Son of Two Fathers - (Grazia Dei Rossi Trilogy) by Jacqueline Park (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

This long-awaited final novel in the bestselling Grazia dei Rossi Trilogy follows Grazia dei Rossi's only son, Danilo del Medigo, as he returns to the Republic of Venice at the height of Christendom's persecution of the Jews.

April, 1536. Danilo del Medigo arrives incognito in Venice from Istanbul, with two assassins hot on his trail. Western civilization is in crisis. Jews and "New Christians" -- people whose families had converted from Judaism -- are threatened with expulsion, imprisonment, and death. Danilo seeks refuge in the Venetian Ghetto, and promptly falls in love with the beautiful Miriamne Hazan.

But soon Danilo is blackmailed into becoming a spy for Venice, which means he must abandon Miriamne in order to save her. The only safe place is hiding in plain sight, so embeds himself within an itinerant group of actors travelling the Italian countryside. With assassins close behind, Danilo, together with a cast of libertines, courtesans, and fellow spies, witnesses the agony of the Renaissance: Protestants warring with Catholics, the Inquisition threatening everyone, and the Ottoman Empire poised to invade the heart of Europe. As fear and panic spread throughout the Jewish communities of Italy, a promise of a new lifeline emerges, and Danilo may be the only one who can ensure it.

Review Quotes

"A deeply satisfying conclusion to the writing that Park began more than two decades earlier . . . Son of Two Fathers offers readers a great deal. It has many thrilling moments laden with suspense, scalding tension, and unpredicted twists and turns of plot. It also provides thoughtful explorations and mini-dissertations on subjects as diverse as visual art, theatre art, philosophy, political history, and Jewish history. Readers interested in history will enjoy this book. Readers interested in Jewish history will delight in it." -- Canadian Jewish News