Venice Intrigue (Lucifer's Shadow - David Hewson)

Member Name: Alindrail

Product:	Lucifer's Shadow - David Hewson
Date:	26/07/01 (61 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's about Venice, Cunning Plot

Disadvantages: Slightly contrived ending

A clever novel from Hewson juxtaposes two plots, one based in today’s Venice, the other in 1733. Both are tied together by a musical instrument, and the events which occur to the characters through the intermediary of the Scacchi family, once influential, but now in the wane. Daniel is a young orphan graduate from Oxford who was invited by Scacchi to Venice to catalogue the contents of his ‘library’, while back in the 1700’s Lorenzo is Scacchi’s orphaned nephew who comes to Venice as an apprentice.

The plot works. I say plot because in essence the book is the same plot, only told in two slightly different styles, finally coming together in a weak, if logical ending. The book is beautifully written, evoking the atmosphere of Venice if not the specifics of the city. While specifics are missing (but heh! It’s a novel, not a tour guide!), the historical snippets thrown in by Hewson compensate. One of the book’s flaws is Daniel’s complete succumbing to the pleasures of Venice before he even arrives. I can understand that he feels he already knows the city through his studies etc… and the fact that he has nothing at home, but still the wholehearted manner in which he becomes a ‘Venetian’ is, in my view, a little too convenient and contrived. The other flaw of the book is the ending, a little weak in my view, but still it does neatly tie up the main loose ends. Some questions remain, but this is perhaps a deliberate ploy, to evoke the intrigue that has always been part of Venice.

This last element is well portrayed by the author; intrigue being integral to the book. Both Lorenzo and Daniel learn how to work the art of their enemies(y), but maqnage to not be consumed by it. There are clear messages here, but the plot makes them subtle, reinforcing their effect.

All in all it is a clever book with a strong message and plot, as well as effectively evoking the multiple layers of Venic
e.

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