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amandanicole's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lenimie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
junebug42's review against another edition
5.0
I was so captivated not only by the story but how it was told. There was such beautiful language that even the most grotesque scenes seemed in gold.
beedew's review against another edition
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
brogansbooks's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
inthelunaseas's review against another edition
3.0
Considering I picked this up for $5 at my local second-hand book shop, it's not too bad, compared to the trashy, mindless reads they usually offer. But that doesn't mean it's a great book. It's achingly average in some points and desperately poor in others. Dunant is a fairly okay writer, and in some parts she is able to capture the imagination, but unfortunately the 21st century sentimentalities get in the way of the story.
Dunant keeps them out in some parts. For instance, Alessandra is a devout Catholic, and her opinion on homosexuality is quite well timed. However, I kept feeling she was much too close to her slave, and the two got on quite well. And then there was the whole ending with the death...
I'm not even going to touch on the Michaelangelo shenanigans here, except for this. Okay, so you want your lady character to have a hot lover who they have sex with in a convent, but she doesn't even truly know his name. Does it have to be Michaelangelo? Seriously? Um.
Look, it's okay. It's average. It's not jaw-droppingly brilliant. If you're into romantic historical novels, then this might whet your appetite. But it's all a bit convoluted.
And I'm still not sure how the title translates into the story at all.
Dunant keeps them out in some parts. For instance, Alessandra is a devout Catholic, and her opinion on homosexuality is quite well timed. However, I kept feeling she was much too close to her slave, and the two got on quite well. And then there was the whole ending with the death...
I'm not even going to touch on the Michaelangelo shenanigans here, except for this. Okay, so you want your lady character to have a hot lover who they have sex with in a convent, but she doesn't even truly know his name. Does it have to be Michaelangelo? Seriously? Um.
Look, it's okay. It's average. It's not jaw-droppingly brilliant. If you're into romantic historical novels, then this might whet your appetite. But it's all a bit convoluted.
And I'm still not sure how the title translates into the story at all.
sarai_te's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bhard07's review against another edition
4.0
This is a wonderful book. Fantastic imagery and character development.