The Undrowned Child

Jan 28, 2013 Josie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-fiction

At first glance, this book seemed like it was written for me. Magic, mystery, and mermaids in an alternate Venice of 1899. What could be better? Unfortunately, there was simply too much going on in this book, and at times it was hard to follow the thread. (view spoiler)...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Jada rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Inhalt
Teo ist eine Waise und darf mit ihren Adoptiveltern, die Wissenschaftler sind, nach Venedig reisen- denn Venedig droht im Meer zu versinken und niemandem ist so direkt klar, warum. Während Teos Eltern und die Eltern der verzogenen Maria Wasserproben nehmen und prinzipiell kein Stückchen weiterkommen, wird Teo von einem geheimnisvollen Buch namens “Der Schlüssel zur geheimen Stadt” mit der Aufgabe betraut, Venedig zu retten- nur sie kann das schaffen! Sie bekommt Unterstützung von Renzo, ei...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Barbara Gordon rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bookish-child-mc

This is definitely a book bursting with invention, and the prose style is perfect for the setting (though I could have done without some of the winks to adult readers about the Biennial). I'll be adding Teo to my Bookish Protagonists list, too.
Yet it didn't work for me. If I weren't stuck in bed, I might have put it down unfinished, but I soldiered on. There is so much to like - the rowdy mermaids, the Cat-archivist - yet it didn't hold my interest. Perhaps there was simply too much invention, o...more

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Jul 19, 2010 Rhiannon Ryder rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Back in March I ran into this book during a children's and YA book sale. I won't lie, this book has the most beautiful cover art of any book I've ever seen, and that would be one hundred percent why I picked it up. Even the end pages were gorgeous!
But then I picked it up and read the blurb, it was set in Venice! One of my dream European cities. Ok, so the premise sounded like it had promise too, but really, I might have bought it anyhow.
Venice + Pretty book= sold.

It's nice to have no real expect...more Back in March I ran into this book during a children's and YA book sale. I won't lie, this book has the most beautiful cover art of any book I've ever seen, and that would be one hundred percent why I picked it up. Even the end pages were gorgeous!
But then I picked it up and read the blurb, it was set in Venice! One of my dream European cities. Ok, so the premise sounded like it had promise too, but really, I might have bought it anyhow.
Venice + Pretty book= sold.

It's nice to have no real expectations about a book when you start. I've never seen this book in a bookstore before or since I picked up (i grabbed the only copy at chapters) and I've never heard of the author or seen a review for this or any of her other books. So it was a perfect clean slate.

The first thing I noticed was what a distinctive and unusual voice it had. Set over a few short days in June of 1899, this book is written with a lovely lilting prose that never talks down to it's readers. The eloquence of the two children is starkly contrasted by the supremely fun slang of the the mermaids. "Keep yer noggin' mouf shut, ye great dafty!" or "My gib was atwitch, I might of knowed it. Human childer smell most peculiar, I do declare freely". Between the prose and the world Michelle Lovric has created I was quickly swept away.

The premise is simple, Teodora, and Lorenzo (super great names!), must save Venice from the machinations of the evil Bajamonte Tiepolo (seriously, I need a bunch of cats that I can give some great old Italian names too). Otherwise known as Il Traditore, Bajamonte Tiepolo was banished from Venice for his crimes against Her in 1310, but his ghost is back for revenge and he is building a fierce-some army of pirates, ghosts, vampire eels and a sea monster who can destroy the city of water.

With a great deal of action and adventure, reams of fun characters, (honestly when is the last time you read about mermaids?) and the fascinating history of Venice itself, it may have been impossible for Michelle Lovric to go astray with The Undrowned Child. She's managed to create a very unique story in the world of children's lit, which, considering the broad range out there, is impressive in and of itself.

Obviously a huge lover of Venice (she lives there herself these days), the story also reads as a love letter to Venice. I was already fascinated by Her colourful history and unique setting but I think Michelle will inspire many others in a fascination with the floating city.

After perusing her website, I was surprised to learn The Undrowned Child will have a sequel. A fully complete story in itself I'm not sure what the next book will cover, but I can't wait to find out. The Mourning Emporium (I'm telling you, this woman has a way with words! another fab title) is set to release November 4th in the states and December 15th in Canada (how obnoxious!). It looks every bit as pretty as the first!
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Oct 21, 2009 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Take one adopted child call Teodora, add a cursed city under siege from vindictive ghosts seeking revenge, a huge monster slowly coming awake under the Venice lagoon, cannibal seagulls, anti-establishment mermaids, a vain friend and one handsome Venetian boy and you have all the ingredients for a spectacular adventure in real life Venice of 1899.

Teo is an unusual child in many ways. She has never believed she belonged in Naples and when she finally persuades her scientist family to take her Ven...more

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Oct 06, 2012 K rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I came by this book at a bookshop sometime last year, and since then has been knocking around in a cupboard up until a few months ago. I got this book finished in a few days (when I finally picked it up!)
I loved the fact the story was set in Venice in the early 1900s. The only downside to this book was the amount of romance. Though I do suppose this is a children's book! I at the time I thought there was too much action, and not enough social situations!

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Jan 23, 2013 Michele rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-books

The book is set in Venice, and I know I’m biased, but it really is a magical kind of place isn’t it? It’s the kind of place where Teo, the main character, could get bopped on the head by a special book with pages that seem blank at first, but then tell you exactly what you need to know. In this version of Venice, Teo slips between the shadows, a place where she can inhabit the same world as everyone else, but also one where she can meet ghosts and hear singing, which she shares with a Venetian b...more The book is set in Venice, and I know I’m biased, but it really is a magical kind of place isn’t it? It’s the kind of place where Teo, the main character, could get bopped on the head by a special book with pages that seem blank at first, but then tell you exactly what you need to know. In this version of Venice, Teo slips between the shadows, a place where she can inhabit the same world as everyone else, but also one where she can meet ghosts and hear singing, which she shares with a Venetian boy called Renzo, the only living person who seems to be able to see her.

If all this isn’t intriguing enough, there are lots of other mysteries. For a start who is Teo? To be honest I kind of managed to work that one out by myself, but I’m not going to tell you. As for the other mysteries, I never saw them coming, which is one of the reasons I so liked this book. Lovric allows you to guess some things, but then the surprises keep coming. Towards the end I did wonder if there a little too many loose threads, and I wondered if children would find it difficult to keep hold of all of them, but it wasn’t too overwhelming and I definitely wanted to read on.

I also loved the plentiful and imaginative characters, from the ghosts to the baddies, the cats and mermaids that all had a special Lovric touch about them. I suppose the one slight criticism I have is for the human characters. The parents come across as a little flat: loving and then sad, or self-involved and cold. Maria, a school-mate whose parents are also in Venice for the scientific conference comes across as much older than Teo. While Teo’s character is most definitely defined, there were times when again I was a little confused by her age. She goes through quite a lot in the book and changes as a result, but she also seemed to age a couple of years as well. Renzo, on the other hand, starts off as a Venetian cliché, but his development and change is really heartening. So as I said, this is a slight criticism, because the world building and plot is so strong, that the slight inconsistencies in character are not enough to stop you reading.

All in all, I really liked the book and would definitely recommend it.(less)

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Nov 05, 2011 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: action, fantasy, historical-fiction, humor, magic, mystery, paranormal, scary, thriller, ya

Overall Review: What a lovely, exciting and thorough story! By the time I finished this book, I felt like it could be possible for me to walk through Venice and name every building I saw! I loved the history; I loved the descriptions; I loved the fast pace and the excitement and the mystery! I even loved the fact that after the story was finished, there was an entire section on what was true in the story (people and events) and a section about the buildings and places mentioned! Some wonderful,...more

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Aug 10, 2011 Chelsea rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Teodora is certain about two things in her life: the first that she is adopted, and the second that she belongs in Venice. Hanging out at the old bookstore all day is the perfect life for Teo. That is, until a mysterious book falls onto her head and knocks her unconscious. The book is titled The Key to the Secret City, and suddenly Teo's life will never be the same again. There is more to Venice than meets the eye, and Teo and her friend Renzo are about to see it all firsthand. Plus, something e...more

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Feb 16, 2012 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, historical, j, not-graphic, ya

I'm going to do something I don't normally do: comment on a book before I've finished it. Just after starting it, actually, because there are so many things about it I'm enjoying already. A three-page table of contents with very intriguing chapter titles. A map of Venice in 1899, with a legend for key locations in the plot to come. A surprisingly dark prologue, containing the evil murder by drowning of an innocent extended family on their way to baptize their most recent addition; and I don't th...more

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Jul 18, 2011 Ramie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, fantasy

The short version? People will probably compare this to books like Harry Potter. In a generic sense it could be fair - There's a bad guy who is cursed, there is magic afoot, and really for all practical purposes only the children are useful in saving the world they care about (here that world is simply the city of Venice), there are some fantasy creatures and it's a fairly long story for a childrens book.

On the other hand The Undrowned story takes place in Venice and attempts to drop us right t...more The short version? People will probably compare this to books like Harry Potter. In a generic sense it could be fair - There's a bad guy who is cursed, there is magic afoot, and really for all practical purposes only the children are useful in saving the world they care about (here that world is simply the city of Venice), there are some fantasy creatures and it's a fairly long story for a childrens book.

On the other hand The Undrowned story takes place in Venice and attempts to drop us right there next to Teo and her sidekick Renzo making sure we see the city just as well as we see the kids and the characters they bump into along the way (after the book ends, the author gives us an extended tour explaining what in the book is based on fact - how loosely, what structures we can see to this day, etc).

The violence in HP tends to be, well, magical. There is much of that here too... However, the author also takes us back to the days where both fairy tales and the news were scary and where we didn't try to shelter the wee ones in random ways - no these children know quite well of the butcher who eats children and in fact stumble upon him making for both a character and scene that could be quite scary for the younger readers this books targets.

This is definitely one of those books that can get kids interested in reading. Sadly there were a few sections that felt as though they dragged on a wee bit too much and as is common with so many stories lately, it makes up for it by having a quick final battle scene. Being that stereotypical cliched kind of plot is the only reason I'm knocking it down to 4 stars. Otherwise Teo and Renzo's adventures through Venice are exciting. These children are not afraid of being outcast (mainly for being smart) and it is refreshing, yet they're still compassionate with others - even to the bullies and bad guys, yet not so weak that they can't stand up for themselves. They experience mermaids, ghosts, vampiric eels, pirates, humans turning to well... hideous creatures... etc. Yeah it's a full on fantasy adventure and most importantly (to me) it did not feel as though the author was just rushing a partial book in order to collect on a series as so many seem to do after the popularity of so many other series lately - this is a complete book that does not leave you hanging by the end, yet if she really wanted to write another later, she could.(less)

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Jul 08, 2011 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I got an advanced reading copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program. I love historical fantasies, especially ones set in Europe, so this sounded like an excellent read to me. In general I really enjoyed the story, all of the history, the fantastical creatures, and the Venice setting.

Teodora has always longed to visit Venice. Finally her scientific parents are called to help with the problem of Venice sinking and Teo is allowed to accompany them. There Teo is hit on the head by a mysterio...more I got an advanced reading copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program. I love historical fantasies, especially ones set in Europe, so this sounded like an excellent read to me. In general I really enjoyed the story, all of the history, the fantastical creatures, and the Venice setting.

Teodora has always longed to visit Venice. Finally her scientific parents are called to help with the problem of Venice sinking and Teo is allowed to accompany them. There Teo is hit on the head by a mysterious book and drawn into the world between the layers of Venice; it is a world where mermaids print propoganda fliers, cats talk, and the very fate of Venice is at stake. Can Teo, with the help of the studious Renzo, save Venice before the whole city is destroyed and succumbs to absolute evil?

There were a lot of things I really liked about this book. I loved how much history is entwined with this story, I love even more that the author tells the reader which parts were real history and which were fabricated in the Afterward. I love the shear scope of fantastical creatures that enter this story: there are mermaids, werewolves, vampire eels, giant talking cats, winged lions, and more. Teo herself is an admirable heroine and Renzo also grows on you as the story continues. I also enjoyed the epic struggle between good and evil that takes place in this story.

The plot is complex and takes a while to set up. I think it took a little too long to set up. As a reader you get the basics of the plot pretty quick; Teo has to save Venice from ultimate destruction. The plot stalled a bit in the middle for me. It always seemed like there was one more thing Teo and Renzo had to do before the epic end battle, and it was drawn out a bit too long. My only other complaint was that some times things were thrown into the story with little reason; for example in the end battle there are suddenly dark elves present and I was like...huh?...when did they get here? These little extras made the story increasingly complicated without adding much to the overall story, they also made the writing seem a bit scattered at times.

Overall this was an excellent historical fantasy of epic proportions. I loved learning the history of Venice and about the city itself. I loved the wonderful fantastical creatures that Teo dealt with. Teo and Renzo were excellent characters and it was fun to watch them solve mysteries together. My only complaints are that the story lagged a bit in the middle and little things were added in that made the story a bit too scattered and complicated. If you cut a hundred pages out of the middle and consolidated some of the mini-quests that Teo and Renzo went through mid-book, this would be a perfect read. I did like the book overall. It should be appropriate for middle grade or older readers (although it is a bit dark with talk of torture and lots of battle scenes). Readers who enjoy historical fantasy should find this book especially engaging.(less)

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Oct 23, 2010 *MystGrrl* rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of strange fantasy blended with historical facts

Shelves: tales-of-fantasy, tales-of-magic, tales-of-humour, new-tales-of-fairie, tales-of-demons

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Undrowned Child by Michelle Lovric is unlike any other book I have previously read. It is a book full of historically interesting facts about Venice with a fantastical twists but also includes a wide variety of colourful characters, human and not human.

The story is set in 1899 & is told from the viewpoint of the two main characters; Teodora (aka Teo) a girl from Naples & Lorenzo (aka Renzo) a local boy of Venice. My first impression is that the story is very heavy for a child. The bo...more

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May 15, 2013 Keleigh Crigler Hadley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mermaids, magic, mystery and murder, what more could you ask for in a young adult novel?

Michelle Lovric's lyrical novel is set in Venice in the 1800's. Her writing style is phenomenal. I loved the quirky, colorful language the mermaids spoke in, (very unexpected) and the pacing and plot kept me hooked to the book until the very end.
The two main protagonists were likable, believable and original. Something sorely needed in YA fiction. Her villains were creepy, especially the Child Butcher/Canniba...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Home Ice-bloxx rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Inhalt
Teo ist eine Waise und darf mit ihren Adoptiveltern, die Wissenschaftler sind, nach Venedig reisen- denn Venedig droht im Meer zu versinken und niemandem ist so direkt klar, warum. Während Teos Eltern und die Eltern der verzogenen Maria Wasserproben nehmen und prinzipiell kein Stückchen weiterkommen, wird Teo von einem geheimnisvollen Buch namens “Der Schlüssel zur geheimen Stadt” mit der Aufgabe betraut, Venedig zu retten- nur sie kann das schaffen! Sie bekommt Unterstützung von Renzo, ei...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Louise rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library-book, childrens-books, venice, 21st-century, 2000s, fantasy, historical-fantasy, mermaids, female-authors, 2012-reads, reviewed, 4-stars, gave-as-gift-helen, new-authors-2012

4 Stars

First thing’s first – I adore Venice and so am horribly biased in this books favour. It’s a far from perfect book, and I’ll get onto that later, but it really does capture the magic of the city. Or at least it did for me; how someone who has never visited the place would find it though…I’m not that sure. In fact I would probably only gift this to a child who already had some knowledge of, or better yet had actually been to Venice. There’s a handy map with key locations on at the very star...more 4 Stars

First thing’s first – I adore Venice and so am horribly biased in this books favour. It’s a far from perfect book, and I’ll get onto that later, but it really does capture the magic of the city. Or at least it did for me; how someone who has never visited the place would find it though…I’m not that sure. In fact I would probably only gift this to a child who already had some knowledge of, or better yet had actually been to Venice. There’s a handy map with key locations on at the very start of the book and a fantastic set of very accessible author’s notes at the back, but to get full enjoyment from it I do think the reader has to have at least seen a photo of Venice. Because, putting aside the beautiful and lovingly depicted setting, the storyline and characterisation are fairly standard children’s fantasy fare.

Teodora is an orphan, with no knowledge of her real parents but a deep yearning to see Venice. We can already see where the backstory will be going, yes? She also has some pretty nifty abilities, not least a form of magic synaesthesia where she can see people’s words, written in their handwriting, hovering above their head when they speak. She also has a photographic memory, can read people’s hearts and deepest emotions by touching their chest, and can read upside down. After years of nagging, her adoptive parents finally and reluctantly take eleven year old Teodora to see Venice. Problem is that they’re scientists, and the only reason they’re in Venice is for urgent scientific discussions on how to save the city from the sudden and bizarre series of problems that threaten to destroy it; the wells spout boiling poison water and the high lands flood while the lowlands stay dry. And if you think that sounds more like a magical curse that science won’t be able to solve you would be absolutely right.

So it’s a typical orphan discovers a magical society, saves the world/Venice and discovers their true identity after teaming up with a member of the opposite sex that they initially deeply disliked. Oh, and throw in a prophecy that could only be talking about her as well… I probably read hundred’s of these when I was a kid. What sets it out from the rest is the setting and the history. Every little thing – from the big-bad of the book, his child-killing henchman, to the winged lions and giant cats who protect the city – have their basis in Venetian history, folklore, or art. The henchman, horrifically, is apparently from the first group and used to sell a very popular cannibal stew before he was discovered and executed – like a real life Sweeney Todd without the hairdressing or the middle-woman. And it’s titbits like that that really brought the story to life for me and sucked me in. It’s an amazingly informative book and you can tell the author has done a shitload of research, but the facts are worked in almost seamlessly into the story and I rarely felt that I was being lectured or info-dumped on.

And because the writer has such a grip on the sense of place and history, the sense of atmosphere comes off very well too. The prologue is a beautiful thing; a wonderfully creepy and unsettling introduction to the undead antagonist and his powers as, against all advice, a young family attempt to cross the lagoon on a foggy evening to baptise their infant daughter. It’s probably the best moment of the book but the creepy atmosphere does pervade the rest of the novel as well, not least the Brustolons dripping blood from their mouths that start appearing everywhere (though I was very glad when the racist history of these objects and the horrors of the Venetian slave trade were finally addressed). Like most good children’s books for this age group, it’s dark, creepy, and atmospheric with a real sense of danger and doesn’t shy away from the idea of death.

Where it falls down though is the characterisation. Brownie points for Teo’s adoptive parents being genuinely loving towards her, but a couple taken away for making them the sort of oversimplified scientists who don’t get ‘the arts’ at all – at least until the very end. And the rest of the side characters are similarly sketched out or stereotypical. Even Teodora and Renzo I never felt had all that much depth to them. Renzo is clever – which means he knows local history – and a bit of a snob, while Teodora is a generic ‘nice to everyone’ protagonist. Out of the two of them this makes Renzo the more interesting character with the larger story arc, although he doesn’t end up doing that much except providing Teodora with explanations for things. Teodora meanwhile has all these amazing talents but constantly forgets to use them – in fact I’m not sure why the ‘can read people’s hearts by touching them’ power was there at all if it wasn’t actually going to be used for anything. Maybe it’ll be used more effectively in the next book.

The end half of the plot left a little to be desired as well, with the way to defeat the big bad being far too easy and slightly underwhelming. And I wish the magic of The Key to the Secret City had been either a bit more explained or had nothing directly to do with the mermaids. But, to be honest, for what I was reading this book for, these are fairly minor nitpicks. It’s a decently told pageturner with some original touches that I really liked – Theodora’s ability to see the spoken word, for one, and the mermaids having learnt ‘human’ from sailors all having rather coarse language (though it could have done with being more distinctly Italian or mishmash of languages than ‘pirate’ /’cockney’). Teodora’s not the most compelling main character and I wish Renzo had done a bit more, but I still liked them both and they’re probably on about the same level as most children’s protagonists.

In fact that’s probably something true of the whole novel – a very good children’s book but, if not for the magic of the Venetian setting, not an outstanding one. I enjoyed it a lot, enough to get a copy for my friend’s birthday and reserve the next book at the library, and I would definitely recommend it, but it’s not mindblowing.(less)

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Sep 01, 2011 Kim McGee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a wonderful book. I would recommend this for the LoneStar award ! Michelle Lovric gives you a true sense of life in Venice in the late 1800's and mixes in a powerful combination of the creepy and mysterious. Teo is feeling a bit lost while visiting Venice from her native Naples when she is hit on the head by an old book. The book leads her on a mad dash around Venice along with a young guy she meets along the way to save Venice from an ancient evil guy who is regaining power and sending his...more

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Apr 26, 2013 Brynna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, for-young-people

This was a fun read with great characters and beautifully done voice. Nice creepy bits and a particularly evil set of bad guys; definitely enjoyable.

The main problem I had with it was that the reader is always behind the characters in knowledge. Not once, but many times, a name or a place is mentioned and all the characters are shocked or dismayed, but the reader never gets to join with the characters in shock and dismay. The reason for the reactions is always explained, and the explanations are...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Charlou Lunsford rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: j, middle-grade, fantasy

First, mermaids in a good way. Don't judge this book by it's cover unless it's the blurbs on the back. Teodora is adopted and has wondered about her past. She seems to sense a place, a home, when her family goes to Venice. Strange things begin to happen when a book literally falls on her head. The book has a message just for her. The pages change to tell her what she needs. She teams up with a Venetian boy and they discover the ruin that is descending on 1899 Venice is the result of the return o...more

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Aug 30, 2009 Shannon (Giraffe Days) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, 2009, fantasy, historical-fiction

All her life Teodora has wanted to visit Venice, but her adoptive parents have always resisted. Now Venice is sinking faster than ever before and strange things are stirring, and her scientific parents have been called from Naples to attend a convention to figure out the problem and its solution while the Mayor of Venice pretends that nothing is wrong and that children aren't dying.

Eleven year old Teo happily explores the ancient city and, when it falls on her head in an old bookshop, acquires...more All her life Teodora has wanted to visit Venice, but her adoptive parents have always resisted. Now Venice is sinking faster than ever before and strange things are stirring, and her scientific parents have been called from Naples to attend a convention to figure out the problem and its solution while the Mayor of Venice pretends that nothing is wrong and that children aren't dying.

Eleven year old Teo happily explores the ancient city and, when it falls on her head in an old bookshop, acquires a little volume with a mermaid on the cover: The Key to the Secret City. Carved and painted mermaids decorate the city and begin mouthing rough sailor talk to Teo that only she can hear, and the book seems to have been written just for her, "Teodora-of-Sad-Memory".

The knock on the head the book gave her sees her sent to hospital with a concussion, and during the night she disappears, only to wake up on a tomb two days later. No one can see her except other children and ghosts because she is now between-the-linings; she can only watch as her parents put up missing posters and search for her.

The Key to the Secret City shows her Venice, but it isn't until she meets Lorenzo, a smug, studious boy, that she learns more of the history of the city. And when the two are led by the Key to the mermaids and their Seldom Seen Press which they use to print handbills telling the truth about the city, they learn the truth about Bajamonte Tiepolo, who in 1310 tried to take over the city for his own ends - that now, in 1899, he's returned, that he's trying to put his body back together and drown Venice in mud. Teo also learns the truth of her own past, how she came to be adopted and live in Naples, and who her real parents are.

The mermaids have an important task for Teo and Lenzo, the Undrowned Child and the Studious Son: they must find Bajamonte's Spell Almanac and help defeat him in a battle that only the supernatural can fight, while in the depths of the lagoon a Creature stirs ...

This is a gorgeous book, beautiful in form and appearance as much as in story - the dustjacket is thick and old-feeling, with a wonderful illustration and rich colours, a gold embossed title and marbled flyleaf. The pages are thicker than normal too, with chapter headings in old typeface and the story in a similar font as that used for the Harry Potter books. There's so much detail in the look and feel of the book, as well as a map of the old city, that it perfectly complements the tone of the story and makes you feel like you're holding pirates' treasure.

Based on real historical events artistically altered to fit the story, Lovric has written a charming story full of weird and wonderful characters, magic and mystery, adventure and mayhem, folklore and Viennese history. Teo doesn't narrate but hers is the perspective we see through, and she is a wonderful protagonist who carries the story easily. She has the gift of seeing what people are saying in their own personal script above their heads, of reading hearts with a touch and reading books upside down. My favourite character was easily the Grey Lady at the Archives, and I loved all those statues and emblems of the city coming to life in defence of their home.

A busy story, events move swiftly and in deepening layers, never leaving you behind. For some reason I can't figure out, this book took me a long time to read. I found it hard to sit down with it and really read for any length of time. It is written for children, but unlike, say, Harry Potter, I kept slipping from the story. I doubt this is a problem with the book; more with myself and my life at the time - it certainly didn't detract from how impressed I was with it.

The tone is both light and dark, full of humour and irony and even a few political digs that should be just as noticeable to a younger audience. The mermaids' colourful sailors' cant and love of curry was amusing, and the fantasy aspects were new and invigorating. I keep coming back to the details, both in terms of story, prose and look, dialogue and character. The love of books, history and the fantastical secret underbelly of an old city comes across vividly. This is a Venice that you just have to visit.(less)

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Jun 28, 2011 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I borrowed this book from my niece, who loved the story as much as the beautiful cover, which she admitted was the reason she chose it. I was certainly not disappointed. The author skilfully brings the city of Venice to life (quite literally in parts) in this historical fantasy novel. The reader is taken on a wonderful journey through this magical city, as the central characters - Theodara and Lorenzo - uncover the truth behind the many strange and increasingly disturbing events, which threaten...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Andrea marked it as flipped-to-the-end · review of another edition

Shelves: 1800s, alt-history, fantasy, childrens

An alt-history tale of Venice, where the city is under attack from a hidden, magical enemy and only an adopted girl, Teodora - with the help of a lot of mermaids, a prophecy and a boy - can hope to win the day.

The first thing which will hit the reader in this book is the style. It's extremely ornate - a deliberately antique style. There's also the tendency to jump a few days ahead and then backtrack and tell what's gone on in the past few days, rather than just experiencing those days.

The set-up...more An alt-history tale of Venice, where the city is under attack from a hidden, magical enemy and only an adopted girl, Teodora - with the help of a lot of mermaids, a prophecy and a boy - can hope to win the day.

The first thing which will hit the reader in this book is the style. It's extremely ornate - a deliberately antique style. There's also the tendency to jump a few days ahead and then backtrack and tell what's gone on in the past few days, rather than just experiencing those days.

The set-up itself is extremely fascinating. Orphan girl, magic book, horrible events witnessed, loving portrait of Venice, mermaids who speak in sailor cant, arrogant boy, a large amount of death. Even though the style wasn't a great fit for me, tending to slow down the pace and undercut the drama, the plot and world should have been candy to keep me coming back for me.

The problem with me was the characters. Many of the characters were outlines without a spark which made them people. Teo's parents, for instance, are scientists and skeptics and over-protective and never for a moment felt like people instead of plot roles. The set-up between Teo (book-loving, non-fashionable, special) and Maria (vain, fashion-seeking, flirtatious [at 11!], foolish) was your basic protagonist v redeemable cheerleader over-the-top comparison. Not only did Maria feel primarily like a mass of negative traits designed to make Teo look good, but her fall and redemption was highly predictable.

But the biggest problem for me was Teo herself, who was endowed with much specialness - photographic memory, two mysterious powers, child of prophecy, pretty without needing fashion - while never managing to make me _like_ her. I was sorry for her situation, which was scary and hard at times, but she went on about Maria's stupidity a few too many times to earn much more than sympathy from me.

I'd recommend readers check out a sample of this book to see how the style sits - old-fashioned, ornate styles can be interesting of themselves - and if you have a particular interest in Venice then you may want to check out this book just for the Venice-info.(less)

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Sep 13, 2011 Brittany rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-own, mermaids-sirens, middle-grade

Teo dreams of visiting Venice. As a book worm she spends days pouring over books with detailed descriptions of what a wonderful city it is. When her parents get a letter that says they are needed (they're scientists) in Venice, Teo leaps at the opportunity to tag along. Unfortunately her parent's colleagues are bringing their daughter Maria along. Maria only cares about fashion, she scoffs at Teo who always has her head in a book. Luckily they come to an arrangement where their parents will thin...more Teo dreams of visiting Venice. As a book worm she spends days pouring over books with detailed descriptions of what a wonderful city it is. When her parents get a letter that says they are needed (they're scientists) in Venice, Teo leaps at the opportunity to tag along. Unfortunately her parent's colleagues are bringing their daughter Maria along. Maria only cares about fashion, she scoffs at Teo who always has her head in a book. Luckily they come to an arrangement where their parents will think they are together, but they don't actually have to be around each other. This works for awhile until Teo gets dreadfully sick and must be taken to hospital. There, very, very strange things start to happen, and then Teo wakes up somewhere else. All she has with her is a book with a smiling mermaid on the cover that seems to read her thoughts and answer her questions (vaguely). When she finds her way back, it seems that no one can see or hear her except for some children and one boy in particular. Something odd and terrible is going on, sick kids are dying every day. Teo may need to team up with this one boy in order to save the city on the water from becoming the city underwater.

Venice, mermaids and other supernatural and fairytale folks and happenings. The makings of a great book. I wish this book wasn't so long though. I really loved it, but at times it felt a little tedious. As an adult book it would be okay, but I feel like some kids may loose attention, unless they are particularly fascinated with the subject matter (as I was). All in all though, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I loved Teo, she was such a fascinating character and full of life and questions. I love it when people are full of questions, ready and eager to learn. It makes it so that you can learn through them what is going on and also some other interesting facts. I also adored Renzo, even if he was a bit of a snob. He was still such a marvelous character. Compassionate and a total bookworm. Teo and Renzo truly made a great pair. Lussa's speech bothered me though. I don't get why some of her words were capitalized while others weren't it sort of reminded me of teen girls online, you know the ones who TypE LiK tHiS. Bleh ;) I loved that this had lots of Venetian history, it was interesting to learn about these pieces of history I hadn't ever really heard of. A lot of research went into this book or at least a lot of knowledge of the history of the city, and it shows. If you are a lover of historical fiction pick this one up. This was a smart, enticing read that takes you to the very heart of Venice.

First Line:
"The fog that fell upon Venice that evening was like a bandage wrapped round the town."

Favorite Lines:
"Teo felt the air squeezed out of her chest. Until this moment the violent story of Bajamonte Tiepolo had seemed rather like a fairy tale gone wrong, something to read in an old book curled up on a rainy day, nothing to do with Teo herself. Suddenly, it felt personal."

Read more: http://www.areadingnook.com/#ixzz1Xrb...(less)

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Mar 17, 2012 Milli Linnea rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have mixed feelings about this book. The setting was awesome. I loved the mermaids and I'm not someone who's usually impressed with mermaids. The whole alternate historic Venice setting was great and so was the Book. I liked the heroine Teo(dora). She has exactly the qualities a lonely, geeky book loving girl appreciates. I kind of like Renzo too. He's cute and funny, if a little too vain (edited, thanks for pointing out my mistake, Luciamaria) at times, but that was funny too. I wish I liked...more

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Jun 17, 2010 Caroline rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The moment I started this book I knew I would love it. I'm a sucker for anything set in Venice anyway, but the opening pages told me that this was a writer with a story to tell. I was excited at the prospect of getting lost in the plot...

One of the main characters in this book has problems with verbosity. He cannot recant a tale without filling in details that drag the story out unnecessarily. This is an unfortunate ailment from which Michelle Lovric herself seems to suffer, along with a tendenc...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Victoria rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-in-a-series, child-narrator, fantasy-science-fiction, fictional-history, young-adult, italy

With this book’s lovely cover, decorated insides and fanciful imagery, this would make a wonderful choice of a long-running bed-time story for a child. The youth of the heroine (at just ten years old) perhaps puts this out of the interest range in a lot of YA readers, but there is a lot of beautiful language and fantastic creatures that may have even older readers looking forward to reading the sequel. Teodora is young, but quite likable and definitely easy to identify with. The story isn’t as l...more

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Nov 02, 2011 Edel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

This is a book full of adventure and based in Venice. The story is filled with details and places from the real Venice and the action takes you all around the city and under it. It is a joy to read and will keep the pages turning . There is a good storyline to it and plenty of good and bad guys to keep you entertained. I have often wanted to go to Venice and this has just made me want to go even more. I will be getting the next book following this one to see where the next adventure takes me.

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Jan 14, 2011 Qing rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

While it's nice that the protagonists aren't perfect and prone to mistakes and being stupid... I couldn't but be very frustrated when they were really stupid. *sighs*

Nice concept and the setting remind me of The Water Mirror, what with the mermaids and winged lions. Very amused with the mermaids speech - nice touch.

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Mar 16, 2013 Alison rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, year-5-6-extension

5 out of 5 reading this as an adult/ 4 out of 5 on behalf of my students.

I thought this was brilliant but quite an advanced read for my year 6's. Great for extension. A really well thought out alternate Venice by an author that is very familiar with the environment and the history. Rich details, great plot. I would recommend this to readers who loved Inkheart/The Emerald Atlas and similar.

I am looking forward to reading the sequel.

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Sep 03, 2012 Nick Turner rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fictional-world, adventure, past, magic

Magical gothic children's fantasy with horror and spiritual elements, set in the mysterious floating city of Venice, in 1899, the final year of the 19th century.

Sometimes when a battle is depicted from the perspective of one side, (view spoiler) identifiable peoples are associated with the bad guys.
Although this is a fiction set a century ago, depicting a fictional conflict which is derived from real historical conflicts, some rea...more

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