THE BOOK FAIR

Review:

Francesca Giordano, sophisticated, charming, and wise beyond her twenty years, manipulates her way to Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia himself, and becomes his poisoner, as was her father’s position before his murder.  Given education by her father in alchemy, Francesca chooses to use her knowledge and power to battle evil.  Friend to the precocious Lucrezia, and lover to the hot headed Cesare, daughter and son of Borgia, Francesca must maneuver carefully.

Intent on becoming Pope, Borgia will stop at nothing to achieve his goal.  Intrigue, danger, and murder, dominate the Borgia reign, and Francesca, entrusted with the formidable task of keeping the Borgia family safe, during his tenuous climb to Popehood, gages Borgia’s moods.

In the year of 1492, Ferdinand and Isabelle expelled the Jews from Spain and the Rome Ghetto is overflowing.  It is the time of the Inquisition; Pope Innocent has plans to expel the Jews; Borgia has his own plans.

Under Borgia’s direction, Francesca secretly seeks out contacts in the Ghetto and soon softens her disdain of the Jews, witness to their horrid mistreatment and wretched poverty.  Soon, to Francesca’s astonishment the pursuit of her father’s murderer also pulls her into the Jewish Ghetto.  

Borgia is obsessed with the Popedom.  The Jews are concerned with the edict.  Francesca meets David Ben Eliezar, who has little patience for Jewish elders making deals for Jewish lives, is tired of seeing his people suffer and wants to fight.  Francesca tells the Jews she is on their side.  On her quest to find her father’s murderer, Francesca carefully navigates the dangers of court politics, as she plots the assassination of the Pope.

Descriptively detailed, “Poison,” flows on a rich palate of color and texture.  Journeying into the Renaissance Era, the story ultimately reveals a darker history of the times, largely unknown. The characters, so vividly drawn, offer an intense portrait of life during the era.