A Golden Web

Here is the story of Alessandra Giliani, a curious and smart girl living in fourteenth century Italy.  She loves to learn and is the smartest child of her household.  Unfortunately, her stepmother does not like her.  So she is locked away until she is ready to get married.  But Alessandra will not submit to this and devises a plan to go away to the university, defying society's expectations.

The cold stone of the floor seemed to grow warmer and softer beneath her knees.  And in the candlelight, after many Ave Marias, she saw a golden web cast itself like a veil over the face of the Virgin.  p.85 ARC

A Golden Web is based on a real girl who became an anatomist and a female prosector.  So it was interesting to see the few known facts about this woman turned into a book.  Alesandra was a very strong willed and kind girl and she wanted to learn but was held back because she was only a girl and her two choices were to get married or become a nun.  But she found a way around that.

I'm not one for historical fiction in general, but I liked this little book.  It did read in places like a history book, but I learned about book- making and a little about how medicine and the body was thought to work back then.  I wasn't too keen on the ending.  It seemed rushed.  But I guess it is just following along with history.

publish date April 6, 2010 Harper Teen
ARC from Traveling ARC Tours  

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