Vendetta is another fantastic historical mystery by Christine De Melo, this one set in Venice in 1570. The publisher has summarized it best: "Under the guise of "Beto," seventeen-year-old Isabetta Bastian runs her father's successful shipping business. Her older brother sails their commercial galley between Venice and Lisbon, exporting exotic spices obtained by the Portugese. A heinous crime shatters her ideal life and a risky attempt to save the family business ends in failure. Now, Isabetta is forced to live with the harsh consequences. Resentment brews until she seeks the advice of her sophisticated neighbor, Veronica Franco. With the savvy courtesan's help, Isabetta devises a scheme to avenge her loved ones but will her fall from grace be worth a brilliant vendetta?"
There is a lesson for everyone here. While at one time or another we all plan to get revenge against someone, the courtesan's advice to Isabetta is insightful: can you accept the outcome of your revenge? I don't think our Isabetta understood what the fallout would be of her plan to avenge her murdered father and brother. She was just seventeen and had no real life experiences yet as she has been sheltered by her parents. As with most of De Melo's novels, Isabetta is a woman with a desire to have a man's job, something seemingly impossible during the Renaissance period of time. It is a theme I never get tired of reading about. In Vendetta, Isabetta's dream of working in the shipping business is affected in a myriad of ways be her vendetta. Yes, you reap what you sow.
5 out of 5 stars!
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