“Garnished with sly wit and broad humor, the novel is a late-Renaissance caper. Grover Gardner, veteran narrator of the Montalbano series, delivers a marvelous performance, serving up the many Spanish and Italian phrases con brio. Just listening to him uttering the names of such characters as Don Angel de Guzmàn, marquis de Castel de Roderigo, is a joy in itself.” Washington Post (audio review)
Description
From the author of the Inspector Montalbano series comes the remarkable account of an exceptional woman who rises to power in seventeenth-century Sicily and brings about sweeping changes that threaten the iron-fisted patriarchy, before being cast out in a coup after only twenty-seven days.
Sicily, April 16, 1677. From his deathbed, Charles III’s viceroy, don Angel de Guzmàn, marquis of Castel de Roderigo, names his wife, donna Eleonora, as his successor. Eleonora di Mora is a highly intelligent and capable woman who immediately applies her political acumen to heal the scarred soul of Palermo, a city afflicted by poverty, misery, and the frequent uprisings they entail.
The marquise implements measures that include lowering the price of bread, reducing taxes for large families, reopening women’s care facilities, and establishing stipends for young couples wishing to marry—all measures that were considered seditious by the conservative city fathers and by the Church. The machinations of powerful men soon result as donna Eleonora, whom the Church sees as a dangerous revolutionary, is recalled to Spain. Her rule lasted twenty-seven days—one cycle of the moon.
Based on a true story, Camilleri’s gripping and richly imagined novel tells the story of a woman whose courage and political vision is tested at every step by misogyny and reactionary conservatism.
Praise
“Garnished with sly wit and broad humor, the novel is a late-Renaissance caper. Grover Gardner, veteran narrator of the Montalbano series, delivers a marvelous performance, serving up the many Spanish and Italian phrases con brio. Just listening to him uttering the names of such characters as Don Angel de Guzmàn, marquis de Castel de Roderigo, is a joy in itself.” Washington Post (audio review)
“Grover Gardner’s mastery of witty narration adds relish to this historical novel…Gardner lithely delivers the delightful contemporary vocabulary, which elevates the entertainment value of this age-old story of dirty politics. His effervescent voice becomes almost angelic as he recounts Dona Elenora’s elegant words, laced with Spanish phrases. The lush Italian names are delivered smoothly, allowing the listener to envision pompous, power-hungry men and the compassionate woman who called the shots for twenty-seven days.” AudioFile
“Suspense, surprises, and courtly intrigues abound in this story of power that also doubles as a tribute to women and their sensibilities.” Panorama (Italy)
“Eleonora, a woman forgotten by history, will come alive to the reader. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to discover a remarkable, forgotten woman.” Historical Novels Review
"[Camilleri’s] sly, wry approach to matters of morality, politics, crime, and sexual dynamics seasons a stew of facts and fiction to perfection.” Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association
Details
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Release Day | Nov 27, 2017 |
| Release Date | November 28, 2017 |
| Release Date Machine | 1511827200 |
| Imprint | Blackstone Publishing |
| Provider | Blackstone Publishing |
| Categories | Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Biographical Fiction, Fiction - All, Fiction - Adult |
Author Bio
Andrea Camilleri (1925–2019) wrote the internationally bestselling Inspector Montalbano mysteries as well as historical novels. His books have been made into television shows in Italy and translated into thirty-two languages. His thirteenth Montalbano novel, The Potter’s Field, won the Crime Writers’ Association International Dagger Award and was longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.
Narrator Bio
Grover Gardner (a.k.a. Tom Parker) is an award-winning narrator with over a thousand titles to his credit. Named one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, he has won three prestigious Audie Awards, was chosen Narrator of the Year for 2005 by Publishers Weekly, and has earned more than thirty Earphones Awards.
Overview
From the author of the Inspector Montalbano series comes the remarkable account of an exceptional woman who rises to power in seventeenth-century Sicily and brings about sweeping changes that threaten the iron-fisted patriarchy, before being cast out in a coup after only twenty-seven days.
Sicily, April 16, 1677. From his deathbed, Charles III’s viceroy, don Angel de Guzmàn, marquis of Castel de Roderigo, names his wife, donna Eleonora, as his successor. Eleonora di Mora is a highly intelligent and capable woman who immediately applies her political acumen to heal the scarred soul of Palermo, a city afflicted by poverty, misery, and the frequent uprisings they entail.
The marquise implements measures that include lowering the price of bread, reducing taxes for large families, reopening women’s care facilities, and establishing stipends for young couples wishing to marry—all measures that were considered seditious by the conservative city fathers and by the Church. The machinations of powerful men soon result as donna Eleonora, whom the Church sees as a dangerous revolutionary, is recalled to Spain. Her rule lasted twenty-seven days—one cycle of the moon.
Based on a true story, Camilleri’s gripping and richly imagined novel tells the story of a woman whose courage and political vision is tested at every step by misogyny and reactionary conservatism.
Reviews
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