The Kiss of Death

The Kiss of Death follows Marko's search for his missing father in 18th century Venice. A teenage boy named Peter also arrives in the city, pursuing a dangerous entity known as the Shadow Queen. In Venice, Marko meets a girl named Sorrel whose father suffers from a mysterious illness that keeps him from sleeping. The two teens must work together to solve the interconnected mysteries of their fathers while navigating Venice's maze-like streets and shadowy canals. The story combines historical fiction with supernatural elements against the backdrop of Venice's decaying grandeur. Through dark alleys and across countless bridges, the characters uncover layers of secrets beneath the city's beautiful facade. This gothic tale explores themes of family bonds, the price of immortality, and the thin line between reality and nightmare in a city where nothing is quite what it seems.

Readers describe this YA thriller as atmospheric and dark, focusing on its Gothic Venice setting and historical plague elements. Many found the first half slow but noted the pace picks up significantly in the second half. Likes: - Detailed research on Venice's history and architecture - Integration of medical/plague history - Beatrice's character development - Gothic horror atmosphere - Clean, descriptive writing style Dislikes: - Slow start that takes time to build momentum - Some found the romance subplot underdeveloped - Several readers wanted more closure in the ending - A few felt the plague elements were underutilized Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 3.9/5 (42 ratings) LibraryThing: 3.5/5 (89 ratings) Notable reader quote: "The setting is the real star - you can smell the canals and feel the crumbling walls. The story itself takes patience but rewards careful reading." - Goodreads reviewer

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🔺 Venice experienced a devastating plague outbreak in 1630-31 that killed nearly a third of its population, which likely influenced many of the dark legends and folklore referenced in the novel. 🔺 Marcus Sedgwick won the Printz Award in 2014 for his novel "Midwinterblood" and has been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal eight times. 🔺 The traditional Venetian masks featured in the story were originally worn by doctors treating plague victims - the long "beak" was filled with aromatic herbs thought to prevent infection. 🔺 The novel draws on the real-world condition of Fatal Familial Insomnia, a rare genetic disorder that prevents sleep and ultimately leads to death. 🔺 The book's atmospheric setting is inspired by Venice's "sotoportegos" - the dark, tunnel-like passageways that run beneath buildings and connect the city's many squares.