Venetians novel by Josi & Scattaglia explores Renaissance Venice and its Arsenale

Allegra Scattaglia and Luca Josi have co-authored the novel "Venetians – Il segreto dell'Arsenale" (published by Sonzogno), set in Renaissance Venice and centered on the Arsenale, the historic shipyard that now hosts the Venice Biennale. The story follows Marcantonio Bragadin, a young Venetian patrician, as he becomes entangled in the city's sophisticated and ruthless political system. The novel highlights Venice's role as a proto-industrial hub, its advanced glass technology on Murano, and its multicultural society including German, Greek, Levantine, Armenian, and Jewish communities. Key historical figures such as Titian, Tintoretto, Albrecht Dürer, Leonardo da Vinci, Aldus Manutius, and Paracelsus are referenced. The narrative draws parallels between 16th-century geopolitics in the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly the siege of Famagusta in Cyprus, and contemporary global dynamics.