In the vein of "Girl with a Pearl Earring," this ambitious, richly evocative story of love, art, religion, and power set in Renaissance Florence is brilliantly realized historical fiction. Abridged.
Read More
In the vein of "Girl with a Pearl Earring," this ambitious, richly evocative story of love, art, religion, and power set in Renaissance Florence is brilliantly realized historical fiction. Abridged.
Read Less
Add this copy of The Birth of Venus: a Novel to cart. $12.99, new condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2004 by Random House Audio Publishing Group.
Add this copy of The Birth of Venus: a Novel to cart. $39.37, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2004 by Random House Audio.
Haven't finished reading yet, but all as I expected
Suzanne
Jun 30, 2007
What an opening line!
I can?t say I felt bowled over by this book, but I had a hard time putting it down. Like the young heroine, Alessandra Cecchi, I have little patience for the severely restricted world that women were allowed to experience in Florence in the late 1400?s. Born into the glory days of the Renaissance, as well as monk Savonarola?s holier-than-thou, violent reign of terror, Alessandra?s experiences are defined more than anything by her belief in god. She aspires to be a painter, but never is allowed to train with anyone since she?s a woman. This is all the more reason why she?s drawn to the artist her father brings to their palazzo from the north to paint their family chapel. Alessandra agrees to marry an older man in the hope of finding more freedom for herself, but alas, like so many women, she finds married life is not what she thought it would be! She?s a good example of how people do what they have to do, given the place and time they live in, and her clever slave Erila shows that some freedom and power can be found in unexpected places. Her husband Cristoforo, her mean-spirited brother Tomaso, and the artist her father hired all harbor big surprises for her. Worth reading.
snk5454
Apr 3, 2007
Art, love, politics
Fascinating story set in 16th century Florence that paints a vivid picture of life in that time and place as seen through the eyes of a privileged young woman. I highly recommend it.
