novel delivered superbly. Having recently from Venice. We can only hope for a sequel.