Thursday, April 1, 2010

Book review: A Golden Web by Barbara Quick

A Golden Web by Barbara Quick (Published by HarperTeen, April 6, 2010)

Alessandra Giliani is not like most girls in fourteenth century Italy. She is very intelligent and loves to read, even dreaming of someday being a scholar. But because she doesn’t behave as a proper lady should, her stepmother dislikes her, and is unkind to her. Alessandra would like to study medicine, but that is not proper for a young girl of her place and time. The only proper choices for a young woman are an arranged marriage or life in a convent.

When Alessandra learns that her stepmother, in her eagerness to get Alessandra out of the family’s home, has convinced her father to arrange Alessandra’s marriage, she is desperate to escape. Before her marriage, Alessandra goes to spend a time of solitude in a convent, and from there she is able to escape, disguise herself as a boy, and fulfill her dreams of studying medicine. However the future her father planned for her still awaits her someday and she may not be able to keep up her disguise forever.

A Golden Web is a fascinating and romantic historical novel based on the legend of Alessandra Giliani, who may have been the world’s first female anatomist. Barbara Quick brings Alessandra to life as a smart and courageous young woman who risks everything to live her dreams in a time when women had few rights and no power to decide their own futures. Highly recommended for readers who love historical fiction.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

4 comments:

Test said...

Great review! I saw a negative one prior to seeing this, and I have to admit that it kind of put me off on reading this. Though, now with your raving review, I think I'll definitely give it a try now. :)

~The Book Pixie said...

I read this back in January and absolutely loved it. I'm glad to see you enjoyed it as well.

~Briana :D

Barbara Quick said...

Thank you for the lovely review, Rebecca! I'm so excited about sharing the inspiring and empowering story of Alessandra Giliani with girls and women everywhere! Let me know if you'd like to try to have me arrange to get a copy of the book sent to you for a contest give-away. I hope you'll visit my website and look at the book trailer for my last novel, VIVALDI'S VIRGINS, which you and your friends might like, too...
http://www.BarbaraQuick.com

Happy reading!
Barbara

Monster of Books said...

Ooh I really want to read this, excited for it release!!!

 
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