G618 Book Review of Alchemy's Daughter by Mary A Osborne
Name of Book: Alchemy's Daughter Author: Mary A Osborne ISBN: 978-1-936181-17-9 Publisher: Lake Street Press Type of book: 1344-1348, midwives, witches, Italy, romance, self fulfillment, marriage, choices, philosopher's stone, young adult, herbs, medieval ages Year it was published: 2015 Summary: Santina Pietra is seventeen and in medieval San Gimignano, daughters of merchants are expected to marry. But Santina cares only for Calandrino, a brilliant young scholar who is preoccupied with his ancient alchemical texts. Soon Santina meets Trotula, the village midwife, who might or might not be a strega, or witch. Trotula challenges her to forget Calandrino and become the woman she is meant to be. Some say she is a victim of the midwife’s spell, but Santina is determined to follow in Trotula’s footsteps even as calamities strike. The setting is 14th century Italy, yet in Santina contemporary readers will discover a strong-minded young woman whose search for ...