The Gondola Maker

A Novel of 16th-Century Venice

★★★★★ 1052 reviews

Multi-award winning historical novel set in Renaissance Venice

A tale of artisanal tradition and family bonds

Venetian gondola-maker Luca Vianello considers his whole life arranged. His father charted a course for his eldest son from the day he was born, and Luca is positioned to inherit one of the city’s most esteemed boatyards.

But when Luca experiences an unexpected tragedy in the boatyard, he believes that his destiny lies elsewhere. Soon he finds himself drawn to restore an antique gondola with the dream of taking a girl for a ride.

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Night Portrait and The Painter's Apprentice comes a gorgeously crafted, immersive tale of Renaissance Italy. 

Publishers Weekly starred review

Benjamin Franklin Award

IPPY Award for Best Adult Fiction

National Indie Excellence Award Finalist

Eric Hoffer Award Finalist

Shortlisted for the da Vinci Eye Prize

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From Our Readers...

★★★★★ Another marvelous historical novel by one of the best
Kathleen M.
What a storyteller! Ms. Morelli tells a story with such lovely detail that the reader loses themselves in 16th-century life. Her description of the life as a young man brings his every incident to life. A wonderful story.

★★★★★ Art and life in Venice
R Warner
It takes the educated eye of an artist to see and communicate the beauty of handmade physical objects, such as the gondolas, buildings, paintings and costumes in this story. The author is more than equal to this task. The hero is such a skilled artisan that in his hands, craft becomes art. The author breathes life into this fascinating period and speaks of ordinary daily activities with the assurance that comes from immersion in the history. Beyond that, the characters and their feelings stand out clearly against the beautiful background. As the story built to a climax, I desperately hoped that all would experience happy outcomes.

My grandfather and father were artists in woodworking. Her descriptions of the gondola maker’s work brought back vivid memories of sawdust and varnish and objects taking shape under skilled hands.

The writing is literary in quality, but also very readable. I highly recommend this novel to people who enjoy any of the following: Historical fiction in general, Renaissance Venice, art, craft, a fictional memoir in a voice that is hauntingly real, and/or a tender love story.

★★★★★ So engaging
Susan Mars
I didn't think a story about a gondola maker could be very interesting, but this author achieved a wonderful book filled with history and details that I loved learning. The characters come alive and the attitudes fit well with the Italians I know in my family. 😇

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Product Details

Publisher: The Scriptorium

Paperback:  306 pages

ISBN-13: 978-0989367-10-3

Dimensions: 6 x 0.75 x 9 inches

Binding: Perfect

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