What do you think?
Rate this book
Passion Blue #1
Passion Blue
"Be sure you know your true heart’s desire, or you may find yourself surprised by what you receive."
This is the warning the Astrologer-Sorcerer gives Giulia when she pays him to create a magical talisman for her. The scorned illegitimate daughter of a Milanese nobleman, Giulia is determined to defy the dire fate predicted by her horoscope, and use the talisman to claim what she believes is her heart’s desire: true love and a place where she belongs–not likely prospects for a girl about to be packed off to the cloistered world of a convent.
But the convent of Santa Marta is full of surprises. There are strict rules, long hours of work, and spiteful rivalries…but there’s also friendship, and the biggest surprise of all: a workshop of female artists who produce paintings of astonishing beauty, using a luminous blue mixed from a secret formula: Passion blue. Yet even as Giulia begins to learn the mysteries of the painter’s craft, the magic of the talisman is at work, and a forbidden romance beckons her down a path of uncertainty and danger. She is haunted by the sorcerer’s warning, and by a question: does she really know the true compass of her heart?
Set in Renaissance Italy, this richly imagined novel about a girl’s daring journey towards self-discovery transports readers into a fascinating, exotic world where love, faith, and art inspire passion–of many different hues.(
This is the warning the Astrologer-Sorcerer gives Giulia when she pays him to create a magical talisman for her. The scorned illegitimate daughter of a Milanese nobleman, Giulia is determined to defy the dire fate predicted by her horoscope, and use the talisman to claim what she believes is her heart’s desire: true love and a place where she belongs–not likely prospects for a girl about to be packed off to the cloistered world of a convent.
But the convent of Santa Marta is full of surprises. There are strict rules, long hours of work, and spiteful rivalries…but there’s also friendship, and the biggest surprise of all: a workshop of female artists who produce paintings of astonishing beauty, using a luminous blue mixed from a secret formula: Passion blue. Yet even as Giulia begins to learn the mysteries of the painter’s craft, the magic of the talisman is at work, and a forbidden romance beckons her down a path of uncertainty and danger. She is haunted by the sorcerer’s warning, and by a question: does she really know the true compass of her heart?
Set in Renaissance Italy, this richly imagined novel about a girl’s daring journey towards self-discovery transports readers into a fascinating, exotic world where love, faith, and art inspire passion–of many different hues.(
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2012
16 people are currently reading
1705 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Strauss
19 books131 followersI'm the author of nine novels for adults and young adults, including the Stone duology ("The Arm of the Stone" and "The Garden of the Stone"); the Way of Arata duology ("The Burning Land" and "The Awakened City"); and "Passion Blue" and "Color Song," a pair of historical novels for teens. I've reviewed books for SF Site, Black Gate, and Fantasy magazine, and my articles on writing and how to get published have appeared in Writer’s Digest and elsewhere. In 2006, I served as a judge for the World Fantasy Awards.
I'm an active member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), and co-founder, with Ann Crispin, of Writer Beware, a publishing industry watchdog group that warns about literary schemes and scams. I maintain the Writer Beware website, blog, and Facebook pages, and I was honored with the SFWA Service Award in 2009.
I'm an active member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), and co-founder, with Ann Crispin, of Writer Beware, a publishing industry watchdog group that warns about literary schemes and scams. I maintain the Writer Beware website, blog, and Facebook pages, and I was honored with the SFWA Service Award in 2009.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
November 6, 2012
My review can also be found on my blog Collections.
4.5 stars
Historical fiction usually isn't a genre I seek out to read, but after finding out that Megan Whalen Turner, the author of The Queen's Thief fantasy series, praised it as a "lovely read," I knew I had to give Passion Blue a chance. I'm so glad I did because it was such a beautiful and vivid story.
Passion Blue centered around a young woman named Giulia, who desperately wanted a family of her own so that she could be cherished and loved. It was easy to root for Giulia. She was a wonderful character and very relatable. Who wouldn't want to be loved? And why would you deny anyone that? After she was forced to go to Santa Marta to become a nun, I loved that she didn't lose hope and did whatever she could to reach her dream. Her bravery and determination were inspiring. She wasn't perfect, though. She made naive decisions, but I really appreciate characters who are strong enough to own up to their choices and admit when they are wrong. It was great seeing her learn from her mistakes and grow tremendously as a person.
I also loved how passionate Giulia was about both having a family and creating artwork. I'm glad she didn't focus completely on one of those things. In the beginning I was all for Giulia finding love. I felt she deserved that kind of happiness because she had been alone for a long time. Plus, I love romance. It's what I always want in the books I read. But as the story progressed, I began to realize how much she deeply loved drawing and painting. Seeing as this book was set hundreds of years ago in Italy, and having an idea of what was expected of women back then, I knew she wouldn't be able to seriously continue doing artwork if she left the convent. Still, I couldn't help but hope that somehow Giulia would be able to have both things in her life.
That's another thing I liked about this book. Giulia may have wanted a family and she may have wanted to paint, but in the end, she couldn't have both. She had to sacrifice one thing in order to gain the other. It was a hard choice, but it made the story much more realistic. It probably doesn't seem like it would result in a happy ending, but I truly believe the choice Giulia made at the end is what will bring her the most joy in her life. I was in complete support of the path she chose.
Passion Blue was a vibrant story about yearning and sacrifice and discovering what is the heart's true desire. It was a very satisfying read. I think readers who love a passionate and determined heroine and who appreciate realistic stories with a touch of fantasy in a historical setting will greatly enjoy Passion Blue.
August 22, 2023
Like another reviewer, I read the first few chapters, then skipped to the end and don’t feel like I missed anything. I forced myself to do even that much when I realized that I had requested and received the second book in the series on NetGalley, so I wanted to at least familiarize myself with the characters, story and setting before jumping into the second book.
2, this book bodes poorly for the second volume, stars.
2, this book bodes poorly for the second volume, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2013
Twilight anti-matter
Passion Blue is an engaging story set in Renaissance Italy. Though the action is set in the famous art world of the era don’t’ expect a lot of in-depth information about that milieu though there are some enticing tidbits. The main character is a young girl (she’s 17) who’s just becoming a woman and learning to live on her own. She’s also falling in love. The love story is believable and reinforces the girl’s character and independence. Her coming of age is set in a convent where her evil stepmother has exiled her after her father’s death but she lands among a colony of artist nuns who help teach her her trade. They also help her hone her values. Obviously the story is skewed toward a Christian outlook however Giulia is exposed to other intriguing worldviews such as necromancy and astrology. She’s also an orphan and illegitimate which gives this mostly sweet story an edge. Unlike many Young Adult books “Passion Blue” is not only about finding romantic love, it’s also about finding one’s self.
I have to say a few words about the cover art. It’s lovely. It’s of a beautiful dark haired/eyed young girl wearing little to no makeup. While she looks innocent she also looks intelligent, on the cusp of becoming wise for her age. Her dark hair melds into a blue violet background…a color that plays a large part in the story.
Passion Blue is an engaging story set in Renaissance Italy. Though the action is set in the famous art world of the era don’t’ expect a lot of in-depth information about that milieu though there are some enticing tidbits. The main character is a young girl (she’s 17) who’s just becoming a woman and learning to live on her own. She’s also falling in love. The love story is believable and reinforces the girl’s character and independence. Her coming of age is set in a convent where her evil stepmother has exiled her after her father’s death but she lands among a colony of artist nuns who help teach her her trade. They also help her hone her values. Obviously the story is skewed toward a Christian outlook however Giulia is exposed to other intriguing worldviews such as necromancy and astrology. She’s also an orphan and illegitimate which gives this mostly sweet story an edge. Unlike many Young Adult books “Passion Blue” is not only about finding romantic love, it’s also about finding one’s self.
I have to say a few words about the cover art. It’s lovely. It’s of a beautiful dark haired/eyed young girl wearing little to no makeup. While she looks innocent she also looks intelligent, on the cusp of becoming wise for her age. Her dark hair melds into a blue violet background…a color that plays a large part in the story.
May 6, 2014
*** here there be some spoilers ***
Back in college, Alis Rasmussen and I used to spend hours talking about the craft of writing. I think she is the one who first came up with the lodges, denoting the kinds of writers. First was the Were-Lodge. These writers are the shape-changers, the ones who become their characters so truthfully that the characters feel real. When you read a were-writer's book, you take the ride as the character, and experience the world from their point of view.
Then, there's the Staff Lodge. These writers have a lesson to teach, informaiton they want people to have, and they dress it up inside a story as a means to convey it. The story and the characters are secondary to the lesson, however. The trouble with Staff Lodge books is that it doesn't take a lot of time to convey a message or a lesson, and still the book goes on and on.
The Basket Lodge is all about weaving the plot: and then this happened, and then this happened; very often the beginning and the ending, and certainly the characters, are only incidental to the unwinding of the story. A lot of mysteries come out of the Basket Lodge.
The Bone Lodge is all about feeling, and getting the audience to feel as well. At one end, you have erotica, and at the other end you have searing emotional adventures in which the characters feel everything at great length.
And of course by now you're saying, wait, writers don't have to come from just one lodge, and that is true. When writing is very well done, it amalgamates all the lodges. That is what we should aspire to. But very often you can tell exactly what lodge the writer is working from.
Passion Blue is a Staff Lodge book. It is about how women artists were not allowed to do their work in the Middle Ages, and how unusual the few artists who were able to paint actually were. So, the main character, Guilia, who has always liked to draw, is sent against her will to a convent, containing the workshop of the best women painter of her time. Within a short time Guilia is saved from a miserable, boring life as a seamstress, and made an apprentice in the workshop. Here, we are offered a great deal of information about how colors were made, and the secret recipes that painters kept, and how painting was done in that time period.
Guilia, illegitimate and unwanted, has always dreamed of being married, having children, and her own household, and has acquired a talisman from a sorcerer in order to avoid the fate foretold by her horoscope, that she will never be married. And it takes chapter after chapter of tedious adventures, of nasty and vindictive fellow novices, of an improbable meeting with an unattached young man inside the convent, and sneaking out through the window of the novice's dormitory without anyone noticing, week after week, to meet the guy down in the orchard. The guy who does not try to have his way with this seemingly willing and unchaperoned novice, but woos her chastely, with, we learn, quite another object in mind.
And after a dreadfully improbable adventure having to do with a rival painter wanting the maestra of the convent's secret recipe for, you guessed it, "passion blue," Guilia finally realizes what we knew two hundred pages ago: that she's going to be much happier staying in the convent and learning to paint, then chancing a marriage where she can never develop her talents. And of course, let us not forget to add, she is seen to have a very great talent.
I like history. I liked learning about how painting was done in those days, within a painting workshop. I liked learning that there were female master painters at the time. I liked learning about painters keeping secret books of their personal recipes for color.
Guilia was interesting at first, when she was making do as the illegitimate daughter of a count and a seamstress, cast out by his window to the convent. But her inability to understand that she has landed right in the honey-pot the moment she is taken into the workshop, just doesn't make sense.
I'm from the were-lodge, myself. For me, stories happen to characters, and the rest is incidental. Though I do aspire to writing books where the plot is as intricate as ever woven, and the lessons are fascinating and profound, and the reader feels deeply for the character. So for me the real lesson of Passion Blue is, whatever lodge you are from, integrate!
Back in college, Alis Rasmussen and I used to spend hours talking about the craft of writing. I think she is the one who first came up with the lodges, denoting the kinds of writers. First was the Were-Lodge. These writers are the shape-changers, the ones who become their characters so truthfully that the characters feel real. When you read a were-writer's book, you take the ride as the character, and experience the world from their point of view.
Then, there's the Staff Lodge. These writers have a lesson to teach, informaiton they want people to have, and they dress it up inside a story as a means to convey it. The story and the characters are secondary to the lesson, however. The trouble with Staff Lodge books is that it doesn't take a lot of time to convey a message or a lesson, and still the book goes on and on.
The Basket Lodge is all about weaving the plot: and then this happened, and then this happened; very often the beginning and the ending, and certainly the characters, are only incidental to the unwinding of the story. A lot of mysteries come out of the Basket Lodge.
The Bone Lodge is all about feeling, and getting the audience to feel as well. At one end, you have erotica, and at the other end you have searing emotional adventures in which the characters feel everything at great length.
And of course by now you're saying, wait, writers don't have to come from just one lodge, and that is true. When writing is very well done, it amalgamates all the lodges. That is what we should aspire to. But very often you can tell exactly what lodge the writer is working from.
Passion Blue is a Staff Lodge book. It is about how women artists were not allowed to do their work in the Middle Ages, and how unusual the few artists who were able to paint actually were. So, the main character, Guilia, who has always liked to draw, is sent against her will to a convent, containing the workshop of the best women painter of her time. Within a short time Guilia is saved from a miserable, boring life as a seamstress, and made an apprentice in the workshop. Here, we are offered a great deal of information about how colors were made, and the secret recipes that painters kept, and how painting was done in that time period.
Guilia, illegitimate and unwanted, has always dreamed of being married, having children, and her own household, and has acquired a talisman from a sorcerer in order to avoid the fate foretold by her horoscope, that she will never be married. And it takes chapter after chapter of tedious adventures, of nasty and vindictive fellow novices, of an improbable meeting with an unattached young man inside the convent, and sneaking out through the window of the novice's dormitory without anyone noticing, week after week, to meet the guy down in the orchard. The guy who does not try to have his way with this seemingly willing and unchaperoned novice, but woos her chastely, with, we learn, quite another object in mind.
And after a dreadfully improbable adventure having to do with a rival painter wanting the maestra of the convent's secret recipe for, you guessed it, "passion blue," Guilia finally realizes what we knew two hundred pages ago: that she's going to be much happier staying in the convent and learning to paint, then chancing a marriage where she can never develop her talents. And of course, let us not forget to add, she is seen to have a very great talent.
I like history. I liked learning about how painting was done in those days, within a painting workshop. I liked learning that there were female master painters at the time. I liked learning about painters keeping secret books of their personal recipes for color.
Guilia was interesting at first, when she was making do as the illegitimate daughter of a count and a seamstress, cast out by his window to the convent. But her inability to understand that she has landed right in the honey-pot the moment she is taken into the workshop, just doesn't make sense.
I'm from the were-lodge, myself. For me, stories happen to characters, and the rest is incidental. Though I do aspire to writing books where the plot is as intricate as ever woven, and the lessons are fascinating and profound, and the reader feels deeply for the character. So for me the real lesson of Passion Blue is, whatever lodge you are from, integrate!
December 14, 2018
Right, so Passion Blue by Victoria Strauss really reminded me of some of the more historically dense YAs that were optional additional reads in grade school. You know, like The Tamarack Tree.
Since I was a total nerd, I always enjoyed these books (and read ALL of them, blowing the curve), but there is an element of old fashioned-ness to them. And by that I mean not just in the content but in the style of writing. In this, Strauss reminds me of Lois Lowry and other Newberry-winning types. There's a literary component to her work that I struggled with a little. Perhaps I carry baggage after suffering the slings and arrows of writing genre in an anti-genre world (particularly that with a romance or commercial bent). But this kind of book feels like, well, work to me.
I'm not slagging it off, I swear. I still carry great affection for something like Gathering Blue. But that doesn't mean it's a particularly fun read. Rewarding yes. Educational, certainly. But sometimes a bit exhausting. This was not a book I picked up and gobbled. It's a book I had to nibble at, a little each night.
I learned a whole lot about this place and time. I'm not particularly familiar with 15th-century Italian Renaissance, apart from some affection for movies like Dangerous Beauty. I found the details on painting and pigments interesting from a materials archaeology perspective, and convent stuff utterly fascinating.
"Nor had she known that nuns were allowed to drink wine. But then, she thought, almost everything in this house is something I thought nuns weren’t allowed. From the talk she had heard in the novice dormitory, she knew that choir nuns lived more comfortably than conversae—much more comfortably, in many cases—but she had never imagined such opulence."
I was particularly taken with the idea of the power of autonomy that becoming a nun granted aristocratic women of this time period.
"I am Christ’s bride, and no human man may command me!” For an instant, her bright face was fierce. “Nor do I need to fear dying in childbed, as my mother did. I am not one of those who sees Santa Marta as a prison.” She bit into one of the little cakes. “For me, it is the greatest freedom a woman can possess.”
This reminded me of Arcangela Tarabotti, the nun upon whom I drew much inspiration for Alexia's heritage, and from whom her last name is taken.
Since I was a total nerd, I always enjoyed these books (and read ALL of them, blowing the curve), but there is an element of old fashioned-ness to them. And by that I mean not just in the content but in the style of writing. In this, Strauss reminds me of Lois Lowry and other Newberry-winning types. There's a literary component to her work that I struggled with a little. Perhaps I carry baggage after suffering the slings and arrows of writing genre in an anti-genre world (particularly that with a romance or commercial bent). But this kind of book feels like, well, work to me.
I'm not slagging it off, I swear. I still carry great affection for something like Gathering Blue. But that doesn't mean it's a particularly fun read. Rewarding yes. Educational, certainly. But sometimes a bit exhausting. This was not a book I picked up and gobbled. It's a book I had to nibble at, a little each night.
I learned a whole lot about this place and time. I'm not particularly familiar with 15th-century Italian Renaissance, apart from some affection for movies like Dangerous Beauty. I found the details on painting and pigments interesting from a materials archaeology perspective, and convent stuff utterly fascinating.
"Nor had she known that nuns were allowed to drink wine. But then, she thought, almost everything in this house is something I thought nuns weren’t allowed. From the talk she had heard in the novice dormitory, she knew that choir nuns lived more comfortably than conversae—much more comfortably, in many cases—but she had never imagined such opulence."
I was particularly taken with the idea of the power of autonomy that becoming a nun granted aristocratic women of this time period.
"I am Christ’s bride, and no human man may command me!” For an instant, her bright face was fierce. “Nor do I need to fear dying in childbed, as my mother did. I am not one of those who sees Santa Marta as a prison.” She bit into one of the little cakes. “For me, it is the greatest freedom a woman can possess.”
This reminded me of Arcangela Tarabotti, the nun upon whom I drew much inspiration for Alexia's heritage, and from whom her last name is taken.
February 4, 2013
This one got off to a rather rocky start for me, with some utterly pointless fat-slams - not only were they unnecessary, they stuck out as being quite wrong for the time (1497). There was also a rather awkward bit of exposition about religious beliefs - something along the lines of: she was as devout as anyone, but OMG, being a NUN - exactly like being locked in a coffin!
Once Guilia got to the convent, my reading enjoyment increased, though it became very painful to see the inevitability of her making a massive, hideous mistake because she was clinging to a blinkered understanding of her talisman's help. The artists in the convent were wonderful though, and I loved reading about them. The book was well worth the read just for that, even if I didn't enjoy it overall as much as I'd expected to.
Once Guilia got to the convent, my reading enjoyment increased, though it became very painful to see the inevitability of her making a massive, hideous mistake because she was clinging to a blinkered understanding of her talisman's help. The artists in the convent were wonderful though, and I loved reading about them. The book was well worth the read just for that, even if I didn't enjoy it overall as much as I'd expected to.
October 17, 2019
This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd
Short and Simple Review
This was an okay read for me. I did like this book, but it had difficulty keeping my interest. The pacing was a bit slow, which is expected for a historical book, and I couldn't fully connect with Giulia. Part of this was because I figured out early on that someone could not be trusted. I was constantly frustrated with Giulia because of this, and because it took her a while to understand what she wanted. I do like how this book discussed art in the Italian Renaissance, namely women involved in art at the time. I loved seeing this, and I loved seeing Giulia's passion for art. The book also took a different turn than usually seen in YA books. Even though I saw it coming, I liked that the author didn't put a typical ending on the book and the ending certainly fit the story. There is a sequel but I don't think I will read it. Like I said, this book had difficulty keeping my interest and I really don't feel like there's a need to continue the story.
Short and Simple Review
This was an okay read for me. I did like this book, but it had difficulty keeping my interest. The pacing was a bit slow, which is expected for a historical book, and I couldn't fully connect with Giulia. Part of this was because I figured out early on that someone could not be trusted. I was constantly frustrated with Giulia because of this, and because it took her a while to understand what she wanted. I do like how this book discussed art in the Italian Renaissance, namely women involved in art at the time. I loved seeing this, and I loved seeing Giulia's passion for art. The book also took a different turn than usually seen in YA books. Even though I saw it coming, I liked that the author didn't put a typical ending on the book and the ending certainly fit the story. There is a sequel but I don't think I will read it. Like I said, this book had difficulty keeping my interest and I really don't feel like there's a need to continue the story.
February 21, 2018
Couldn't decide between 3 and 4 stars. I felt it a little slow in some places but the author did a really good job in bringing to life the art and time period.
February 26, 2013
I Want to Be a Painter. I Want to Be a Nun.
And in short, any book that can do THAT, gets 5 stars.
"This is the great secret of color, child. Inside every color, other colors live. Thus we can create green from yellow and blue, or paint a purple robe by laying blue over a red ground. That's why a poppy is not simply red, it is yellow red, and an olive leaf is not merely green, it is gray green. There is no color for which this isn't so."
This book was a once in a lifetime read for me. (Except it also happened before with Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens, so I guess it's actually a twice in a lifetime thing. Dare I hope for thrice or more?) This book spoke to my soul. It said, "I love blue, too. It's amazing. It's my favorite. It's so precious to God that he shares very little of it with us." It spoke to my current life challenges. "You can do it. Trust yourself. Believe in yourself. You will make mistakes, but everything will work out. 'Yes. All will be well.'" It spoke to my heart. It taught me about life. It taught me about God. It taught me about my heart's true desire. It taught me that I can't have it all. I love it. I generally like to point out a book's flaws, but this one doesn't have any. You should read it. You may not love it as much as I do, because reading it affected me so personally, but you should read it anyway.
And in short, any book that can do THAT, gets 5 stars.
"This is the great secret of color, child. Inside every color, other colors live. Thus we can create green from yellow and blue, or paint a purple robe by laying blue over a red ground. That's why a poppy is not simply red, it is yellow red, and an olive leaf is not merely green, it is gray green. There is no color for which this isn't so."
This book was a once in a lifetime read for me. (Except it also happened before with Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens, so I guess it's actually a twice in a lifetime thing. Dare I hope for thrice or more?) This book spoke to my soul. It said, "I love blue, too. It's amazing. It's my favorite. It's so precious to God that he shares very little of it with us." It spoke to my current life challenges. "You can do it. Trust yourself. Believe in yourself. You will make mistakes, but everything will work out. 'Yes. All will be well.'" It spoke to my heart. It taught me about life. It taught me about God. It taught me about my heart's true desire. It taught me that I can't have it all. I love it. I generally like to point out a book's flaws, but this one doesn't have any. You should read it. You may not love it as much as I do, because reading it affected me so personally, but you should read it anyway.
December 19, 2012
YA historical fiction with a bit of magic realism sprinkled in? I would have been there even if this book wasn't set in an area I'm currently researching myself - 16th century Italy, and in particular the sometimes contradictory roles that convents played in that society. Deeply religious nuns, girls who were forced to join convents and resented it, worldliness and asceticism side by side within the cloister, the paradoxical confinement and freedom that women found there... these are all explored through the compelling personal journey of a single girl. I especially love how the the book uses a lot of "feminist" scholarship about the role of women, but creates a strong female character who is still true to her time and living fully within its belief system and culture. I also (spoiler) love that "But I ended up really falling in love with you!" didn't turn out to be the most important thing about the love interest. I just read on Publishers Marketplace that the author sold a sequel to this book, and I will definitely be looking for it.
January 3, 2013
Read the first five chapters, got bored, read the last two, and didn't feel like I missed a thing. I know characters need a motive for doing things, but that's no reason to beat the reader over the head with it!
February 12, 2015
Oldukça güzel bir hikaye idi...Yorum sonra...
May 19, 2021
I enjoyed this book. There wasn't a lot of depth to it, but it was a very lush, interesting setting and had a nice ending, and a capable, realistic main character.
November 2, 2012
I was entranced by this imaginative story set in Renaissance Italy that follows a young girl as she seeks her heart’s desire. Not only does this book focus on the fascinating subject of Renaissance painting, but it gives an intimate glimpse into the lives of women during the 1480’s and their place in the world. I studied art in college, so I devoured all the details of Giulia’s admittance into the secretive world of women painters during the Renaissance. I love it when books teach me new things, and Passion Blue does that in spades. The beautiful writing and engaging characters and story make this a book that’s hard to put down until you’ve reached the end.
Giulia is sixteen when her stepmother decides to pack her off to the convent of Santa Marta, to spend the rest of her life in service to God. Despite the marriage dowry her father has left for her, Giulia’s dreams of marrying one day and having a home of her own are dashed when her stepmother ignores her father’s wishes and gives the dowry to the convent. She reluctantly begins her new life with strict rules, harsh discipline, and a bevy of mean girls with whom she must live and work. But Giulia wears a secret talisman that promises to lead her to her heart's desire. Given to her by a sorcerer, she believes the spirit trapped inside will be able to help her escape the convent some day.
But Giulia’s heart’s desire may not be what she thinks it is. After one of the nuns discovers a charcoal drawing among her possessions, Giulia is reassigned to the workshop where female artists are creating beautiful paintings. She is apprenticed to Suor Humilità, the convent’s master painter, and she begins to learn the craft of preparing canvases, mixing paints, and keeping the workshop neat and tidy, with the tempting possibility of becoming a painter herself someday.
Her new friends and the joy of spending her days with artists make convent life much easier, but fate intervenes and puts temptation in her path when she meets a visiting craftsman and unwisely falls for him. This sets off a chain of events that will cause Giulia to reevaluate what she really wants in life. The last third of the book is filled with nail-biting action that will leave the reader guessing which path Giulia will ultimately choose.
At the heart of it all is the mysterious paint known as Passion Blue, a deep, rich hue unlike any other, created by Humilità herself, the recipe of which is kept under lock and key and written in code so it can’t be stolen. I was fascinated by Giulia’s journey toward becoming a painter and the careful steps that are taken before one can actually pick up a paint brush. Strauss lovingly details the exhaustive process of how paint is made, the ingredients that went into paint at that time in history, and the preparations of the work surface before any paint could be applied. Even more fascinating is the role of women painters during the Renaissance. The artists in the convent workshop worked mostly in secrecy, as painting was a trade that only men were allowed to pursue. But the exquisite artistic talents of Humilità show Giulia that women have just as much aptitude as men, even if society doesn't give them the chance to explore their talents.
The themes in Passion Blue are perfect for the young adult crowd, and I encourage girls as young as twelve to read this book. Giulia’s development as a character is one of the best I’ve read. She begins as an innocent but self-absorbed girl who longs for a husband, but gradually learns about humility, sacrifice and atonement. She makes mistakes of the worst kind, but she is able to learn from those mistakes and accept the consequences. For young girls today who are raised to believe they can do anything, the plight of women during Renaissance times may be hard to relate to. But Giulia is a plucky and smart heroine, and by the end of the story, manages to rise above her station. Passion Blue sends a strong message to girls to strive for their dreams, despite the expectations of society. Filled with adventure, mystery, romance, hope and joy, this book should be on every teen's reading list.
Many thanks to the author for supplying a review copy.
This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy.
Giulia is sixteen when her stepmother decides to pack her off to the convent of Santa Marta, to spend the rest of her life in service to God. Despite the marriage dowry her father has left for her, Giulia’s dreams of marrying one day and having a home of her own are dashed when her stepmother ignores her father’s wishes and gives the dowry to the convent. She reluctantly begins her new life with strict rules, harsh discipline, and a bevy of mean girls with whom she must live and work. But Giulia wears a secret talisman that promises to lead her to her heart's desire. Given to her by a sorcerer, she believes the spirit trapped inside will be able to help her escape the convent some day.
But Giulia’s heart’s desire may not be what she thinks it is. After one of the nuns discovers a charcoal drawing among her possessions, Giulia is reassigned to the workshop where female artists are creating beautiful paintings. She is apprenticed to Suor Humilità, the convent’s master painter, and she begins to learn the craft of preparing canvases, mixing paints, and keeping the workshop neat and tidy, with the tempting possibility of becoming a painter herself someday.
Her new friends and the joy of spending her days with artists make convent life much easier, but fate intervenes and puts temptation in her path when she meets a visiting craftsman and unwisely falls for him. This sets off a chain of events that will cause Giulia to reevaluate what she really wants in life. The last third of the book is filled with nail-biting action that will leave the reader guessing which path Giulia will ultimately choose.
At the heart of it all is the mysterious paint known as Passion Blue, a deep, rich hue unlike any other, created by Humilità herself, the recipe of which is kept under lock and key and written in code so it can’t be stolen. I was fascinated by Giulia’s journey toward becoming a painter and the careful steps that are taken before one can actually pick up a paint brush. Strauss lovingly details the exhaustive process of how paint is made, the ingredients that went into paint at that time in history, and the preparations of the work surface before any paint could be applied. Even more fascinating is the role of women painters during the Renaissance. The artists in the convent workshop worked mostly in secrecy, as painting was a trade that only men were allowed to pursue. But the exquisite artistic talents of Humilità show Giulia that women have just as much aptitude as men, even if society doesn't give them the chance to explore their talents.
The themes in Passion Blue are perfect for the young adult crowd, and I encourage girls as young as twelve to read this book. Giulia’s development as a character is one of the best I’ve read. She begins as an innocent but self-absorbed girl who longs for a husband, but gradually learns about humility, sacrifice and atonement. She makes mistakes of the worst kind, but she is able to learn from those mistakes and accept the consequences. For young girls today who are raised to believe they can do anything, the plight of women during Renaissance times may be hard to relate to. But Giulia is a plucky and smart heroine, and by the end of the story, manages to rise above her station. Passion Blue sends a strong message to girls to strive for their dreams, despite the expectations of society. Filled with adventure, mystery, romance, hope and joy, this book should be on every teen's reading list.
Many thanks to the author for supplying a review copy.
This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy.
January 2, 2013
This review was originally posted over at Millie D's Words.
I was actually kind of excited for this book. I read the synopsis more than looked at the cover and thought it sounded interesting. Being that I love historical fiction (and having my Italian pride), this book was something that I wanted to read soon. It wasn't something that I'd normally read since it wasn't fantasy or some other paranormal type, but as my philosophy goes, I will attempt to read any book.
Giulia is the social Pariah amongst her community. She is the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman and has to endure bullying and hard work as a servant in her own father's home. She aspires to be seen as something more than the illegitimate daughter and her fierce passion for drawing drives her forward. Immediately, readers who feel as if they don't belong are drawn into her character. Also, Giulia wants to marry--very badly. But since her horoscope told her she won't have one, there's almost an obsessive streak in her. However, this behavior is understandable for a girl of her time. Not getting married was unheard of unless you became a nun. Unfortunately, I didn't find her to be very interesting.
Sadly, things just kind of went down hill from there for me. The story got boring for me and I had put it down for a few weeks, hoping that I could pick it back up and resume reading it, but my interest for it was lost. And you know that when you get bored, you skip a few pages to see if things pick up? Well, yeah. I did that and also happened to spoil the rest of the book for myself and then the book was just completely ruined for me. Sure, I've spoiled the endings of books I've read before, but no matter how hard I tried to keep my attention on to the page, I couldn't do it. Reading became arduous for me, and that's not the reason why I read. I've read and loved contemporaries before, so I can't blame Passion Blue for the lack of action the reason why I didn't like it.
On the upside, the historical accuracy of this book was phenomenal. I've never seen so much attention to historical detail before in a book before. Strauss stayed very true to the general beliefs and culture of Renaissance Italy, and for that, I am grateful.
Another bone I have to pick with this book is that I am not a painter. I can't even draw clouds or flowers or stick figures, for that matter, without it looking like a kindergartner did it. And with that in mind, I never will be a painter. But in the book, Giulia names a whole bunch of these painter/art terms and I have no clue what they are or what they mean. While I was reading, I felt like I was supposed to know this stuff, but didn't, and that ticked me off a little bit. A little more description or down-play on painter terms might have helped me read a bit easier.
And here I will bring this review into full circle and discuss the cover. While I've read books with unremarkable covers, I've never seen one such as this one. I've never really had to complain about the covers of the book, but if this book were to even make a little bit more of a profit, I think that a revision of the cover is needed. I mean, the blue doesn't cover all of her hair and it's streaked across the cover model's face. I don't know what the cover was trying to achieve, but I think, and I'm trying to be as nice as I can be here, that it isn't very good.
Overall, I did not finish this book. I gave it one star because I did not find the book to be entertaining and I lost my interest quickly. I truly wish I could have given it a better review, but I can't. And I don't think that I will read this book in the future to give it another shot because it was just that monotonous and arduous. I'm not saying that others aren't going to like it, because I've read reviews from people who enjoyed this book, but Passion Blue was not the book for me.
I was actually kind of excited for this book. I read the synopsis more than looked at the cover and thought it sounded interesting. Being that I love historical fiction (and having my Italian pride), this book was something that I wanted to read soon. It wasn't something that I'd normally read since it wasn't fantasy or some other paranormal type, but as my philosophy goes, I will attempt to read any book.
Giulia is the social Pariah amongst her community. She is the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman and has to endure bullying and hard work as a servant in her own father's home. She aspires to be seen as something more than the illegitimate daughter and her fierce passion for drawing drives her forward. Immediately, readers who feel as if they don't belong are drawn into her character. Also, Giulia wants to marry--very badly. But since her horoscope told her she won't have one, there's almost an obsessive streak in her. However, this behavior is understandable for a girl of her time. Not getting married was unheard of unless you became a nun. Unfortunately, I didn't find her to be very interesting.
Sadly, things just kind of went down hill from there for me. The story got boring for me and I had put it down for a few weeks, hoping that I could pick it back up and resume reading it, but my interest for it was lost. And you know that when you get bored, you skip a few pages to see if things pick up? Well, yeah. I did that and also happened to spoil the rest of the book for myself and then the book was just completely ruined for me. Sure, I've spoiled the endings of books I've read before, but no matter how hard I tried to keep my attention on to the page, I couldn't do it. Reading became arduous for me, and that's not the reason why I read. I've read and loved contemporaries before, so I can't blame Passion Blue for the lack of action the reason why I didn't like it.
On the upside, the historical accuracy of this book was phenomenal. I've never seen so much attention to historical detail before in a book before. Strauss stayed very true to the general beliefs and culture of Renaissance Italy, and for that, I am grateful.
Another bone I have to pick with this book is that I am not a painter. I can't even draw clouds or flowers or stick figures, for that matter, without it looking like a kindergartner did it. And with that in mind, I never will be a painter. But in the book, Giulia names a whole bunch of these painter/art terms and I have no clue what they are or what they mean. While I was reading, I felt like I was supposed to know this stuff, but didn't, and that ticked me off a little bit. A little more description or down-play on painter terms might have helped me read a bit easier.
And here I will bring this review into full circle and discuss the cover. While I've read books with unremarkable covers, I've never seen one such as this one. I've never really had to complain about the covers of the book, but if this book were to even make a little bit more of a profit, I think that a revision of the cover is needed. I mean, the blue doesn't cover all of her hair and it's streaked across the cover model's face. I don't know what the cover was trying to achieve, but I think, and I'm trying to be as nice as I can be here, that it isn't very good.
Overall, I did not finish this book. I gave it one star because I did not find the book to be entertaining and I lost my interest quickly. I truly wish I could have given it a better review, but I can't. And I don't think that I will read this book in the future to give it another shot because it was just that monotonous and arduous. I'm not saying that others aren't going to like it, because I've read reviews from people who enjoyed this book, but Passion Blue was not the book for me.
November 17, 2012
3.5, rounded up for the stars.
Liked:
Strauss masterfully handles the tricky skill of historical world-building. The world of Santa Marta and the painting workshop there feels so real. Because the reader learns about the workshop, the convent, and the process of painting along with Giulia, the expository paragraphs read a lot more like straight-forward plot than exposition.
The painters at Santa Marta are lovely characters with compelling backgrounds. They are the main reason why I rounded the stars up to 4.
Even though, in the end, I was able to guess quite a lot of the plot, Strauss kept me revising my guesses over and over with every chapter as the story neared its climax.
Strauss's prose is filled with hidden gems. I hesitate to quote my favorite lines in my review, because part of the pleasure of these lines is discovering them embedded in the story. But suffice it to say that Passion Blue is expertly written. Strauss's straightforward, crystal clear storytelling is somewhat difficult to find in today's market, and I appreciated it.
Didn't like:
I hate the cover. Hate it. I know it was probably designed to stand out online, but it looks cheaply and hastily made. The cover does a real disservice to the masterfully crafted novel it's supposed to represent.
I found it difficult to get into the book for the first 70 pages or so. While there isn't anything explicitly wrong with the writing (the characters, setting, and plot are developed in a clear and controlled manner), I couldn't really immerse myself in Giulia's world at first. It wasn't until Giulia began forming relationships with the other women at Santa Marta that the world began to feel real. Up until that point, Giulia was more like a collection of facts and stock motives than a real character. Again, there aren't any explicit faults in the text I can use to make this point more clear. The book just didn't click with me at first.
Overall: I recommend this book to readers of YA fiction who want a breather from the standard YA fare. Passion Blue is a quick, enjoyable read.
Liked:
Strauss masterfully handles the tricky skill of historical world-building. The world of Santa Marta and the painting workshop there feels so real. Because the reader learns about the workshop, the convent, and the process of painting along with Giulia, the expository paragraphs read a lot more like straight-forward plot than exposition.
The painters at Santa Marta are lovely characters with compelling backgrounds. They are the main reason why I rounded the stars up to 4.
Even though, in the end, I was able to guess quite a lot of the plot, Strauss kept me revising my guesses over and over with every chapter as the story neared its climax.
Strauss's prose is filled with hidden gems. I hesitate to quote my favorite lines in my review, because part of the pleasure of these lines is discovering them embedded in the story. But suffice it to say that Passion Blue is expertly written. Strauss's straightforward, crystal clear storytelling is somewhat difficult to find in today's market, and I appreciated it.
Didn't like:
I hate the cover. Hate it. I know it was probably designed to stand out online, but it looks cheaply and hastily made. The cover does a real disservice to the masterfully crafted novel it's supposed to represent.
I found it difficult to get into the book for the first 70 pages or so. While there isn't anything explicitly wrong with the writing (the characters, setting, and plot are developed in a clear and controlled manner), I couldn't really immerse myself in Giulia's world at first. It wasn't until Giulia began forming relationships with the other women at Santa Marta that the world began to feel real. Up until that point, Giulia was more like a collection of facts and stock motives than a real character. Again, there aren't any explicit faults in the text I can use to make this point more clear. The book just didn't click with me at first.
Overall: I recommend this book to readers of YA fiction who want a breather from the standard YA fare. Passion Blue is a quick, enjoyable read.
November 13, 2012
I really enjoy books set in the Italian Renaissance; I think it's such a rich setting that can offer so much to its reader by way of vivid imagery, and Passion Blue most definitely delivers. I went in wanting to read about the sights, smells, sounds of Italian cities, but the setting was pretty stationary inside of a convent. However, the book delivered that feeling by way of painting, with all the colors and bringing to mind the beautiful paintings of the time period. So, it wasn't what I expected, but it didn't disappoint at all.
One thing I especially appreciated about this book was how tight it was. There were many different themes throughout: self-reliance, the meaning of sacrifice, fate vs. free will, coming of age. All of which, I love to read about. And, with all these themes at play, they didn't feel crammed in together. Rather, they complemented and developed one another nicely. It's one of the things that, by the ending, makes you think, 'Ah, that wrapped up nicely.'
The writing itself was exceptional. One mark of great writing, I think, is when you forget that you are reading something. The mechanics of the writing makes itself invisible and there's no flaw that takes you out of the moment. Strauss' writing flows so well, and she weaves together action with reflection and theme-building seamlessly.
On the topic of flow and world-building, something unique about this book is the ambiguous presence of sorcery//magic. The protagonist puts her faith in astrology and a magical talisman to bring her her heart's desire, and it's never quite clear if there is magic present or it's just the protagonist's naivete. Her heart's desire would have come to her regardless of the talisman. When the protagonist interacts with it, the author is careful to put in phrases like, 'I thought something would happen (i.e. some indication of the 'spirit' inside the talisman), but nothing did.' To a discriminating reader of the 21st c., obviously it is easy to say there is no magic, but Strauss builds up the protagonists belief in the sorcery and astrology so well, and it affects the plot a bit, that it honestly makes it hard to tell whether the magic is real or not within the confines of the story. I quite like that.
If I had to offer criticism, is maybe that the plot and ending was a tiny bit predictable, but there were a few twists that I didn't see coming, so it's largely forgivable. Also, the trope of the bully character. I hate when an antagonist comes on the scene and five seconds later it's insta-hate. Also, I hate when the bully doesn't really add anything to the story aside from conflict-for-the-sake-of-conflict. I'm not entirely sure what this one added to the story or the plot, and she came across as trope-tastic. But, again, it didn't detract enough to make me want to stop reading.
Overall, lovely read. Glad I picked it up.
One thing I especially appreciated about this book was how tight it was. There were many different themes throughout: self-reliance, the meaning of sacrifice, fate vs. free will, coming of age. All of which, I love to read about. And, with all these themes at play, they didn't feel crammed in together. Rather, they complemented and developed one another nicely. It's one of the things that, by the ending, makes you think, 'Ah, that wrapped up nicely.'
The writing itself was exceptional. One mark of great writing, I think, is when you forget that you are reading something. The mechanics of the writing makes itself invisible and there's no flaw that takes you out of the moment. Strauss' writing flows so well, and she weaves together action with reflection and theme-building seamlessly.
On the topic of flow and world-building, something unique about this book is the ambiguous presence of sorcery//magic. The protagonist puts her faith in astrology and a magical talisman to bring her her heart's desire, and it's never quite clear if there is magic present or it's just the protagonist's naivete. Her heart's desire would have come to her regardless of the talisman. When the protagonist interacts with it, the author is careful to put in phrases like, 'I thought something would happen (i.e. some indication of the 'spirit' inside the talisman), but nothing did.' To a discriminating reader of the 21st c., obviously it is easy to say there is no magic, but Strauss builds up the protagonists belief in the sorcery and astrology so well, and it affects the plot a bit, that it honestly makes it hard to tell whether the magic is real or not within the confines of the story. I quite like that.
If I had to offer criticism, is maybe that the plot and ending was a tiny bit predictable, but there were a few twists that I didn't see coming, so it's largely forgivable. Also, the trope of the bully character. I hate when an antagonist comes on the scene and five seconds later it's insta-hate. Also, I hate when the bully doesn't really add anything to the story aside from conflict-for-the-sake-of-conflict. I'm not entirely sure what this one added to the story or the plot, and she came across as trope-tastic. But, again, it didn't detract enough to make me want to stop reading.
Overall, lovely read. Glad I picked it up.
November 15, 2012
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review.
This book was very different than I expected but I still absolutely loved it! It's set at the end of the 15th century during the Italian Renaissance. Descriptions of the time, lack of women's rights, the prejudice against illegitimate children - are all important parts of history that still some-what ring true today. Main character, Giulia, is the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman and his mistress. Unwelcome with the nobles, and even more unwelcome with the servants, Guilia spends most of her time alone. She has two passions: drawing and learning about astrology. She has one desire: to marry and have children. Suddenly fate deals her a cruel blow and she is sent to a convent denied her desire and astrology but maybe can still pursue her art.
Giulia was a very real character in the sense that she was like many women all throughout history wanting more than society had for her. Because of her birth, because of gender she is able to do little. Once she's in the convent she is able to do even less. She fights tooth and nail to escape her fate. I loved the absolute strength of the women around her. Her mentor succeeds as a painter when painting is a man's work. Her art friends show they are determined by enduring the many years it takes before they can even begin to paint. Her novice mistress is judgmental, cruel, but also shows surprising fairness. Her handicapped friend endures cruel tortures and taunts because the convent is the best place for her to survive.
Giulia can't give up on her hearts desire despite being able to pursue her art. Love interest, Ormanno, is very gritty and street wise. Foundling, thief, liar, artist. He is everything to Giulia despite it all. Nothing was held back about this character. He was what he was and made no excuses about it.
The descriptions of the art, the detail in the buildings, paintings, and ingredients to make the paint itself were all very enlightening and fascinating to read about. The huge amount of work it takes artists to complete a project and the many years before they can be deemed worthy as an artist and hone their craft was staggering.
Surprising betrayals, known villains, and even more surprising acts of forgiveness paved the road of Giulia's journey. It was a wonderful read and I loved finding out what Giulia's heart desire was, all along. I am looking forward to reading future novels by author Victoria Strauss!
This book was very different than I expected but I still absolutely loved it! It's set at the end of the 15th century during the Italian Renaissance. Descriptions of the time, lack of women's rights, the prejudice against illegitimate children - are all important parts of history that still some-what ring true today. Main character, Giulia, is the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman and his mistress. Unwelcome with the nobles, and even more unwelcome with the servants, Guilia spends most of her time alone. She has two passions: drawing and learning about astrology. She has one desire: to marry and have children. Suddenly fate deals her a cruel blow and she is sent to a convent denied her desire and astrology but maybe can still pursue her art.
Giulia was a very real character in the sense that she was like many women all throughout history wanting more than society had for her. Because of her birth, because of gender she is able to do little. Once she's in the convent she is able to do even less. She fights tooth and nail to escape her fate. I loved the absolute strength of the women around her. Her mentor succeeds as a painter when painting is a man's work. Her art friends show they are determined by enduring the many years it takes before they can even begin to paint. Her novice mistress is judgmental, cruel, but also shows surprising fairness. Her handicapped friend endures cruel tortures and taunts because the convent is the best place for her to survive.
Giulia can't give up on her hearts desire despite being able to pursue her art. Love interest, Ormanno, is very gritty and street wise. Foundling, thief, liar, artist. He is everything to Giulia despite it all. Nothing was held back about this character. He was what he was and made no excuses about it.
The descriptions of the art, the detail in the buildings, paintings, and ingredients to make the paint itself were all very enlightening and fascinating to read about. The huge amount of work it takes artists to complete a project and the many years before they can be deemed worthy as an artist and hone their craft was staggering.
Surprising betrayals, known villains, and even more surprising acts of forgiveness paved the road of Giulia's journey. It was a wonderful read and I loved finding out what Giulia's heart desire was, all along. I am looking forward to reading future novels by author Victoria Strauss!
November 29, 2012
But the convent of Santa Marta is full of surprises. There are strict rules, long hours of work, and spiteful rivalries…but there’s also friendship, and the biggest surprise of all: a workshop of female artists who produce paintings of astonishing beauty, using a luminous blue mixed from a secret formula: Passion blue. Yet even as Giulia begins to learn the mysteries of the painter’s craft, the magic of the talisman is at work, and a forbidden romance beckons her down a path of uncertainty and danger. She is haunted by the sorcerer’s warning, and by a question: does she really know the true compass of her heart?"
Passion Blue is a well written ya historical with a rich setting. I think it did a good job of exploring the hardships of Renassiance Italy.
In the beginning of the story, Giulia annoyed me. She was so set on finding a husband, she wasn't open to anything else. And she wasn't really looking for love. She was looking for marriage. Then when she gets put in an artist's workshop at the convent, she continues looking for a husband even though she's fairly happy. She meets a guy and sparks a romance. And I got excited thinking I was getting a romance. The maestra(teacher) makes it clear if it weren't for this convent and her workshop Giulia wouldn't be able to paint.She doesn't see why Giulia should want anything other than painting. The boy can't understand why Giulia needs to paint. But the boy is a scoundrel. This is not a romance.
I don't want to give the ending away, but obviously Giulia doesn't get a boy. I'm okay with that, except that she spent her whole life wanting a family of her own. I don't feel like she got that, and while she accepts it, I don't. I wanted Giulia to have everything she wanted. I realize in life no one gets everything they want but a) this is fiction b) she didn't want much. A family of her own and to follow her dream. That's it.
While the scoundrel did not work out, I do think it could be spun that she did get a family. I originally said that this book could have used an epilogue, but I've recently learned there will be a sequel. Still it was well written with a strong story. 3 stars.
Passion Blue is a well written ya historical with a rich setting. I think it did a good job of exploring the hardships of Renassiance Italy.
In the beginning of the story, Giulia annoyed me. She was so set on finding a husband, she wasn't open to anything else. And she wasn't really looking for love. She was looking for marriage. Then when she gets put in an artist's workshop at the convent, she continues looking for a husband even though she's fairly happy. She meets a guy and sparks a romance. And I got excited thinking I was getting a romance. The maestra(teacher) makes it clear if it weren't for this convent and her workshop Giulia wouldn't be able to paint.She doesn't see why Giulia should want anything other than painting. The boy can't understand why Giulia needs to paint. But the boy is a scoundrel. This is not a romance.
I don't want to give the ending away, but obviously Giulia doesn't get a boy. I'm okay with that, except that she spent her whole life wanting a family of her own. I don't feel like she got that, and while she accepts it, I don't. I wanted Giulia to have everything she wanted. I realize in life no one gets everything they want but a) this is fiction b) she didn't want much. A family of her own and to follow her dream. That's it.
While the scoundrel did not work out, I do think it could be spun that she did get a family. I originally said that this book could have used an epilogue, but I've recently learned there will be a sequel. Still it was well written with a strong story. 3 stars.
November 2, 2015
I read this book because it was one of Gail Carriger's selections for her online book club. When I first started reading it, I was enchanted. The setting was so different from anything I'd read, and I was fascinated by the descriptions of the time period and the various settings in which the heroine finds herself--aristocratic household, convent, painter's studios, sorcerer's home, etc. Watching her transition into the convent and finding her vocation was interesting and enjoyable.
However, at some point, I got distracted from the story, and after that I had a really difficult time picking it back up. I didn't care so much about her budding romance with the painter. I was never really sold on their chemistry, and I thought she was throwing away a sure thing on a risky venture. I also didn't enjoy the magical element of the story as much. Astrology and sorcery as concepts are very interesting, but to have them play out in the story threw me off. It took the threat of not being able to renew the book anymore from the library for me to finish it. Once I finally picked it back up again, I managed to forge through to the end in a few days. It's not difficult reading, and I wanted to see how it ended. I liked the final resolution, although the romantic drama still annoyed me.
Overall, I'd say this book was just OK for me. I'd love to read something that was less manufactured drama and more life in this time and place. I liked that the heroine's attitudes didn't feel jarringly out of place in her time period, however. she wasn't an anachronistically saucy teen; her focus on marriage was indeed a reflection of the time. I really don't think that this was a bad book. It just couldn't sustain my interest the whole way through, and because of that, I can't say it was a great one, either.
However, at some point, I got distracted from the story, and after that I had a really difficult time picking it back up. I didn't care so much about her budding romance with the painter. I was never really sold on their chemistry, and I thought she was throwing away a sure thing on a risky venture. I also didn't enjoy the magical element of the story as much. Astrology and sorcery as concepts are very interesting, but to have them play out in the story threw me off. It took the threat of not being able to renew the book anymore from the library for me to finish it. Once I finally picked it back up again, I managed to forge through to the end in a few days. It's not difficult reading, and I wanted to see how it ended. I liked the final resolution, although the romantic drama still annoyed me.
Overall, I'd say this book was just OK for me. I'd love to read something that was less manufactured drama and more life in this time and place. I liked that the heroine's attitudes didn't feel jarringly out of place in her time period, however. she wasn't an anachronistically saucy teen; her focus on marriage was indeed a reflection of the time. I really don't think that this was a bad book. It just couldn't sustain my interest the whole way through, and because of that, I can't say it was a great one, either.
December 28, 2012
Although I am well past this book's theoretical teenage target audience, I hated to put it down.
Like "Vivaldi's Virgins," "Passion Blue" is an entertaining, well-researched and thoughtful work of historical fiction that gives us a look at life for women in 16th C. Italy. Giulia, the protagonist, is the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman. Upon her father's death, his wife takes the money intended as Giulia's wedding dowry and buys her a position in a convent. Forced vocations were not at all uncommon.
Naturally, Giulia rebels against this idea. She visits an astrologer and asks him to make her a charm that will give her her heart's desire: marriage and children. He, in his turn, tells her to be sure of what her heart's desire truly is, because it may not be all that she thinks.
Inside the convent of Santa Marta, Giulia is placed in the novitiate. When one of the sisters finds a drawing that she made, Giulia is apprenticed to Suor Humilita, the maestra of the painting room. Humilita is based on a real 16th C. Italian nun, Suor Plautilla, whose altar pieces remain some of the greatest treasures of the art world.
Giulia finds that she has a gift and a love for painting ... but she also falls in love with a young man named Ormanno, whom she meets when he comes to repair a fresco in the convent.
The book is full of ups and downs, and gives a look at how little control women had over their lives and vocations in the period and culture. I enjoyed it thoroughly and would recommend it to those with an interest in the subject matter, regardless of their age.
Like "Vivaldi's Virgins," "Passion Blue" is an entertaining, well-researched and thoughtful work of historical fiction that gives us a look at life for women in 16th C. Italy. Giulia, the protagonist, is the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman. Upon her father's death, his wife takes the money intended as Giulia's wedding dowry and buys her a position in a convent. Forced vocations were not at all uncommon.
Naturally, Giulia rebels against this idea. She visits an astrologer and asks him to make her a charm that will give her her heart's desire: marriage and children. He, in his turn, tells her to be sure of what her heart's desire truly is, because it may not be all that she thinks.
Inside the convent of Santa Marta, Giulia is placed in the novitiate. When one of the sisters finds a drawing that she made, Giulia is apprenticed to Suor Humilita, the maestra of the painting room. Humilita is based on a real 16th C. Italian nun, Suor Plautilla, whose altar pieces remain some of the greatest treasures of the art world.
Giulia finds that she has a gift and a love for painting ... but she also falls in love with a young man named Ormanno, whom she meets when he comes to repair a fresco in the convent.
The book is full of ups and downs, and gives a look at how little control women had over their lives and vocations in the period and culture. I enjoyed it thoroughly and would recommend it to those with an interest in the subject matter, regardless of their age.
January 31, 2013
Here is a strikingly original book. In "Passion Blue", a teenage girl treated with great cruelty by her stepmother makes the sort of emotion-driven decision a young girl might well make, and nuns emerge as real women with varied skills. How refreshing! In renaissance Italy, Giulia wants nothing more than to paint, but she also longs for a family and a place to belong. As the bastard daughter of a nobleman, she loses her home when her father dies. The 17-year-old is shipped, against her will, to the Abbey of San Marta. To her surprise, she discovers that there is a thriving workshop in the Abbey, and that another young girl is becoming a close friend. But the Abbey walls still seem suffocating-
In a rebellious act, Giulia has defied her tutor and sought out the services of a sorcerer, who has given her a talisman. The talisman should lead her to her heart's desire. But she has been warned: that heart's desire might not be what she expects. Will she find a life as an artist within the Abbey? Or will she escape with a journeyman artist and find the home and family she's longed for?
"Passion Blue" is distinguished by its depth of characterization, by the calm realism with which Strauss shows us life in this very different time and place, and by its research. The details about late medieval and renaissance painting were fascinating. If Giulia was sometimes frustratingly obtuse - well, she is a scared and passionate 17-year-old who has never had an adult able or willing to protect her. A very good book, for the right reader. It won't appeal to everyone, but those readers who are willing to give it some time and energy will be well rewarded.
In a rebellious act, Giulia has defied her tutor and sought out the services of a sorcerer, who has given her a talisman. The talisman should lead her to her heart's desire. But she has been warned: that heart's desire might not be what she expects. Will she find a life as an artist within the Abbey? Or will she escape with a journeyman artist and find the home and family she's longed for?
"Passion Blue" is distinguished by its depth of characterization, by the calm realism with which Strauss shows us life in this very different time and place, and by its research. The details about late medieval and renaissance painting were fascinating. If Giulia was sometimes frustratingly obtuse - well, she is a scared and passionate 17-year-old who has never had an adult able or willing to protect her. A very good book, for the right reader. It won't appeal to everyone, but those readers who are willing to give it some time and energy will be well rewarded.
April 2, 2013
Giulia is the illegitimate daughter of an Italian nobleman during the Renaissance. Her father has kept her in his house (against his wife's wishes) as a seamstress but when he dies, his wife takes Giulia's dowry and pays it over to a nunnery, forcing Giulia to be a novice. Giulia doesn't want to be a nun and immediately begins plotting how to leave Santa Marta. But when she arrives, she finds that life in the convent isn't quite as she expected it. She makes friends her own age for the first time, and discovers that she has a talent for art--a talent that one of the nuns is interested in developing. Yet Giulia longs for a husband and family. When she meets a young male apprentice hired to do repairs in the chapel, and he's interested in her, she begins to think her dreams of a husband and family will come true.
I really enjoyed this YA book even though I was not at all certain that it would be my cup of tea. The writing is excellent and the author seems to have done thorough research not only into general Italian Renaissance living but in particular the techniques and materials that artists of that time would use. Giulia is a naive but very sympathetic character and over the course of the novel learns much about the world (ironically, from inside convent walls) and herself. I liked that there was a feminist flavor to the book in that Giulia has a calling to be a painter and has to fight against the conventions of the day to have any hope of this happening simply because she's a woman. I liked that there was no fairy-tale ending but nevertheless a very satisfactory and fitting one. The characters, especially Giulia, jumped off the page.
I really enjoyed this YA book even though I was not at all certain that it would be my cup of tea. The writing is excellent and the author seems to have done thorough research not only into general Italian Renaissance living but in particular the techniques and materials that artists of that time would use. Giulia is a naive but very sympathetic character and over the course of the novel learns much about the world (ironically, from inside convent walls) and herself. I liked that there was a feminist flavor to the book in that Giulia has a calling to be a painter and has to fight against the conventions of the day to have any hope of this happening simply because she's a woman. I liked that there was no fairy-tale ending but nevertheless a very satisfactory and fitting one. The characters, especially Giulia, jumped off the page.
June 10, 2015
In 1400s Italy, young Giulia, is the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman. She loves to draw and hopes for a better life than her late mother had, but after the death of her father she is sent to a convent against her will. There, her artistic talent is discovered and she is swept into the world of female artists who have found freedom painting behind the convent's walls.
Beneath her habit, Giulia secretly wears a good luck talisman she obtains from an astrologer, she hopes it will help her gain her "heart's desire." While all around her the nuns urge her to submit to "God's will." Hesitating between faith and superstition--can she really know who or what to trust?
The book contains many interesting details concerning the practices and techniques in painters' workshops during the Renaissance. The grinding, mixing and stirring of ingredients for individual colors of each paint. The life of nuns is described as well, both serene and restrictive. While 15th century art is hardly my specialty, no major inaccuracies jumped out at me. The heroine is sympathetic, while remaining very much an individual of her times. Although I thought the use of symbolism was a bit overdone at some points, it kept me turning the pages. Not a bad read. Good YA historical fiction novel for anyone 12 and up.
Beneath her habit, Giulia secretly wears a good luck talisman she obtains from an astrologer, she hopes it will help her gain her "heart's desire." While all around her the nuns urge her to submit to "God's will." Hesitating between faith and superstition--can she really know who or what to trust?
The book contains many interesting details concerning the practices and techniques in painters' workshops during the Renaissance. The grinding, mixing and stirring of ingredients for individual colors of each paint. The life of nuns is described as well, both serene and restrictive. While 15th century art is hardly my specialty, no major inaccuracies jumped out at me. The heroine is sympathetic, while remaining very much an individual of her times. Although I thought the use of symbolism was a bit overdone at some points, it kept me turning the pages. Not a bad read. Good YA historical fiction novel for anyone 12 and up.
December 9, 2012
I was very excited to be asked to be apart of the blog tour for Passion Blue. I loved the colors in the cover and the synopsis definitely appealed to my historian side. I love stories set during the Italian Renaissance, so I knew I would enjoy Passion Blue. Passion Blue was everything I expected and more.
The story focuses on Giulia, a young women whose has spent her life as a servant in the home of her father, who happens to be a Count. When he dies, the Counts wife forces her to go live as a nun in the Santa Marta convent. Giulia always wanted a family of her own, but she knows if she actually becomes a nun, she will never have what she always dreamed of. It was hard not to feel connected to Giula. She was a brave girl who just wanted to be loved.
I also enjoyed the fact that Giulia was a painter, during the Renaissance! It was very exciting and brought a lot to the story. She had this wonderful commitment to having a family of her own and being an artist.
I loved the message of sacrifice and finding what truly makes you happy. It is something that everyone struggles with at some point in their life, no matter how old you are, or what century you come from.
I look forward to reading more from the very talented Victoria Strauss!
The story focuses on Giulia, a young women whose has spent her life as a servant in the home of her father, who happens to be a Count. When he dies, the Counts wife forces her to go live as a nun in the Santa Marta convent. Giulia always wanted a family of her own, but she knows if she actually becomes a nun, she will never have what she always dreamed of. It was hard not to feel connected to Giula. She was a brave girl who just wanted to be loved.
I also enjoyed the fact that Giulia was a painter, during the Renaissance! It was very exciting and brought a lot to the story. She had this wonderful commitment to having a family of her own and being an artist.
I loved the message of sacrifice and finding what truly makes you happy. It is something that everyone struggles with at some point in their life, no matter how old you are, or what century you come from.
I look forward to reading more from the very talented Victoria Strauss!
March 24, 2013
I think the biggest problem with this book is that the author sets up a no-win scenario. Our main character can either give up all semblance of a "normal" life to stay in the convent where she can at least paint or she can give up painting to have a "normal" life with a guy we soon realize is a jerk. So when it gets to the end, neither option could really have been satisfying.
Which didn't bother me extremely much because she doesn't really deserve a happy ending. This is someone so dumb she spends her life savings to buy a "magic" talisman she thinks is guaranteed to find her a man to take care of her. And then even when it should be obvious the guy is a jerk, she still convinces herself he's not right up until the end.
As for the convent it seems more like summer camp or boarding school than an actual convent. The end also takes too long after we get to the foregone unsatisfying conclusion.
Overall it was competent but unsatisfying.
Which didn't bother me extremely much because she doesn't really deserve a happy ending. This is someone so dumb she spends her life savings to buy a "magic" talisman she thinks is guaranteed to find her a man to take care of her. And then even when it should be obvious the guy is a jerk, she still convinces herself he's not right up until the end.
As for the convent it seems more like summer camp or boarding school than an actual convent. The end also takes too long after we get to the foregone unsatisfying conclusion.
Overall it was competent but unsatisfying.
May 17, 2013
A unique peek into the lives of 15th century women.
The Great: Masterfully rendered setting and research, beautiful exploration of artistic passion. Magical realism.
The Good: Surprisingly good insta-love "romance," (mostly because it wasn't a romance in the traditional sense; Giulia was never in love, she only thought she was in love because of Anasurymboriel), Guilia's arc, the weaving of the plot. Relationships (for the most part).
The Decent: The writing wasn't beautiful, but was still flow-y and easy to lose yourself in.
The Bad: The "mean bully" character grated on my nerves because I have read this plot 100 times. Also, there was one "twist" that felt unbelievable and reduced the complexity of a relationship into cliches.
Overall: A masterful story of artistic passion set in Renaissance Italy. Recommended.
The Great: Masterfully rendered setting and research, beautiful exploration of artistic passion. Magical realism.
The Good: Surprisingly good insta-love "romance," (mostly because it wasn't a romance in the traditional sense; Giulia was never in love, she only thought she was in love because of Anasurymboriel), Guilia's arc, the weaving of the plot. Relationships (for the most part).
The Decent: The writing wasn't beautiful, but was still flow-y and easy to lose yourself in.
The Bad: The "mean bully" character grated on my nerves because I have read this plot 100 times. Also, there was one "twist" that felt unbelievable and reduced the complexity of a relationship into cliches.
Overall: A masterful story of artistic passion set in Renaissance Italy. Recommended.
August 30, 2012
I received this book free through a goodreads giveaway. The premise of the book is Giulia, and orphan and illegitimate daughter of a Italian nobleman finds out she is being sent to a convent. This upsets her because all she's ever wanted to do is get married and have a home of her own. To change her fate she has a talisman made for her.
You can tell from reading the book the author knew the Italian Renaissance really well. None of the men in the book think that woman can amount to much. It was also interested to learn that in a convent there was a divide between the woman that came from a noble background and those that didn't.
I really enjoyed reading the book and would definitely recommend the book.
You can tell from reading the book the author knew the Italian Renaissance really well. None of the men in the book think that woman can amount to much. It was also interested to learn that in a convent there was a divide between the woman that came from a noble background and those that didn't.
I really enjoyed reading the book and would definitely recommend the book.
August 19, 2012
I received an advanced reader copy Passion Blue by Victoria Strauss through a giveaway on Goodreads.
In Passion Blue by Victoria Strauss, the reader follows Giulia, the illegitimate daughter of a recently deceased Milanese Count whose horoscope has predicted that she will not marry or bear any children. Giulia travels to a sorcerer in order to gain a talisman that she believes will bring her inner heart's desire and will allow her to escape the convent that her father's wife is sending her to. Passion Blue is a brilliant novel full of grace that will transport the reader to the Italian Renaissance.
In Passion Blue by Victoria Strauss, the reader follows Giulia, the illegitimate daughter of a recently deceased Milanese Count whose horoscope has predicted that she will not marry or bear any children. Giulia travels to a sorcerer in order to gain a talisman that she believes will bring her inner heart's desire and will allow her to escape the convent that her father's wife is sending her to. Passion Blue is a brilliant novel full of grace that will transport the reader to the Italian Renaissance.
December 15, 2012
Passion Blue is a simply-told and beautiful story of Giulia, a teenage girl whose dreams of painting and having a place where she belongs seem to be mutually exclusive.
The book was skillfully written so that details seemed to pop out of the words and into my imagination as easily as the blue of passion blue pops of out of the paintings at the convent. At the same time, the writing did not get in the way of the story.
One of my favorite things thematically was the incorporation of magic, religion, and astrology into the story. I could never be sure whether or not they were real or if Giulia, in her naivete and hopefulness, ascribed events and dreams to supernatural causes.
The book was skillfully written so that details seemed to pop out of the words and into my imagination as easily as the blue of passion blue pops of out of the paintings at the convent. At the same time, the writing did not get in the way of the story.
One of my favorite things thematically was the incorporation of magic, religion, and astrology into the story. I could never be sure whether or not they were real or if Giulia, in her naivete and hopefulness, ascribed events and dreams to supernatural causes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews