The birth of Venus : love and death in Florence
Dunant, Sarah2004
Books
Set in 15th-century Florence, this is a novel of mystery, history, politics and passion. 14-year-old Alessandra's love of art and her lively independence lure her into a world of all sorts of taboos. She must make crucial decisions about her life, as Florence itself must choose its future path. Alessandra is not quite fifteen when her prosperous merchant father brings a young painter back with him from Holland to adorn the walls of the new family chapel. She is fascinated by his talents and envious of his abilities and opportunities to paint to the glory of God. Soon her love of art and her lively independence are luring her into closer involvement with all sorts of taboo areas of life. On excursions into the streets of night-time Florence she observes a terrible evil stalking the city and witnesses the rise of the fiery young priest, Savanarola, who has set out to rid the city of vice, richness, even art itself. Alessandra must make crucial decisions about the shape of her adult life, as Florence itself must choose between the old ways of the luxury-loving Medicis and the asceticism of Savanorola. And through it all, there is the painter, whose love will change everything.
Main title:
The birth of Venus : love and death in Florence / Sarah Dunant.
Author:
Imprint:
London : Virago, 2004.
Collation:
412 p. ; 20 cm.
Notes:
Originally published: London: Little, Brown, 2003.Includes bibliographical references (p. 411-412).
ISBN:
9781844080359 (pbk)
Dewey class:
823.914FIC
Language:
English
BRN:
846356