Read with Fern

In 15th-century Volterra, sculptress Ravenna Maffei enters a competition hosted by a secretive, immortal family who offer an invaluable boon to the victor. Desperate to win so she can save her brother, Ravenna reveals a rare magical talent–a dangerous act in a city where magic is forbidden. Her revelation makes her a target, and she is kidnapped by the Luni family and taken to Florence, a city of breathtaking beauty and cutthroat ambition.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I devoured The Secrets of the Nile duology and was thrilled to get an advanced ebook and audiobook of Isabel Ibañez’s new adult historical fantasy set in 15th century Italy! The story follows Ravenna Maffei, a young woman who’s worked herself to the bone keeping her family’s inn running while also dreaming of following her aunt’s footsteps and being a sculptress. And after winning a sculpting competition by using her secret magic, Ravenna finds herself being kidnapped by the aristocratic family that held the competition.

I really enjoyed the set-up of this book and Ravenna’s character. Her backstory was truly fascinating and I always love the way Ibañez writes her female leads as smart, stubborn, and incorrigibly headstrong. Learning about life in the 15th century Italian countryside was intriguing, and Ravenna’s quick transfer to a main city filled with scandal and societal rules was interesting to dive into.

My one star deduction stemmed from the side plot that featured the Pope. While the initial twists of a magical world being damned by the Pope was fascinating, it devolved into actual chapters from the Pope’s point of view, highlighting his maniacal plots and plans. The rest of the story did have a dark tone, but the Pope’s addition is really what turned the book from a historical romance fantasy to a historical gothic brimstone & fire fantasy. 

Overall, this was a great transition from Ibañez’s YA duology I’d recently read, and I enjoyed how unique the plot was. I would recommend this to anyone who likes the concept of historical fiction, but does not want to be required to know too many actual historical facts and timelines ahead of time.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the free advanced audiobook and Saturday Books for the free advanced ebook in exchange for an honest review!