My book review of “Ginevra | An Italian Love Story” written by Simone van der Vlugt
In my view…
The story of this book is an Italian legend. This book is shaped by a fictional story written around a real existed person named Ginevra degli Almieri. She was a young adult living in Florence ca. ~1396. She was ready to grow up, fall in love with a man and marry him. But the habits and behaviors in a noble family that was common in that era, did not make it easy to marry the one you love. This is an Italian historical love story and it mostly written like you would expect a love story to be written. But a certain, true historical, event takes place and you can imagine what happens to all the characters and the citizens of Florence. It is just a particular part during that event that starts shaping the Italian legend of Ginevra degli Almieri It is not a story really comparable to other stories I have read so far. How would I imagine how the characters are dressed, how they behave, how the streets of the city looks like…. and so on. There is a map included in the book just before the start of the first chapter. But I did not understand the drawn footsteps on the map. Now I do understand that it has everything to do with the particular part during the true historical event. And how I imagine the characters? I think of The Vampire Diaries dresses and carriages, the Downton Abbey noble behaviors and the streets of Florence, the Duomo and The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore and some churches I have seen myself during a summer holiday in Florence back in 2014. The story with the legend of Ginevra is one everyone should read if you (have) visit(ed) Florence.
Writing style / spelling
In the book I have not found any spelling or grammar mistakes so it was a nice to read. Also the pace of the story quickens up towards the end and this turns the story from a historical novel into a thriller part. And it ends as a historic novel so it is not a spliced book. But really wow that thriller part because I did not expect at all such a situation nor have ever read it anywhere else. Cleverly written!
Main characters
The main character is Ginevra degli Almieri who is the daughter of the noble family of Bernardo degli Almieri. There are two famous Florence families alongside this noble family. This is the Alberti family consisting of Guiscardo, Fiametta – Ginevra’s good friend, Luigi, Emilia, Matteo, Ludovico and Massimo. The other important family is the Rondinelli family existing of Pietro, Chiaria, Catarina and Antonio Rondinelli. Also the noble man who owns quite a palace with several entrances – reminded me of the Medici palaces -, Francesco Agolanti, plays an important role.
There are several side characters but if I would reveal them all I would give away how they are all related to the story.
I hope you like the book too. It is worth to read it! I am not telling about the story too much– never do in my book reviews – you have to read the book yourself and make your own opinion.
Greetings by Sophie
Book Facts:
Title: Ginevra | Een Italiaanse liefdesgeschiedenis [NL] / Ginevra | An Italian Love Story
Author: Simone van der Vlugt
Genre: Historical Novel
ISBN: 9789026337055
Publisher: Ambo Anthos
Year 1st edition & read edition: 2017
Year read: 2017
Original title & language: Ginevra | Een Italiaanse liefdesgeschiedenis [NL]
Read language: Dutch
Pages: 188
Places: Florence
Rating: 5 / 5 stars!
Sophie's Creative 
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