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A Thing Done
Juggling is easy – until you’re juggling two sides of a lethal vendetta.
Florence, 1216: Corrado the Fool’s prank-for-hire began it, but where is it going to end? Florence’s noble families are up in arms, and Corrado is pressed into service by both sides against his will. A peacemaking marriage could still quiet the outraged factions, but that fragile alliance may crumble under pressure from an interfering woman, a scorned bride, and a demand for revenge. And only Corrado, the reluctant messenger, is in a position to see it all taking shape.
He doesn’t care who comes out on top, but he does care a lot about surviving and about protecting those he loves, and he’ll do whatever he must to prevent the enraged nobles from destroying his city. Will his famous wit and ingenuity be enough? Will anything?
Inspired by real events, A Thing Done tells of a hapless David caught between warring Goliaths. Corrado’s story makes it clear that the rich and powerful aren’t the only ones who can make history.
Co-winner of the 2014 Sharp Writ Book Award for Fiction.
Florence, 1216: Corrado the Fool’s prank-for-hire began it, but where is it going to end? Florence’s noble families are up in arms, and Corrado is pressed into service by both sides against his will. A peacemaking marriage could still quiet the outraged factions, but that fragile alliance may crumble under pressure from an interfering woman, a scorned bride, and a demand for revenge. And only Corrado, the reluctant messenger, is in a position to see it all taking shape.
He doesn’t care who comes out on top, but he does care a lot about surviving and about protecting those he loves, and he’ll do whatever he must to prevent the enraged nobles from destroying his city. Will his famous wit and ingenuity be enough? Will anything?
Inspired by real events, A Thing Done tells of a hapless David caught between warring Goliaths. Corrado’s story makes it clear that the rich and powerful aren’t the only ones who can make history.
Co-winner of the 2014 Sharp Writ Book Award for Fiction.
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Tinney Sue Heath
7 books28 followersTinney Sue Heath is an American midwesterner who has found her heart home in the cities of medieval Italy.
She loves finding the unsung people of the middle ages--the little people, the ignored, the neglected, the forgotten. She especially looks for the ordinary folks who find themselves caught up in extraordinary situations.
When she's not writing about medieval Italy, you will probably find her playing medieval and early Renaissance music on a variety of period instruments, with her husband and with like-minded friends. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin, looking out on a lovely expanse of prairie and daydreaming about her next trip to italy.
She loves finding the unsung people of the middle ages--the little people, the ignored, the neglected, the forgotten. She especially looks for the ordinary folks who find themselves caught up in extraordinary situations.
When she's not writing about medieval Italy, you will probably find her playing medieval and early Renaissance music on a variety of period instruments, with her husband and with like-minded friends. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin, looking out on a lovely expanse of prairie and daydreaming about her next trip to italy.
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April 23, 2015
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3.5 out of 5
Venturing into the fertile field of medieval Italy, Tinney Sue Heath's novel is a careful and detailed look at one of the most famous feuds and vendettas, hailing from the city of Florence. For my taste, I thought A Thing Done could be a little too focused on minor details, like clothes or the set up of a nobleman's room, and occasionally came off a bit flat in the narration. However, overall, this was a solid historical fiction effort that kept my attention. It certainly doesn't hurt that the plot of the novel is fascinating, and based on historical fact, as are the majority of the characters. Focused on the beginnings of the infamous and long-lasting Guelph/Ghibelline struggle in Italy, A Thing Done is a novel about love, vendettas, and history.
I could tell from the great first line of the novel ("It was a fool that began it, but it took a woman to turn it murderous") that the narrator of the novel was going to be one I liked. Corrado is a fool, both for his profession and also in some of the things he does over the course of the novel. He was smart, likeable and forthright, all the while making being manipulated into tense situations and bad decisions. It's easy to root for the little guy, and in A Thing Done, it doesn't get smaller than Corrado. Heath does a good job of presenting a nicely flawed main character with the Fool; he may have to juggle the machinations of two great lords without the other knowing, but his personality was well-defined from the start. An unwilling participant in the feud between Great Families, this working-class peasant is in an untenable situation from the first page and his journey to be free of "the people with surnames" (as he calls the nobility) and their endless scheming is both tense and engaging.
The beginning was admittedly the toughest part for me to get involved in. There are a lot of families, names, factions and agendas flying around Corrado and his friends; sorting out who is who and who wants what can take some time. By about 75ish pages in, I had adjusted to Corrado's sometimes dry attention to detail and figured out the main plotlines and characters at play. For those reasons, it's a bit slow at the start, but the rest of the novel is more than worth the time it takes to get a grip on the various Donatis, Buondelmontis, Ubertis, Fifantis, and Amideis running rampant with plots and maneuvers. Corrado's role as unwilling accomplice to each (unknowing) party makes for an itneresting back and forth between the two major factions, and helps to illustrate how much this minor insult turned a city on its head and instigated a major feud.
Tinney Sue Heath has more than proven she knows her history very well with this novel. Replete with a large cast and detailed plot, A Thing Done goes to lengths to provide a fulfilling, if short, glimpse into Florentine life in 13th century Italy. It may not be the asiest novel to get into, but the journey and end payoff are more than worth the few hundred pages it takes to conclude. The denouement was a bit abrupt, but serves adequately to wrap up the lives and tales of the story's most prominent, surviving, characters.
3.5 out of 5
Venturing into the fertile field of medieval Italy, Tinney Sue Heath's novel is a careful and detailed look at one of the most famous feuds and vendettas, hailing from the city of Florence. For my taste, I thought A Thing Done could be a little too focused on minor details, like clothes or the set up of a nobleman's room, and occasionally came off a bit flat in the narration. However, overall, this was a solid historical fiction effort that kept my attention. It certainly doesn't hurt that the plot of the novel is fascinating, and based on historical fact, as are the majority of the characters. Focused on the beginnings of the infamous and long-lasting Guelph/Ghibelline struggle in Italy, A Thing Done is a novel about love, vendettas, and history.
I could tell from the great first line of the novel ("It was a fool that began it, but it took a woman to turn it murderous") that the narrator of the novel was going to be one I liked. Corrado is a fool, both for his profession and also in some of the things he does over the course of the novel. He was smart, likeable and forthright, all the while making being manipulated into tense situations and bad decisions. It's easy to root for the little guy, and in A Thing Done, it doesn't get smaller than Corrado. Heath does a good job of presenting a nicely flawed main character with the Fool; he may have to juggle the machinations of two great lords without the other knowing, but his personality was well-defined from the start. An unwilling participant in the feud between Great Families, this working-class peasant is in an untenable situation from the first page and his journey to be free of "the people with surnames" (as he calls the nobility) and their endless scheming is both tense and engaging.
The beginning was admittedly the toughest part for me to get involved in. There are a lot of families, names, factions and agendas flying around Corrado and his friends; sorting out who is who and who wants what can take some time. By about 75ish pages in, I had adjusted to Corrado's sometimes dry attention to detail and figured out the main plotlines and characters at play. For those reasons, it's a bit slow at the start, but the rest of the novel is more than worth the time it takes to get a grip on the various Donatis, Buondelmontis, Ubertis, Fifantis, and Amideis running rampant with plots and maneuvers. Corrado's role as unwilling accomplice to each (unknowing) party makes for an itneresting back and forth between the two major factions, and helps to illustrate how much this minor insult turned a city on its head and instigated a major feud.
Tinney Sue Heath has more than proven she knows her history very well with this novel. Replete with a large cast and detailed plot, A Thing Done goes to lengths to provide a fulfilling, if short, glimpse into Florentine life in 13th century Italy. It may not be the asiest novel to get into, but the journey and end payoff are more than worth the few hundred pages it takes to conclude. The denouement was a bit abrupt, but serves adequately to wrap up the lives and tales of the story's most prominent, surviving, characters.
August 7, 2013
Taking as her starting point a series of real life events in medieval Florence, Ms Heath has succeeded in breathing life into a lost time. Rarely have I read a book where the historical setting is so well portrayed, from the wooden rails on which to hang cloaks to the bread trenchers (at times flying through the air, trailing gravy behind them), the clothes, the torches that illuminated the halls, the smoky tallow candles, the wax tablets and their leather envelopes (which made me think of iPads in their leather cases).
This book heaves with historical detail such as the description of the celebration of Good Friday and Holy Saturday, days when the church bells hung silent, or of the rowdy and boisterous Florentine markets, complete with rag-sellers and mercers. What makes this so impressive, is that all this historical information is imparted in passing: a hand grabs a bread trencher, someone sticks a wax candle onto the candle prick, a man collects his cloak from the wooden bar, someone tries to peer through the half open shutters , notes are scribbled on torn pieces of parchment, people munch hot chick-pea fritters…
The story itself is something of a rollercoaster ride. Despite knowing how things will end (because, sadly, I did, having read about the Guelfs and the Ghibellines), I am totally submerged in Corrado’s spiritual conflict, his attempts to somehow stop things from spiralling out of control. Corrado himself is a person just like most of us, not all good, not all bad, open to earning the extra coin or so by performing services he will come to regret. He also has a very strong voice, and this is further helped along by the fact that Ms Heath has dispensed with attempting ‘period dialogue’, no, her characters speak like we do, they say things like “Back off” and “Cheers, Windbag”. Testament to Ms Heath’s knowledge of her period, this modern dialogue never jars with her historical setting. For all that Corrado talks like us, he doesn’t necessarily think like us – especially when it comes to matters related to faith and the need to safeguard your soul for the hereafter.
I was a bit hesitant at first to the fact that the author had chosen to use a first person narrative. In my experience, this leads to a potentially rather flat tale, as the reader is restricted to seeing through only one set of eyes. In the case of A Thing Done, the first person narrative is handled with such excellence that I spent as much time being amazed by this as I was by the story as such.
What I also liked about A Thing Done, is that Corrado is an observer rather than a participant in the events taking place, this allows him to be surprisingly fair in his assessment of the leading men and women in the drama. Yes, Corrado thinks Buondelmonte is a bit of a prat – but he obviously likes the man, at least now and then. Yes, Oddo is a bullying boor, but he is also a man in love with his wife, a caring pater familias that Corrado can’t help but admire – a bit. Even Selvaggia, the woman who, in this version, orchestrates the whole chain of catastrophic events, is presented to the reader as having some saving graces. Not all that many, mind you, but still…
All in all, A Thing Done is a delicious dive into the past. Ms Heath’s writing allows us to taste, smell, even touch that distant age, to feel we are walking side by side with Corrado through the alleys of Florence. It is with some regret that I close the book once I’m done, but I hope Ms Heath is already working diligently on a next book – I for one will definitely buy it!
This book heaves with historical detail such as the description of the celebration of Good Friday and Holy Saturday, days when the church bells hung silent, or of the rowdy and boisterous Florentine markets, complete with rag-sellers and mercers. What makes this so impressive, is that all this historical information is imparted in passing: a hand grabs a bread trencher, someone sticks a wax candle onto the candle prick, a man collects his cloak from the wooden bar, someone tries to peer through the half open shutters , notes are scribbled on torn pieces of parchment, people munch hot chick-pea fritters…
The story itself is something of a rollercoaster ride. Despite knowing how things will end (because, sadly, I did, having read about the Guelfs and the Ghibellines), I am totally submerged in Corrado’s spiritual conflict, his attempts to somehow stop things from spiralling out of control. Corrado himself is a person just like most of us, not all good, not all bad, open to earning the extra coin or so by performing services he will come to regret. He also has a very strong voice, and this is further helped along by the fact that Ms Heath has dispensed with attempting ‘period dialogue’, no, her characters speak like we do, they say things like “Back off” and “Cheers, Windbag”. Testament to Ms Heath’s knowledge of her period, this modern dialogue never jars with her historical setting. For all that Corrado talks like us, he doesn’t necessarily think like us – especially when it comes to matters related to faith and the need to safeguard your soul for the hereafter.
I was a bit hesitant at first to the fact that the author had chosen to use a first person narrative. In my experience, this leads to a potentially rather flat tale, as the reader is restricted to seeing through only one set of eyes. In the case of A Thing Done, the first person narrative is handled with such excellence that I spent as much time being amazed by this as I was by the story as such.
What I also liked about A Thing Done, is that Corrado is an observer rather than a participant in the events taking place, this allows him to be surprisingly fair in his assessment of the leading men and women in the drama. Yes, Corrado thinks Buondelmonte is a bit of a prat – but he obviously likes the man, at least now and then. Yes, Oddo is a bullying boor, but he is also a man in love with his wife, a caring pater familias that Corrado can’t help but admire – a bit. Even Selvaggia, the woman who, in this version, orchestrates the whole chain of catastrophic events, is presented to the reader as having some saving graces. Not all that many, mind you, but still…
All in all, A Thing Done is a delicious dive into the past. Ms Heath’s writing allows us to taste, smell, even touch that distant age, to feel we are walking side by side with Corrado through the alleys of Florence. It is with some regret that I close the book once I’m done, but I hope Ms Heath is already working diligently on a next book – I for one will definitely buy it!
February 27, 2013
Do you love the internecine, flamboyant world of Dante’s Florence? Knightly honor manipulated by a deadly woman sound like a great starting place for a plot? Then you’ll enjoy Tinney Sue Heath’s A Thing Done.
She’s narrated her tale of family feuding, jealousy and betrayal through the eyes of Corrado, a Jester-for-hire. He’s an outsider to the political machinations and maneuvering of the nobility. In fact, his personal history, as the reader finds out, makes him want to avoid the “people with surnames.” But that doesn’t stop the arrogant knights from forcing him into their service and gradually winding him into complicity with their schemes.
Heath’s choice of narrator allows us to see both sides of 13th century Florence, the rich and the poor. Corrado lives in a lively neighborhood of people on the edge of survival, sharing a house with his friend Neri and Ghisola, the woman Neri loves but isn’t married to. They work as itinerant performers, jugglers, musicians, and tumblers, providing entertainment for those who can pay. Heath portrays the details of the local tavern with its sour wine and games of wager played for raisins, the meager foods Ghisola prepares with great skill, the role of the church, and the street celebrations with communal cooking and revelry. You’ll also hear about the clothes and feasts of the nobility, but I enjoyed hearing about the less commonly told side.
A Thing Done is the story of a good man struggling with guilt for actions he participates in that he knows are wrong. The first steps on this agonized path don’t appear to Corrado to be ones he can refuse. A nobleman tells you to do something, you do it—or so Corrado, and the world he lives in, assumes. But perhaps that social order, even at risk of life, should be challenged. It’s a dicey position for a lowly jester, and it keeps getting more complicated and dangerous as both sides of the conflict involve him further and the most powerful family sees the growing rift as an opportunity to seize the city’s governance. Heath has vividly captured the insidious effects on society when one class of people feels justified in unlimited use of their influence, power and money. While the context is distinctly Florentine and this is definitely a historical fiction lover’s novel, the theme strikes me as entirely applicable to contemporary America. You’ll enjoy the exciting plot twists and well-developed characters while at the same time having plenty to think about.
She’s narrated her tale of family feuding, jealousy and betrayal through the eyes of Corrado, a Jester-for-hire. He’s an outsider to the political machinations and maneuvering of the nobility. In fact, his personal history, as the reader finds out, makes him want to avoid the “people with surnames.” But that doesn’t stop the arrogant knights from forcing him into their service and gradually winding him into complicity with their schemes.
Heath’s choice of narrator allows us to see both sides of 13th century Florence, the rich and the poor. Corrado lives in a lively neighborhood of people on the edge of survival, sharing a house with his friend Neri and Ghisola, the woman Neri loves but isn’t married to. They work as itinerant performers, jugglers, musicians, and tumblers, providing entertainment for those who can pay. Heath portrays the details of the local tavern with its sour wine and games of wager played for raisins, the meager foods Ghisola prepares with great skill, the role of the church, and the street celebrations with communal cooking and revelry. You’ll also hear about the clothes and feasts of the nobility, but I enjoyed hearing about the less commonly told side.
A Thing Done is the story of a good man struggling with guilt for actions he participates in that he knows are wrong. The first steps on this agonized path don’t appear to Corrado to be ones he can refuse. A nobleman tells you to do something, you do it—or so Corrado, and the world he lives in, assumes. But perhaps that social order, even at risk of life, should be challenged. It’s a dicey position for a lowly jester, and it keeps getting more complicated and dangerous as both sides of the conflict involve him further and the most powerful family sees the growing rift as an opportunity to seize the city’s governance. Heath has vividly captured the insidious effects on society when one class of people feels justified in unlimited use of their influence, power and money. While the context is distinctly Florentine and this is definitely a historical fiction lover’s novel, the theme strikes me as entirely applicable to contemporary America. You’ll enjoy the exciting plot twists and well-developed characters while at the same time having plenty to think about.
June 27, 2013
This novel set in the 13th century shines a bright light on rival families in medieval Florence, Italy. It is January 1216, and Corrado, an amiable jester, is entertaining at a feast when, much to his dismay, he becomes the catalyst in an event that brings to a boil the already hot tensions between a collection of powerful knights and their attendant factions. As Corrado tells his story, we see him relentlessly pulled back and forth between these “pompous blowhards,” as he calls them, an pawn whose life depends on maintaining good relations with all comers, while avoiding being too closely linked with anyone. And so, he is embroiled in the complexities of a tale based on historical events involving a broken marriage contract (simply not done at this time in Italy), and a scorned bride set on murder.
Heath imbues Corrado with a sense of humor in a story rich with detail – food, music, and clothing – as she narrates the consequences of what should have been a harmless prank. Instead the joke that launches the story touches not only the lives of Florence’s most noble families, but also deeply impacts a well-meaning jester who is merely trying to survive at a time when it is impossible for someone of his station to just say “no.” {Review Published in Historical Novels Review Issue 64/May 2013}
Heath imbues Corrado with a sense of humor in a story rich with detail – food, music, and clothing – as she narrates the consequences of what should have been a harmless prank. Instead the joke that launches the story touches not only the lives of Florence’s most noble families, but also deeply impacts a well-meaning jester who is merely trying to survive at a time when it is impossible for someone of his station to just say “no.” {Review Published in Historical Novels Review Issue 64/May 2013}
January 27, 2022
“A Thing Done,” is a short title that summarizes perfectly how one little prank by a lowly citizen can set off a chain of events leading to high stakes and vendettas among the city’s most preeminent families, ultimately resulting in historic change. Our main character in this early thirteenth century historical novel works as a fool by profession. Corrado, or Fool, finds himself on an awkward and dangerous tightrope between two powerful families of Florence, the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. Fool is ordered to play a prank that results in a vendetta, a betrothal, a broken engagement, and murder. Along the way, Fool is not the only fascinating and fully-rounded character to draw the reader in; there are many. Highly recommended.
July 25, 2013
I was so pleased to read Tinney Sue Heath’s medieval tale, A Thing Done! From the start I was enthusiastic about her 13th century story told by a jester’s point of view (a ‘fool’ as he was referred). Always the entertaining part of most shows and stories, these actors actually garner little actual “showtime,” so I was delighted to read her original story (based on historical families) that weaved her protagonist, a fool named Corrado, into the social class and family intrigue and power struggle that ruled the streets of 1216 Florence.
I wondered before reading A Thing Done what type of historical reader might enjoy this tale. I realized quickly that it would be the true lovers of historical detail and realistic old-world machinations. While spinning her unique tale, Tinney also focused on the social structure of medieval Florence and made the reader very aware of class distinctions and family influences. This book is not for those swept away by the gowns and gold of court and noble families, but those who saw their corrupt and misuse of each other, their feuding and scheming ways, and their extravagant lifestyles and desire for power.
From the start, while performing at a feast of families, Corrado (“fool”) is ordered to pull a prank. This prank starts a snowballing avalanche that Corrado wonders if he will ever be able to get out alive from, as he is used and ordered around by several noble families who are vying for position in this pre-Medici Florence (of course for coins, but still, he feels as a lowly entertainer he can’t say no-and then eventually because one side might tell the other about him). Her use of the fool lets us into his world, the world of peasants and commoners, as well as the homes, dinner parties, and secret kitchen talks of the men, and scheming women, on higher social ground who seem repeatedly out for blood from each other. We see the simple living conditions and meals of the poor as well as the wasteful feasts and endeavors of high society.
Corrado quite humorously keeps being that person who is accidentally in the wrong place at the wrong time, but he is ultimately embroiled further and his stress level becomes higher. Already not a person who wants to interact with nobility, he struggles with these missions. He doesn’t like to be in anyone else’s business, even the business of his friends or his troop. He wants to keep to himself. He is happy just to perform. Ah, if he didn’t need the coins and then if he wasn’t so afraid of losing his life…..but eventually even these nobles might need to be stood up to and readers will enjoy Corrado’s emotional journey to this discovery as he often times brings humor to the page. I loved his sarcasm and enjoyed his observations which surrounded Tinney’s accurate historical detail.
I’ve always adored learning about the common people’s homes, meals, and artistic and entertaining pursuits. Medieval faires are fun as they encompass that in our modern world and Tinney’s book gave me some of that flair as we are entrenched in a performer’s lifestyle.
Tinney’s cast of characters, protagonist Corrado, his friend Neri, and Neri’s girlfriend Ghisola were vibrant, whole, and completely well-developed in a way in which I felt I’d come to know them and didn’t want to leave them or see them go. Once you get past the first chapter of this novel, you’ll be invested and not want to put it down. Corrado keeps you turning pages heading into his next endeavor all the while holding your breath that he’ll accomplish what he needs to do and make the decisions he feels are best.
Overall, Tinney’s A Thing Done is so well-detailed without being overly so, historically accurate and yet imaginatively inventive, socially thought-provoking, thrilling, and humorous! It’s a well-done novel that deserves accolades as well as readers who will appreciate its delightfully fun adventure and endearing characters. Corrado may play a “fool,” but he shows he truly is no fool himself about the true meaning of life. The end of the novel was very touching.
I wondered before reading A Thing Done what type of historical reader might enjoy this tale. I realized quickly that it would be the true lovers of historical detail and realistic old-world machinations. While spinning her unique tale, Tinney also focused on the social structure of medieval Florence and made the reader very aware of class distinctions and family influences. This book is not for those swept away by the gowns and gold of court and noble families, but those who saw their corrupt and misuse of each other, their feuding and scheming ways, and their extravagant lifestyles and desire for power.
From the start, while performing at a feast of families, Corrado (“fool”) is ordered to pull a prank. This prank starts a snowballing avalanche that Corrado wonders if he will ever be able to get out alive from, as he is used and ordered around by several noble families who are vying for position in this pre-Medici Florence (of course for coins, but still, he feels as a lowly entertainer he can’t say no-and then eventually because one side might tell the other about him). Her use of the fool lets us into his world, the world of peasants and commoners, as well as the homes, dinner parties, and secret kitchen talks of the men, and scheming women, on higher social ground who seem repeatedly out for blood from each other. We see the simple living conditions and meals of the poor as well as the wasteful feasts and endeavors of high society.
Corrado quite humorously keeps being that person who is accidentally in the wrong place at the wrong time, but he is ultimately embroiled further and his stress level becomes higher. Already not a person who wants to interact with nobility, he struggles with these missions. He doesn’t like to be in anyone else’s business, even the business of his friends or his troop. He wants to keep to himself. He is happy just to perform. Ah, if he didn’t need the coins and then if he wasn’t so afraid of losing his life…..but eventually even these nobles might need to be stood up to and readers will enjoy Corrado’s emotional journey to this discovery as he often times brings humor to the page. I loved his sarcasm and enjoyed his observations which surrounded Tinney’s accurate historical detail.
I’ve always adored learning about the common people’s homes, meals, and artistic and entertaining pursuits. Medieval faires are fun as they encompass that in our modern world and Tinney’s book gave me some of that flair as we are entrenched in a performer’s lifestyle.
Tinney’s cast of characters, protagonist Corrado, his friend Neri, and Neri’s girlfriend Ghisola were vibrant, whole, and completely well-developed in a way in which I felt I’d come to know them and didn’t want to leave them or see them go. Once you get past the first chapter of this novel, you’ll be invested and not want to put it down. Corrado keeps you turning pages heading into his next endeavor all the while holding your breath that he’ll accomplish what he needs to do and make the decisions he feels are best.
Overall, Tinney’s A Thing Done is so well-detailed without being overly so, historically accurate and yet imaginatively inventive, socially thought-provoking, thrilling, and humorous! It’s a well-done novel that deserves accolades as well as readers who will appreciate its delightfully fun adventure and endearing characters. Corrado may play a “fool,” but he shows he truly is no fool himself about the true meaning of life. The end of the novel was very touching.
February 8, 2016
I've just completed my read of A Thing Done and have closed it with a sigh of satisfaction. Corrado is the most engaging protagonist I have read for some time. There is nothing brash, foolish or ugly about his persona and I found I very quickly wanted to protect his back. He is such a creature of the time - a lower class individual at the mercy of the Macchiavellian nobility. The easy brutality and questionable morality of the times is salty, frequently horrifying. Under those circumstances, Corrado has a strength of character that is entirely believable.
Heath depicts a very real Florentine setting with subtlety. I never once felt I was being talk down to or loaded upon and part of this for me, was that Corrado and his companions are not just the vehicles for an intriguing plot but they also convey the historical aspect of the times. This is the first of Heath's work that I have read and I'll most definitely add her name to my list of favourites. Most highly recommended.
March 24, 2013
I absolutely inhaled this book. The setting (early 13c Florence) was what compelled me to pick up the book, but from the first page, I was hooked. The narrative voice is wonderful, perfectly suited to a wry performer like the Fool, and more than once I laughed out loud.
But the subject matter is grim, and the eye-for-an-eye (or maybe, death-for-an-eye) world of warring families and vendettas was wonderfully rendered. The historical detail was just right, enough to bring you into the world and make it seem real and familiar, and the mystery was excellent. I had to read "just one more chapter" and stayed up way past my bedtime to see what happened to these characters I had become so fond of. Highly enjoyable, a wonderful read!
But the subject matter is grim, and the eye-for-an-eye (or maybe, death-for-an-eye) world of warring families and vendettas was wonderfully rendered. The historical detail was just right, enough to bring you into the world and make it seem real and familiar, and the mystery was excellent. I had to read "just one more chapter" and stayed up way past my bedtime to see what happened to these characters I had become so fond of. Highly enjoyable, a wonderful read!
January 13, 2013
I am currently re-reading this book for the sheer pleasure of it. It is one I am likely to visit again and again. The characters are very real, the action and interactions are skillfully portrayed, and medieval Florence comes vividly alive, from a simple meal of hearth-roasted onions to the towers and politics of the city. I heartily recommend this book, and have already given several copies as gifts.
January 14, 2013
Giveaway now through January 21, 2013 @ Let Them Read Books!
3.5 Stars. I'm drawn to stories about the historical dealings of powerful figures from the point of view of the everyday people who had to live through their antics, and who had to live with the consequences of their actions, and I think Corrado's is one of the most interesting points of view I've read. As a poor entertainer in a small troop of acrobats and musicians, in a city rife with violent rivalry, he finds himself in the precarious position of being ordered to perform a prank he knows will start a fight, and then in the position of trying to keep himself alive as he gets caught in the middle of a vendetta, privy to the secrets of two warring families with the power to launch the city into bloodshed and chaos, but helpless to do anything to prevent it from happening.
Corrado, humble player though he be, is actually a very noble character, and I was rooting for him to somehow manage to come out on top as he fought to keep from endangering his friends, and then as he became even more embroiled in the vendetta and had to face the consequences of playing an inadvertent part in harming people he'd come to care about. Ms. Heath has obviously done extensive research and it shows as the medieval city of Florence comes to life, as does the plight of the residents of a city held hostage by powerful warring families--where people have to walk a fine line, careful of offending anyone's allegiances, and where being seen in the wrong place at the wrong time or in possession of the wrong colors can be fatal.
A Thing Done gets thumbs up for a compelling, empathetic main character and a good story that gets pretty intense at its climax, but on the downside I found it to be laborious reading at times. It gets bogged down in a big cast with lots of names and various alliances to keep track of, and the narrative tends toward the wordy and overly descriptive, which really slows the reading down. But it did hold my interest to the end, which was very poignant and satisfying, and I think it will appeal to other fans of everyday heroes and Italian history. And as a debut, I think it proves that Ms. Heath has potential for a successful career in historical fiction.
3.5 Stars. I'm drawn to stories about the historical dealings of powerful figures from the point of view of the everyday people who had to live through their antics, and who had to live with the consequences of their actions, and I think Corrado's is one of the most interesting points of view I've read. As a poor entertainer in a small troop of acrobats and musicians, in a city rife with violent rivalry, he finds himself in the precarious position of being ordered to perform a prank he knows will start a fight, and then in the position of trying to keep himself alive as he gets caught in the middle of a vendetta, privy to the secrets of two warring families with the power to launch the city into bloodshed and chaos, but helpless to do anything to prevent it from happening.
Corrado, humble player though he be, is actually a very noble character, and I was rooting for him to somehow manage to come out on top as he fought to keep from endangering his friends, and then as he became even more embroiled in the vendetta and had to face the consequences of playing an inadvertent part in harming people he'd come to care about. Ms. Heath has obviously done extensive research and it shows as the medieval city of Florence comes to life, as does the plight of the residents of a city held hostage by powerful warring families--where people have to walk a fine line, careful of offending anyone's allegiances, and where being seen in the wrong place at the wrong time or in possession of the wrong colors can be fatal.
A Thing Done gets thumbs up for a compelling, empathetic main character and a good story that gets pretty intense at its climax, but on the downside I found it to be laborious reading at times. It gets bogged down in a big cast with lots of names and various alliances to keep track of, and the narrative tends toward the wordy and overly descriptive, which really slows the reading down. But it did hold my interest to the end, which was very poignant and satisfying, and I think it will appeal to other fans of everyday heroes and Italian history. And as a debut, I think it proves that Ms. Heath has potential for a successful career in historical fiction.
October 18, 2019
A Thing Done by Tinney Sue Heath
This historic novel takes us back to Florence in 1216, to a real event sparked by a bad joke that led to a vendetta. The joker in question was a hired professional Fool doing his employer’s bidding. The urgency of the Fool’s attempt to prevent murder while still staying alive himself makes Tinney Sue Heath’s story a page-turner.
The Fool’s hand-to-mouth existence as an entertainer contrasts with the pomp and pageantry in the knights’ castles, giving a balanced view of life more than eight centuries ago, in which the many characters appear as people whose destinies are tangled into a continuing tragedy.
The Fool is a citizen of thirteenth century Florence. Like everyone at the time, he is steeped in the rituals of his religion, but he is also resentfully aware that the church takes more care of the rich than the poor. He is no cynic, but he is an observer, a social critic, and a compassionate man with a taste of irony. He’s neither consistently good nor heroically brave — that’s for his “betters,” the quarrelsome knights. Unlike them, he’s self-critically aware, which makes him an honest narrator.
I liked him, and the story, a great deal. The details of the setting, the everyday life in thirteenth century Florence at high and low levels are the result of loving research, they enhance the story but they never overpower it. Fundamentally, this is a good, engaging read that repays reflection afterwards.
This historic novel takes us back to Florence in 1216, to a real event sparked by a bad joke that led to a vendetta. The joker in question was a hired professional Fool doing his employer’s bidding. The urgency of the Fool’s attempt to prevent murder while still staying alive himself makes Tinney Sue Heath’s story a page-turner.
The Fool’s hand-to-mouth existence as an entertainer contrasts with the pomp and pageantry in the knights’ castles, giving a balanced view of life more than eight centuries ago, in which the many characters appear as people whose destinies are tangled into a continuing tragedy.
The Fool is a citizen of thirteenth century Florence. Like everyone at the time, he is steeped in the rituals of his religion, but he is also resentfully aware that the church takes more care of the rich than the poor. He is no cynic, but he is an observer, a social critic, and a compassionate man with a taste of irony. He’s neither consistently good nor heroically brave — that’s for his “betters,” the quarrelsome knights. Unlike them, he’s self-critically aware, which makes him an honest narrator.
I liked him, and the story, a great deal. The details of the setting, the everyday life in thirteenth century Florence at high and low levels are the result of loving research, they enhance the story but they never overpower it. Fundamentally, this is a good, engaging read that repays reflection afterwards.
May 24, 2022
I expected a murder mystery, a la Ellis Peters' Cadfael novels when I started reading A Thing Done by Tinney Sue Heath.
There's murder done, but it's no mystery, and the atmosphere of the vendetta by "people with surnames" - on each other, on the narrator Corrado (professional fool), and on the people of Florence - is riveting. I highly recommend this!
There's murder done, but it's no mystery, and the atmosphere of the vendetta by "people with surnames" - on each other, on the narrator Corrado (professional fool), and on the people of Florence - is riveting. I highly recommend this!
January 30, 2020
A beautifully written book evoking the sights and sounds of medieval Italy. I found this one very hard to put down. Definitely an author to watch.
July 18, 2014
Read this review and more at Romancing the Laser Pistol
My name is Bry, and I am a glutton for Florence. Seriously, I could never get tired of reading about Italian history, and this city just absolutely captivates my passionate heart. I tend to focus on the Renaissance period and the Medici family as is my academic specialty, but on the rare occasion where I find a book that promises a 'new' take on my beloved city, I might just get a little excited. Juuust a little.
This is what A Thing Done did for me, taking place in the underdeveloped Florence of 1216, long before the Renaissance rebirth of art, culture, and thought would turn it into the powerhouse of the Early Modern World. During this time, a stolen plate of food at a party leads to insult, assault, marriages, murder, blood feud, and ultimate catalyst for the Guelphs and Ghibellines civil war. This drastic escalation of hostility is unraveled from the point of view of Corrado, the Jester that misfortune has marked to be at the unwitting center of this conflict. It is he that is strong armed by Italian nobleman Buondelmonte into the insulting display of stealing food, and he that is forcibly brought in to 'serve' the opposing sides as tensions increase.
Corrado, for all the shit that he has become mired in, is an intensely likeable character. He is skilled, humble, bold, deeply loyal to his friends and those he cares about, and slightly pigheaded. Most importantly, he overcame the obstacle of being too shallow - a common weakness for 'fool' characters. Despite becoming further and further entrenched in the blood feud conflict, Corrado attempts to do the 'right thing', if such an option exists, and often suffers for it. He is the paradigmatic scapegoat, the classic pawn, and yet he is still a whole person with dreams and losses, fears and judgements, who cannot be written off.
Because the tension of this massive blood feud never eases, there is not a moment of lull in the plot - even when Corrado escapes the clutches of one noble to another long enough to breathe, he must manage the interrogation of his best friends. And just when he is able to assuage their growing suspicions, he is drawn deeper into intrigue and danger. Furthermore, there are just too many players in the conflict, too many vested interests and self serving motives for anything to go purely to plan. How this will end is anyone's guess.
As a writer, Heath was fantastic with her detail. She brought her historical figures to life with vigor and complexity that often made it difficult to choose a side. Each character was someone to love, to pity, and to hate, wrapped into a maelstrom of family pride. She made the conflict multi-dimensional and real, where the lines of morality and justice become so blurred that it is easy to be as lost as our Fool, inextricably entangled in inevitable events. Heath unravels her most tense moments with beautiful finesse and rich detail. Even though the death of Buondelmonte was such an infamous black stain on Florence's history that it has been immortalized in painting (see below), the visual imagery provided in the book was as rich as the image, and with more feeling.
This was one of my favourite reads of the year so far, and it comes highly recommended.
My name is Bry, and I am a glutton for Florence. Seriously, I could never get tired of reading about Italian history, and this city just absolutely captivates my passionate heart. I tend to focus on the Renaissance period and the Medici family as is my academic specialty, but on the rare occasion where I find a book that promises a 'new' take on my beloved city, I might just get a little excited. Juuust a little.
This is what A Thing Done did for me, taking place in the underdeveloped Florence of 1216, long before the Renaissance rebirth of art, culture, and thought would turn it into the powerhouse of the Early Modern World. During this time, a stolen plate of food at a party leads to insult, assault, marriages, murder, blood feud, and ultimate catalyst for the Guelphs and Ghibellines civil war. This drastic escalation of hostility is unraveled from the point of view of Corrado, the Jester that misfortune has marked to be at the unwitting center of this conflict. It is he that is strong armed by Italian nobleman Buondelmonte into the insulting display of stealing food, and he that is forcibly brought in to 'serve' the opposing sides as tensions increase.
Corrado, for all the shit that he has become mired in, is an intensely likeable character. He is skilled, humble, bold, deeply loyal to his friends and those he cares about, and slightly pigheaded. Most importantly, he overcame the obstacle of being too shallow - a common weakness for 'fool' characters. Despite becoming further and further entrenched in the blood feud conflict, Corrado attempts to do the 'right thing', if such an option exists, and often suffers for it. He is the paradigmatic scapegoat, the classic pawn, and yet he is still a whole person with dreams and losses, fears and judgements, who cannot be written off.
Because the tension of this massive blood feud never eases, there is not a moment of lull in the plot - even when Corrado escapes the clutches of one noble to another long enough to breathe, he must manage the interrogation of his best friends. And just when he is able to assuage their growing suspicions, he is drawn deeper into intrigue and danger. Furthermore, there are just too many players in the conflict, too many vested interests and self serving motives for anything to go purely to plan. How this will end is anyone's guess.
As a writer, Heath was fantastic with her detail. She brought her historical figures to life with vigor and complexity that often made it difficult to choose a side. Each character was someone to love, to pity, and to hate, wrapped into a maelstrom of family pride. She made the conflict multi-dimensional and real, where the lines of morality and justice become so blurred that it is easy to be as lost as our Fool, inextricably entangled in inevitable events. Heath unravels her most tense moments with beautiful finesse and rich detail. Even though the death of Buondelmonte was such an infamous black stain on Florence's history that it has been immortalized in painting (see below), the visual imagery provided in the book was as rich as the image, and with more feeling.
This was one of my favourite reads of the year so far, and it comes highly recommended.
April 23, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this. The tension ratchets up notch by notch, and it doesn’t matter that you are pretty sure you know where it is headed. I loved this view into Florence before the Florence we all know. And I loved that the viewpoint on these events — which would eventually shake kingdoms and topple popes — came from those at the bottom of the city’s ladder.
January 21, 2013
3.5 stars. In the beginning of the 13th century, Florence was ruled by a couple of super powerful families who took their rivalries to a whole other level. Each family wants to be on top and the slightest issue can turn the balance of the city entirely on its head. The stakes are very high and it seems like just about any little thing could set either family off! "A Thing Done" explores in great historical detail what happens when these families fight over a slight by one onto the other. It is most definitely not a pretty picture.
What's so fascinating about this book is that instead of focusing on one of the members of these families, but instead, it is told from the perspective of a fool, a jester, who in the eyes of both families is simply expendable. I loved that it was Corrado, the fool, who told the story. You get a good sense of just how crazy everyone outside of the families thinks the families are. Corrado is thrown in the mix when he is asked to play a trick on one family over the other side of the family so he's right in the mix. I thought that it was fascinating to have this book told from the fool's perspective. He's looked down by both families but in the end, I think he ends up being smarter than many of the other people who play a part in this story.
I loved reading about Florence during this time period. It was really such a fascinating place with all of the different politics going on. This book probably takes place earlier than any other book that I have read about Florence before. Heath most definitely gives readers a lot of information to digest about the city. Sometimes the information and detail bogged down the story but on the whole, it was very good detail.
As a history lover, I also appreciated the extensive real history behind the story of "A Thing Done" in the back of the book. I am always interested about the historical details behind the historical fiction story and this section talks about a lot of different things in the book. It's really awesome stuff!
What's so fascinating about this book is that instead of focusing on one of the members of these families, but instead, it is told from the perspective of a fool, a jester, who in the eyes of both families is simply expendable. I loved that it was Corrado, the fool, who told the story. You get a good sense of just how crazy everyone outside of the families thinks the families are. Corrado is thrown in the mix when he is asked to play a trick on one family over the other side of the family so he's right in the mix. I thought that it was fascinating to have this book told from the fool's perspective. He's looked down by both families but in the end, I think he ends up being smarter than many of the other people who play a part in this story.
I loved reading about Florence during this time period. It was really such a fascinating place with all of the different politics going on. This book probably takes place earlier than any other book that I have read about Florence before. Heath most definitely gives readers a lot of information to digest about the city. Sometimes the information and detail bogged down the story but on the whole, it was very good detail.
As a history lover, I also appreciated the extensive real history behind the story of "A Thing Done" in the back of the book. I am always interested about the historical details behind the historical fiction story and this section talks about a lot of different things in the book. It's really awesome stuff!
January 16, 2013
This book takes you back to 13th century Florence. Florence before she was the city of the Medici, the city of Michelangelo. Before she had consolidation her power; when the powerful families were vying for control. (Actually has that REALLY stopped anywhere? But I digress.)
The book starts at a party, has major denouements at parties and ends at a party. Why is this of note? Because our main characters are players; jugglers, muscians - performers struggling to make a living from the nobility. Our hero is a Jester, a fool as they were known but he is smarter than most around him.
At that first party our Fool is asked to play a silly prank by one noble on another. He does not understand why but he also can't refuse. It starts a fight that leads to nothing short of chaos and our Fool finds himself embroiled in a city wide feud - being used by both sides as a courier and needing to keep secrets that could get him killed.
This was a really different take on an historical novel. Using the Fool/Jester as the protagonist was truly clever and unlikely as it might seem the story is based in fact as the best and craziest tales are. I found myself quite involved and worried out our poor Fool who found himself in places he did not want to be but with no way out due to his station in life. Ms. Heath brought 13th century Florence to life with her descriptions of food, clothing and housing and she really brought forward the plight of women of the time. They were truly not much more than bargaining chips so they used what little power they could manage to control their men.
This was an entertaining and fascinating read from a time not often highlighted by historical fiction writers. It was a delightful way to spend several hours. Despite the murder and mayhem....
The book starts at a party, has major denouements at parties and ends at a party. Why is this of note? Because our main characters are players; jugglers, muscians - performers struggling to make a living from the nobility. Our hero is a Jester, a fool as they were known but he is smarter than most around him.
At that first party our Fool is asked to play a silly prank by one noble on another. He does not understand why but he also can't refuse. It starts a fight that leads to nothing short of chaos and our Fool finds himself embroiled in a city wide feud - being used by both sides as a courier and needing to keep secrets that could get him killed.
This was a really different take on an historical novel. Using the Fool/Jester as the protagonist was truly clever and unlikely as it might seem the story is based in fact as the best and craziest tales are. I found myself quite involved and worried out our poor Fool who found himself in places he did not want to be but with no way out due to his station in life. Ms. Heath brought 13th century Florence to life with her descriptions of food, clothing and housing and she really brought forward the plight of women of the time. They were truly not much more than bargaining chips so they used what little power they could manage to control their men.
This was an entertaining and fascinating read from a time not often highlighted by historical fiction writers. It was a delightful way to spend several hours. Despite the murder and mayhem....
September 29, 2013
Fascinating time and place--13th century Florence--a loose retelling of the Guelph/Ghibelline conflict. I enjoyed this novel very much. It started slowly, maybe partly because of the unfamiliar names and my not knowing who was aligned with whom, but it gained momentum as the novel progressed. The first line is a classic worthy of Sabatini!
"It was a fool that began it, but it took a woman to turn it murderous."
So begins this tale of duplicity and vengeance, set in Renaissance Florence. The jester, Corrado, one of a troupe of entertainers, at a 'knighting' banquet is hired by Oddo to throw a platter of food at Buondelmonte, his enemy. A man is hurt. This inflames the hatred between two noble Houses. A rift had existed already, just waiting to be opened wider. Then a bride is left at the altar and she seeks revenge on the man who jilted her. Corrado is forced to help each family but is tireless in trying to preserve his own life, while 'walking a tightrope' between the two noble families. A secret meeting is held in which vendetta is declared against the noble Buondelmonte, and one of Oddo's retinue calls for his death. Then in another meeting, plans are laid for how the death will be carried out. Will Corrado be able to warn Buondelmonte in time to prevent it?
This novel was very well written, and with many details about the life of all strata of society in that era. The characterizations and dialogue were very good. The author's note was most informative on all aspects of that period.
Very highly recommended.
"It was a fool that began it, but it took a woman to turn it murderous."
So begins this tale of duplicity and vengeance, set in Renaissance Florence. The jester, Corrado, one of a troupe of entertainers, at a 'knighting' banquet is hired by Oddo to throw a platter of food at Buondelmonte, his enemy. A man is hurt. This inflames the hatred between two noble Houses. A rift had existed already, just waiting to be opened wider. Then a bride is left at the altar and she seeks revenge on the man who jilted her. Corrado is forced to help each family but is tireless in trying to preserve his own life, while 'walking a tightrope' between the two noble families. A secret meeting is held in which vendetta is declared against the noble Buondelmonte, and one of Oddo's retinue calls for his death. Then in another meeting, plans are laid for how the death will be carried out. Will Corrado be able to warn Buondelmonte in time to prevent it?
This novel was very well written, and with many details about the life of all strata of society in that era. The characterizations and dialogue were very good. The author's note was most informative on all aspects of that period.
Very highly recommended.
January 24, 2013
This book was a step out of my usual historical fiction comfort zone, however it was well worth it.
Its intrigue pure and simple with a fool in the thick of things. For me the story started off a little slow, but that really had more to do with my getting used to a different type of story than I'm used to.
Once I became acclimated to world of Florence in 1216 the book took off for me. Tinney Sue Heath has definitely done her research here and she shows that in her great attention to detail.
The story focuses on one of the most famous feuds in Italian history. Corrado is the fool that started it with a harmless prank at a dinner party. Funny how something like a prank can bring about civil war!
You really feel for him, as he is drawn into the intrigue on both sides. It reminded me a bit of The Queen's Fool by Phillipa Gregory, or rather how the fool was drawn into things, when really that was a position that wouldn't be cause for remark at all.
Corrado is a compelling character. For a person used to reading historical fiction from a woman's point of view, this was a refreshing change, and Corrado was very likable as where Neri and Ghisola.
Your heart will break for him as the story progresses. He wants to do the right thing, but because of being caught in the middle of the two families he can't.
Definitely a good read for fans of Italian history.
Its intrigue pure and simple with a fool in the thick of things. For me the story started off a little slow, but that really had more to do with my getting used to a different type of story than I'm used to.
Once I became acclimated to world of Florence in 1216 the book took off for me. Tinney Sue Heath has definitely done her research here and she shows that in her great attention to detail.
The story focuses on one of the most famous feuds in Italian history. Corrado is the fool that started it with a harmless prank at a dinner party. Funny how something like a prank can bring about civil war!
You really feel for him, as he is drawn into the intrigue on both sides. It reminded me a bit of The Queen's Fool by Phillipa Gregory, or rather how the fool was drawn into things, when really that was a position that wouldn't be cause for remark at all.
Corrado is a compelling character. For a person used to reading historical fiction from a woman's point of view, this was a refreshing change, and Corrado was very likable as where Neri and Ghisola.
Your heart will break for him as the story progresses. He wants to do the right thing, but because of being caught in the middle of the two families he can't.
Definitely a good read for fans of Italian history.
August 12, 2013
A Thing Done is a fictionalized accounting of the broken betrothal that sparked the long-standing war between the Ghibelline and Guelphs families of medieval Florence. At the heart of the story is a court jester who is intimidated into performing a prank at a celebration. The prank sets off a vendetta which is appeased by a betrothal between two families. However, the betrothal is broken and murder becomes the only way to settle the vendetta.
Author Tinney Heath has really created a compelling story – one that gripped me and captured my interest from the opening lines of the book to the very end. Of course, I love any novel with an Italian setting and this book definitely does not disappoint. Strong writing, rich details, and undeniably compelling characters made this book truly stand out. I loved the hero and the way he was unavoidably drawn into the vendetta. I loved how the author weaved fiction with fact to make a fabulous story. I highly recommend this book!
Author Tinney Heath has really created a compelling story – one that gripped me and captured my interest from the opening lines of the book to the very end. Of course, I love any novel with an Italian setting and this book definitely does not disappoint. Strong writing, rich details, and undeniably compelling characters made this book truly stand out. I loved the hero and the way he was unavoidably drawn into the vendetta. I loved how the author weaved fiction with fact to make a fabulous story. I highly recommend this book!
March 8, 2014
A Thing Done is an atmospheric tale of 13th century Florence with all of the intrigue and subterfuge the setting infers. The main character, Corrado, is a fool by profession and an unwilling participant in the scheming of the nobles who employ him. He unwittingly sets off a vendetta that will eventually affect the entire population around him and hit much closer to home than he can imagine.
Heath’s fluid writing style keeps the book moving at an enjoyable pace, allowing the story to unfold in its own time and achieving a delicate balance that never seems to lag or feel rushed. It serves to effectively deliver an emotional read that engages the reader and gives a satisfactory conclusion, although I was sad for it to come to an end. I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction in an uncommon setting who crave an exciting and memorable read.
Heath’s fluid writing style keeps the book moving at an enjoyable pace, allowing the story to unfold in its own time and achieving a delicate balance that never seems to lag or feel rushed. It serves to effectively deliver an emotional read that engages the reader and gives a satisfactory conclusion, although I was sad for it to come to an end. I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction in an uncommon setting who crave an exciting and memorable read.
January 1, 2013
“A Thing Done” will take the reader back to 13th-century Florence, when an annoying prank snowballs into a vendetta among Florence’s noble families. The narrator is the jester ordered to pull the prank, whom we today would describe as working class. The jester is a wry and unwilling observer caught up in the situation.
The novel is based on historical events, and it is apparent the author has done her research down to the details of daily life. She provides us with real medieval characters and doesn’t shirk from the harshness of their lives. All the characters, even the ones the author invented, come across as real people and are three-dimensional. Highly recommended.
The novel is based on historical events, and it is apparent the author has done her research down to the details of daily life. She provides us with real medieval characters and doesn’t shirk from the harshness of their lives. All the characters, even the ones the author invented, come across as real people and are three-dimensional. Highly recommended.
September 22, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. I didn't know much about this history before I picked up this book but this compelling story made the history interesting and made me want to learn more about it. From what I've read, the historical part of this book is accurate and the fictional part woven in to it makes it an interesting story. It is not as cumbersome as many historical books are. It is a fairly quick read and helps you learn something while having an enjoyable read.
January 23, 2015
A wonderful introduction to a time and place I knew nothing about. After reading the book I felt as if I had actually visited 13th century Florence. I also enjoyed seeing the story through the eyes of the Fool, who has his own thoughts about the wealthy and powerful who control the city, as well as his own life. Anyone who yearns for good historical fiction that is not the same old same old should read this.
August 29, 2013
This wonderfully written book tells the story of the beginnings of an infamous feud begun in Florence in 1215 from the POV of a jester. The writing was excellent, the characters memorable, and the historic research blended in seamlessly to the story. I felt like I was there. A truly enjoyable read!
August 23, 2013
An engrossing read with a likeable protagonist set in 13th century Florence. Well-reasearched and readable without the History and the times intruding as lectures.
February 23, 2021
Not having background in medieval Italian history, encountering so many names, relationships, and alliances at the start of this book was daunting, but I'm glad I stayed with it, because the main characters and story line were excellent. I did love the vivid descriptions of everyday life; they made the story come alive.
April 28, 2020
I stumbled upon this book while doing an online search for information about a Star Trek convention that was held in May of 1972. And since I did find the information on the convention, I decided to give this book a try. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
November 22, 2020
This is a terrific read. The characters are engaging, and the plot moves along at a brisk pace that will have you wanting to know what happens next. Along the way you'll learn a lot about life in 13-century Italy: the food (have an onion roasted over a fire), the power of the wealthy (the "people with surnames"), the outsize influence of religion, and much more. Tinney Heath has clearly done her research, but she doesn't hit you over the head with it. There are no digressions to show off her knowledge. The atmosphere is worked seamlessly into the tale, so that you'll feel you really are in Florence in 1215.
The story is told through the eyes of a jester known only to his wealthy patrons as "Fool." He is a wonderful, fully realized character, but so are many of the other people you will meet, both high and low born. The fool commits a prank, at the behest of a nobleman, that results in a clash between Florence's leading families. I won't say more, but it's a great story with a bittersweet ending.
And don't skip the author's notes at the end of the book. You'll learn a lot more about the real people and events that inspired the novel.
The story is told through the eyes of a jester known only to his wealthy patrons as "Fool." He is a wonderful, fully realized character, but so are many of the other people you will meet, both high and low born. The fool commits a prank, at the behest of a nobleman, that results in a clash between Florence's leading families. I won't say more, but it's a great story with a bittersweet ending.
And don't skip the author's notes at the end of the book. You'll learn a lot more about the real people and events that inspired the novel.
December 3, 2015
True rating: 1.5*
What can I say... I read 4 books in between reading this one, just to keep me going.
The first page was the best page, it showed so much promise.
The story was not eventful enough to require 300+ pages.
The book was overly descriptive. It somewhat had an 'allow-me-to-show-off' undertone to it.
The characters flat-lined. All of them. I had no care or hate for any of them.
TSH shows an obvious affection and academic interest for the location and time period. It was well written but I wish that she would have used her 'creative licence' more to go just a little bit crazy.
What can I say... I read 4 books in between reading this one, just to keep me going.
The first page was the best page, it showed so much promise.
The story was not eventful enough to require 300+ pages.
The book was overly descriptive. It somewhat had an 'allow-me-to-show-off' undertone to it.
The characters flat-lined. All of them. I had no care or hate for any of them.
TSH shows an obvious affection and academic interest for the location and time period. It was well written but I wish that she would have used her 'creative licence' more to go just a little bit crazy.
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