The Wager

In ancient Sicily, Don Giovanni is approached by a well-dressed stranger who offers him a magical purse--but only if he accepts a wager of not bathing for three years, three months, and three days. If he loses the wager, his forfeits his soul. Don Giovanni was once the wealthiest and handsomest young man in Messina.

Then a tidal wave changed everything. When a well-dressed stranger offers him a magical purse, he knows he shouldn't take it. Only the devil would offer a deal like this, and only a fool would accept. Don Giovanni is no fool, but he is desperate. He takes the bet: he will not bathe for 3 years, 3 months, and 3 days.

Beauty is a small price to pay for worldly wealth, isn't it? Unless he loses the wager - and with it his soul. Review: Napoli expertly sets the scene for this retelling of a traditional Sicilian tale...The lifelike, tactile details of the story make it all eerily real. -- The New York Times Book Review 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...Napoli never underestimates her audience, depicting human nature at its worst and its best. -- Publishers Weekly, starred review Evocative of Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha , this marvelous story is well told, and the rich, sophisticated language will grip skilled readers. -- School Library Journal A surprise twist leads to a satisfying love story and closes the novel with more joy, and fewer devilish triumphs, than the original tale. -- Booklist No hero ever deserved a happy ending or a bath more. --Kirkus Reviews Napoli ably describes the ensuing tribulations Don Giovanni undergoes as he becomes more offensive to be around even as he longs for companionship for the first time in his life. -- VOYA Impeccable pacing conveys the burden of the three-year ordeal, and even those readers for whom the end is no surprise will breathe a sigh of relief to find Giovanni reclaimed and within reach of happiness. -- BCCB , STARRED review There's something rotten at the center of this novel-length fairy-tale retelling, and that's what makes it so delightful. -- Horn Book Magazine