Publishing Date: 2nd March
Formats: Hardback & Ebook
Price: Hb £16.99/ Ebook £7.99
Publisher: Wildfire Books
I would like to say a huge thank you to Rosie Margesson and Wildfire Books for allowing me to read and review this utterly brilliant, wonderful and enchanting and mind blowing book. I would also like to say a huge thank you to the creative talent, Meg Clothier, for creating such vivid, strong and complex characters who are based on some historically famous families (dynasties) in Renaissance Florence. It’s also about the power of women and that they should never be silenced or used for harm and at the same time it’s about the power of books. Intrigued? Let’s head to the blurb and find out a bit more.
Beatrice is the Convent’s Librarian. For years, she has shunned the company of her sisters, finding solace only with her manuscripts.
Then, one carnival night, two women, bleeding and stricken, are abandoned outside the convent’s walls. Moments from death, one of them presses something into Beatrice’s hands: a bewitching book whose pages have a dangerous life of their own.
But men of the faith want the book destroyed, and a zealous preacher has tracked it to her door. Her sister’s lives – or her obsession. Beatrice must decide.
The book’s voice is growing stronger.
An ancient power uncoils.
Will she dare to listen?
I am not sure how I can possibly review this wonderful, atmospheric, mesmerising and magical book, without coming across as being slightly mad or hysterical. Perhaps a bit of both. This is one book that will make you want to not just visit Florence (Italy) it to soak up its atmosphere, the culture and devour the food and wine. Reading The book of eve made me feel like I was walking, breathing and living in a place that was at once familiar but also slightly different. The period in which the events in this book take place is what we know as Renaissance Florence during the time of Peak Medici, obviously in this book names of historic figures have been changed but there is an outline on which the “Duke Stelleri” and all the other people are based historically on, including Brother Abramo who I feel is based on Savaronela the fiery priest who made Florence beg on her knees for a time till they got fed up with it of course.
I loved all the characters especially some of the sisters, though for me I found Sister Beatrice one character a bit difficult to like, she came across as being a bit of a child, naive, selfish and almost cruel, I also wasn’t sure on Sister Angelica (but I think you are meant to) but what I loved about Beatrice is her devotion (obsession) with books for me I think we would have got on. This is a bewitching tale about finding the power within us and also the power of finding a voice against the wills and force of men who want to control women for their own ends and find women with minds and hearts a terrifying thing.
This is one of those books that leave you spell bound and captivated even after you have finished with it. I can highly recommend this to anyone who loves Italy, Renaissance, magic, strong women and faith and of course love and books. If you haven’t already buy this book now!!! Well when you can.
Ratings: 5 🌟s with a large ☕️ and a large 🍰 ( or that yummy custard/rice pudding tart that is a delicacy of Tuscany) seriously I could eat a whole box of those.
Author’s Blurb:
Meg Clothier studied Classics at Cambridge, sailed from England to Alaska, and worked as a journalist in London and Moscow. She now lives and writes in Somerset. The Book of Eve is her third novel.
I hope you have enjoyed this brilliant evocative and mind blowing book which captures everything about medieval Italy, both the good and the bad and yet also brings a lot of hope too. I fell in love with this book and I hope you do too. If you want a copy you can find this in Waterstones, any independent store and of course on Amazon. I will leave you now to say Happy Reading and see you soon!!!
Zoe's Book Nook 