About the Book
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.
About the Author
Amanda Dykes’s debut novel, Whose Waves These Are, is the winner of the prestigious 2020 Christy Award Book of the Year, a Booklist 2019 Top Ten Romance debut, and the winner of an INSPY Award. She’s also the author of Yours Is the Night and Set the Stars Alight, a 2021 Christy Award finalist.
Purchase Links
AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS
My Thoughts
Amanda Dykes has such a way with words! She writes stories that are told in a beautiful manner, with words that jump off the page and capture you instantly. Her prose is stunning and gorgeous! I loved the setting of this novel. It was remarkable how the setting (the canals of Venice) almost became a character in and of itself. The descriptions of the scenes make it easy for me to be transported to the two historical timelines. The characters are equally well written and I was instantly invested in their stories and their romance. The Christian truths are unique and integrated flawlessly; I found myself reflecting often on the deep questions the characters ask themselves. The struggle with identity is something most of us have also struggled with and these realistic thoughts made the characters more authentic. Reading this novel is like reading beautiful poetry. I cannot recommend it enough!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers, courtesy of Austen Prose Tours with Laurel Ann Nattress. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Favorite Quotes
Life of Literature 