Amid the unification of 1860s Italy, a Sicilian prince grapples with the collision between his family's ancient privilege and revolutionary change.

An empire in decay. A ruler consumed by fear. A star rising over Bethlehem. When Christ is born, Herod’s terror erupts into the slaughter of the innocents, and Mary must protect the child promised to save the world. As violence spreads and hope flickers, the true battle begins—not for a throne, but for the soul of mankind.

Seventeen-year-old Ginia leaves the countryside in search of a new life in Turin. Restless and seeking adventure, Ginia soon finds it in the beautiful, enigmatic Amelia, whose sensuality and confidence embolden her to begin modeling for the bohemian artists in their circle. A whirlwind affair ensues, and the young seamstress finds herself swept up in an unfamiliar and exciting world of discovery.

Anastasia, an 18-year-old ballet dancer at the Opéra Garnier, becomes the obsession of a disfigured man living in the opera's underground labyrinth.