The Passion

The
New York Times-bestselling author interweaves the destinies of Napoleon's cook and an enigmatic Venetian woman in this "arresting, elegant novel" (
Publishers Weekly).


A faithful soldier of the
Grande Armée, Henri is given the honor of serving meals to Napoleon himself. After all, Henri is short-and no one over five-foot-two ever serves the emperor. But when following his revered leader brings him to near-starvation in Russia's frozen winter, Henri is disillusioned and desperate for escape.



The web-footed daughter of a Venetian boatman, Villanelle has long been acquainted with the advantages of dishonesty. Trust hasn't been her strong suit since her heart was stolen-literally-by a noblewoman she once loved.



Soon these two will meet their shared destiny in the chaotic carnival that is early 19th century Venice. In
The Passion, Whitbread Award-winning author Jeanette Winterson delivers a "historical novel quite different from any other" (
Vanity Fair).



"Recalls García Márquez. . . Magical touches dance like highlights over the brilliance of this fairy tale about passion, gambling, madness, and androgynous ecstasy." -Edmund White