The King's Agent by Donna Russo Morin

Historical Fiction fantasy with the thrill of adventure!

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Book Description

An adventurous quest in Renaissance Italy with undercurrents of the supernatural, powers that could change the balance of supremacy throughout Europe.

To the casual observer, Battista della Paglia is an avid art collector, or perhaps a nimble thief. In reality, the cunning Italian is an agent for François, the King of France, for whom he procures the greatest masterpieces of the day by any means necessary. Embroiled in a power struggle with Charles V, the King of Spain, François resolves to rule Europe's burgeoning cultural world. When he sets his sights on a mysterious sculpture, Battista's search for the elusive objet d'art leads him to a captivating woman on a mission of her own. . .

Having spent her life under the controlling eye of her protector, the Marquess of Mantua, Aurelia longs for freedom. And she finds it in Battista. Together, they embark on a journey to find the clues that will lead him to the sculpture-- a venture so perilous it might have spilled from the pen of Dante himself. From the smoldering depths of Rome to a castle in the sky, the harrowing quest draws them inextricably together. But Aurelia guards a dark secret that could tear them apart--and change the course of history. . .

THE KING’S AGENT is based on the real life of Battista della Palla—a patriotic plunderer, a religious rogue—of the 16th century, a lifelong friend to the great Michelangelo. To some he is an avid art collector, or perhaps a nimble thief. In reality, the cunning Italian is an agent for François, the King of France, for whom he procures the greatest masterpieces of the day by any means necessary. When François sets his sights on a mysterious sculpture, Battista’s search for the elusive object leads him to a woman with a mission of her own.


As the cloistered ward of the Marquess of Mantua, the Lady Aurelia is a woman with a profound duty, and a longing for adventure. In search of the relic, Battista and Aurelia cross the breathtaking landscape of Renaissance Italy. Clues hide in great works of art—symbols that speak of other worldly forces—political forces collide, secret societies and enemies abound, and danger lurks in every challenge, those that mirror the passages of Dante’s Divine Comedy.

Book Review

The King’s Agent by Donna Russo Morin is a fun historical fantasy adventure set in Renaissance Italy. At the heart of the story is Battista della Palla, a true historical figure, who is an art aficionado/procurer who is searching for a sculpture that will convince the King of France to lend his support to defend Florence. While committing an art theft, Lady Aurelia comes to his rescue and convinces him to take her with him in his adventures. As they work to unlock the mystery based upon Dante’s Divine Comedy, they trek perilously in dark corridors beneath dark castles, muddle through labyrinths, find openings to secret doors, and discover mysterious clues that lead to dark secrets.

Michelangelo is a minor character and his relationship with Aurelia is quite endearing as the story unfolds. The pages of this novel are filled with brilliant descriptions and dazzling details, typical of Donna Russo Morin’s style. This novel is a remarkably intricate and captivating romance sprinkled with intrigue, adventure, gothic style labyrinths, history, art, mystery, and much more. Rich and complex, there is something here for every reader. As inspiration for this work, the author reveals her passion for the video game Zelda, which helped her build a strong foundation with her this sons as they were growing up. I also enjoyed following Dante's Inferno as the mystery of the story was revealed.

This was a novel to savour and enjoy the richness that leaps off every page as you read it. Highly recommended.

AUTHOR BIO

Donna Russo Morin was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1958. Her writing endeavors began at age six and covered such timely topics as The Pink Pussy Cat for President and The Numbers 2 and 4 are in Love.

Traveling through adolescence on the wings of the ‘60s gave Donna a lot of grist for her writing mill. Feminism, civil rights, the Vietnam War were all a disturbing yet highly motivating muse. Donna found her voice in fiction and with the appearance of a new horror writer on the book scene, a little known author named Stephen King, she turned her pen to the gruesome and the grotesque.

After graduating from the University of Rhode Island, Donna worked in marketing and advertising for large corporations and small non-profit arts organizations. When she had her children, she knew with a certainty that she needed to show them, by example, that if you believe in yourself, anything is possible.

In addition to writing and teaching writing, Donna has worked as a model and actor since the age of seventeen, when she did her first television commercial for Sears. Since then she has appeared in more than thirty television spots and print ads, everything from changing the oil in her car (that was acting) to modeling fur coats. She also appeared in three episodes of Showtime’s THE BROTHERHOOD, as well as in Martin Scorsese’s THE DEPARTED.

Donna lives peacefully, close to the beautiful shoreline of Rhode Island that she loves so much, with her two sons, Devon and Dylan, her greatest works in progress.

The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich

Synopsis

At midnight, the dogs, cats, and rats rule Venice. The Ponte di Ghetto Nuovo, the bridge that leads to the ghetto, trembles under the weight of sacks of rotting vegetables, rancid fat, and vermin. Shapeless matter, perhaps animal, floats to the surface of Rio di San Girolamo and hovers on its greasy waters. Through the mist rising from the canal the cries and grunts of foraging pigs echo. Seeping refuse on the streets renders the pavement slick and the walking treacherous.

It was on such a night that the men came for Hannah.

Hannah Levi is known throughout sixteenth-century Venice for her skill in midwifery. When a Christian count appears at Hannah's door in the Jewish ghetto imploring her to attend his labouring wife, who is nearing death, Hannah is forced to make a dangerous decision. Not only is it illegal for Jews to render medical treatment to Christians, it's also punishable by torture and death. Moreover, as her Rabbi angrily points out, if the mother or child should die, the entire ghetto population will be in peril.

But Hannah’s compassion for another woman’s misery overrides her concern for self-preservation. The Rabbi once forced her to withhold care from her shunned sister, Jessica, with terrible consequences. Hannah cannot turn away from a labouring woman again. Moreover, she cannot turn down the enormous fee offered by the Conte. Despite the Rabbi’s protests, she knows that this money can release her husband, Isaac, a merchant who was recently taken captive on Malta as a slave. There is nothing Hannah wants more than to see the handsome face of the loving man who married her despite her lack of dowry, and who continues to love her despite her barrenness. She must save Isaac.

Meanwhile, far away in Malta, Isaac is worried about Hannah’s safety, having heard tales of the terrifying plague ravaging Venice. But his own life is in terrible danger. He is auctioned as a slave to the head of the local convent, Sister Assunta, who is bent on converting him to Christianity. When he won’t give up his faith, he’s traded to the brutish lout Joseph, who is renowned for working his slaves to death. Isaac soon learns that Joseph is heartsick over a local beauty who won’t give him the time of day. Isaac uses his gifts of literacy and a poetic imagination—not to mention long-pent-up desire—to earn his day-to-day survival by penning love letters on behalf of his captor and a paying illiterate public.

Back in Venice, Hannah packs her “"birthing spoons”—secret rudimentary forceps she invented to help with difficult births—and sets off with the Conte and his treacherous brother. Can she save the mother? Can she save the baby, on whose tiny shoulders the Conte’s legacy rests? And can she also save herself, and Isaac, and their own hopes for a future, without endangering the lives of everyone in the ghetto?

The Midwife of Venice is a gripping historical page-turner, enthralling readers with its suspenseful action and vivid depiction of life in sixteenth-century Venice. Roberta Rich has created a wonderful heroine in Hannah Levi, a lioness who will fight for the survival of the man she loves, and the women and babies she is duty-bound to protect, carrying with her the best of humanity’s compassion and courage.

Review 

The Midwife of Venice is one of the best novels I’ve read. It is no wonder it became an International Bestseller. The novel is beautifully written; its simplicity makes it delightful to read and allows the reader to immerse themselves completely into the story seamlessly. 

There are numerous novels written with Venice as a backdrop, but author Roberta Rich sweeps us into a lesser known and darker side of the city’s majestic history – the plight of the Jews who lived there. In a city that was famous for its port and used to exotic people and trade, it caught me by surprise how racist and prejudiced the people were against the Jews at the time.

Not only did the author do a great deal of research into Venice and its historical details, she also delved into the ancient skills and beliefs of midwifery. Kidnapping, murder, superstition, birthing spoons, and the plague grace the pages of this exciting new novel. The heroine is likeable and believable, but more importantly, fascinating. There are tragic scenes along with joyous ones as the story takes you from one event to another. There is never a moment of boredom. The pace is quick, the story unencumbered with too much narrative or description. 

For me, this book is a definite keeper and now sits on my shelf along with my other most cherished books. I highly recommend it, for it is sure to please!

Surrender to Honor by Jannine Corti-Peska

 An exciting Italian Medieval Romance

Prima Ranieri seeks retribution for her family's death and the loss of home and land. Her plans go awry when the handsome heir of the powerful Massaro family returns home. After only one glance, Prima's attraction to him undermines her furor at those she blames for her plight.

After a fifteen-year absence, Antonio Massaro returns to Palermo to a war between his family and the evil Falcones. His refusal to accept his rightful position as head of the Honored Society carries serious consequences. The welfare of the people in Palermo is at stake. But one look at the beautiful woman Prima has become costs him his heart. She's a deadly distraction...one that jeopardizes her life as well as his own.

Surrender to Honor is the second novel of a four book series set in medieval Italy. The first book is entitle The Lily and the Falcon. Because of Ms. Corti-Petska’s own Italian heritage, you will find a strong, rich, and authentic Italian flavour to her stories - which is precisely why I enjoy her stories so much.

Her heroine, Prima Raneri, is as tough as they come; determined and ambitious with a set goal in mind – retribution for the murders of her family and the taking of her home. And the hero, Antonio Massaro, is wonderfully fascinating too. Handsome, ethical, and definitely a man of honor, trying to avoid the clutches of a powerful society.  

The author is a lovely writer, utilizing wonderful descriptions and creating interesting characters to bring the story to life. This is a lovely, light, romance that is fun to read and can stand alone without having to read the first book in the series. A worthwhile purchase, especially for readers like me who love Italian and Medieval settings.

Trade Paperback Version

Kindle Version

The Room with a Beehive by Comizia Bellocchi Scoccianti (Author) and Patrizia Argentieri (Translator)

An ancient world full of values and traditions gives way to a new society. During the difficult change, accentuated by the climate of World War II, a young woman firmly tackles life challenges with inventive, initiative and disarming grace. This true story is refreshing and poetic, inspirational and stirring.

The Room with a Beehive is a family memoir that is set in the small Italian town, Le Marche, before and after World War II. It is a fascinating chronicle of day-to-day life when times were less complicated and more tranquil. What I found most fascinating was how people in the village seemed more like family than neighbors, where they were self-sufficient and people helped people. One of my favourite parts of the book describes how they raised silkworms to make their own silk that was considered superior to that of China.

As the memoir progresses, the author takes us through the events leading to World War II, the shortage of food and supplies, and how they managed to survive despite the vast numbers of men who were called to arms and the hardships born by the women left behind.

I found myself fascinated with the story because it brought to life the era in which my own parents lived in Italy and their stories about how they survived the horrendous events that affected their lives during the war. It swept me back to a simple time, where people depended and trusted each other for help and support. Lush with vividly detailed descriptions about people, places, food, and items, this book provided wonderful insight into Italian daily village life. This book is definitely a must read – especially for readers with Italian roots.

The Lily and the Falcon by Jannine Corti-Petska

An engaging romance set in 15th century Florence

 
Bianca degli Albizzi is outraged when sworn enemy Cristiano de'Medici asks for her hand in marriage. With her father's blessing, she weds the handsome warrior to end the war between Florence's two powerful families. But headstrong Bianca vows to teach her husband that loyalty cannot be bought...not even by seduction. Cristiano, a well-known warrior with the wealth of a king, could have any woman he desires. But for the sake of peace he ends up with a defiant bride who awakens his deepest passion. Her vengeful scheming puts them both in peril, but is he prepared to sacrifice his life to safeguard the woman who has stolen his heart?

The Lily and the Falcon is the first of a four book historical romance series set in Italy. The author’s fine prose immediately drew me into the story, and the Italian setting, intriguing characters, and endearing love story definitely kept me there reading.

First and foremost, this a historical romance set in the decadence of 15th century Florence. It is a story about two lovers, Bianca degli Albizzi and Cristiano de Medici who are required to marry in order to bring an end to the long-standing feud between their two families. But things are not all that they seem and trouble soon befalls the young couple, casting doubt on their motivations and growing feelings.

I love Italian historical fiction, and this novel satisfied me very well. The author is of a strong Italian background and it is evident she has spent considerable time in Italy. Her experiences added ambience and richness to the story, making the entire novel, from start to finish, authentically Italian. I could easily visualize the palazzo and sensual descriptions that really brought this novel to life.

Suspicion, betrayal, poisonings, passion, family loyalty, and a love that surpasses all expectation fills each highly descriptive page. Well worth checking out and recommended to anyone who loves stores set in the Italian Renaissance.

His Last Duchess by Gabrielle Kimm

A fabulous story of love, lust, and murder in Renaissance Italy

His Last Duchess

by

Gabrielle Kimm

Synopsis:

This is a tale of love and lust. Ms. Kimm does an excellent job of weaving the strings together to create a compelling story of love gone very wrong and lust unsatisfied. At least within the confines of the marriage of Lucrezia and Alfonse. That does not mean it isn't found elsewhere.

Based on the poem by Robert Browning called, His Last Duchess, Ms. Kimm recreates the sixteenth century in its glory.

Alfonse d'Este is desperate to produce an heir so that his 900-year-old family line will continue. He is also a bit mad. He marries Lucrezia de Medici, a very young girl from a family he considers quite beneath him but she comes with a very large dowry. History shows Lucrezia dying a few short years after the marriage and poisoning was suspected.

Author Gabrielle Kimm has written a luscious and provoking tale based upon the poem by Robert Browning, My Last Duchess, which recounts the legend of Lucrezia di Medici and her husband Alfonso II, the Duke of Ferrara.

The author did a wonderful job of painting 16th Century Renaissance Italy in all its glory and richness. She has interpreted Lucrezia as an innocent sixteen year old who is thrust into marriage with Duke Alfonso, a cold, decadent man touched with madness in order to soothe the discord between their two families.

The main conflict of the story begins immediately when Alfonso is unable to consummate the marriage. He blames Lucrezia for his sexual failure. Unmanned by the beauty and innocence of his wife, he turns to his whore, Francesca, and takes his frustrations out on her through brutal sexual encounters and his fists. As time progresses, he believes Lucrezia is sharing the secret of his failure in bedding her to others and they are laughing at him behind his back. The added pressure of the Pope’s threat to repossess his lands if he does not produce an heir drives Alfonso further into madness and he comes to view Lucrezia as a threat towards his destruction.

Alone and isolated, Lucrezia falls in love with Jacomo, an assistant to Fra Pandolf, a famous Renaissance painter who Alfonso has commissioned to paint Lucrezia’s portrait. Jacomo and Lucrezia risk their lives with every meeting.

Convinced he must rid himself of Lucrezia because she is mocking his sexual inadequacies and he cannot sire an heir upon her, Alfonso’s desperation drives him to arrange Lucrezia’s poisoning.

The plot of this luscious tale intensifies with every page turn as the characters converge to an exciting climax. The tension mounts with every chapter, keeping me interested until the end. And who cannot resist a tale of love and lust sprinkled with the madness and desperation of an evil antagonist set in the luscious background of the Renaissance? I immensely enjoyed this novel and very highly recommend it – guaranteed to please.

Lucrezia de Medici

Duchess of Ferrara

Poem

My Last Duchess

by

Robert Browning

That's my last Duchess painted on the wall,

Looking as if she were alive. I call

That piece a wonder, now: Fra Pandolf's hands

Worked busily a day, and there she stands.

Will't please you sit and look at her? I said

"Fra Pandolf" by design, for never read

Strangers like you that pictured countenance,

The depth and passion of its earnest glance,

But to myself they turned (since none puts by

the curtain I have drawn for you, but I)

And seemed they would ask me, if they durst,

How such a glance came there; so not the first

Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, 'twas not

Her husband's presence only, called that spot

Of joy into the Duchess's cheek: perhaps

Fra Pandolf chanced to say "Her mantle laps

Over my lady's wrist too much," or Paint

Must never hope to reproduce the faint

Half flush that dies along her throat": such stuff

Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough

For calling up that spot of you. She had

A heart--how shall I say?--too soon made glad,

Too easily impressed; she liked whate'er

She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.

Sir, 'twas all one! My favor at her breast,

The dropping of the daylight in the West,

The bough of cherries some officious fool

Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule

She rode with round the terrace--all and each

Would draw from her alike the approving speech,

Or blush, at least. She thanked men--good! but thanked

Somehow--I know not how--as if she ranked

My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name

With anybody's gift. Who'd stoop to blame

This sort of trifling? Even had you skill

In speech--(which I have not)--to make your will

Quite clear to such a one, and say, "Just this

Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss

Or there exceed the mark"--and if she let

Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set

her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse

--E'en then would be some stooping; and I choose

Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt

Whene'er I passed her; but who passed without

Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;

Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands

As if alive. Will't please you rise? We'll meet

the company below, then. I repeat

The Count your master's known munificence

Is ample warrant that no just pretense

Of mine dowry will be disallowed

Though his fair daughter's self, as I avowed

At starting, is my object. Nay, we'll go

Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,

Taming a sea horse, thought a rarity,

Which claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!

Alfonso d'Este

Duke of Ferrara

(Husband of Lucrezia de Medici)

The Borgia Betrayal by Sarah Poole

As befits the story of a poisoner for the infamous BorgiaPope Alexander VI, Sarah Poole’s TheBorgia Betrayal begins with murder, as the protagonist forces one of the Pope’senemies to end his own life quickly. What may be unusual about this novel isthat the poisoner who deals in death so easily is a woman, Francesco Giordano.  She is an interesting heroine, operating in themale-dominated world of the Catholic Church with a reckless bravado and cunningthat matches that of the Borgias.

In this sequel to Poole’s Poison, Francesca serves the Pope’s interests as well as her own. Sheis part of a secret society called Lux, whose purpose contravenes the Church’sdogma and takes great risks to keep Lux and its members safe. Her activities donot escape the Pope, who uses her as a pawn to draw out one of their mutualenemies, Bernando Morozzi. He threatens the Pope’s hold over Rome, but moreimportantly, he is responsible for the death of Francesca’s father. Francescadevises a bold plan to draw out her father’s killer, placing her own life in thebalance.

Francesca’s daring earned my admiration for Ms. Poole’stalents as a writer, but there were times where I questioned the wisdom ofcertain actions. It seemed almost as if the heroine had a death wish, yet shefought so valiantly at the end of the story. While I had difficulty reconcilingsome of the extremes of her personality, Francesca is a memorable character andI hope to read more of her adventures in Ms. Poole’s novels.     

Sins of the House of Borgia by Sarah Bower

The Renaissance court of Lucrezia Borgia comes to life in this epic tale of the wickedly corrupt Borgia family.

Sins of the House of Borgia is an epic historical fiction novel of the infamous Borgia family who rose to power in fifteenth century Italy. The story is narrated by a young Jewish girl named Esther who is forced to leave Spain when the Jews are expelled. She flees to her father in Italy who uses her for his own political advancement. He urges her to relinquish her Jewish faith and be baptized as a Catholic in order to place her as a lady in waiting for Lucrezia Borgia. Lucrezia stands as Esther’s godmother.

Lucrezia Borgia

The illegitimate daughter of depraved Pope Alexander VI, Lucrezia Borgia’s court is one of decadence and secrets. Violante soon encounters the alluring and callous Cesare, Duke of Valentinois and Romagna, Lucrezia’s old brother, and falls desperately in love with him.

Cesare Borgia

After a horse race, Cesare renames her Violante, breaker of promises. As the relationship with Cesare progresses, Violante relinquishes her virginity to him, which resulted in two unanticipated results - she becomes pregnant and contracts a dose of the pox.

The world has always been fascinated with the wickedly corrupt Borgia family and many books have been written about them. What makes this novel stand apart is that it is told through the eyes of an innocent Jewish woman trapped at the center of numerous intrigues. As a result of her connections to the Borgias, she is caught up in the family’s troubles, forfeits all family ties, and suffers great losses.

Sins of the House of Borgia is a riveting, scandalous historical fiction novel with shocking characters and an intricate plot. The book is rich in detail, the times brought to life skilfully and with accuracy. Sarah Bower skilfully draws her readers into the abundantly vivid world of Renaissance Italy. This opulently gratifying story immerses the reader into the rich lives of the characters. It is a dazzling, breathtaking read – one worth savouring, which I very much recommend.

Poison In The Blood, by M G Scarsbrook

Although the name Borgia is well known for their power hungry and decadent lifestyle, little is known of Lucrezia, the daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, Pope Alexander VI. She was certainly a pawn in her father’s quest for power, in that he married her off to three different members of European nobility in order to advance his political ambitions. She was also thought to have had an illegitimate child by a lover. However, the extent of her complicity in the political machinations of her father and brothers is unclear. 

Contemporary accounts say Lucrezia had heavy blonde hair which fell past her knees, a beautiful complexion, hazel eyes which constantly changed colour, a full, high bosom, and a natural grace. Although I doubt anyone in 15th century Italy would have dared describe the Pope’s only daughter as ‘homely’.

History says Cesare Borgia suffered from syphilis and to cover his scars wore a mask and dressed in black. Insanely jealous of her second husband, Alfonso of Aragon (Duke of Bisceglie) when the Prince visited them in Rome, Cesare's men attacked him during the night. To retaliate, Alfonso's men shot arrows at Cesare while he strolled in the garden. This infuriated Cesare, and he had his servant strangle Alfonso while in the recovery room. Lucrezia and Alfonso had an infant, Rodrigo, who predeceased his mother in August 1512 at the age of 12.

It is this marriage and Cesare’s hatred of Alfonso that Matthew Scarsbrook’s Poison In The Blood deals with in a fast paced and very readable way. His Lucrezia is a young and relatively innocent girl with a conscience, whose father rejected her mother when she was small, and whom she is forbidden to see. Lucrezia's betrothal to Alfonso of Aragon is arranged by her family, but she determines to be a good wife. To her horror, Lucrezia discovers her brother Cesare, keeps a locked room full of deadly poisons and that he also murdered their elder brother Juan, who received honours and privilege Cesare believed were due to him.

When Pope Alexander and Cesare go on campaign to defeat their enemies, they leave Lucrezia behind to keep the cardinals of the Vatican in order. Lucrezia seeks advice from Nicollo Machiavelli, the philosopher and poet, and performs well, but she is also aware that when her men return, Alfonso’s days are numbered.

She plans to escape from Rome before the assassins strike, taking their infant son, Rodrigo with them and beg for shelter from Alfonso’s estranged family. However, Cesare pre-empts them and returns early, inviting them to a feast which Lucrezia is convinced will be Alfonso’s last.

Despite her careful arrangements, Alfonso is poisoned and lies near to death. His only hope of an antidote is the legendary Mithridate, but the formula has been lost. Undeterred, Lucretia goes looking for this miraculous antidote and is reunited with her mother.

Just when I was at the point of deciding this Lucrezia was a little too virtuous, her Borgia ancestry emerges and she persuades Cesare to spare her husband’s life in exchange for the formula for Mithridate which she has memorised.

In Medieval Rome, beauty, decadence and luxury hide murder and betrayal. Lucrezia’s fight to keep her husband alive is conflicted by the love she has for her brother, a twisted, dangerous man who may not be acting entirely alone.

I thoroughly enjoyed this portrayal of an ancient story and anyone who enjoys Medieval Italy, love, betrayal and a strong, resourceful heroine on a knife edge, will enjoy this well researched and well written book.

When We Were Strangers by Pamela Schoenewaldt

Reviewed by Mirella Sichirollo Patzer

If you love a good tale interwoven with both heart-break and dreams, loss and success, you will truly enjoy When We Were Strangers by Pamela Schoenewaldt.

Irma Vitale is a poverty-stricken young woman of marriageable age who lives in the small village of Opi nestled in the Abruzzi mountains of Italy. Her brother and closest friend departs for America, hopeful to escape poverty. He tells her he is going to Cleveland and departs soon afterwards. As more and more youths from Opi and neighbouring villages depart for America, Irma’s chances at making a good marriage dwindle. Her aging aunt encourages her to go to America, find her brother, and make a better life for herself. And so, with a secret stash of money passed down from mothers to daughters in the family, Irma sets out and boards a ship to America. The reader is then swept into a heart-wrenching and intriguing tale depicting the hardships of immigrants from the crossing to the desperation and struggles they face the moment they take their first steps into the new world.

I could not help but be touched by this story - my own mother and aunts also immigrated alone to the new world from their own small town in the Abruzzi region of Italy for the same reasons and alone, like Irma. I became wholly immersed in this credible tale of poor Irma, finding parallels with the stories my relatives repeated to me of their own shocking experiences. Every detail of this novel felt authentic – from Italian village life, to the struggles with finding work, to being cheated, and finding a friend or two along the way to help.

It is an inspiring tale of strength, determination, and courage, paying homage to the many women who bravely faced the pain of loss of hearth and kin to scrape out a new life in a land brimming with hope. Vivid detail, heart-felt emotion, and highly developed characters make this novel stand out, lending believability and vividness. I loved this novel and it is most definitely one of my all-time favourite books of all time. I highly recommend it!

The King of Silk by Joe Douglas Trent

The King of Silk by Joe Douglas Trent








Michael Patriate is a rising star in the business world. His knowledge and shrewdness have taken him into the most powerful offices and boardrooms of New York City. As he occupies himself with merging two powerful corporations and gracing the pages of the world’s most respected finance magazine, his personal life is falling apart. The woman he loves has left him. One dark night, as he walks alone through a deserted street in Manhattan, he is mugged and assaulted and falls into unconsciousness.

When he awakes, he finds himself in a strange world, one that is completely foreign to him. As he encounters people, he comes to the realization that the year is 1492 and he has somehow travelled to Renaissance Italy in the area of Caorle. With nothing of value except for his wristwatch, which is more of a danger to him than an aid, Michael is utterly alone and must fend for himself. Armed with his business acumen, he soon finds himself a job working for a merchant. Soon, he takes over the bookkeeping for the small business and teaches his new boss knowledge from the modern world. Soon he finds himself travelling to Venice, trying to outsmarting a bevy of callous merchants. His knowledge attracts attention at the highest levels. Even his love life improves as he falls in love with the lovely widow, Cecile, who he boards with.

The King of Silk is a fascinating story about a man armed with modern knowledge who is forced to explore the world centuries ago. Michael is a congenial hero thrust into an impossible situation. As the reader progresses through the novel, they are swept into the dangers and realities of a treacherous world. The book is well written and edited. The prose is clear and the story is easy to follow. Numerous colourful characters that Michael meets as he journeys to Venice and later Portugal, keep the reader engrossed in the story, turning pages to find out what happens next. For anyone who loves time travel and Italian historical fiction, this book is definitely a well-researched winner.  But you'll have to wait to read it.  The book is scheduled for release early in 2011.  Watch for it on Amazon or visit the author's website at: http://www.jdtrent.com/

The Wedding Shroud by Elisabeth Storrs



The Wedding Shroud http://www.elisabethstorrs.com/



Review by Tracy Falbe

Elisabeth Storrs resurrects the lost world of the Etruscans in her masterful novel The Wedding Shroud set in 407 B.C. Long overshadowed by the Romans, the earlier Etruscan culture of ancient Italy is brilliantly revealed through the eyes of the novel's heroine, a young Roman woman named Caecilia. The daughter of an awkward plebian and patrician union, Caecilia is used to seal a peace treaty between Rome and Veii, a nearby Etruscan city. Her scheming male relatives force her to marry Vel Mastarna, a powerful and wealthy Veientane, and Caecilia is carried away to her new home. Veii is only twelve miles from Rome, but it is a world away for Caecilia. The author convincingly illustrates how small an individual's personal world could be in earlier times, especially a girl raised within the confining patriarchy of Rome. Although the ancient Mediterranean world was cosmopolitan and some people were well traveled, most were like Caecilia, who finds herself within an utterly foreign culture a mere dozen miles from her native home.

Once Caecilia arrives in Veii, the informative historical contrasts between Roman and Etruscan cultures are revealed through detail-rich prose. Caecilia has been raised within the austere and outwardly puritan Roman culture that values sacrifice, duty, and war. In Rome, women are nearly cloistered within their homes. They wear plain wool clothes, are forbidden to drink wine, and are not allowed to join the serious conversations of men. With such a background, Caecilia immediately finds Veii to be a constant moral outrage. Men and women mingle. They wear flamboyant and immodest clothes. They eat rich fancy food. Women can drink and debauch at banquets right alongside their men.

But some things are a pleasant surprise for Caecilia in her new household. She is given a slave, Cythergis. Never was such a luxury granted to Caecilia in Rome. And Caecilia is expected to hold audiences with her husband as his tenants and other guests petition him. In Veii, women have status and respect and are allowed to indulge in the luxuries of life. They might even be worthy of a funeral banquet and honorary games, which astounds Caecilia. She welcomes some of the nice things about life in Veii and is gradually tempted by darker forces in a society where most anything goes.

Despite her elevated status, Caecilia is not a truly liberated woman. The differences in female oppression between Romans and Etruscans are a matter of degree. Although Caecilia is free of the mind-numbing denial and drudgery of a Roman matron, she is still the possession of her husband and her paramount purpose is to produce an heir for Mastarna. This fictional study of female status is carefully crafted by Elisabeth Storrs. Delicate comparisons are presented through the characters of Erene, the courtesan, Caecilia, the proper wife, and Cythergis, the slave woman. All three types are dependent on men and under their control. Erene is strictly for pleasure. She is more than a slave but less than a wife. As a wife, Caecilia is allowed sexual pleasure by Etruscan culture with her husband with the great purpose of procreation looming above all. Most miserable is the slave woman Cythergis, who has endured having her children sold. Although Cythergis enjoys men, she hopes to avoid more pregnancies so she can stop breeding slaves. The nuances of the difficult lives of these three ancient women are touchingly revealed.

Complex relationships in The Wedding Shroud are the ships upon which the story flows. Caecilia struggles to adapt to her new and foreign household where Val Mastarna and his brother Artile, a powerful priest, vie for the affection and approval of their mother, Larthia. The adopted son of Mastarna, Tarchon, is also embroiled in an inappropriate sexual relationship with Artile. The priest is a constant source of meddling within the family, and he soon sinks his painted claws into the vulnerable Caecilia and begins to control her with religion and addictive drugs.

The character of Artile serves to educate the reader about the practices and corruptions of ancient religions. His power is great and even the educated elites are swayed by his interpretations of signs, with the notable exception of his brother Mastarna. Although the Etruscan culture has technology and fine artistry, it remains like all ancient cultures steeped in superstition. The imprint of the primitive world remains deep and fresh despite the presence of architecture, music, metallurgy, writing, and mathematics. Animal sacrifice is commonplace with the most horrifying example shown in wild rites that culminate with the tearing up and eating of fawns. And then as part of a funeral rite, a criminal is savagely executed by having a maddened dog set loose on him.

All of this assaults the sensibilities of Caecilia, whose sheltered upbringing as a female among joyless Romans, leaves her reeling with disgust. Amid the carnal abandon of Veii, Caecilia's husband Mastarna represents a rare force of rationality and affection. Frustratingly Caecilia too often rebuffs his attempts to help her adjust. As the reader, I often wanted her to be more accepting of Mastarna because he really was a relatively nice person, but Caecilia's turmoil and many mistakes are understandable. She is young, inexperienced, and alone in an alien culture. This formula usually adds up to poor choices.

I could write another thousand words exploring the subtleties of this novel without giving away any spoilers. Storrs presents a tremendous amount of research in a gripping story with characters that all feel genuine. Her writing has a literary quality packed with artistic descriptions and intelligent metaphors. For example, from page 79: "It was as though she had kicked the top off an ants' nest and found another world of industry and intricacy and purpose foreign to her own, exposing herself also to the danger of being bitten." The whole novel flows like a coastal Mediterranean wind and supports an unfolding narrative with the strong reach of a thick grape vine. I was drawn in completely to the emotional edginess of Caecilia and pined for her to accept her unwanted love of Mastarna. The Wedding Shroud is not purely a psychological journey. Episodes of visceral action punctuate the unfolding drama, like the breathtaking chapter in which Mastarna recklessly wrestles an Olympic champion. I highly recommend The Wedding Shroud to historical fiction readers. Elisabeth Storrs has created a wonderful novel from a willing marriage of her historical research and writing talent. 

The Wedding Shroud is available in the Australian market. Hopefully the publisher will make it available in North America soon.

Solitaria by Genni Gunn



At an abandoned villa in Fregene, Italy, a seaside town on the Adriatic near Bari, a work crew accidentally unearths a body. Tests identified the gun-shot riddled body as that of Vito Santoro, a man presumed immigrated to Argentina decades earlier, and missing since the 1950’s. The news rocks the Santoro family.

As the family gathers from all corners of the world, its matriarch, Piera, locks herself in her room and refuses to speak to anyone other than her nephew, David, from Canada. She is the only one who knows the circumstances surrounding Vit’s death. To David, Piera slowly begins to reveal the family secrets of the past.

With flashbacks to post-war Italy, David learns about the hard luck life of the Santoro family – the unfaithful father, a mother in the throes of depression, and of their children, each of whom struggles towards adulthood desirous of their own needs. Slowly, through Piera and David’s conversation, he learns the darkest of family secrets, about love a love unrequited, and his true bloodlines.

This story captivates the reader from the very first pages. Told, with vividness and emotion, while being rich in its simplicity and ripe with emotion, this dark mystery unfolds slowly, entrancing the reader, luring them to its shocking ending. The novel explores poverty and human failure, vice and love, incest and death. It is a deeply intellectual story, moving and fulfilling.  I highly recommend it.   

The author, Genni Gunn, is of Italian roots, having been born in Trieste and having travelled extensively throughout Italy. Therefore, readers can be assured of the authentic Italian feel within the story concerning cultural and historical issues of the time. Ms. Gunn has been a finalist for the prestigious CBC Literary Awards, has published nine books: three novels, including Tracing Iris, which is being made into a film, and numerous short stories and poetry collections, one of which was a finalist for the Gerald Lampert Award. But, her talents do not end there. The author has also produced an opera, Alternate Visions, which premiered in Montreal in 2007. Her poem, “Hot Summer Nights,” was turned into classical vocal music and has been widely performed all over the world.

For more about Genni Gunn, I encourage you to visit her website at: Genni Gunn

The Princess of Nowhere by Prince Lorenzo Borghese

Review by Mirella Sichirollo Patzer 
Scheduled for release in December 2010, The Princess of Nowhere is a wonderful portrayal about the tempestuous life of Princess Pauline Borghese, sister of the infamous conqueror, Napoleon Bonaparte.

Pauline Bonaparte Borghese

Pauline Bonaparte was born into the most humble of beginnings in Corsica. Their family was large, boisterous, and very poor. Possessed with great beauty and spirit, she was a woman who reached out for life wherever and whenever she could find it. In the year 1793, when the French Revolution made Corsica unsafe, the Bonaparte family moved to France. Her brother, Napoleon, was young, ambitions, and had the highest of dreams.


Napoleon Bonaparte in his study 

As he rose through the military ranks and gained fame and wealth, he made sure to pull every member of his family out of the dregs of poverty with him. And Pauline was no exception.

When she was seventeen years old, Napoleon arranged for her to marry a fellow officer named Victor Emmanuel Leclerc.

General Leclerc

She soon bore him a son who they named Dermide. When her husband was posted to the West Indies, she gladly followed him there. But life in the world was fraught with trouble. Life was not easy there and Victor suffered numerous military losses. He soon fell ill with yellow fever and died, leaving Pauline a very young widow. Pauline and her young son returned home with the body of her husband.

In the spring of 1803, Napoleon introduced her to Prince Camillo Borghese and they were married a year later.


Prince Camillo Borghese

With her young son, Pauline travelled to Rome where she and Camillo began their lives together in the beautiful Villa Borghese.

Camillo commissioned a statue of Pauline from the great sculptor Canova, the now-famous portrait of Pauline as the goddess Venus.




Their marriage, however, was not always happy, even though a deep love and strong physical attraction existed between them. When her son, Dermide died in childhood of fever, Pauline’s life fell into a slow painful decline and she and Camillo became estranged. Pauline lived in France (with a series of lovers) and Camillo remained in Italy taking a mistress of his own. It was a bitter separation, but one that still bore the fruits of their love.

The Princess of Nowhere is the beautifully told story of the life of one of the most passionate women of the 19th century. And who better to share the intimate details of her life than the direct descendant of Camillo Borghese, Prince Lorenzo Borghese. This easy to read tale unfolds with beautifully decorated pages at the start of each chapter. The story is told with understanding and tolerance in a non-judgmental way so that the reader is sympathetic towards both Pauline and Camillo while understanding the culture and social norms of the times. It is rich with detail and beautiful of voice – a novel worth lingering over, as full of passion as the woman it portrays.

An Unforgettable Journey Through Italy and Life by Federico G. Martini

An Unforgettable Journey Through Italy and Life by Federico G. Martini


For anyone trapped in the rat race of a big city who juggles career, family, and the pressures of life, this novel will certainly strike a chord.

In this fascinating contemporary story, Davide is a manager in a factory, and one day, while trapped in a traffic jam on Milano’s ring road, he suffers a panic attack. Plagued by anxiety and exhausted by the demands of a stressful career, on an impulse, he decides to leave his work and family and wander through Italy in search of healing. Without clear direction, he throws caution to the wind, and embarks on a journey of discovery through small towns, major tourist centres, and visiting historical locations. Along the way, he meets many colourful characters who touch his life in a myriad of ways, teaching him to focus on the richness of life.  With each encounter, he learns the meaning of simplicity and tranquillity, and his spirit slowly begins to heal.

This tiny novel is vivid with descriptions of Italy and the Italian lifestyle. As I read along, it felt as if I was being taken on a grand tour of Italy visiting Florence and Venice and the many quaint towns and villages along the way. The novel describes the beauty of the Italian countryside and the splendour of its cuisine. Davide sweeps us along a fabulous voyage from the north to the southernmost regions of the Italian countryside. Through its poignant prose, I could not help but feel Davide’s pain and yearning for a better life.

Federico G. Martini is an award winning Italian novelist. For further information on Federico and his books, I encourage you to visit http://www.federicogmartini.it/

Marcus of Umbria by Justine Van der Leun

Marcus of Umbria: What an Italian Dog Taught an American Woman about Love is a memoir recounting of the author’s own experience. Told in first person narrative in novel style, it is the story of a young woman from New York who visits Italy on vacation and falls in love with a handsome Italian gardener named Emanuele. Although she returns home after her vacation, the draw to Italy disturbs her peace. Within a few weeks, she abandons her job and life in New York and returns to Italy to move in her new Italian boyfriend and live with him and his family in Collelungo an Umbrian town of 200 people.


However, building a relationship between two people of vastly different cultures is challenging to say the least. As the author immerses herself into a new Italian life, she faces numerous challenges, makes a realm of good friendships, and ultimately finds an unusual, but true love of the heart.

Being first generation Italian Canadian and having travelled to Italy on numerous occasions, what I enjoyed most was that the novel gave a very clear and accurate picture about rural Italian life. The author captured the essence of the culture, the traditional roles of men and women within a family and the bonds that bind them together. She went into wonderful detail about the food, a simpler lifestyle, and the generosity of the Italian villagers. The relationship between rural Italians and their pets was also accurately portrayed in that animals often serve a utilitarian purpose rather than kept as pets.

The author has a nice easy writing style, peppering her prose with poignancy and humour. For the animal lovers or anyone who loves Italy and it’s rich culture, this is a wonderful, satisfying story. Because the story arose from the author’s direct experiences, the novel was rich and vivid and a true pleasure to read.

The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by Christopher Gortner - Book Revie

A most maligned and misunderstood queen, Catherine de Medici has captured the fascination of countless of generations of men and women over numerous centuries. Rumours of her manipulations, which may have involved murder, sorcery, and poisonings circulate about her to this day. But who was Catherine de Medici and what is her true story? In a novel that spans her entire life, from 1519 to 1589, historical fiction author, Christopher Gortner unravels some of the mystery surrounding fascinating, incredible woman of history.

Catherine de Medici

Catherine de Medicia was born in Florence Italy in the year 1519; the daughter of Madeleine de la Tour d'Auvergne and Lorenzo de Medici II, the Duke of Urbino.






Madeline and Lorenzo  

Catherine had a very troubled, difficult childhood. At the age of one, both of her parents died suddenly from a disease.  After Florence rebelled against the Medici family, she was placed in a convent to be raised and educated by the nuns. At the age of thirteen, her uncle, Pope Clement VII, began to seek a husband for her.

Pope Clement VII

He settled on Henry II, the second son of Francis I, King of France. Ever dutiful, Catherine accepted her fate and travelled to France to begin her new life. She could not realize how difficult life would be for her there. From the moment she arrived, those in the French court held her Italian background against her and she never truly gained acceptance.

Henry II

When her uncle the pope died, any political influence she may have brought to the French Court also perished with him. Because he sent her to her marriage with a poor dowry of 100,000 écus, she was relegated to the background of the French court, where she remained even when her husband's elder brother died and she attained the dignity of Dauphiness.

Due to her failure to conceive an heir, she was obliged to continue in her distant obscurity. She faced numerous challenges and confrontations by her husband's mistress, Diane de Poitiers, and the King's mistress, Anne de Pisseleu d'Heilly, the Duchesse d'Etampes. Of the two, Diane, a beauty of middle age and far older than either Catherine or her husband, was Catherine's greatest nemesis.

After eleven years of marriage, Catherine conceived the first of ten children. Upon the death of her husband, her son became king, and Catherine found herself suddenly thrust onto the political arena as his regent. The novel encompasses her life through several wars, religious battles, political intrigues, and the death of several of her children.

Catherine could prohesize the future through her dreams and she employed Nostradamus to aid her in predicting what was to come. Christopher Gortner depicted these scenes with care and credibility and without sensationalism.

Biographical historical novels are one of the most challengng genres to produce. It requires years of research and a deep understanding of the political and environmental climate of the era. Christopher Gortner has pieced together Catherine de Medici's entire life, and he did so in a clear, unbiased, and neutral manner. His thorough and skilful writing accurately portrayed the times, which makes his depiction of Catherine de Medici believable and enduring.

From start to finish, with its beautiful prose and brilliant historical detail, this novel satisfied in every manner. In biographical historical novels, it is a fine line that divides fiction and fact, and authors strive for accuracy. Christopher Gortner excelled at this. He seamlessly weaved centuries of historical occurrences into a smooth, easy to read novel. Catherine's life filled with intrigue and suspense, love and loyalty, wars and betrayal literally exploded on every page. A complex story indeed, one that Christopher wrote with great heart and zealous panache.

I can't speak enough good words about this novel. It was a truly enjoyable story, well told, and carefully crafted. As an avid reader and collector of Italian biographical fiction, this novel was one that I anxiously awaited. And because I've read all of the author's previous books, I knew it would make a terrific summer novel. Coming fast on the heels of his previous successful novel, The Last Queen, I eagerly await his next work.