Reviews - The Stone Witch of Florence

543 reviews for:

The Stone Witch of Florence

Anna Rasche

3.68 AVERAGE

kjgilligan's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH

Dry

kristenwp's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

michelleinsea's review against another edition

4.0

Promising debut that’s perfect for fans of Sarah Penner’s historical mysteries (with a touch of magic). In general, I enjoy historical fiction but am pretty burnt out on the usual settings—World War II or London of any era. Anna Rasche’s debut novel, instead, takes us to a 14th century Florence, Italy that’s been ravaged by the plague. Ginevra, a healer, was exiled from Florence years ago as a heretic, but the current inquisitor has drawn her back to solve the mystery of stolen relics that the Florentines are blaming for the widespread death in town.

Rasche does a fabulous job of immersing you in her setting. I loved the details about the singing gravedigger, the merry looters, and even household things like well eels. Ginevra is a likeable protagonist, and the inquisitor is a likeable foil for her. The beginning and ending had me turning pages, although the middle of the novel had some pacing issues and felt a bit repetitive. There’s also what felt like a bit of a tonal change a little after the halfway mark where a considerable amount of absurd comedy starts making its way in. I didn’t necessarily dislike this, but it was a little jarring.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and would read another historical mystery by Rasche in a heartbeat.

quirkycatsfatstacks's review against another edition

4.0

Book Summary:

Ginevra di Gasparo has learned the hard way about the price of practicing magic where others may see her. She did it once, long ago, to save those falling ill in a horrible sickness. Since saving the villagers shamed the church, she was exiled.

Now the church was Ginevra back, promising to remove her exile if she solved one teeny, tiny problem. Naturally, nothing is what it appears, but Ginevra can’t leave her home to suffer. In the process, she will uncover many dark secrets.

My Review:

Whew. The Stone Witch of Florence is a lot, and I mean that in a largely good way. This book is as emotional as it is complex, with a wide range of characters, motivations, and magical stones.

The story is set in Italy during the Black Plague. Ironically, it also hops between two points in time—Ginevra's younger life and her present. I'll be honest: It took me a little bit to get used to the jumping back and forth.

The pacing of The Stone Witch of Florence is pretty slow at times. The author included a lot of details that absolutely made scenes drag, but then something would change, and everything would kick off. It was a strange balance and probably my only real complaint.

The Stone Witch of Florence is a solid read that blends magical realism with history. I would love to see another stone with adventure, if only because I still want to see so much of this magical system. Maybe another tale set in a different historical period? That'd be fascinating.

Highlights:
Historical Fiction
Fantasy & Witches
Curing Illnesses

Trigger Warnings:
Extreme Illness
Witch Burning

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