Melissa Muldoon delivers 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, Isabel de Medici. Fascinated by the history surrounding the princess, Nora hopes to uncover part of the mystery surrounding her tragic death and a painting of Isabella and her mother that has been missing for decades. There is also the rumor of Isabella’s ghost to consider.
While in Italy, Nora meets an old friend and meets several new ones. Of particular interest is Gianluca (Luca) Donati, an antique business owner that has been in his family for generations. When Luca shares details about her ancestor’s involvement in smuggling famous artworks out of the country during World War II, Nora’s investigation takes her another path, exploring the life of Margherita, Luca’s grandmother. Muldoon magically weaves the lives of Nora, Isabella, and Margherita, over many centuries, into a story that will mesmerize and haunt readers long after the last page is read.
As a huge Melissa Muldoon fan since reading her debut novel, “Dreaming Sophia,” I couldn’t wait to immerse myself in “Waking Isabella.” The author has such a unique voice that you can feel her personality in every sentence. His writing is magical, incorporating his distinctive style through various methods. She eloquently carries the reader from past to present and vice versa with perfect delivery. She goes from real-time drama to fantasy snippets through almost dreamlike sequences. She offers historical references and speaks of enduring traditions that drive him to want to learn more, and she exhibits a contemporary voice through her leads, while weaving bits of Italian into the dialogue. I’ve read books where the intermixing languages actually pulled me out of a story, but not in “Waking Isabella,” where the words flow harmoniously together, further enhancing the individuality and voice of the author.
The characters are intriguing, versatile, and genuine. At the beginning of the story, readers are drawn to the character of Isabella, capturing at once the essence of her free spirit and 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 depicted and it’s a thrilling twist inside their heads.
Clearly “Waking Isabella” required extensive research, although it certainly feels like a labor of love. Muldoon’s passion for Italy is evident and I really enjoyed the addition of the last pages of the book, where he provides information that distinguishes fact from fictional parts of the story. I found these tidbits to be the perfect way to summarize, inviting and encouraging the reader to learn more about the historical period, if so. All in all I’d say Melissa Muldoon’s “Waking Isabella” is a must read for all fans of Italy, history, romance, and intrigue. Eccellente!
