The Wager

Starred review from May 10, 2010
Based on the Italian fairy tale "Don Giovanni de la Fortuna," Napoli's (Alligator Bayou) sumptuously written novel is set in 12th-century Sicily. Part historical fiction, part spiritual fantasy, the story begins when Don Giovanni, a well-to-do 19-year-old orphan who is being groomed for leadership, suddenly loses his castle and wealth to a tidal wave. The eponymous wager is, of course, a deal with the devil (who appears in the form of a well-dressed stranger). Don Giovanni agrees not to bathe for three years, three months, and three days in exchange for endless bags of coins. Readers follow Don Giovanni's journey of the flesh and spirit as he suffers humiliation and physical decay; descriptions of lush feasts and brightly colored brocades give way to wretched scenes described in lurid detail: "He'd worn through his shoes a couple of months ago... a cut... oozed pus. Each night he'd press out the guck, but by morning it would be swollen again." As Don Giovanni reaches toward generosity and grace, he is ultimately rewarded. Napoli never underestimates her audience, depicting human nature at its worst and its best. Ages 12–up.

May 1, 2010
Gr 9 Up-Set in 1169, "The Wager" is a retelling of a traditional Sicilian fairy tale. As the story opens, Don Giovanni is a well-to-do spendthrift who gives little thought to anything but his own pleasure. An earthquake and subsequent tidal wave change his circumstances dramatically, and he is soon wandering the land as a vagrant. In classic Faustian style, the devil appears on the scene to offer a wager: he will provide Don Giovanni endless wealth in exchange for relinquishing his beautyhe may not change his clothes, shave, comb his hair, or wash for three years, three months, and three days. The devil provides the don with a magic purse, and the game is on. Suffice to say, the rot that grows on this hero is truly foul. Readers will be engrossed by descriptions of his decay, including vermin, worms, and open sores. Obviously Don Giovanni undergoes a dramatic change in how he treats the lowliest members of society. Evocative of Hermann Hesse's "Siddhartha", this marvelous story is well told, and the rich, sophisticated language will grip skilled readers."Leah Krippner, Harlem High School, Machesney Park, IL"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2010
Grades 8-12 A fallen nobleman beats the devil in Napolis latest fairy taleinspired novel. Based on a Sicilian story and similar to the better-known Grimm Brothers tale The Bearskin, Napolis novel begins in twelfth-century Sicily, when handsome, young Don Giovanni loses his wealth in the aftermath of a tsunami. Reduced to begging, he travels the countryside until a stranger offers him a magical, bottomless purse of gold coins if he agrees not to bathe, groom himself, or change his clothes for three years. Realizing that he is wagering his soul with the devil, Don Giovanni nonetheless accepts and begins his long trial. Napolis vivid descriptions contrast the Edenic landscapes with Don Giovannis increasingly festering body, from his abscess-covered backside to his lice-infested scalp. The colorful detail, while sometimes stomach-churning, underscores the storys fascinating themes about the importance of appearance, what it means to be civilized, and the line between human and beast. A surprise twist leads to a satisfying love story and closes the novel with more joy, and fewer devilish triumphs, than the original tale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)