DANTE'S FLAME by Jannine Corti-Petska takes readers into the quagmire of
politics existing outside castle walls. We know the facts as revealed by
history, but DANTE'S FLAME shows us the human lives behind the scenes. I give
this Italian tale three stars for its imagery and dialogue.
DANTE'S FLAME
tells the medieval tale of Alessandra Podesta, a 19-year-old Venetian lady, who
has pushed the boundaries of her father's patience by writing lascivious
stories. She is sent to live in French-controlled Naples with the Valentes,
relatives who are dominated by her violent older cousin. Alessa's penchant for
wandering unescorted through the city and sneaking out at night lands her in hot
water with her uncle, who determines that she needs a husband to help control
her.
Alessa's uncle marries her off to her French tutor, Dante
Santangelo, who is secretly working with the French to maintain their rule over
Naples. Dante initially uses his tutoring position, and then later his marriage
to Alessandra, to uncover evidence of the family's aiding of the Spanish. Alessa
stumbles across dangerous information, including a plot to assassinate Queen
Isabella, the French regent of Naples. In attempting to get help, she trusts the
wrong people and endangers her life, and Dante must choose between his wife and
his queen.
The key to enjoying this book is to keep in mind what life was
like for young women in medieval times; they had very little freedom, and
regardless of education, they were often kept ignorant of the world at large. So
when Alessandra makes some really bone-headed moves, it is more understandable.
My favorite lines that illustrate this aspect of the story are when he asks her,
"Are you so addle-minded, you cannot learn from experience?" and Alessa's
responds, "I am not addle-minded. I simply have a need to…to seek answers to
appease my curiosity." While Alessa may seem ditzy, if you put yourself in her
shoes, you can easily see how she is just amazed and intrigued by the world
around her.
The rest of the dialogue in the book is well crafted to help
the reader stay in medieval times. I wasn't distracted by modern colloquialisms,
and the descriptions of the city were quintessential Italy. I've been lost in
the maze of narrow streets and alleyways before, and it's not easy to find your
way back home, even with a map!
After a great start, the storyline got a
bit muddled in the middle when, after getting married, Dante can't decide
whether to sleep with Alessandra or not. Perhaps a bit more time could have been
spent developing their relationship through dialogue and time spent together.
The "I love you's" didn't seem very credible under the circumstances. It was
obvious Dante is amused by Alessandra and that she is enamored of him, but that
they had fallen in love with each other was a bit of a stretch for me. There was
a moment when I thought the novel might veer off into the BDSM genre, but I was
greatly relieved to see Dante act according to his character's paradigm.
Thinking back about the scene, it probably wasn't so scandalous when considered
in historical context. Perhaps my qualms with the romantic element here exist
because falling in love was much different in medieval times than what we expect
today.
What was most interesting to me was the political intrigue, and
the conclusion of the book was my favorite part. As a fan of history, I love how
fiction can bring history alive. DANTE'S FLAME definitely puts human faces to
the conflict in Italy at that time, and there were parts of the novel where I
couldn't put it down, especially the conclusion. The end of the story is fraught
with peril and suspense, and easily could have been cut from a major motion
picture. No spoilers here, though! You'll just have to read it
yourself.
On the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed DANTE'S FLAME, and recommend
it to any lovers of historical fiction.
Review originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6542
