Carnival of Saints is the first novel written by George. Published by Ballantine Books it was nominated for the Oregon Book Awards and was a finalist in the Barnes and Noble Great New Writers competition.
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The year is 1502, and Italy is ablaze with the artistic radiance, the sexual
corruption, the political intrigue, and the religious fanaticism of the
Renaissance. The depraved Rodrigo Borgia, Pope Alexander VI, conducts orgies in
the Vatican while Leonardo da Vinci paints masterpieces for noble patrons.
Genius has never been more highly prized passion has never been more dangerous.
Against this incandescent backdrop, George Herman
unfolds a brilliant debut novel about art, politics, disguise, betrayal, and the
creation of the theatrical form known as commedia dell'arte.
A vagabond
of improbable erudition and outrageous appearance sneaks into Italy from the
north and invents a new identity and name for himself--Harlequin. In Aosta, he
falls into the company of an aging, resourceful whore named Colombina who
promises to feed and transport him if he'll teach her to read and to dance. As
this unlikely pair flees south through Italy, they unwittingly gather a motley
crew: Scapino, a juggling cut-purse, and his lecherous bastard son Pantalone;
Giacomo, Leonardo's inept artistic assistant, who assumes a new identity as the
Dottore; Isabella, an aristocratic bluestocking traveling incognito; the
blustering Capitano, wanted for desertion; a spirited tart on the run; and a
handsome student in search of adventure.
Pooling their wits, their
talents, and their scanty resources, this band of fugitives, misfits, and
thieves don fantastic disguises and, transforming their guild wagon into a stage
set, mount bawdy, slapstick entertainments in the city piazzas. The new form of
people's theatre --commedia dell' arte-- sweeps the country with its hilarious
mockery of the corrupt nobles and clergy, allowing the actors to slip through
the hands of the Borgia spies, who are pursuing them for a variety of mysterious
reasons.
Mingling real and invented characters, the famous and the
infamous, "Carnival of Saints" vividly captures an era as noted for its
cruelties and corruption as for its fine arts--a time when men would kill, and
not necessarily just paint, for their patrons. Rich in plot and character,
meticulous in its re-creation of the past, "Carnival of Saints" stands alone for
its pungent humor, its inventive flair, and its ribald originality. George Herman's stunning first novel is a wildly
entertaining comic masterpiece.
BOOK REVIEWS
From Kirkus "A rousing Renaissance tale of adventure and Machiavellian affairs of state... Vibrant Italian history, first-rate storytelling: a masterful, thoroughly charming debut."
From Booklist "Rich and engaging...In the early sixteenth century, Italy was about to blossom into the full bloom of the Renaissance. Yet it was also a time of political instability, intrigue, and violence. Herman's first Novel portrays this brilliant and volatile mix superbly as he follows the adventures and misadventures of a theatrical troupe making its way through northern Italy."
To order: www.barnesandnoble.com or www.Amazon.com
