Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould

Goodreads Synopsis:
Venice, 1585.

When 16-year-old Laura della Scala learns that her older sister, Beatrice, has drowned, she is given no time to grieve. Instead, Laura's father removes her from the convent where he forcibly sent her years earlier and orders her to marry Beatrice's fiancé, a repulsive old merchant named Vincenzo. Panicked, Laura betrays a powerful man to earn her way into the Segreta, a shadowy society of women who deal in only one currency—secrets. The Segreta seems like the answer to Laura's prayers. The day after she joins their ranks, Vincenzo is publicly humiliated and conveniently exiled. Soon, however, Laura begins to suspect that her sister's death was not a tragic accident but a cold-blooded murder—one that might involve the Segreta and the women she has come to trust.

By Sasha Gould

Hardcover, 262 pages

Published March 13th 2012 by Random House Children's Books

4 out of 5 stars
Genre: YA Historical Mystery

Mystery, intrigue, secrets -- Cross My Heart was a surprisingly pleasant read.




Cross My Heart takes place in the town of Venice in 1585. Sasha Gould does a great job of setting up the atmosphere for the book in a delicate and exquisite prose. I was immersed in this world, and I loved the aristocratic parties, the carriages, the gondoliers, the palazzos--it created a vivid image in my head, and I was able to admire Venetian Society while reading. The main character, Laura della Scala has just been released from a Convent she's been in for six years because her father wishes her to return. Laura is expecting to come home to her sister and a real life, but ends up discovering her sister is dead, and Laura is now to marry her sister's fiance--an old and revolting man. She then joins a secretive society of women, the Segreta. In exchange for a secret, Laura is given a reprieve from her arranged marriage. But as she gets more entangled with the Segreta and learns that her sister's death was in fact a murder, Laura becomes suspicious of the secretive society and everyone around her.

The mystery in this book was definitely my favorite part. It's a guessing game, and Laura has plenty of suspects/clue to work with. Apart from the mystery, though, there were plenty of other plots going on in the book. We have a (secretive) romance with the doge's painter. There is another death of Laura's acquaintances that mysteriously occurred. The doge--who is the most powerful man in Venice-- has a longstanding feud with the de Ferrera's family. There's plenty of secrets about various people in the town, secrets that threaten to destroy lives and reveal lies. Laura is also dealing with her father, who is only concerned about the family's reputation and social standing. He is pressuring her to find a suitable and well-respected man to hurry up and marry. As a former nun, Laura deals with all this in a careful, but at times impulsive, manner. She is eager to experience the life she had missed out on, but at the same time is wary of what is out there, because obviously her sister was in some kind of danger somehow. She stands up to her father when she should. She's quick-minded at the right times, and acts as expected throughout the book. Her relationship with the painter, Giacomo, offers a few surprises later on, but was sweet and cute and grows at a moderate pace as the book progresses.

Because there was so many plots/side-plots going on, I felt that each one wasn't fleshed out as fully it could have been. There was a lot of unanswered questions at the end, lots of loose threads left untied. So, I'm guessing there might be a sequel. I didn't understand why the Segreta existed, or what even they exactly did. I did find them intriguing and neat, but their purpose wasn't as clear as I wanted it to be. The murder is resolved, but I was still confused as to what exactly snapped the murderer to be so vicious and cruel. The doge's secret is also left undeveloped, as well as Laura's consequences in the matter. If some of these plots had been given more attention, I would have given it more stars, but because the story seemed inconsistent and random, it's a solid four stars.

Regardless of the various plots going on, I enjoyed the book as a whole. It's well paced, with enough surprises and twists to keep me interested. I liked the characters, loved the atmosphere, enjoyed the mystery. It's a rich and vivid read, and if you enjoy quick, historical reads, this is a book for you.

"No -- we're looking for something more precious and more powrful than coins or jewels."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Why," she says, drawing out the word, "we want a secret."