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The Birth of Venus A Novel Reader Circle Sarah Dunant 9780812968972 Books

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The Birth of Venus A Novel Reader Circle Sarah Dunant 9780812968972 Books

Alessandra is the youngest daughter of a wealthy Florentine cloth merchant. Rebellious and artistic, she has trouble fitting in with her siblings. Rather than face a life in the convent, she agrees to marry Cristoforo an older man, who luckily turns out to be of artistic temperament, too, and is very tolerant of her. Her life is also inexplicably tied to that of the painter (whose name she does not even know) hired to paint her father's chapel.
This base storyline is one that anyone who has read any historical fiction has read at least once. Some female, in some country, at some historical time period, exhibits some artistic talent but it is repressed for some reason. *sigh*
But, despite that, Dunant managed to weave a beautiful tale of Alessandra and of Florence. She did so well, in fact, that I was in the middle of the story before I realized that the main plot might actually be the fascinating history of Florence at the turn of the 16th century, as shown through those who lived it.
Florence's turbulent change from "New Athens" to New Jerusalem and back to a broken city was lightly and easily told and gave a colorful, realistic background to Dunant's tale of art, love and life. This was easily the best part of the book. I did not come to care about the characters nearly as much as I came to be curious about Florence.
My other gripe was that after finishing the book, I had yet to discover the reason for the title. Venus' birth was mentioned only in relation to Botticelli's painting, nothing else. If Ms. Dunant decides to republish under a different title, allow me to humbly suggest The Serpent of Eve as an alternate. (Those who have read the book will immediately see the reason, just as they, too, are probably pondering the current title.)
Overall, I would rate this book as a 3--a good read, but I would not go out of my way to recommend it or to read other books by Dunant


Tags : The Birth of Venus: A Novel (Reader's Circle) [Sarah Dunant] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Alessandra Cecchi is not quite fifteen when her father, a prosperous cloth merchant, brings a young painter back from northern Europe to decorate the chapel walls in the family’s Florentine palazzo. A child of the Renaissance,Sarah Dunant,The Birth of Venus: A Novel (Reader's Circle),Random House Trade Paperbacks,0812968972,Historical,Arranged marriage,Florence (Italy) - History - 1421-1737,Married women,Painters,Savonarola, Girolamo,Teenage girls,Women painters,FICTION Historical General,FICTION Literary,FICTION Romance Historical General,Fiction,Fiction - Historical,Fiction-Historical,GENERAL,General Adult,Historical - General,Historical fiction,historical fiction;italy;art;florence;renaissance;historical;romance;15th century;savonarola;history;painting;women;art history;religion;medici;painters;love;arranged marriage;artists;art fiction;italian renaissance;historical novel;british;homosexuality;literature;marriage;english;21st century;virago;sarah dunant;nuns;europe;16th century;adult;family;coming of age;contemporary;girolamo savonarola;convent;artist;renaissance italy;politics;sexuality;michelangelo;renaissance florence;literary,historical fiction; italy; art; florence; renaissance; historical; romance; 15th century; savonarola; history; painting; women; art history; religion; medici; painters; love; arranged marriage; artists; art fiction; italian renaissance; historical novel; british; homosexuality; literature; marriage; english; 21st century; virago; sarah dunant; nuns; europe; 16th century; adult; family; coming of age; contemporary; girolamo savonarola; convent; artist; renaissance italy; politics; sexuality; michelangelo; renaissance florence; literary

The Birth of Venus A Novel Reader Circle Sarah Dunant 9780812968972 Books Reviews

This novel is an enchanting read. We experience Florence in the days following the death of one of the Medici through the eyes and mind of Alessandra Cecchi, a young woman of a well-to-do family, whose intellectual leanings make her an oddity in her household. The coming-of-age story is enriched by the detailed background of Florence.

The best aspects of this book are

- The connections between the characters. Some of Alessandra's conversations with her mother, her sister, her husband and her slave Erila, are moving - sometimes light, sometimes profound. You feel love spill out of them. I confess I returned to a number of the later conversations and read them over and over.

- The attitude toward that religious firebrand, the hellfire preaching monk Savonarola. Although Alessandra's life is affected by the city's reaction to this monk, we also sense her interest in other aspects of life, and her ambivalence towards his preaching. It's nice to see that her reaction was neither black nor white but more complex.

- The texture of the description the richness of the colors, the dyes, the cathedral, the clothing, the carving, the pigments that Alessandra mixes herself - these are all enhanced by Alessandra's passion for art.

- The point of view of the intelligent young woman, with the awkwardness associated dancing, menstruation and looking for a husband, encountering many of life's situations for the first time.

The worst aspects of this book are

- There may be problems with some of the historical part of this historical fiction. For example

Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo overlapped, but Leonardo was older than Michelangelo and very well known. A passage in the novel implies the reverse.

Also, if the most of the novel's action occurs in 1492 or shortly thereafter, it's hard to see how there could be dyes from the West Indies. Columbus did not return from his initial voyage until 1493.

So, readers may want to check other information against other sources before using the novel as a basis for facts.

- Most of the frame story, although interesting and entertaining, feels retrofitted to the rest of the book. Although a connection is drawn for us, that connection seems strained, and the older Alessandra (as well as the older painter) seem to be completely different characters, whose motives and actions bear little resemblance to the characters of the earlier days. However, the story which takes place earlier is vibrant and passionate.
This is why I like historical fiction. It is enlightening, maddening, frustrating and makes me grateful to be living today. A superior talent in a woman is not only discouraged but denied. Alessandra had to be a strong determined woman to realize her potential as an artist. Sarah Durant paints a vivid picture of life and times in renaissance Florence including an insight into the art world at the time. Readers who enjoy a good story wrapped up in real history will enjoy this book.
Sarah Dunant OWNS the Italian Renaissance novel. I've read all her books to far, and can't wait for the next one. Her eye for detail is excellent. Her story lines are believable. Her characters feel right. She knows her history. I'm always sucked in by the first few pages and read like a demon from then onward. I gave The Birth of Venus to both my children recently. I have also bought Sacred Hearts for them. The only problem with Dunant's works is that there aren't enough of them. Great stuff.
I read this a long time ago and then read it again and loved it just as much the second time! What really struck me was the main character's desire to create art and make color and how as a girl, she just was not given that option-so she created it herself. Also-she finds herself in several unpleasant situations, and the normal accompanying emotions, but always seems to find a way around. When things are revealed at the end, you realize what a clever story the author has crafted on the mysterious beginnings of a certain someone. Fascinating!
The talented Sarah Dunant sets this wonderful, ambitious novel in Renaissance Florence. Her heroine is the gifted, fourteen-year-old Alessandra.

Her descriptions of Florentine art and artists are first rate and seductive. Dunant lives part-time in Florence, and her love of the city is evident on every page.

I found this book a delight and think you will, too.
Alessandra is the youngest daughter of a wealthy Florentine cloth merchant. Rebellious and artistic, she has trouble fitting in with her siblings. Rather than face a life in the convent, she agrees to marry Cristoforo an older man, who luckily turns out to be of artistic temperament, too, and is very tolerant of her. Her life is also inexplicably tied to that of the painter (whose name she does not even know) hired to paint her father's chapel.
This base storyline is one that anyone who has read any historical fiction has read at least once. Some female, in some country, at some historical time period, exhibits some artistic talent but it is repressed for some reason. *sigh*
But, despite that, Dunant managed to weave a beautiful tale of Alessandra and of Florence. She did so well, in fact, that I was in the middle of the story before I realized that the main plot might actually be the fascinating history of Florence at the turn of the 16th century, as shown through those who lived it.
Florence's turbulent change from "New Athens" to New Jerusalem and back to a broken city was lightly and easily told and gave a colorful, realistic background to Dunant's tale of art, love and life. This was easily the best part of the book. I did not come to care about the characters nearly as much as I came to be curious about Florence.
My other gripe was that after finishing the book, I had yet to discover the reason for the title. Venus' birth was mentioned only in relation to Botticelli's painting, nothing else. If Ms. Dunant decides to republish under a different title, allow me to humbly suggest The Serpent of Eve as an alternate. (Those who have read the book will immediately see the reason, just as they, too, are probably pondering the current title.)
Overall, I would rate this book as a 3--a good read, but I would not go out of my way to recommend it or to read other books by Dunant