Book Review: The Botticelli Secret by Marina Fiorato

Synopsis: (From the Publisher)

"In this exhilarating cross between The Da Vinci Code and The Birth of Venus, an irrepressible young woman in 15th-century Italy must flee for her life after stumbling upon a deadly secret when she serves as a model for Botticelli...

When part-time model and full-time prostitute Luciana Vetra is asked by one of her most exalted clients to pose for a painter friend, she doesn't mind serving as the model for the central figure of Flora in Sandro Botticelli's masterpiece "Primavera." But when the artist dismisses her without payment, Luciana impulsively steals an unfinished version of the painting--only to find that somone is ready to kill her to get it back.

What could possibly be so valuable about the picture? As friends and clients are slaughtered around her, Luciana turns to the one man who has never desired her beauty, novice librarian Brother Guido. Fleeing Venice together, Luciana and Guido race through the nine cities of Renaissance Italy, pursued by ruthless foes who are determined to keep them from decoding the painting's secrets.

Gloriously fresh and vivid, with a deliciously irreverent heroine, The Botticelli Secret is an irresistible blend of history, wit, and suspense."

My Review:

Luciana Vetra is a girl who lives day by day. Abandoned at a young age, she succumbs to life on the streets and the occupation of prostitute. When given the opportunity to model for one of the famous painters of the city, Luciana is thrilled at the idea of her beauty being admired by all and the prospect of a chance for something greater in life...

Unfortunately, the painting session is not as lucrative as Luciana imagined; a startling situation takes place and she is cast out with her only payment being confusion and shock. Angered at modeling all day and receiving no proper payment, Luciana steals the painting she modeled for. She immediately feels the pettiness of her action and is determined to return the art, but little does she know that her theft has already resulted in some deadly consequences...

Thrown into a web of political intrigue and vile murder, Luciana must discover what secret she has stumbled upon with the stolen painting. Forced to make rash decisions, live moment to moment, and flee shrouded murderers across the country, Luciana must unravel this mystery and save innocent lives from unthinkable destruction...

While reading this novel, I was constantly undecided weather I liked it or not; but even in those moments of dislike there was always something that kept me wanting to read further. The plot was very complex and well thought out, and even though it seemed a bit far stretched at times, it always kept the reader guessing with its many twists. I had a couple issues with this novel, with the most prominent one being the main character. Luciana was a very crass figure who's language was quite vile, even for that of a prostitute. No matter how much I tried, I found it impossible to have positive feelings towards her. This inability to connect with Luciana might have been less apparent if not for the abrupt beginning, which is my second issue. The reader is thrown into the intense plot right from the start, and there is no time to gain any understanding of Luciana's harsh character. This abrupt start also had an unfortunate result of giving the reader a disconnected feeling, never feeling submerged in the story and just simply reading a book. Although these issues were very frustrating, I am very happy that I finished the book because the ending was great. It brought closure to every aspect and left the reader happy with the conclusion. This great ending managed to ease my frustrations and brought my rating up to a solid 3 stars. 

FTC: I received this book for review from the publisher. As always, these are my own opinions.

Book Review: O, Juliet by Robin Maxwell

Synopsis: (From the Publisher)
Before Juliet Capelletti lie two futures: a traditionally loveless marriage to her father's business partner, or the fulfillment of her poetic dreams, inspired by the great Dante. Unlike her beloved friend Lucrezia, who looks forward to her arranged marriage, Juliet has a wild, romantic imagination that knows not the bounds of her great family's stalwart keep. 
The latter path is hers for the taking when Juliet meets Romeo Monticecco, a soulful young man seeking peace between their warring families. A dreamer himself, Romeo is unstoppable, once he determines to capture the heart of the remarkable woman foretold in his stars. The breathless intrigue that ensues is the stuff of beloved legend. But those familiar with Shakespeare's muse know only half the story...



My Review:

Shakespeare's timeless tale of two star-crossed lovers comes to life in a whole new way with Robin Maxwell's O, Juliet.

Romeo Monticecco and Juliet Capelletti meet by chance during a masked ball in honor of Juliet's best friends betrothal. It is this on this starry night that a love forms between them, a love so strong that it binds them closer together with each passing day. With their love being perfect in every way, there should be no doubt of their imminent marriage, but their future is full of blockades, with the most prominent one being that their two families are bitter enemies...

Romeo has always been hopeful for peace between their two families and now, with his greatest love on the line, he is more determined then ever to end the century old blood feud. Unfortunately, Jacopo Strozzi, Juliets future betrothed, is just as determined to sabotage any chance of peace so he can claim Juliet and a lucrative business partnership for himself...

While trying to find a way out of their horrible predicament, Romeo and Juliet rely on secret meetings, touching poems and their love for the works of Dante to help them endure their trials. Even when secrets, murder and betrayals begin to occur, Romeo and Juliet refuse to give up on their future and there is no limit to what they will do for love...


O, Juliet has all the classic romance of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet while combining new intrigue and twists. The result of such a mixture is a splendid and enthralling new take on a timeless classic. When I first heard that there was a new book on Romeo and Juliet, I was a bit skeptical weather or not it would live up to Shakespeare's work, but after reading a couple pages my doubts quickly vanished. This enchanting novel is told mostly from Juliet's point of view; but she is not our usual Juliet. In this version she is a strong, self-thinking and knowledgeable woman who is not afraid to take action. With every page, I soaked up the breathtaking romance that was unfolding before me, never wanting it to end. When the end did come, it was beautifully done leaving the reader completely satisfied and at peace. There are not enough words to describe the depth of how touching this novel was, I can only say that it will definitely be a book I will read again and again.


A Little Extra:

Romeo and Juliet have inspired artists for centuries. Here are some of those paintings:

My personal favorite by Sir Frank Dicksee.

Karl Ludwig Friedrich Becker

Francesco Hayez

This one is another favorite of mine that I found by chance a long time ago. Unfortunately, I am yet to discover the artist.  

Book Review: The Secret of the Glass by Donna Russo Morin

Synopsis: (From the Publisher)

The Murano glassmakers of Venice are celebrated and revered. But now three are dead, killed for attempting to leave the city that both prized their work and kept them prisoner. For in this, the 17th century, the secret of their craft must, by law, never leave Venetian shores. Yet there is someone who keeps the secret while defying tradition. She is Sophia Fiolario, and she, too, is a glassmaker. Her crime is being a woman...

Sophia is well aware that her family would be crushed by scandal if the truth of her knowledge and skill with glass were revealed. But there has never been any threat...until now. A wealthy nobleman with strong connections to the powerful Doge has requested her hand in marriage, and her refusal could draw dangerous attention. Yet having to accept and cease her art would devastate her. If there is an escape, Sophia intends to find it.

Now, between creating precious glass parts for one of Professor Galileo Galilei's astonishing inventions and attending lavish parties at the Doge's Palace, Sophia is crossing paths with very influential people—including one who could change her life forever. But in Venice, every secret has its price. And Sophia must decide how much she is willing to pay.

My Review:

Sophia Fiolario is the eldest daughter of the most prominent glass making family in Murano and since she is the eldest, it is her duty to be married off while her sisters join a convent. Although this is the custom, Sophia has other ideas in mind for her future and declines a number of marriage proposals. Sophia loves the life she leads with her family and enjoys pursuing her passion for creating some of the most beautiful glass Murano produces. Of course no one, except her father, knows that Sophia is the true master behind the beautiful glass that is produced from their family factory. If anyone were to discover the truth about Sophia there would be devastating consequences; the secret of the glass is a very dangerous secret for a woman to posses...

The perfect life Sophia has long been accustomed to with her family is suddenly threated by chaos and tragedy. Sophia soon finds herself engaged to the nobleman, Pasquale da Fuligna, who obviously has no desire  in even attempting to be cordial to his finance'. She soon learns what his motives are in marrying her and what fate awaits her once they do marry. Sophia is determined to find a way out of the desperate situation she finds herself in and is convinced that Pasquale holds a dark secret that could set her free. As Sophia tries tries to discover Pasquale's secret, she realizes that her own dangerous secret is on the brink of being discovered...

Even though Sophia's world becomes as fragile as the glass she creates, she will stop at nothing to save her family from ruin, embrace a love that knows no bounds and above all protect the secret of the glass...

The Secret of the Glass was a book full of exquisite detail. From describing how the glass was made to the beautiful gondola rides on the river, Venice came alive with the authors writing skills. The beginning was a bit slow but after a quarter of the way through, the plot gained momentum and you never knew where it was going to take you next. An unexpected twist at the end was also a wonderful delight. There were just a couple qualms I had with this book. First, the amount of Italian words was overdone. The bulk of this was found in the beginning, causing it to be a bit choppy which is probably why it seemed like a slow start. Another issue is how the book ended; everything seemed to come to an abrupt halt. It lacked a sense of closure, especially for Sophia and Teodoro, whos love story was so beautifully written. Of course I was quite happy with how their story turned out; I just would have liked to have a bit more written instead of left to the imagination. Overall this was an enjoyable and fast read and I am definitely looking forward to the Donna Russo Morin's next novel which has a current release date of March 2011.

A little extra:

If you have not checked it out yet, HFBRT just finished up a great event for The Secret of the Glass. They had some wonderful creative posts, reviews, and interviews with the author Donna Russo Morin! You can find links to everything the event entailed at their website: Historical Fiction Bloggers Round Table.

To learn more about Donna Russo Morin and her novels, visit her website at: donnarussomorin.com