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The Lover’s Path
Filamena Ziani has had a privileged life. Her sister, Tulia, is a famous courtesan in Venice, and in the sixteenth century that allowed Tulia to provide for both herself and Filamena after their mother died. It also allowed Filamena to dedicate herself to music. Her talent made her famous and gave her the name – la filomela, the nightingale. But Filamena wants more: she wants to become a virtuosa, a great musician, but to do that she needs a patron. She hoped that she could find one in the rich cardinal that came to her sister’s party. But she was distracted from her goal by a mysterious and handsome stranger. And that’s how their story starts, or as the book states:
Here begins the lover’s path
In which joy and sorrow
Are joined as
One.
This book is a wonderful journey that lets the reader see the part of Filamena’s past that shaped her life, seen through her eyes as she writes about it two decades later. It’s hopeful, romantic and tragic. And then there are the illustrations! They enhance the experience of the book, and make it all that more easier for the reader to immerse in the story. The story feels completely authentic to the time period, as a matter of fact, it is presented as an artifact from a museum, museum information, maps and all. That might make it a bit problematic for readers not fond of the dramatic style of writing, but it fits. All in all, “The Lover’s Path” is a wonderful, immersive journey that will enchant readers!
Ana Smith