As long as there have been teenagers, there has been teenage angst.  They kick against the traces, they want to forge their own way in the world, make their own decisions, and parents are always too slow to let them go.

Daughter of Venice deals with all of these problems, but from a fascinating historical perspective.  In 1592, Donata Mocenigo, daughter to one of Venice’s great families, comfortable in her life of privilege and wealth, wants to know what the world holds for all the other people outside her carefully controlled life – the workers, the Jews, the poor, the men.  So she dresses as a boy and sneaks outside to explore. And almost brings ruin and disgrace on her whole family.

This is a very thoughtful novel.  Clearly a great deal of research and attention to detail has gone into Donna Jo Napoli’s recreation of life in 16^th century Venice. The author works hard to get us to understand the values and ideals of that time.  This is not a “modern teenager in an olden-days frock” story – Donata eventually comes to a proper 16^th century understanding, even if it does push things forward a little to the modern world.

Donata’s voice tells us the story but the eye of the author is everywhere, helping us appreciate the pattern of everyday life in old Venice – wealth and poverty, arranged marriages and business deals, gondolas and markets. 

This makes it thoughtful for the reader too.  There are “So, you think you’ve got it bad!!” moments that show how far we have come, as well as modern flashes of recognition like sibling rivalries and frustrated dreams.  Outside her house, Donata encounters beggars and violence, wanders into the Jewish ghetto, finds some piece work in a printer's workshop.  Inside, the sisters and brothers jockey for the future roles their parents will determine for them and Donata fights to be tutored like the boys.  In both worlds she is exploring, discovering and learning. 

Fortuitously, she encounters several helpful and supportive characters who explain much of this new world.  This could almost be a weakness in Donna Jo Napoli's structure, looking a bit too artificial an authorial device, but Donata manages to make a partial mess of these encounters by her lack of understanding and the consequences end up advancing the story.

While Donata’s teenage dilemma is very common, her historical situation is unusual – we have to think about the contrasts she finds and the different perspectives from which she learns to view them.  But we can also recognize the timelessness of many of those details and issues.

Daughter of Venice is a book rich in detail and ideas, telling a story that will keep being lived as long as there are teenagers.  It may be historical in setting, but its themes stay current.

Review by David Beagley

© 2003 David Beagley