Messenger Boy

The Passion, by Jeanette Winterson, rescues historical fiction from a wintry wasteland taking it out on a stolen gondola at 4 a.m. with a handle of bootleg wine and nowhere to go till sunrise. From From France to Venice and the great harsh unknown, “The Passion” is an exhilarating whip of sensuous fresh air. Death, innocence, Napoleon, queer sexuality, and the seedy muddle known as Venice weave together a quick read about love, war, and learning to let go of your heart—or take it back.