Venice

GrownUp

GrownUp

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Why are children's stories set in Venice always great?

I bought two books recently because they appeared to be set in Venice and because of the magical-ness that entails: 'The Thief Lord' by Cornelia Funke and 'Stravaganza, City of Masks' by Mary Hoffman.

Both were just superb, although in very different ways.

It seems to me that Venice is a guarantee.
​
 
I'm beginning to think that YA books set in Venice is another trend (yes, I'm seeing trends everywhere -- blame BayCon and the "Beyond Harry Potter" panel they've scheduled me for -- and it will probably only get worse as we head toward the end of the month).

Venice certainly has to be one of the most inherently magical cities in the world -- although I was less impressed than you were, GrownUp, with the two books you mention, my favorite alternate-world Venice being Tanith Lee's definitely-not-for-children version in the "Secret Books of Venus."

But now I've found another recent YA book with a fabulous Venetian setting. Just picked it up yesterday (after trips to two local libraries already this week, the message that this particular book was in convinced me that another library run was quite in order) and read it before bedtime, it sounded that entrancing.

The Water Mirror by Kai Meyer, translated from the German (the original title was Die Fliebende Koenigin, which I take to be The Flowing Queen, but Gollum or someone else who actually speaks the language may correct me) -- an alternate-history fantasy in which shark-toothed mermaids swim in the canals, guardsmen patrol the city mounted on animated stone lions, and much of the world is under seige by the armies of a resurrected Egyptian Pharoah.

The prose style is, unfortunately, somewhat lifeless, and the characterization on the thin side even for a YA title (both of these may be faults in the translation) yet I was charmed by the setting and by some of the ideas, and I'm not surprised that the book was a hit in Germany and has been translated into fourteen languages.
 
Teresa Edgerton said:
I'm beginning to think that YA books set in Venice is another trend (yes, I'm seeing trends everywhere -- blame BayCon and the "Beyond Harry Potter" panel they've scheduled me for -- and it will probably only get worse as we head toward the end of the month).

Venice certainly has to be one of the most inherently magical cities in the world -- although I was less impressed than you were, GrownUp, with the two books you mention, my favorite alternate-world Venice being Tanith Lee's definitely-not-for-children version in the "Secret Books of Venus."

But now I've found another recent YA book with a fabulous Venetian setting. Just picked it up yesterday (after trips to two local libraries already this week, the message that this particular book was in convinced me that another library run was quite in order) and read it before bedtime, it sounded that entrancing.

The Water Mirror by Kai Meyer, translated from the German (the original title was Die Fliebende Koenigin, which I take to be The Flowing Queen, but Gollum or someone else who actually speaks the language may correct me) -- an alternate-history fantasy in which shark-toothed mermaids swim in the canals, guardsmen patrol the city mounted on animated stone lions, and much of the world is under seige by the armies of a resurrected Egyptian Pharoah.

The prose style is, unfortunately, somewhat lifeless, and the characterization on the thin side even for a YA title (both of these may be faults in the translation) yet I was charmed by the setting and by some of the ideas, and I'm not surprised that the book was a hit in Germany and has been translated into fourteen languages.
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"The Thief Lord" was also translated from German, I think. I found it just joyous. Of course that may also have something to do with the quality of the translation.;)
 
Welcome to Chronicles, Mary.

I know you can't speak to anyone else's reasons for choosing a Venetian or alternate-world Venetian setting, but your take on the matter could provide useful insight for those of us who are curious about it's sudden popularity. I mean, I find the city endlessly fascinating, but it's been there all along, and now seemingly out of nowhere -- and with books released too close together to suspect that writers are copying each other -- it's a favorite setting for YA novels. What was it about Venice that inspired you?

(And it occurs to me that my previous post might sound like I didn't like Stravaganza, though I actually did.)
 
the original title was Die Fliebende Koenigin, which I take to be The Flowing Queen, but Gollum or someone else who actually speaks the language may correct me
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Nope absolutely right, although it should be Die Fließende Koenigin. (if you can't write the symbol, you can use 'ss' as in Fliessen).
 
scalem X said:
Nope absolutely right, although it should be Die Fließende Koenigin. (if you can't write the symbol, you can use 'ss' as in Fliessen).
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Ah, I actually knew about ß = ss, after a very, very brief stint with German in Junior College -- but these old eyes are not reliable when it comes to reading small print on copyright pages.


Soon, I may be like someone's old aunt in a Victorian novel, sitting in my rocking chair and forcing all my young relations to read to me from books like The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, while secretly wishing they would read me something more exciting.
 
It could be and even worse it's the other way around too, I'm afraid:eek:. Our translations of American novels are far worse than those of British. Luckily I can read Dutch, French, English/American or German novels in their original form. :p
 
Scalem, it looks like you responded to my pre-edited message (after I realized I was pretty much repeating things I had already said before -- another habit of the superannuated and decrepit). The minds of everyone else reading this thread are probably reeling.

It's good to know that American translations aren't necessarily the worst. Or ... maybe not. Considering some of the graceless writing I've seen in translated books, maybe it's frightening to think there are actually worse examples in other countries.
 
Ah, my mistake. It was Teresa who raised the subject first.

To reply to your question: there's quite a long explanation about how the first stravaganza book came about on the dedicated website but I'm not supposed to post links here yet. You could Google it.

Briefly, it all began more than 15 years ago with a family day trip to Venice and a gondola ride with the three daughters, sculled by a less than handsome gondolier. I had the idea of gondoliers chosen by an elected woman ruler, to be young and handsome, and I sort of filed it for later use.

Five years later we were in Venice again and I made some notes, discovering I knew lots about this Duchessa.

So, not a very illustrious beginning but I'm now near the end of the fourth Stravaganza title. It has acquired quite a following.

Venice is not the Italian city I know best; that is Florence, where I have been twice this year. I used to think there were Venice people and Florence people (I suppose there are Rome people too). It all depends which one you visit when you are young and impressionable. I spent a month in Florence when I was twenty, thus beginning the great love-affair with Italy.

But I've deided you can be both a Florence-person AND a Venice-person and I am.

Mary
 
Show off Scalem... I can barely read English.
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I know, it is all I have.:(. I will crawl into my carton box now and wither away. I wish I could write, well in any language, really... *sigh*
 
It's not Young Adult and it's not fantasy - but has anyone read Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino? That's about Venice, and it's a beautiful book.

By the way, I blame City of Masks for my complete obsession with Venice. I'm still very bitter that my family waited until I spent six months in Central America to go there ;)
 
Well, I have obviously! One of the epigraphs to City of Masks is from Invisible Cities. It is absolutely my favourite Calvino (though there is stiff competition). Although I don't have Scalem X's wonderful battery of languages, I can read Italian, so have it in both the English and Italian editions.

The first time I read it, I had to put it down after every few pages because it was so stimulating of ideas for writing.

Not long ago I met the Italian illustrator sara Fanelli, who lives in the UK, and discovered that she is a great Calvino fan too, with IC her favourite book.

It's not YA but it is magical realism and anyone attracted to speculative fiction should like it very much.

Mary
 
I've always loved IC and am a big fan of Calvino. Brilliant writer! If On A Winter's Night A Traveller is a pretty hot contender for best work though...
 
Yes, yes, yes! It's a close tie with IC. Brilliant book. I wish I liked the Castle of Crossed Destinies more, as it's such a brilliant idea but i can't make it work for me.

Glad to have found another fan! It's a pity he died so, relatively, young; there would have been even more wonderful books I'm sure.

Mary
 
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