Barbara Quick

I'm usually not a big fan of historical fiction, but Alessandra's story drew me in right from the beginning. Her story is one that fills story books. The girl who is trapped, and longs to be free. Who knows that she is destined for something better. However where Alessandra's story strays from the norm, is that she actually does it! She doesn't just dream about leaving, she doesn't just wish to be better, she does it.

As a character, I fell in love with Alessandra instantly. Her fiesty show more attitude, her love of learning, the way that she didn't care about the conventions of the times. She is truly one of those characters that will sear her way into your brain. Oh, and she's so smart too! I loved the times throughout the book when she simply wasn't satisfied with the answer that was given to her, and she set off to come up with her own that was more logical. Alessandra is the woman's liberation front, before that actually existed. The fact that she had to dress as a man to accomplish what she wanted didn't change that she was all woman. I truly admired her.

Of course woven in and out of her epic journey is a Cinderella story of sorts. Complete with the evil stepmother who wishes that she would just disappear as soon as possible. The romance aspect of the book was really sweet. I liked how realistic it was, and how it was based on a mutual respect of one another. Alessandra and her beau have my heart. Prepare to be emotionally involved in this story as well, the ending wrenched my heart from my chest, but I am still in love with this book.

A Golden Web is a perfect example of a well balanced, well executed and extremely well researched historical novel. If you are not yet a fan of historical fiction, you might want to start with this one! Alessandra's story is one that is easy to believe in, and although Barbara Quick mentions that we aren't entirely sure if she actually existed, if she did she is my hero. Thank you to Quick for sharing her with us! I eagerly await more. show less

I admit to being quite ignorant when it comes to European historical figures. Everything after Rome fell is pretty much a gray area of if I know about its only because of a movie, TV Show or freak accident while reading. So unsurprisingly before I began this book, which is a fictional accounting of Alessandra Giliani, I went researching. And insofar as wikipedia can be trusted I discovered that Alessandra died at a young age (19 years) in a fire.

Well then. I guess I won't be expecting a show more happily ever after will I?

The author shines when it comes to descriptions. Her description of 14th century Italy, of Alessandra's aristocratic lifestyle, of the school in Bologna...this is all meticulously detailed to the point where I would be hard pressed to remember what century I live in. Its not an exaggeration to say I almost felt like I lived in that time period at times.

Unfortunately this didn't translate to the characters and motivations. Alessandra is understood quite well--Quick is at pains to have the reader understand the yearning Alessandra has to learn and become educated. The measures she takes (disguising herself as a boy to attend the Anatomy school in Bologna) so she doesn't have to live the same life as everyone else. Alessandra is well outlined, given the right tools to prove herself, but in the end Quick doesn't spend enough time on any one certain detail beyond that yearning.

And the other characters...truth be told I can't remember any of their names. I read the book about a month ago, but none of the names stuck with me. Which is a product of how bland they were. Even her stepmother, who disliked her so thoroughly, was given such a broad stroke for characterization that I'm hard-pressed to remember why she disliked her.

Whether its meant to be a historical fiction or fictional biography, the book didn't give me a good sense of Alessandra the girl. It gave me a marvelous sense of the problems she faced as a 14th Century aristocrat, but not much about the person behind the name. show less

The fictional retelling of actual events, A Golden Web has me a bit ambivalent. Eloquently written by Quick I found myself going back and forth between really liking the story and not caring either way.

What worked for me most with this book was the historical aspect. When I picked it up I had no idea that it was based on actual events. It wasn’t until I completed it and read the Author’s Note at the end that I realized that Alessandra was real and true. Having that knowledge gave me the show more opportunity to better appreciate the story as well as recognize that the weaknesses I viewed may have been influenced by factors outside of the author’s control.

What were those weaknesses? Well, I wasn’t a fan of how long it took to get to the part where Alessandra disguised herself and went to Bologna to study. I recognize that showing the strife between she and her stepmother as well as the strong relationship between siblings was a foundation that the story needed to have, but it felt very Cinderalla-ish and could have been established much more quickly for my liking.

I also thought that the romance was downplayed a bit. I would have preferred the reader to see a bit more about Alessandra’s future husband earlier on. I felt that their relationship was quite rushed when they discovered each other in later chapters. I imagine this part of the story was set up this way because in history the relationship was downplayed as well but for teenage girls I think that romantic element would draw more in to a story that has great historical value to it.

The story overall was compelling and the fact that it teaches readers about certain events in history they may otherwise not learn about is of significant worth. It is probably the largest strength after Quick’s writing style — I’m glad to say that this is no boring fact listing story. There is excellent dialogue and we certainly get the feel for the era as a result of just the right amount of description. The two elements combined made for a quick and easy read.

While not necessarily a book that is likely to appeal to boys I do think younger girls will gravitate to and be inspired by Alessandra’s story. For that reason I recommend parents of a middle-schooler to grab a copy and encourage their child to read it. show less

In 18th century Venice, Anna Maria dal Violin has lived her entire life in the orphanage where Antonio Vivaldi is maestro and composer. Like most of the other girls, all elite musicians, she was abandoned at the Ospidale de la Pieta as an infant. Maria exhibits great talent – even genius – on the violin and is personally tutored by the maestro himself. Still, she cannot rest until she finds out the truth of her parentage, and her continued efforts in this regard keep her from being show more promoted to the highest ranks within the cloister. Told by Maria in flashback, the story takes the reader from the Jewish Ghetto to the fabulous palaces of the nobility, from a picnic on a remote island to a masked ball in the company of a king.

This sounds like a really interesting book. I love historical fiction. I studied music for many years and wanted to immerse myself in the world of the composer. But the book failed to deliver. The story is slow to take off and I kept waiting for something to happen. At one point I realized I was more than half-way through and still the plot was barely moving forward. Once Anna Maria figured out a few key players, however, the story captured my attention, and I devoured the last quarter of the book. Too bad I had to wade through so much sludge before I got to the interesting part. show less