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Showing posts with the label Renaissance Italy

#HistFicThursdays - Enheduanna's Song from the Sands by Ellen Rachlin - Guest Post

Today, for the #HistFicThursdays blog, I'm delighted to be hosting Ellen Rachlin with a guest post about her book brilliant upcoming book Enheduanna's Song from the Sands , as part of her Coffee Pot Book Club tour! Read on to find out more about the writing journey with Enheduanna and what inspired Ellen to write her story. But first, let's meet the book... Blurb Discover the untold story of Enheduanna, the world’s first named author, as she navigates power, betrayal, and divine destiny in ancient Mesopotamia. A mesmerizing fusion of history, myth, and female leadership that challenges how we see the past—and ourselves. A high priestess dethroned. A rebel with a dangerous plan. One empire hanging by a thread. When Enheduanna is named High Priestess of Ur, her connection to the gods makes her a target. Lugalanne’s coup strips her of robes, power, and home, casting her into the perilous underworld. There, amid forests of shadows and treacherous trials, she discovers that d...

#HistFicThursdays - Girolamo Savonarola (Poisoned Pilgrimage) - An Unlikely Friendship

 There are very, very people I could write and write about, but Savonarola is one of them. In fact, last year, I wrote a c.160,000 word observation about my own journey into his life and preachings. This appealed to the theologian in me as well as the historian! Shockingly, despite spending years studying RE and Theology across various levels of education, Savonarola was not a character I had come across until very recently. I've suppose this is because his work did not directly influence my areas of study, but I remain quite surprised that he never cropped up in my education. And here's why: although geographically he never left Italy - and northern Italy at that - his preaching and the awareness he raised concerning the direction of the church was to send shockwaves across the Christian world. He is the most fascinating character to write in fiction, too. Driven entirely - and often perilously - to do what he believed was right, he was not open to disagreement. But one of the...

#HistFicThursdays - The Fortune Keeper - Deborah Swift - Guest Post

   For this week's #HistFicThursdays blog, I'm thrilled to be sharing the gripping book  The Fortune Keeper  from  Deborah Swift ,   as part of her  Coffee Pot Book Club  tour. In her guest post, Deborah shares her approach to telling a fictional story of a real person. But first, let's meet the book... Blurb Count your nights by stars, not shadows ~ Italian Proverb Winter in Renaissance Venice Mia Caiozzi is determined to discover her destiny by studying the science of astronomy. But her stepmother Giulia forbids her to engage in this occupation, fearing it will lead her into danger. The ideas of Galileo are banned by the Inquisition, so Mia must study in secret. Giulia's real name is Giulia Tofana, renowned for her poison Aqua Tofana, and she is in hiding from the Duke de Verdi's family who are intent on revenge for the death of their brother. Giulia insists Mia should live quietly out of public view. If not, it could threaten them all. But Mia ...

#HistFicThursdays - The Inspiration of Place - Angela Sims - Guest Post

Today for the #HistFicThursdays blog, it is my absolute pleasure to welcome Angela Sims. Her book,  The Rose of Florence , is being published next year, and here Angela shares the inspiration the city has given her. Read on to discover the world of the Renaissance in what was arguably its birthplace... The priest raised the host, and the communion bell rang through the cathedral… Anyone who has visited Florence, the capital city of the Tuscan region of Italy, will know that it is teeming…teeming with tourists and teeming with history. Some years ago, I was one of those tourists (I now consider myself a regular visitor!), and even while jostling with crowds, you can’t fail to be moved by the city, the architecture, the art and the stories that surround you.  One of the stories that captured my imagination was of the murder in the cathedral, The Pazzi Conspiracy. At the time of this event (1478), Florence was a republic, with the Medici family holding the majority of power....

"Stone Circle" by Kate Murdoch

I logged on to the Crowvus Team email for the first time in a few days. After being accepted to join the Indie Reviewer's List, I have received many, many more book review requests so I thought I ought to get down my reading list... "Stone Circle" by Kate Murdoch "Is the Ability to Read Minds a Blessing or a Curse? When Antonius’s father dies, he must work to support his family. He finds employment as a servant in the Palazzo Ducal, home of Conte Valperga. Sixteenth-century Pesaro is a society governed by status and Antonius has limited opportunities.When a competition is announced, Antonius seizes his chance. The winner will be apprenticed to the town seer. Antonius shares first place with his employer’s son. The two men compete for their mentor’s approval. As their knowledge of magic and alchemy grows, so does the rivalry and animosity between them. When the love of a beautiful woman is at stake, Antonius must find a way to follow his heart and navigate h...