Luca Bastardo walks the streets of renaissance Florence, which are bustling with markets, and enjoys visits to churches adorned with magnificent frescoes but behind the beauty and liveliness of the city is an evil force, Nicolo Silvano who will stop at nothing to own Luca.
As a homeless boy, Luca only has a couple of friends and his wits to save him but through treacherous circumstances he finds himself captured by Nicolo and forced to work for him.
Time passes and Luca is able to survive the brothel by “traveling”. He imagines himself soaring over cathedrals and looking at the paintings of Giotto, the famous painter he once encountered. But, just as time is passing for everyone in the brothel, Luca realizes he’s not aging as much as the other people. He questions why and wonders if the whispers of his parents being witches or sorcerers is true.
Finally Luca is able to escape Silvano and his son Nicolo but it will come at a great price. Not only that but he’s now gained a life-long enemy in Nicolo who will align himself with the Confraternity of the Red Feather to pursue Luca as the heretic he believes him to be. Luca’s strange aging process certainly lends itself to the fact that he can accomplish so much and meet so many interesting people but it also means he and his friends will always be a target.
All of this and it’s only the first part of the novel. This book is grand in scope bringing the Black Plague, the inquisition, the Medicis and masters of Italian painting all into one story.
I found the elements of alchemy and supernatural entertaining but I could have done with less violence in the beginning of the book. If anything I think every reader of this book will find themselves imagining what they would do if they were able to live for so many years.
Added 02/07