PHEW!!

What an immense relief to read your comments, Bonnie, Neco and Shirley. I finished part one last week, and put the book aside to keep to our schedule for a change...And to be honest that wasn't a big sacrifice. I seem to be not so very interested in Lucia and Giacomo. Esp. Giacomo, I find him a narcissist jerk (which he probably was!). To slowly unravel Lucia's story, as told by Japin, is sort of fascinating though.
I couldn't do anything with the discussion questions, I was wondering if they were about the book I am reading,,hahahahahaha.

Lucia's childhood sounds like a happy one, living on a big estate, favoured by the landowner/lady. To crawl into bed with Giacomo with her parents' permission sounded very weird. She ended up as a courtisane, or prostitute. After only having read part one as yet, I don't know why this happened.

I had to laugh when you, Bonnie, wrote that you fell asleep even the first time around. Maybe when we have finished the book we will realize what a great work of literature this is, but now I don't really see it. I find the buildup of the story too 'artistic', if you know what I mean. Sorry folks!