Daughter of Venice

By Donna Jo Napoli
Donata is the daughter of a wealthy nobleman of Venice. She has a twin sister, Laura, and they are always the same, in jewelry and dressing. Donata is a rebel, she wanders the city even though she is not allowed, and her father lets her study with her brothers. One day, her father announces that she will marry, and Laura will enter in a convent, but he doesn't know that Laura has done all the work for Donata in the past month, so Donata could go out and afterwards tell everyone stories of her adventures. Because of this, Donata feels guilty, and she tells her mother that she can't marry. Her mother doesn't believe her, so Donata comes up with a plan in which she will be disgraced and Laura will have to marry in her place. It doesn't really work, but things come out for the best and Laura marries and Donata goes to the university.