The Brightest Star

 The Brightest Star

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       July 3, 2022

 

Author  Emma Harcourt

Distributor:      HarperCollins Publishers Australia
ISBN:                 9781489249166
Publisher:         Harper Collins Publishers Australia/HQ Fiction AU
Release Date:   July 2022  

   Website:   https://www.harpercollins.com.au

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The Brightest Star is a fantastic opportunity to learn about everyday life in Florence in the 1400’s. Emma Harcourt has presented us with an Historical Fiction which is detailed and widespread, showing customs, traditions and beliefs of the times. From the poultices that father had for his wine induced headaches, to the machinations of the famous Medici family, we are immersed in the times.

The lead character, Leonarda Luna, is a remarkable young woman, and we follow her story from birth. She was born on the night of a full moon and has a crippled foot. Her father, on holding her in his arms, fell in love with the babe. Sadly, her mother died shortly after the birth.

Luna, as she was called, grew up in the loving protection of her father and Friar Bartolomeo who was responsible in guiding Lunar in her studies; as she spent most of her days inside and loved reading, this was an easy task. Soon she became a formidable scholar and began questioning a women’s role in society and academics. Her father was a serious student and provided Luna with many books and opportunities for study.

As Luna grew, society’s expectations, religious doctrine, ignorance and fear of people with a deformity, were to deny her a chance to follow the path in life that she longed for. The Medici family had just been exiled from Florence and a new preacher had arrived at the church. He was ferocious in his zeal to cleanse the population by using gangs of followers to wreck houses of alleged sinners and destroy all that was new.

But this is Luna’s story, and it is for her that we read on, willing for some justice and common sense to prevail. Her intelligent and feisty personality would be challenged severely.

The Brightest Star set in Florence in 1496 at the height of the Renaissance, is a captivating read from the first to last page as we walk with Luna through the dangerous years of change.

Fiction, History