Imagine you are one moment ill in bed, and the next transported to a world that is awash with deception, intrigue, and glamour. In a spine-tingling discovery, Lucien discovers that he is in fact a 'Stravagante' and with the help of a talisman can transport himself to sixteenth century Bellezza, a city inspired by Venice, and filled with unexpected danger. With swishing velvet, glittering masks, political intrigue and treachery - and a demanding and imperious Duchessa - Mary Hoffman has vividly conjured up a rich, magical and compelling world, the first in the trilogy of Talia.