October 24, 2022
This lyrical dual-narrative historical from Dykes (Set the Stars Alight) dives into the histories of Venice, Italy, and Venice Beach, Calif., as it follows two men in search of spiritual fulfillment. In 1904 San Francisco, Daniel Goodman, recently out of prison for committing robberies, lives in an abandoned railcar and longs to return to his estranged mother in that city, from whom he’s been hiding out of shame. After a visit from his cousin, Daniel learns his mother is in financial trouble and he contemplates committing one last heist to help her. Instead, he stumbles upon developer Edward Wharton, who hires Daniel as an Italian translator for a real estate project aiming to bring the culture of Venice to California. To cinch the job, Daniel offers to give Wharton his copy of a rare memoir that Daniel’s mother gave him and that Wharton is eager to add to his new library. The book tells the story of Sebastien Trovato, who was abandoned as a baby and taken in by artisans in early 19th-century Venice. He becomes curious about where he came from and embarks on a search that leads to surprising answers that affirm he is loved “by a God who flung the stars, hovered upon waters, and cradled his life with care.” Elegant prose powerfully evokes historical Venice (“There was shadow and song in every stone”), and Daniel’s quest to atone for his thieving past testifies to the power of redemption. Fans of Jaime Jo Wright will want to take a look.