jessinthelib 's review for:

The Stone Witch of Florence by Anna Rasche

3.0

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A very interesting premise, much of it with a factual basis, that was a bit hot and cold for me. The main character is a healing woman before the witch hunts but when women in general weren't allowed to be doctors (1348, Florence, Italy), but is called to investigate stolen relics during the Plague. The healing was interesting, the Plague descriptions horrifying but also fascinating, and I learned more about relics and their history. However, it sometimes felt like this was written by two different people - the characters' personalities weren't consistent, the pacing was off, and I wasn't gripped as I thought I would be. It felt longer than it is. The author is a gemologist and this is her first novel and I'd say it's worth a read because of the unique subject.