THE BOOK FAIR

Review:

Gabriella Mondini is the twenty year old daughter of a physician in 1590’s Venice.  Having no son, the doctor passes his medical practice to his daughter, teaching her of medicinal herbs, and treatments much to her mother’s chagrin, distaste, and anger.  But Gabriella advances, becomes knowledgeable and successful.

Gabriella accompanies her father on visits to patients, even advising him at times on treatments and eventually has her own list of patients.  She prefers to treat women because women have no female doctors to understand and tend their particular needs.

Central to Gabriella’s life is to finish the work with her father on their book of diseases.  Her father, a renowned physician often traveled throughout Europe meeting with other doctors, and attending conferences.  He had not returned from his last travel for some years and began to write letters both mysterious and incoherent.

Without her father’s patronage, Gabriella is informed she would no longer be able to treat patients, even her female patients. This greatly pleased her mother, now certain Gabriella would give up the ludicrous and embarrassing notion of becoming a doctor and finally marry and give her grandchildren.

Instead, Gabriella, to her mother’s horror and disdain, decides to travel in search of her father.  She sets out with her medicine chest, two servants, Lorenzo and Olmina, their pack mules, horses, and supplies.  Gabriella plans their trip by route of the letters she received from her father, which takes them throughout Europe.

 

Interesting plot, poetically written, full of history, rich with details of herbal medicines, and bits of medical lore, a novel of art with a beautiful kindness, tender affection, and love towards animals.