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Date Posted: 16:29:07 03/04/05 Fri
Author: Syl
Subject: Sassenach Musings

This week's review was sent in by Peegy B. Thanks, lass!

TITLE: The Birth of Venus
AUTHOR: Sarah Dunant
GENRE: Historical Fiction
For me, a "good" novel is one that I don’t want to end, and a "good" historical novel is one that makes me seek out more information about the setting. The Birth of Venus scores on both counts.
Set in late 15th century Florence Italy, the plot follows an intelligent and talented girl, on the verge of womanhood. Alessandra Cecchi is the daughter of a prosperous cloth merchant. Alessandra must balance her intelligence, passion, and artistic aspirations with the relatively cloistered life of a daughter of means.
This may be the renaissance, but Alessandra is, after all, a young woman. This balancing act is greatly challenged when her father brings home a young artist from northern Europe to paint the family’s chapel.
The intrigue of the Painter, her sister’s marriage, and her own coming of age collide with the death of Lorenzo de Medici, the invasion of Florence by France, and the rise of the prior Girolama Savonarola. Florence, and life, as Alessandra knows it are changing, and her fate is caught up in events when she is wed to a wealthy acquaintance of the family.
Dunant weaves a well paced story with interesting characters. I was struck by the restrictions placed on women of this time; good thing for Claire Randall that she didn’t TT to the Florentine Renaissance!! Little plot twists that emerge keep the reader guessing about everyone’s little secrets. The end of the book sent me right back for an immediate reread of the prologue, and wishing for a sequel.

For more information on Sarah Dunant:
Here
For information on the Medici family:
Medicis

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Replies:

[> Sorry for the mistake in the header! Should read The Birth of Venus -- Syl, 16:30:14 03/04/05 Fri


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[> I also loved this book and would thoroughly recommend it. -- astrokath, 20:10:13 03/04/05 Fri


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[> I'm glad you liked it Peggy. Does anything icky happen? -- beccabee, 14:39:17 03/05/05 Sat


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[> [> You'll have to define "icky" -- LadyPeggyB, 07:52:21 03/06/05 Sun


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[> [> [> Horrible things happening to a human body. -- beccabee, 17:05:52 03/06/05 Sun


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[> [> [> [> The icky things that happen are more like third person reports. Certainly nothing on the order of Black Jack Randall. Email me if you have specific concerns!! It's been a couple of months since I read the book. -- LadyPeggyB, 17:34:07 03/06/05 Sun


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[> Oh, thanks for the review! I love historical fiction and will definitely put this on my list. -- GinC, 09:46:36 03/06/05 Sun


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[> Cannot be true! -- Margit, 23:28:46 03/06/05 Sun

I was surfing yesterday in Amazon's pages trying to find me something to read after FC (which now is going on).
So I ordered the "Birth of Venus" as well "THe Timetraveller's wife" (don't even ask why!).

And now I find on my first visit on Sassenach Musing page more information about the Birth of Venus!
Seems hard to wait the next three weeks before I get the parcel from the other side of the Atlantic ocean.


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[> [> I hope the anticipation makes reading it all the better! -- LadyPeggyB, 09:05:23 03/07/05 Mon


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[> This was one of my favourite books I read last year. I read a lot of books but this one stood out, I really enjoyed it. The funny thing is I ended up visiting Florence a few months after I'd read it. I will be revisiting the city and the book for years to come I think*G* -- Nic, 13:46:58 03/07/05 Mon


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[> Thanks for the review, Peggy - I missed this one! :D -- Judie, 16:31:59 03/18/05 Fri


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[> I've also just finished this book and loved it. I also want to add that the descriptions of Florence are wonderful. I was just there in February and it felt like I was time travelling as I read this book! I could picture where she was describing and felt like I was there! Great Read! -- Emily, 09:27:41 05/15/05 Sun


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