The Florentine Emerald

by Agustín Bernaldo Palatchi

In this epic historical adventure, a quest for love and enlightenment brings the Renaissance-era Florence of Leonardo da Vinci and Lorenzo de Medici to life


Cardona Castle, 1478. A condemned man reveals the secret of his concealed Jewish ancestry to his son, and tells him of a priceless ring that has been in the family’s possession for centuries. After his father’s execution, Mauricio is forced to flee Barcelona and travel to Florence in the hope of selling the ring. In the city of the arts he meets some extraordinary characters—including Lorenzo de Medici, Marsilio Ficino, Pico della Mirandola, and Leonardo de Vinci—but nobody will make affect him as strongly as Lorena Ginori, a young woman who has been condemned to marry a man who disgusts her. Clouded in danger, conspiracies, plagues, and invasions, when the city comes under the wing of a visionary monk, everything seems poised to go up in smoke. And just as Florence must look to the past to find the key to the future, Mauricio and Lorena must journey through the hidden roots of their family trees to discover the truth about themselves in this enthralling journey through time.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Renaissance, Thriller

534 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 14, 2010

About the author

Agustín Bernaldo Palatchi, reconocido jurista, nacido en Barcelona en 1967, ha dedicado cinco años a investigar en profundidad una época histórica fascinante, sobre la que siempre quiso escribir. El resultado es una obra vibrante y bien documentada, La alianza del converso, que explora el espíritu humano con penetrante mirada.

Reviews

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

reading the English translation - The Florentine Emerald - not sure why there is no record on Goodreads of it;

(dec 14) well now it is so i switched to this edition...

The Florentine Emerald is a book that flows well and one turns the pages to see what happens, but also one that could have been great, rather than the enjoyable but relatively forgettable one it turned out.

I do not know if it is the translation or the author prose, but the novel feels very flat as style goes with no real emotion about the characters or their fate except for the last part

Split into 2 parts (and an epilog) covering 1478-early 1480's and then 1492-1498 and the early 1500's and following our heroes from the blurb (and a villain whose pov alternates in short pages with the ones of the two heroes - here the book has a plus as the hero and heroine marry soon and have a few kids rather than enduring the usual contrived separation for the sake of the plot) from their early 20's to their 40's through triumph and tragedy, their fate being intertwined with the Medicis, Florence, humanism and tolerance as opposed to fanaticism and persecution

And yes all the named characters (Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Columbus etc etc) appear and interact with our heroes - Mauricio even invests in Columbus voyage and well, read to find out what happens with that...

While Lorena for her part has her own secrets that she may even not quite know...

The content is excellent and this could have been a once in a while great reading experience but for the very flat style

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was rather unsure of this novel at the start - it is a translation, and sometimes the language is a little awkward. However, as the story progressed it became more intriguing and held my interest. True, a few of the characters are under-developed and some of the plots twists are bizarre, hence only 3 stars, but all in all I found it an enjoyable read and worth a try for all those interested in historical fiction, particularly the Italian Renaissance era.

[Lorca Damon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore historical fiction, especially the weaving of intriguing tales with real people, places, and events such as this author has done. It was a lot of fun from a mystery standpoint, and the descriptions of the settings and people were stellar.

[Aurea Natalia Salas Aragón · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me quedó debiendo saber más de la piedra, la misión, porqué la querían, para que ritual, etc.

[Nuryta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una novela montada sobre un contexto histórico con clara ficción de parte de los personajes principales, pero que nos da noción de los manejos políticos y sociales de Florencia de finales del s.XV e inicios del s.XVI, con la influencia de Lorenzo Medici, los tejes y manejes de la Iglesia, los grandes descubrimientos de Cristobal Colón, los aportes invaluables de Leonardo Da Vinci y otros grandes de la época.

Es en esa época que se maneja un joven Mauricio Coloma, católico converso, que se da cuenta de su ascendencia judía y debe huir de España, con un tesoro herencia de su padre que lleva consigo toda una historia de culpas, dolor, venganzas, pero también de amor y reconciliación. Le tocará a Mauricio, bajo el auspicio de Lorenzo Medici luchar por su amada Lorena y su familia, para juntos descubrir todo eso que está detrás de la alianza esmeralda, que tanto puede ser signo de los seguidores de Lucifer, o bien ser parte de una estrella guía de una comunidad cristiana primigenia.

Una novela fácil de leer, llena de intriga, historia, amor, venganza y mucho más.

[Lorca Damon · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this English-language translation of Agustín Bernaldo Palatchi's title, The Florentine Emerald (Barcelona eBooks), the historical setting of Florence in the time of the Medici's rise to power and influence comes across on every page, with attention to detail down to the clothing, shopping, and even eating habits of the characters. With both a strong sense of historical accuracy as well as the intriguing "what if" that makes historical fiction so popular--such as the merchant's son main character finding himself dining with Lorenzo de Medici when Leonardo da Vinci shows up as an invited guest--the book takes the reader on a thrilling journey through a time rich in both history, intrigue, and betrayal.

When Mauricio flees Spain following the wrongful execution of his father for treason, he carries with him the secret that his ancestors were--until recently--Jews. He also carries the last possession his father could leave him from his tower cell, a stunning emerald with historic implications. Intent on following his father's instructions of making his fortune by ridding himself of the jewel in Florence, a powerhouse of Europe at the time, Mauricio travels and finds himself in Lorenzo's good graces by inadvertently thwarting an assassination attempt, bringing about a shift in power and influence for the de Medicis. The young Spaniard sets a different course in motion for himself when he meets Lorena Ginori, a striking young woman condemned to an arranged marriage to a disgusting and much older man.

The only writing aspect that could have made this book more enjoyable would be a somewhat deeper explanation of the history, a difficult task considering that some readers will have picked up the book simply because of their interest in Florentine politics of the day and do not wish to be hand-held through Italian history. However, less knowledgeable readers who simply enjoy good historical fiction could possibly benefit from a little more explanation peppered throughout the book on the various characters who come into play.

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading the English version The Florentine Emerald

I wanted to read this book for its setting – the Renaissance era Florence, its landscape, beauty, and the life of the common man. We go along with Mauricio and Lorena on their journey through life as they face tragedies and triumphs – their life in Florence and their interaction with the Medicis.

Maybe it is the translation or the writing itself but I couldn’t feel any emotion in the story. The protagonists couldn’t make themselves endearing to me and I couldn’t rejoice or feel sad with their experiences. It is a slow brewing plot and though it could have been a great book, I felt it was rather flat for my taste. The content and context are rather exciting but not really my cup of tea. Even though I knew it is fiction, I couldn’t really come to accept the interaction of the protagonist with legendary characters like Da Vinci and Columbus.

[Keri-Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd like to echo what the others have said. It may have been because it's a translation but the characters seemed static and much of the dialogue was a dry history lesson.

Still, I kept thinking about the story, looking forward to picking it up again. The pace picked up towards the end and the interactions became more natural.

I've read better books about Renaissance Florence and worse. It is a worthwhile read.

[ceeeeg · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was just ok....lagged badly in places, forcing me to have to push through until it got interesting again...plot got a lil ridiculous near the end, but did like the era written about....could have benefited from more historically factual info that might have made it more interesting to me

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just could not get into this book. Its a good book, well written, excellent characters, great setting, wonderful descriptions - I just could not get into it. I had to push myself through reading it. To me, the style of writing the author used just bored me, it bogged me down in reading it.

[Laura]

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