Books Reviews

The Mourning Emporium – Book Review

By Angela Youngman Jan 10, 2011, 16:27 GMT

Two summers ago, Venice was dying and an 11-year-old girl made her first (so she thought) visit to the city where she instantly felt she belonged. Teodora, it transpired, was the undrowned child, destined to save Venice from its long-standing enemy, Bajamonte Tiepolo, the traitor. According to a long ago prophecy, Teo and Renzo (the studious son) were the only people equipped to defeat the baddened magic that the traitor ...more

Venice is in peril.  Benjamin Tiepolo has returned and his evil magic is affecting seas and countries worldwide. Even London has been drawn into the conflict of good and evil.  Teo, the Undrowned Child and Renzo, the Studious Son of Venetian prophecy have the task of trying to save the situation.

Can they defeat Tiepolo again?  But the biggest problem is actually identifying who is a friend and who is an Enemy?

The action moves swiftly from a children's orphanage on board a Venetian ship to the streets of London. I love the scenes where the mermaids are being taught how to drink tea. Also spectacular are the calling of the ghosts. 

The scenes in Venice are perhaps best of all.  A well-crafted story but for me, it is not quite as good as first volume in the series, The Undrowned Child. I am not quite sure why - it just doesn't have quite the same overall appeal. It will be interesting to see how Lovric develops the concept.