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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
medium-paced
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5 stars.
The Black Death cut a swath through Europe and the Muslim world in the mid-1300s, resulting in a terrific number of deaths. People were desperate for anything to save them from an invisible killer that could destroy entire households, praying to god and saintly relics, and if possible, escaping to the countryside. The plague resulted in fear, mass graves and eventually, many years later, left the Western world with a charming little rhyme that originated during one of the successive waves of the plague.
Author Anna Rasche sets her story in 1349 Florence and Genoa, and tells the story of Ginevra di Gasparo, daughter of a fisherman, and a powerful stone witch. Taught the basics in working the magic of gemstones from a healer in Genoa, Ginevra eventually heads to Florence and a nunnery which provides healthcare for pregnant women and those in the sex trade. The nunnery has a powerful relic, made of bread, safeguarded within, and Ginevra learns basic healing from the nuns, and she begins investigating healing with gemstones on her own.
An ill-advised infatuation with the scion of a wealthy family leads Ginevra to mistakenly believe that she is somehow untouchable from the religious edicts against witchery, and destined for a cozy life as his wife. When an illness afflicts many in the city, Ginevra begins healing all she can, making use of her magic. All seems well at first, but things come crashing down when she offends a supposed medical man, and the convent that has been her home and safety for years is punished. Ginevra is then arrested and mutilated by the Inquisitor's men, then banished from Florence.
Living a small, careful life subsequently in Genoa, Ginevra provides small herbal cures to people who come to her door. Years later, sailor arrives at her door, suffering a strange illness which produces large boils at his neck, and Ginevra is unable to heal him. He and the ship he came from were stranded in Kaffa. In the end, every sailor landing in Genoa infected everyone he came into contact with, and soon Genoa was a city of the dead. At which point, Ginevra received a summons from her former love in Florence, stating her banishment was rescinded.
Ginevra is horrified on her arrival, as the city is hollowed out--the plague is here, also--and no amount of praying to saintly relics has prevented sickness and death.
Ginevra is soon disabused of her belief that her adolescent love is eager to make amends; instead, the Inquisitor says she is allowed back in the city because he needs her to do something for him: find out who has been stealing relics from churches, as it is believed that these disappearances have allowed the plague to come to Florence. Being less naïve than before, Ginevra extracts a promise from the Inquisitor in exchange for her task, then she begins searching for the culprit.
This was an enjoyable story, with Rasche populating her novel with interesting characters and conversations set against a horrifying backdrop. The gem-based magic was a nice touch, allowing Ginevra to focus her innate magical ability and pair it with her strong desire to help and heal others.
People have long believed in the magic properties inherent to gemstones, and Rasche gave her story a believable history of the beliefs and practice, including selected texts.
Ginevra is a likeable, though occasionally too single-minded once set on an idea, putting herself at risk frequently, and sometimes needlessly. I loved the relationships she built once returned to Florence, particularly with the lonely widow Lucia. Interactions with Ginevra drew out a strength heretofore unknown in Lucia, allowing her to enter into productive investigations alongside Ginevra for the missing relics.
I also liked how the author balanced the fantastic with the historical, horrific and humorous, crafting a Florence steeped in religion, superstition, fear, pride and decadence.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my review.
The Black Death cut a swath through Europe and the Muslim world in the mid-1300s, resulting in a terrific number of deaths. People were desperate for anything to save them from an invisible killer that could destroy entire households, praying to god and saintly relics, and if possible, escaping to the countryside. The plague resulted in fear, mass graves and eventually, many years later, left the Western world with a charming little rhyme that originated during one of the successive waves of the plague.
Author Anna Rasche sets her story in 1349 Florence and Genoa, and tells the story of Ginevra di Gasparo, daughter of a fisherman, and a powerful stone witch. Taught the basics in working the magic of gemstones from a healer in Genoa, Ginevra eventually heads to Florence and a nunnery which provides healthcare for pregnant women and those in the sex trade. The nunnery has a powerful relic, made of bread, safeguarded within, and Ginevra learns basic healing from the nuns, and she begins investigating healing with gemstones on her own.
An ill-advised infatuation with the scion of a wealthy family leads Ginevra to mistakenly believe that she is somehow untouchable from the religious edicts against witchery, and destined for a cozy life as his wife. When an illness afflicts many in the city, Ginevra begins healing all she can, making use of her magic. All seems well at first, but things come crashing down when she offends a supposed medical man, and the convent that has been her home and safety for years is punished. Ginevra is then arrested and mutilated by the Inquisitor's men, then banished from Florence.
Living a small, careful life subsequently in Genoa, Ginevra provides small herbal cures to people who come to her door. Years later, sailor arrives at her door, suffering a strange illness which produces large boils at his neck, and Ginevra is unable to heal him. He and the ship he came from were stranded in Kaffa. In the end, every sailor landing in Genoa infected everyone he came into contact with, and soon Genoa was a city of the dead. At which point, Ginevra received a summons from her former love in Florence, stating her banishment was rescinded.
Ginevra is horrified on her arrival, as the city is hollowed out--the plague is here, also--and no amount of praying to saintly relics has prevented sickness and death.
Ginevra is soon disabused of her belief that her adolescent love is eager to make amends; instead, the Inquisitor says she is allowed back in the city because he needs her to do something for him: find out who has been stealing relics from churches, as it is believed that these disappearances have allowed the plague to come to Florence. Being less naïve than before, Ginevra extracts a promise from the Inquisitor in exchange for her task, then she begins searching for the culprit.
This was an enjoyable story, with Rasche populating her novel with interesting characters and conversations set against a horrifying backdrop. The gem-based magic was a nice touch, allowing Ginevra to focus her innate magical ability and pair it with her strong desire to help and heal others.
People have long believed in the magic properties inherent to gemstones, and Rasche gave her story a believable history of the beliefs and practice, including selected texts.
Ginevra is a likeable, though occasionally too single-minded once set on an idea, putting herself at risk frequently, and sometimes needlessly. I loved the relationships she built once returned to Florence, particularly with the lonely widow Lucia. Interactions with Ginevra drew out a strength heretofore unknown in Lucia, allowing her to enter into productive investigations alongside Ginevra for the missing relics.
I also liked how the author balanced the fantastic with the historical, horrific and humorous, crafting a Florence steeped in religion, superstition, fear, pride and decadence.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my review.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I loved this book. I felt very much like I had fallen through the pages into medieval Florence during the plague. The characters were well developed and the plot moved along at a good speed. I enjoyed how the threads of the story wove together to create a lovely tapestry of the book. I took off a half point simply because while accurate, the descriptions of the plague and dead bodies might be disturbing to some.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Pandemic/Epidemic
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
The Stone Witch is a delight!! Set during the plague in the 1300’s about an exiled witch summoned back to her town to track down a theif stealing ancient relics from churches—weird stuff like bread soaked in the blood of Christ and saints body parts! When a relic disappears, each parish slowly succumbs to the pestilence. The stone witch is immune and able to heal others with her stones. As dark as it sounds this book was at times funny—especially in the protagonist’s banter with Florence’s locals and her dialogue with Lucia- a companion she makes along the way. I love how this story comes together—so much is enriched by the author’s deep research in Italy and expertise in jewelry and gemstones. I would follow Ginerva’s adventures anywhere. Hope there is a sequel or series in the works.
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced