Costanza, Rachel Blackmore - Paige
This is such an addictive and atmospheric read. I can feel sweat coating my skin, dust kicked up on my feet, the aroma of fresh bread and honey, the tang of dark red wine, the shouts of eccentric Italians artists called across crowded streets filled with horses and merchants.
Costanza is based on true events: a woman tired of her the-same-everyday lifestyle, tempted into an affair with not only revered sculptor Gianlorenzo Bernini, but the society that comes with him. She’s flying high above her station, dizzy with the temptations and luxuries that come with being a secret lover in 17th Century Rome. Despite her family’s concerns, Costanza can’t resist flying to close to the sun, and once her wings are burnt to nothing, where will she fall? Who will she be?
This story is completely fascinating, both as a novel and as an example of gender and class politics in social history. When we switch between points of view - from Costanza to Lorenzo to Luigi and back - the cross-section of society we cut through is so juicy and revealing and biting. The injustice of it all is enraging! There’s so much tension built over the course of the story, and you find yourself begging Costanza run back to safety; to return to the person she was. But what kind of story would that be? And what sort of character would that make Costanza?
Frankly, we’re here for the drama with this one. It’s a totally unmissable book, destined for awards and five-stars at every turn. I can’t wait to revisit it one day and go through it all over again.
Paige
