The year is 1584 in Florence and a test is about to take place, but it is different from your typical test. It involves a Prince whose wife can only give him daughters and an attractive orphan girl who will be given a dowry and a husband when the task is done. The stories of these young women have been lost to the past, but the story of orphan Giulia is now coming to light. Katherine Mezzacappa tells the tale of the orphan who took back her life from the most powerful men in Italy in her novel, “The Maiden of Florence.”
I want to thank Fairlight Books and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this novel. I saw the cover on social media and thought it was stunning, but then I read the description and realized that it was deceptively beautiful. This is a haunting tale of a horrific situation in the life of an orphan and how she overcame it to find hope.
Our story begins with Giulia Albizzi, a former orphan, writing about the ordeal she had to overcome as a young girl over thirty years ago. When she was young, Giulia grew up in the orphanages Innocenti and Pieta. One day, while she was staying at the Pieta, a group of men, including a man named Vinta, and a woman showed up and asked to take Giulia away. She was later told that she was going to be used in a sort of test for Prince Vincenzo Gonzaga, who was destined to become the next Grand Duke of Mantua, but there was a catch. Since Prince Vincenzo’s previous bride had only had living daughters before he married into the Medici family, the Prince must prove that he could perform the marital act, hence why he needs the beautiful virgin, Giulia. In exchange, Giulia would be given a substantial dowry and a husband who would be willing to turn the other cheek when it came to her past.
The test, the examination, and the interrogation are brutal to read, but Giulia is soon released from her duties and is allowed to marry a man that Vinta chooses for her. Her husband, Giuliano Sperati, is a musician for the Grand Duke. Though the relationship has a rocky start, there is love between Giulia and Giuliano. While they start to make a new life and a family, Giulia’s past comes back to haunt her and threatens to destroy everything.
This was a sensational novel, full of heart and heartbreak. By giving the victim a voice and allowing the royals to take a step back, Mezzacappa sheds light on a dark secret in Renaissance Italy. This may have been my first novel by Katherine Mezzacappa, but it will not be my last. To me, this is a brilliantly written, raw, and compelling story. If you are a fan of historical fiction, especially those who have an interest in 16th-century Italy, “The Maiden of Florence” by Katherine Mezzacappa is an absolute must-read.
The Wars of the Roses, a conflict that engulfed English politics for over 30 years and heralded a new dynasty, the Tudors. While there were battles and political intrigue galore during this period of unrest, there were also births, marriages, and deaths of powerful figures. Each day during the Wars of the Roses holds significance to nobles and commoners alike. Dan Moorhouse has compiled his years of research into this conflict into his book, “On This Day in the Wars of the Roses.”
Like many other countries, England has been through growing pains when it comes to reforming its political, military, and judicial systems. None more so than the pains of the medieval period, specifically from 1199 to 1399. In those two centuries, there were six Plantagenet kings, each with a different style of being king and a different way of changing England with each reign. We often think that the biggest change to England’s political history during this time was the Magna Carta, but in fact, that was only just the beginning. Caroline Burt and Richard Partington have combed the archives to do a deep dive into each reign of these Plantagenet kings, examining the political and judicial changes that happened in a short period. Their comprehensive book is entitled, “Arise, England: Six Kings and the Making of the English State.”
The 16th century was known for its dramatic changes in religious issues. None more so than during the late Tudor dynasty especially during the reign of Elizabeth I. However, France also saw the religious pendulum swing between Protestantism and Catholicism. Many families from all walks of life were caught in religious squabbles, like the Montgomery family. Lady Gabrielle Roberda Montgomery found herself in the middle of the drama and was forced to marry into a prominent Devon family in Elizabethan England, far from her native France. Roberda’s extraordinary story is told masterfully in Rosemary Griggs’ latest novel, “The Dartington Bride.” 
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England is in the midst of chaos in a conflict known as the Wars of the Roses. The Yorkist cause is formulating a case to take the throne’s power from Henry VI and the Lancastrians and replace the king with Richard, Duke of York, whose claim to the throne is a bit stronger. Caught in the middle of the Wars of the Roses was one strong and courageous woman who would fight tooth and nail for her family and the Yorkist cause. Her name was Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, and her story is masterfully told in Anne O’Brien’s novel, “The Queen’s Rival.”
When we think about the Tudor dynasty, we often think about the famous men and women who defined the era. An era full of change in all aspects of life, from religious and political, to the arts and literature. Throughout these changes, we tend to focus on how they affected the lives of Tudor men, but there is a growing field of interest in the lives of the average Tudor women and how their lives were affected. In her latest book, “Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era,” Amy McElroy explores women’s life stages in 16th-century England and how their roles changed.
The final wife, the one who survived. These words are what people think about when it comes to Katherine (Kateryn) Parr. However, before she even met Henry VIII, she had already lived quite a life, being married twice before meeting the king. She was a scholar, reformer, daughter, stepmother, wife, and mother. A woman who lived a rather intriguing life and happened to marry the King of England, Kateryn Parr’s life has been told in numerous mediums for centuries. Now, Laura Adkins has chosen to write about this famous Tudor wife in the biography, “Kateryn Parr: Henry VIII’s Sixth Wife.”
When we think about travel in the Middle Ages, we often think of wealthy nobles or those who went to war fighting in foreign lands. However, that is merely a misconception. Travel was open to everyone, from the wealthy, the poor, the pious pilgrims, and the merchants. Each group had their reasons for traveling to different countries. Still, they all wrote down their experiences to tell future generations about their encounters and encourage others to explore the world, both the known and unknown parts. Anthony Bale has compiled many of these accounts into one comprehensive book called, “A Travel Guide to the Middle Ages: The World Through Medieval Eyes.”
“I’ll show you what a woman can do.”
The year is 1671 and England is slowly recovering from the horrors of the English Civil War. King Charles II lives lavishly with his many mistresses, including the famous beauty Nell Gwyn. On the other side of London, Nell’s eldest sister Rose Gwyn is caught in the middle of a high-profile robbery that could cost her her life. In the present day, Jess Yates, a librarian and history lover, is dealing with her family’s struggles. When Jess enters Fortune Hall to help her sister Tavy, with a project, Jess begins to follow the clues to discover the connection between the great house and the Gwyn sisters. What secrets does this great hall hold and can the reputation of the Gwyn family be saved in time? The mystery of the past and the present collide in Nicola Cornick’s latest novel, “The Other Gwyn Girl.”
Adventures of a Tudor Nerd 