Synopses & Reviews
Sixteen-year-old Silvano da Montacuto has wealth, good looks, a new hawk--and an infatuation with a merchant's wife. When a man is murdered in his town, Silvano's bloody dagger is found, and he is accused of the crime. For his own protection, he is sent to a Franciscan House, where he poses as a novice, or a young monk. There, he lays eyes on Chiara, a lovely novice at the nearby Abbey of the Poor Claires. Both Chiara and Silvano are put to work mixing paint pigments for a nearby basilica. But murder seems to have followed Silvano, and soon several other dead bodies turn up. Who is committing the crimes? Will a young man accused of multiple murders be able to clear himself? And what about the girl he adores? Fans of Mary Hoffman's critically acclaimed Stravaganza series won't be disappointed in the romance, colorful web of intrigue, and rich, marvelous setting--a Name of the Rose for teens!
Review
From Publisher's Weekly*Starred Review* Highly entertaining mystery-farce hybrid. --Publishers Weekly From Kirkus ReviewsA rollicking, romantic tale. --Kirkus Reviews From VOYAFans of Hoffman's Stravaganza series will grab this one up. --VOYA From The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books[A] lively and clever puzzle that young readers will enjoy unraveling; it's flavored by its Italian Renaissance setting, laced with mild romance, and colored by information about producing dyes for church frescoes. --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Synopsis
The award-winning author of the Stravaganza series has done it again with this atmospheric adventure set in Renaissance Italy. Sixteen-year-old Silvano da Montacuto has wealth, good looks, and a new hawk-but none of these can save him when his bloody dagger is found near a dead body. For his own protection, he is sent to a Franciscan House, where he poses as a novice, or a young monk. There, he lays eyes on Chiara, a lovely novice at a nearby abbey who is also living in secret. When they fall in love, their secret identities make it impossible to reveal their feelings to one another.
Murder seems to have followed Silvano, and soon several other dead bodies turn up. Who is committing the crimes? Will a young man accused of multiple murders be able to clear himself? And what about the girl he adores? Fans of Mary Hoffman's critically acclaimed Stravaganza series won't be disappointed in the romance, colorful web of intrigue, and rich, marvelous setting.
Synopsis
The award-winning author of the Stravaganza series has done it again with this atmospheric adventure set in Renaissance Italy. Chiara and Silvano come from different worlds, but when they fall in love while living in exile and posing as religious novices, they are powerless to reveal their feelings to one another. And a few suspicious murders dont make their love lives any simpler! These intertwining stories unfold in a fantastic and completely entertaining romp that is marvelously engaging and filled with swirling intrigue.
About the Author
Mary Hoffman is a bestselling author and reviewer. She is the author of the Stravaganza series, which was called "utterly fascinating" in a starred review from Booklist. She lives with her family in England.