by Sarah Dunant. The best-selling author of The Birth of Venus (2003) and In the Company of the Courtesan (2006) re-creates the rarified world of the sixteenth-century convent in her latest historical novel. Those expecting serenity and contemplation are in for an eye-opening surprise as the Benedictine convent of Santa Caterina, in Ferrara, Italy, is anything but a peaceful refuge. Sixteen-year-old Serafina, a talented songstress with a broken heart, literally enters the cloister kicking and screaming, the victim of her nobleman father's callous intent to quash an unsuitable romance. Despite the fact that Serafina strikes up a strong friendship with Suora Zuanna, the gifted mistress of the dispensary, Serafina has one goal in mind: to escape the confines of a life imposed on her by her time, her circumstances, and her station. As Serafina's determination to take control of her own life takes root, her discontent has a domino effect on the other nuns. Although many novelists have successfully tackled the intricacies of court politics, intrigue, and romance, Dunant applies the same type of formula to the Renaissance convent with remarkable success. The author continues to chart the course of strong Renaissance women struggling against all odds to define their own destinies. --Booklist (Check catalog)
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Sacred hearts : a novel
by Sarah Dunant. The best-selling author of The Birth of Venus (2003) and In the Company of the Courtesan (2006) re-creates the rarified world of the sixteenth-century convent in her latest historical novel. Those expecting serenity and contemplation are in for an eye-opening surprise as the Benedictine convent of Santa Caterina, in Ferrara, Italy, is anything but a peaceful refuge. Sixteen-year-old Serafina, a talented songstress with a broken heart, literally enters the cloister kicking and screaming, the victim of her nobleman father's callous intent to quash an unsuitable romance. Despite the fact that Serafina strikes up a strong friendship with Suora Zuanna, the gifted mistress of the dispensary, Serafina has one goal in mind: to escape the confines of a life imposed on her by her time, her circumstances, and her station. As Serafina's determination to take control of her own life takes root, her discontent has a domino effect on the other nuns. Although many novelists have successfully tackled the intricacies of court politics, intrigue, and romance, Dunant applies the same type of formula to the Renaissance convent with remarkable success. The author continues to chart the course of strong Renaissance women struggling against all odds to define their own destinies. --Booklist (Check catalog)
