This is a wonderful story which is set up in the 16th century in Venice. It's a historical mystery wherein the inquisition with all its implication is manipulating the plot. The story starts with the blast in the arsenal. With this fulminant beginning all main characters are introduced, although one doesn't know it immediately. Andrea Loredan, an advocat for the poor and son of the Doge, is the centre of all characters. He keeps a tight rein on everything. On the one hand he tries to solve foul plays and therefore he has to help the good ones as well as the evil ones, on the other hand he has to unravel the puzzle his late mother has set. She was a member of a guild which were keeper of banned books. The inquisitors are to him on the heels. He is captured and has to serve his sentence on a galley which is involved in a naval battle with the Turkish armada. Back to Venice he is able to solve all the mysteries.
It is very gripping. ( )

Non amo molto i romanzi storici anche se riconosco che siano stati scritti capolavori assoluti del genere, ad esempio Guerra E Pace oppure Le Memorie Di Barry Lyndon. Poi ricordo I Promessi Sposi la cui vicenda trovo abbastanza scontata, dalla frase MALA COSA NASCERE POVERO, IL MIO CARO RENZO, alla conclusione del romanzo, dove Manzoni descrive Agnese alle prese con le maestranze bergamasche che, secondo la madre di Lucia ormai diventata imprenditrice, dovrebbero lavorare più diligentemente ed essere meno esose. Il romanzo di Manzoni comunque è, storicamente parlando, estremamente rigoroso. Furno invece, per quanto riguarda la rigorosità storica, lascia molto a desiderare. Per quanto riguarda la vicenda narrata considero Dan Brown assolutamente più profondo. Il che è tutto dire. ( )