The Remedy

I started reading this novel, then put it down to read Committed, and now I've just finished it. I have to say that, after a bit of a slow start in my opinion, I really enjoyed the novel and even was a bit surprised by it.

The Remedy is set in Venice and London of the late 18th century, and I think one of the things the author does best is capture the sense of both of those cities. The places and characters feel very real and of of-the-moment, without feeling stereotyped in any way. The characters who most concern us are Mimosina Dolcezza and Valentine Greatrakes, a Venetian actress and a London underworld businessman, and their interesting and convoluted relationship.

Of course Mimosina isn't JUST and actress, and that isn't her real name, and she's got quite a bit more of a past than Valentine is aware of, and there's his ward, Pevanche, daughter of his murdered friend Tom, getting in the way of things, and well... it's all very complicated. The author also has alternating sections told from the perspective of Mimosina and Valentine (and Pevanche gets a say too), and that adds to the sense that we aren't sure who is being totally honest and who we can really trust. And that makes for a fun and intriguing story.

I sort of had an inkling of the mystery that's revealed at the end, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable. I also liked how the author shows that the "commoners" can be the higest minded people, and the "aristrocats" can have the lowest inclinations. It was an enjoyable - if long - read.

The Remedy: A Novel