Melissa Muldoon offers a charming story set in Arezzo, Italy, about love, intrigue, mystery, traditions, and art in her latest novel, “Waking Isabella.”
Leonora (Nora), a young research assistant at a crossroads in her life, travels to Italy to film a documentary about the 16th-century Italian princess Isabella de’ Medici. Fascinated with the history surrounding the princess, Nora hopes to uncover some of the mystery surrounding her tragic death and a painting of Isabella and her mother who has been missing for decades. There is also the rumor of Isabella’s ghost to consider.
While in Italy, Nora reconnects with an old friend and meets several new ones. Of particular interest is Gianluca (Luca) Donati, the owner of an antiques business that has been in his family for generations. When Luca shares details about her ancestor’s involvement in smuggling famous works of art out of the country during World War II, Nora’s investigation takes her down another path, exploring the life of Margherita, Luca’s grandmother. Muldoon magically weaves together the lives of Nora, Isabella and Margherita, spanning many centuries, in a story that will fascinate and haunt readers long after the last page is read.
As a huge fan of Melissa Muldoon since reading her first novel, “Dreaming Sophia,” I couldn’t wait to dive into “Waking Isabella.” The author has such a unique voice that you can feel her personality in every sentence. Her writing is magical, as she incorporates her distinctive style through various methods. Eloquently, she takes the reader from the past to the present and back again with flawless delivery. She transitions from real-time drama to fragments of fantasy through almost dreamlike sequences. She provides historical references and speaks of time-honored traditions that drive one to want to learn more, and she exhibits a contemporary voice through her protagonists, as she weaves bits of Italian into the dialogue. I’ve read books where the mix of languages actually pulled me out of a story, but not so in “Waking Isabella,” where the words flow together in harmony, further heightening the author’s individuality and voice.
The characters are intriguing, versatile and genuine. At the beginning of the story, readers are drawn to the character of Isabella, capturing both the essence of her free spirit and her strength in light of the heartbreaking end of her short life. The character of the protagonist Nora grows impressively with the story as she overcomes her fears with courage and determination to reinvent herself and follow her dreams. The supporting characters are equally authentically portrayed and it’s an exciting twist inside their heads.
Clearly “Waking Isabella” required extensive research, though it certainly feels like a labor of love. Muldoon’s passion for Italy is evident and I really enjoyed the addition of the last few pages of the book where she provides information that distinguishes the factual from the fictional parts of the story. I found this data to be the perfect way to wrap things up, inviting and encouraging the reader to learn more about the historical period, if they so choose. All in all, I’d say Melissa Muldoon’s “Waking Isabella” is a must read for all fans of Italy, history, romance, and intrigue. Excellent!