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Product Description
Review
“A cast of complex characters breathe new life into the classic star-crossed lovers trope while affording readers a look at a facet of Renaissance life beyond the far more common viscounts and courtesans. Dunant’s an accomplished storyteller, and this is a rich and rewarding novel.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Dunant's brilliant imagination is at its powerful best as she re-creates the routines, the crotchets and tiny details of convent life in 1570. The reader can hear the rustle of nuns' habits and the murmur of their prayers….[a] captivating novel…packed with complex relationships, passion, sorrow and religious devotion….this novel unequivocally does what fiction is supposed to do and rarely does: It takes us to a place we could never personally experience. Dunant creates such a living and tangible environment, built on meticulous yet unobtrusive research, that she shares with us the joys and sorrows, the frustration and anger, the rebellion, submission and sometimes even the presence of God.”—Washington Post
“A great read that throws a light in a hidden corner of history, with a bonus: Although written for a secular crowd, it never discounts the possibility of miracles.”—Cleveland Plain Dealer
“Engrossing…. Dunant brings the period vividly to life, portraying in detail the complex, claustrophobic world of the convent.” —Boston Globe
“Original, engrossing, meticulously researched, this is a fascinating tale….This novel has everything: period detail, political intrigue, love, mystery, social strife, and epic cattiness.” —Elle
From the Hardcover edition. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
“Dunant's brilliant imagination is at its powerful best as she re-creates the routines, the crotchets and tiny details of convent life in 1570. The reader can hear the rustle of nuns' habits and the murmur of their prayers….[a] captivating novel…packed with complex relationships, passion, sorrow and religious devotion….this novel unequivocally does what fiction is supposed to do and rarely does: It takes us to a place we could never personally experience. Dunant creates such a living and tangible environment, built on meticulous yet unobtrusive research, that she shares with us the joys and sorrows, the frustration and anger, the rebellion, submission and sometimes even the presence of God.”—Washington Post
“A great read that throws a light in a hidden corner of history, with a bonus: Although written for a secular crowd, it never discounts the possibility of miracles.”—Cleveland Plain Dealer
“Engrossing…. Dunant brings the period vividly to life, portraying in detail the complex, claustrophobic world of the convent.” —Boston Globe
“Original, engrossing, meticulously researched, this is a fascinating tale….This novel has everything: period detail, political intrigue, love, mystery, social strife, and epic cattiness.” —Elle
From the Hardcover edition. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Book Description
1570 in the Italian city of Ferrara, and the convent of Santa Caterina is filled with noble women who are married to Christ because many cannot find husbands outside. Enter sixteen-year-old Serafina, ripped by her family from an illicit love affair, howling with rage and hormones and determined to escape. While on the other side of the great walls, counter-reformation forces in the Church are pushing for change, inside, Serafina's spirit and defiance ignite a fire that threatens to engulf the whole convent. SACRED HEARTS is a novel about power, creativity and passion - both of the body and of the soul. Hidden history brought alive by a wonderful storyteller, renowned for her Italian Renaissance novels.
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Most helpful customer reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A glimpse into a cloistered world,
By
This review is from: Sacred Hearts (Hardcover)
I loved Sarah Dunant's "In the Company of the Courtesan" and I love this one, too. From high-class prostitutes to nuns - quite an about-face for this author, who can create a world that absorbs and entrances. I found the story worked because she neither idolized the sisters, nor evinced hatred for the Catholic Church. The book was balanced - there are good nuns and bad nuns, those who are spiritual and those who are more earthly, but no one is a particular villain or a saint.I was especially moved by the story of the young woman who is put into the convent against her will because of a love affair of which her parents did not approve. Her torment is palpable, and so understandable. A small "cell" - a haven to a committed nun; a prison to a reluctant young woman. It was interesting to contemplate how a belief or an attitude transforms what a person encounters in life. I found the characters well-drawn and believable. The ending is a bit "high romance" for my style (unlike the delightfully unsentimental - for the most part - courtesan), but the plot is gripping, and I felt as if the world I entered was valid and real, and that I learned from it.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointed,
By Bookluvr "Bookluvr" (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Sacred Hearts (Hardcover)
I loved Sarah Dunant's books The Birth of Venus and In the Company of the Courtesan. I bought this one in hardcover with great anticipation and was very disappointed. Although the description of the book sounded quite interesting, I couldn't get into the characters and it dragged for me. I found myself skimming. The ending did pick up however it took a good 300 pages before the story got a bit more exciting. I suspect most of her fans will be disappointed with this novel also.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Page Turner!!!!,
By
This review is from: Sacred Hearts: A Novel (Paperback)
Just finished Birth of Venus (excellent), and decided to give this a try too hoping it wouldn't disappoint. I couldn't put this one down either. I wouldn't have thought a story of life in a convent could be so riviting. The book is rich with life during the renaissance, and the co-heroines of the story are an unlikely pair. The reader can't help but get caught up in their struggles. Serafina's rebellious nature is captivating - and you can't help rooting for her.
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