01/15/2006 11:20 PM
Posted by VeggieSteph

A Venetian Affair by Andrea Di Robilant

In A Venetian Affair, Andrea Di Robilant tells a story close to his heart, in fact, his family is deeply tied to the people the story is about. It is a true tale of two star-crossed lovers, inevitably drawn to one another, and yet with no possible future happiness. Di Robilant’s family knew the story of the two lovers by heart, and his father, after finding an unexpected cache of private letters, wished to write a book telling their story. It was left to Andrea to write the story after his father died.

A Venetian Affair tells the story of Andrea Memmo, a promising young Venetian statesman from one of the oldest families in Venice, and Giustiniana Wynne, who is English and from a not so noble birth. They meet when she is not quite seventeen, and he is in his mid-twenties. They fall terribly in love, despite the fact that they can never be married, and their love could destroy both of their families. The tale Di Robilant writes is based on their letters during their secret courtship while in Venice, and throughout their entire lives.

The tale focuses mostly on Giustiniana and her letters, since she is the one who leaves Venice and travels far in her mother’s attempts to protect her. Di Robilant explains their situations quite well, and gives you a real sense of the history and traditions that locked these two in a secret love that followed until their deaths. Samples of Memmo’s and Giustiniana’s letters are interspersed throughout the narrative, and the tale flows just like fiction. It is hard at times to separate the sense of “The O.C. – Venice” teenaged cries of love at first, but later, as they mature and face realities, their letters become much more open and honest. Their story matures as they do, and you finish the story with respect for two very different people who love each other despite all odds, and despite never being able to be together in the open, as man and wife.

It’s a terribly Italian love story, full of flowery, dramatic declarations of love from two very passionate people. I wouldn’t consider it epic, but it is interesting. The history and back-story are well placed and neither interferes with the story of the two lovers. I grew to respect Giustiniana after I made it through her dramatic teenager phase. She seems like a very interesting woman. My main complaint is Memmo – he isn’t very well rounded. You do get a sense of familial pride from Di Robilant – he tells this story for the love of his father. At times you can imagine an elderly Italian sitting over a large cup of wine, telling his family the story of Memmo and Giustiniana, the two star-crossed, impassioned lovers from Casanova’s Venice. It makes a nice picture in my head. I won’t read it again, but it was a nice read once you get into the more adult phase of their relationship.