The Betrothed

Alessandro Manzoni, Michael F. Moore

The Betrothed
Format
Paperback
Publisher
Random House USA Inc
Country
United States
Published
3 September 2024
Pages
704
ISBN
9780812978810

The Betrothed

Alessandro Manzoni, Michael F. Moore

"The first English translation in more than fifty years of Alessandro Manzoni's masterpiece, a work of foundational Italian literature on par with the Divine Comedy and the Decameron."-The Wall Street Journal

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR- The New Yorker and The Paris Review

Italy's greatest novel and a masterpiece of world literature, The Betrothed chronicles the unforgettable romance of Renzo and Lucia, who endure tyranny, war, famine, and plague to be together.

Published in 1827 but set two centuries earlier, against the tumultuous backdrop of seventeenth-century Lombardy during the Thirty Years' War, The Betrothed is the story of two peasant lovers who want nothing more than to marry. Their region of northern Italy is under Spanish occupation, and when the vicious Spaniard Don Rodrigo blocks their union in an attempt to take Lucia for himself, the couple must struggle to persevere against his plots-which include false charges against Renzo and the kidnapping of Lucia by a robber baron called the Unnamed-while beset by the hazards of war, bread riots, and a terrifying outbreak of bubonic plague. First and foremost a love story, the novel also weaves issues of faith, justice, power, and truth into a sweeping epic in the tradition of Ivanhoe, Les Miserables, and War and Peace. Groundbreakingly populist in its day and hugely influential to succeeding generations, Alessandro Manzoni's masterwork has long been considered one of Italy's national treasures.

Translated by Archibald Colquhoun

This item is not currently in-stock. It can be ordered online and is expected to ship in approx 2 weeks

Our stock data is updated periodically, and availability may change throughout the day for in-demand items. Please call the relevant shop for the most current stock information. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.