The Mourning Emporium is the second book in Michelle Lovric’s Undrowned Child series, and it continues the tradition established by its predecessor: historical fantasy set in Venice, densely imagined, atmospherically rich, and considerably stranger than most books nominally aimed at the same age group.
The series follows Teo and Renzo, children entangled in the magical politics of Venice — a city that in Lovric’s rendering is as much a living entity as a setting. In The Mourning Emporium, a villain has frozen London and Venice faces new threats. The plot is baroque in the best sense: there are a lot of moving parts, most of them genuinely surprising.
Lovric’s research is always evident. She doesn’t use Venice as a backdrop; she uses it as a character. The specific history of the city — its relationship with water, its political history, its architecture — is woven through the narrative rather than applied to it. This is what distinguishes her books from the category of “historical setting” fiction that treats the past as costume.
The writing continues to be more demanding than you might expect from middle-grade: complex sentences, unusual vocabulary, a density of imagery that asks something from its reader. The books have found their audience among readers who want to be inside something genuinely immersive, and that audience is right.
Published: 2010 · Genre: Middle grade historical fantasy · Series: The Undrowned Child, Book 2
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Mourning Emporium about? The second book in Lovric’s Undrowned Child series follows Teo and Renzo as Venice faces new threats while a villain has frozen London. The review describes the plot as ‘baroque in the best sense — there are a lot of moving parts, most of them genuinely surprising.’ The series continues its tradition of ‘historical fantasy set in Venice, densely imagined, atmospherically rich, and considerably stranger than most books nominally aimed at the same age group.’
How does Lovric use Venice in The Mourning Emporium? The review credits Lovric with using ‘Venice as a character rather than a backdrop — the specific history of the city, its relationship with water, its political history, its architecture, is woven through the narrative rather than applied to it.’ This is described as what distinguishes her books from ‘historical setting fiction that treats the past as costume.’ Venice as a living entity is part of the series’ structural logic.
What kind of reader is The Mourning Emporium best suited for? The review notes the writing is ‘more demanding than you might expect from middle-grade — complex sentences, unusual vocabulary, a density of imagery that asks something from its reader.’ The books have ‘found their audience among readers who want to be inside something genuinely immersive.’ It is recommended after reading The Undrowned Child, which is described as ‘complex enough in its world-building to sustain repeat readings.’
Further Reading from Authoritative Sources
- Michelle Lovric — Wikipedia’s Michelle Lovric article provides biographical and bibliographical context for the author, helping readers understand The Mourning Emporium within her broader writing career and her deep engagement with Venice as a setting.
- Venice — Wikipedia’s Venice article contextualises the real city that Lovric builds her fantasy world from, helping readers understand the historical and geographical specificity that grounds the Undrowned Child series.