SuitabookDaughter of Venice
Donna Jo Napoli
- Reading
- It may help to read together in short sections and pause when the story introduces Venetian customs or history. You could distinguish what characters accept as customary from what Donata questions, without assuming the novel settles every debate.
- Themes
- Gender, education and choice: Donata wants the education given to her brothers and resists expectations that younger daughters enter a convent; university study remains unavailable to her because she is a girl. The story gives weight to Donata’s frustration while also showing family members explaining the customs and practical considerations surrounding marriage and convent life.
- Historical explanation within the story: As Donata encounters Venetian life, the novel includes explanations of customs, laws, history and trading partners. The book presents this mainly as information or explanation.
- Worth knowing
- Donata’s disguise and secret departures put her at risk of repercussions for herself and her family. The story also includes constraints on girls’ education and futures, religious difference, and romantic feelings across religious lines.