Das Mädchen, das den Himmel berührte

The novel opens in historical Rome, at a time when hatred of Jews is growing among the impoverished masses. A group of teenagers, led by young Mercurio, who grew up on the streets and in a cave, survives by petty theft and fraud. One day, they rob a Jewish merchant named Simon Baruch, who brings in a year's income from his shop. The robbed Simon decides to take revenge; in the conflict, he kills a boy, but is himself seriously wounded and left speechless. Having abandoned his previous life, he sets off on an unstoppable pursuit of his attacker, leaving behind a trail of death and misfortune.

Stricken by loss, Mercurio and his group leave Rome and head for Venice, a city of hope and refuge, where they want to start a new life. At the same time, the Jewish woman Giuditta di Negroponte is traveling with her father Isaac. When their paths cross, Mercurio and Giuditta recognize each other as destined. But happiness is short-lived: circumstances separate them, the father opposes, and Simon's pursuit progresses inexorably.

Mercurio sets out in search of his lost love and will have to resist both family pride and religious fanaticism, while his former comrades turn into a threat. Over time, Mercurio matures from a street hustler into a freedom fighter, and Giuditta, without prospects, becomes an influential fashion designer. Through the labyrinth of Venetian streets and canals, between the splendor of St. Mark's and the misery of coastal taverns, Di Fulvio paints a Renaissance fresco about the power of love, hate, and redemption.