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INTERRUPTED ARIA
by Beverle Graves Myers
Poisoned Pen Press, March 2004
296 pages
$24.95
ISBN: 1590581113


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Tito Amato has returned to Venice in order to sing in an opera group. His father chose to allow him to be turned into a castrato and Tito's return to Venice forces him to come to grips with his family's problems.

Tito has brought with him Felice, who is also a castrato; however, his voice changed anyway and he cannot find work. Tito hopes that he will be able to find a place for himself in Venice and he also hopes that his return to Venice and his family will bring happiness in his own life.

Almost immediately, things begin to go wrong. His little sister Grisella is having strange and dangerous fits and there seems to be no cure for them. And the normal family tensions have only gotten worse in Tito's absence.

The situation at work is no better. He works for Domenico Viviani, who is a well-to-do gentleman of Venice with a very notorious reputation with the ladies. Viviani's operatic group is not practising peacefully: there are a lot of petty rivalries in addition to outright pettiness. In addition a stagehand dies and Tito begins to believe the company is cursed. Then a singer is murdered, and Tito must hunt down a murderer before anyone else is killed.

INTERRUPTED ARIAS has a very historical feel. The culture of Venice and that of the castrato is well explained. The castrato plays an important role in the history of music and of the church throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The history of Venice is full of mystery and romance, which adds some atmosphere and background to the story. The idea of the Carnival and masquerade is the only thing that allows the story to work. In addition, Venice's love affair with opera is vital to the mystery.

This book is character-based. The characters and their own internal concerns are the most important part of it. Tito's doubts and concerns about his family and his own life are the driving force of the book. While the character descriptions help give INTERRUPTED ARIAS a very rich and developed feel, it also made the book seem much longer than it was. In addition, nothing exciting happened until about half way through the book. If one prefers an action-based story this is a book to avoid.

INTERRUPTED ARIAS is the first book by Beverle Graves Myers.

Reviewed by Sarah Dudley, May 2004

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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