The Glassblower of Murano…A Book Review November 20, 2011

The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato is one of the best books I have read recently. It is filled with history, intrigue…and is just a plain great love story! I whizzed through the book and wished it wouldn’t end!

The story flip flops between the present day, Leonora, and fifteenth century, Corradino…and relates the two through a shared Murano glass heart.

Corradino Manin was one of the most famous glassblowers of Renaissance Venice. His pieces were flawless, and his reputation became known throughout Europe. Corradino had an illegitimate daughter whom he loved deeply, and for whom he made a perfect glass heart that she could always carry with her. But Corradino led a dangerous life because of his glassblowing knowledge – a secret that belonged to Murano and that the Venetian nobility wanted to safeguard, but that others wanted to steal!

Leonora was a present day artist who was trying to discover herself after a failed marriage. She had been born in Venice, and decided to return to discover her family roots and find out about her ancestor, Corradino Manin. With her was the same glass heart that had been passed down through the generations.

Upon arriving in Venice, Leonora begins to discover the ghosts of her ancestors and is faced with many chilling revelations. But she also finds love! The places described in the book bring Venice alive. After having walked the same alleys and come upon the same piazzas mentioned in the book, you can just imagine yourself tredding the same tracks.

This book is a must read for anyone who loves Venice – from its mesmerizing beauty to its masked facade! Venice is both breathtaking but also a bit mysterious, and this book portrays the magic of it all.

I read this book as part if the Italy in Books Challenge 2011

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The House in Amalfi….A Book Review October 6, 2011

Elizabeth Adler shines again with this novel set on the beautiful Amalfi coast.  Her descriptions are always so vivid that you feel like you are experiencing it yourself.

This story follows Lamour, a 30-something landscape designer from Chicago, who, when her life begins to unravel, decides to return to the place where she last felt happy.  Her husband has recently been killed in a car accident, and while she is trying to deal with his death, she discovers that he had been having an affair and was about to leave her for this other woman.  Devastated, she decides to leave Chicago behind and run to the little house along the cliffs of the Amalfi coast where she lived with her father, Jon-Boy, when she was a little girl.  Life as a child wasn’t easy, either, because her father was a starving author who squandered every penny he made.  But, he made her feel like the love of his life, and their time in Amalfi were the happiest moments of Lamour’s life.  She had been a free child – living in a tattered red bathing suit, going barefoot, and swimming in the beautiful blue waters of the sea – without a care in the world.  Her idyllic childhood had been shattered, though, when her father mysteriously died in Italy while she had been sent back to the United States to have a “normal” childhood with some good family friends.

Lamour is determined to go back to the house in Amalfi and discover everything she can about her father’s death.  Once back, she meets people that she knew growing up and she begins to feel at home.  She begins to unravel the pieces of the mystery, all the while fixing up her little safe haven precariously perched along the cliffs.  She begins to feel happy again…even falling in love.

The descriptions of the places she visits and the food that she eats are mesmerizing.  The plot moves along very quickly, albeit being a bit predictable.  Nonetheless, it is an enjoyable easy read and a real pleasure.

This book was read as part of the Italy in Books Challenge 2011.

The Scarlett Contessa….A Book Review September 16, 2011

The scarlett contessa……..Another great historical fiction novel by Jeanne Kalogridis! This one was about the greatest woman warrior of Renaissance Italy, Caterina Sforza. Caterina was a woman definely ahead of her time….not only was she extremely beautiful, but she was a strong and very intelligent woman who ruled her small kingdom and led her armies to defend her land. She was the illigitimate daughter of Galeazzo Sforza, ruler of Milan, and she inherited her father’s courage and strength. Fortunately, she didn’t inherit his monstous personality!

This story is told in the person of Caterina’s fictionalized lady-in-waiting , Dea, which made the story a bit more romanticized! Of course, that is the beauty of historical FICTION….you can get the basic historical facts in a juicier, more interesting fashion!

The book portrays the relationships between the varying rulers of Italy during the Renaissance….and they were all the powerful names of Italian history. There were the Sforzas of Milan, the de Medici’s of Florence, the Borgias from Spain who later took over the Vatican, as well as the King of Naples and the Doges from Venice. The alliances as well as the oh so treacherous betrayals and skirmishes were outlined and described throughout the story. Murders and deceptions in the name of power and control seemed to be the rule of the day! Italy was definitely not a safe and idyllic place back then…and the Vatican was not exempt from the
corruption, either!

This book was very enjoyable, not only for all the historical information, but also for all the romance! I can highly recommend it!

Italy in Books Challenge 2011

Blood Sisters…A Book Review August 8, 2011

Blood Sisters is the first novel by Italian auther, Alessandro Perissinotto, that has been translated into English.  It follows the pseudo-detective, Anna Pavesi, and her search for a missing person around the Milan/Bergamo area.  Anna is a psychologist and not a real detective, but she has developed a reputation for being able to find missing people.  One day she is approached by a wealthy aristocrat, Benedetta, to find the body of her half sister (whom she doesn’t even know) that is missing.  She knew that her sister had been killed in a car accident, but the body has mysteriously gone missing.  At first, Anna doesn’t want to take the job, but because she has just become recently divorced and needs the money, she agrees.  Little by little, Anna finds herself deeply engrossed  in the mystery and, as she gets more involved, her life becomes endangered.

Upper Bergamo, where Anna lives, shrouded in fog

The book’s ending has a surprising twist and I couldn’t help thinking to myself that there would be a sequel – there were lots of loose ends still to be explored!

The book is fast paced and fun to read.  The characters are well developed and the plot keeps you hooked.  There is plenty of adventure, suspense and even romance.  I can highly recommend this novel.  I read this book as part of the Italy in Books Challenge 2011.

Death at La Fenice…A Book Review July 5, 2011

Death At La Fenice by Donna Leon is part of series of detective novels featuring the endearing Commissario Guido Brunetti. This particular story involves a world-reknowned conductor, and his death by cyanide poisoning during the intermission of La Traviata at La Fenice in Venice. As Brunetti tries to piece together evidence to find the culprit of this crime, he learns more and more about the famed conductor’s life. He comes to realize that he had many enemies, and his past was filled with heinous secrets. There were many who could be responsible for wanting to see his demise, despite the reverence that the musical community had for his conducting genius.

The book was fast paced and kept me interested throughout. The descriptions of winter in Venice, with its bone-chilling dampness and thick pea-soup fog, were so realistic that I could feel the chill coming through the words.

I can highly recommend this book, and look forward to more stories about Comm. Brunetti.

This book was read as part of Italy in Books Challenge 2011.

The City Of Falling Angels June 6, 2011

Usually I read fictional novels, so when a co-worker gave me this non-fiction book to read, I was a bit skeptical. I wasn’t sure what to expect nor what the purpose of the book was. After all, the storyline read like a fictionalized story of the intrigue of Venice, complete with depictions of deceipt and mystery.

The book begins with the author’s arrival in Venice shortly after the devastating fire which burned the world-famous Venetian opera house, La Fenice.  What entails is the investigation into the fire and a determination as to whether the fire was a result of arson or pure negligence on the part of the crew working on the remodeling of the famous theater. The author interviews many members of Venetian society, and soon finds out about all the jealousies and back-stabbing going on behind the scenes. He finds that there are many who could easily be implicated, and some for good reason, into the event. Every one of these players, though, could also prove their innocence.  As a result, the true cause of the fire is never really discovered.                                           

The book is a portayal of the many facets which make up Venetian society…and the pride that the citizens of Venice have for their mysterious and beautiful city. Even though the famous opera house was burned, the aftermath of Venetian civic pride became even more evident and the personal ties involved in Venetian society was interesting to learn about.

If you are interested in a book which delves into the political and social underlyings of Venice, you will like this book. I found it mostly interesting, but I felt it moved a bit slowly and the in-depth character descriptions were a bit over-developed and long.

This book was read as part of the Italy In Book Challenge 2011.

Juliet – A Book Review May 5, 2011

Anne Fortier’s debut novel, Juliet, delves into the “true” story of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.  The “real” story did not take place in Verona, but actually in Siena. The feuding families were the Tolomei’s and the Salimbeni’s.  Juliet was a Tolomei, but Romeo was not a Salimbeni - he was a Mariscotti!  As if that isn’t confusing enough, Ms. Fortier’s novel bounces between the present and 1340 (the year that the original Romeo and Juliet fell in love, and tragically lost their lives).  The present day Giulietta knew herself by Julie Jacobs all her life.  Only after her aunt’s death was she told that her real name was Giulietta Tolomei and she was a direct descendent of the “real” Juliet .  She and her twin sister, Janice, had been born in Italy and whisked away to America by her aunt when their parents tragically died.  After her aunt’s death, Julie/Giulietta was secretly given a letter which told her she had to return to Italy to find a treasure which was rightfully hers…and to be careful since there was a presumed curse on this treasure.

The story takes place mostly in Siena, both in the present day and in the Siena of the Middle Ages.  So many of this medieval city’s landmarks come to life with Ms. Fortier’s vivid descriptions of the tiny alleys, the soaring towers, and the magnificent campo.  She describes the Palio – the horse race that brings all of Siena together in a competition between contradas (neighborhoods).    She also takes us to the Tuscan countryside near Val d’Orcia and we can just see the rolling hills and cypress lined avenues leading up to beautiful villas.

The story is full of mystery, intrigue, violence, deceipt…and love.   All  throughout the book, you’re never quite sure who are the good guys and who are the bad guys!

I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.  It kept me hooked throughout – even if just to get all the characters and their allegiances in order!

Some new Italian words I learned from this book were:

Cencio = this is the banner presented to the winner of the Palio.

The Cencio from the Palio of 2010

       Contrada= the neighborhoods of Siena that compete against other in the Palio.

The flags of the Contradas participating in the Palio

I read this book as part of Italy in Books Challenge 2011.

God’s Spy – A Book Review March 2, 2011

God’s Spy, the first novel by Juan Gomez-Jurado, is a fast moving and exciting read about a serial killer that is stalking the cardinals before the conclave to elect a new pope after the death of John Paul II. 

It’s setting is Vatican City at a time when thousands of faithfuls have gathered for the funeral of John Paul II. 

We know, early on, the identity of the killer, but trying to catch him before he strikes again is the key!  The Vatican secret police, as well as special investigators from Italian intelligence work together, while at times butting heads.   A special priest, trained by the CIA, is also dispatched to figure out the case.   The characters in the book are well described and exciting – they each have a story to tell!  The book ends abruptly, without answering all the questions that arose while reading the story.  Perhaps it was leaving the door open for a sequel!!

If you enjoyed Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons, you will enjoy this thriller as well.

I have read this book as part of the Italy in Book Challenge 2011.

The Enchantress of Florence – A Book Review February 12, 2011

The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie is a descriptive, convoluted, epic novel that both captivated my attention as well as made me want to abandon it all at the same time. The story, when I was able to follow it, was actually quite good … but being able to keep up with the twists and turns and the endless amounts of various characters drove me crazy at times (there were at least 100 different characters, and at times different names for the same character, too!).

Basically it is the fictionalized story of Amerigo Vespucci’s nephew and his visit to the Moghul emperor with a great secret!  He brings the news that he, a boy from Italy, and the emperor are related by blood because of a common ancestor, the enchantress Qara Koz. Qara Koz was the emperor’s lost aunt and her great beauty enchanted everyone who came into contact with her. She became known as an enchantress because men, women, children…and even animals, fell under her spell. At one point, she even had the Medici Dukes and all of Florence under her power. Throughout the story, we are reunited with important figures from Renaissance Florence such as Machiavelli, Andrea Doria, Vespucci, Lorenzo di Medici, And Pope Leo X. We are also introduced to Emperor Akbar the Great in great detail. The Emperor of this story is a great and powerful man, but also a BIG dreamer. He has even given life to an imaginary queen! All this leant the novel to read like a sort of fairy tale.

If you are a lover of fine literature and you are in the mood to really work hard at understanding and interpreting this very important piece of literature, then I can recommend this book. But if you are looking for pure entertainment and relaxation from reading, then I think I would steer away from this book. I felt like I should have been taking notes to get the full appreciation of this formidable story.

This book was read as part of the Italy in Books Challenge 2011.

The Defector – A Book Review February 1, 2011

Villa dei Fiori, tucked away on a quiet hillside in Umbria, is an idyllic setting for Gabriel, a painter restoring works of art in his quiet studio.  He is surrounded by his Italian staff and his Italian wife..and life couldn’t be calmer or more serene.  Little does anyone know (other than his wife) that he is a high-ranking member of the Israeli Secret Service, and he lives in Italy under an assumed identity.  He is summoned out of hiding and into service when a Russian defector, currently residing in London, is kidnapped by a Soviet thug who is bent on revenge for his  assistance in the escape of his wife and children to the United States and away from his evil ways.  The defector, Grigori, is a friend to Gabriel and Gabriel owes him for saving his life during a dangerous mission in Russia. 

The Defector, by Daniel Silva, is a fast paced story that moves from that quiet little villa in Umbria, to the shores of Lake Como for a summit with other Israeli Secret Service, to London, CIA headquarters in Virginia, St. Tropez, Russia, Paris, and Israel.  The manhunt for the Russian thug leads to moments of high espionage and violence, as well as moments portraying the more emotional ties that hold all the characters together.  It is a well written novel that allows us to follow the lives of the many characters.  I was a bit worried at first, being that this is #9 in the Gabriel Allon series, that I would be lost…but it turned out OK.  Once I remembered who all the characters were and how they were inter-related, I was able to keep up. 

I could highly recommend this book – it kept me hooked until the very end!

This book was part of the Italy in Books Challenge 2011.