The King's Agent by Donna Russo Morin Review for Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

SYNOPSIS

To the casual observer, Battista della Paglia is an avid art collector, or perhaps a nimble thief. In reality, the cunning Italian is an agent for François, the King of France, for whom he procures the greatest masterpieces of the day by any means necessary. Embroiled in a power struggle with Charles V, the King of Spain, François resolves to rule Europe's burgeoning cultural world. When he sets his sights on a mysterious sculpture, Battista's search for the elusive objet d'art leads him to a captivating woman on a mission of her own. . .

Having spent her life under the controlling eye of her protector, the Marquess of Mantua, Aurelia longs for freedom. And she finds it in Battista. Together, they embark on a journey to find the clues that will lead him to the sculpture-- a venture so perilous it might have spilled from the pen of Dante himself. From the smoldering depths of Rome to a castle in the sky, the harrowing quest draws them inextricably together. But Aurelia guards a dark secret that could tear them apart--and change the course of history. . .

AUTHOR BIO

Donna Russo Morin was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1958. Her writing endeavors began at age six and covered such timely topics as The Pink Pussy Cat for President and The   Numbers 2 and 4 are in Love.

Traveling through adolescence on the wings of the ‘60s gave Donna a lot of grist for her writing   mill. Feminism, civil rights, the Vietnam War were all a disturbing yet highly motivating muse.   Donna found her voice in fiction and with the appearance of a new horror writer on the book scene, a little known author named Stephen King, she turned her pen to the gruesome and the grotesque.

After graduating from the University of Rhode Island, Donna worked in marketing and advertising for large corporations and small non-profit arts organizations. When she had her children, she knew with a certainty that she needed to show them, by example, that if you believe in yourself, anything is possible.

In addition to writing and teaching writing, Donna has worked as a model and actor since the age of seventeen, when she did her first television commercial for Sears. Since then she has appeared in more than thirty television spots and print ads, everything from changing the oil in her car (that was acting) to modeling fur coats. She also appeared in three episodes of Showtime’s THE BROTHERHOOD, as well as in Martin Scorsese’s THE DEPARTED.

Donna lives peacefully, close to the beautiful shoreline of Rhode Island that she loves so much, with her two sons, Devon and Dylan, her greatest works in progress.

Links for author Donna Russo Morin:  WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Tour Schedule
 http://hfvirtualbooktours.blogspot.com/2011/11/donna-russo-morin-on-tour-for-kings.html
Twitter Event Hashtag:  #KingsAgentVirtualBookTour

MY THOUGHTS:

I do not know a lot about the Italian Renaissance so I was very eager to read this book. I can say I was not disappointed although it took me a bit to get past the names and places mentioned in this time period of 1500's Italy but that did not deter me at all. Based on real life art collector/thief Battista della Paglia, this novel tells the story of the search for a relic wanted by François, the King of France.

The clues to this relic are to be found in a tryptich and while Battista is on the search for the first piece of the puzzle he finds himself in a tight situation and Aurelia, the ward of the Marquess of Mantua manages to rescue Battista. Aurelia wants nothing more than to escape her sequestered life and have a bit of fun and adventure, so she takes Battista back to his home in Florence. 


Aurelia joins Battista and his friends in the search for this relic and using their knowledge of the art of the time and the three canticles of Dante’s Divine Comedy…Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise, Battista and Aurelia find themselves on an adventurous and perilous journey that takes them to Palazzo Prato, Grotte di Pastena and Castello della Dragonara. 


The King's Agent is a wonderful historical fiction novel that blends history, art, a bit of the supernatural, love and a passion for beauty. Impeccable research went into the writing of this book and the way it is written pulls you right into the adventure with Battista and Aurelia. The descriptions of the beauty of Rome and in particular the Sistine Chapel where Michelangelo himself gives Aurelia a tour, I could almost see the masterpiece painted there. If you love historical fiction like I do then this is the book for you. I give it 5 stars!!


Look for my guest post with Donna to be posted on April 27th.


Thanks to Amy at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for a copy of this book for review. I was not monetarily compensated for my review.