I have almost nothing but praise for it. It's the right length for a first novel. The settings are brilliantly realised, and I could almost see and hear the sights and sounds of 14th century Tuscany. The characters are well-developed: the nice guys are sympathetic and the baddies are wonderfully vile.

You have some charming and not-so-charming episodes that earn their keep by adding spice and entertainment to the narrative. I particularly liked (or perhaps liked us the wrong word) the scene in which Niccolo is escaping from his mistress's house and ends up in a pile of ****. I laughed out loud at that bit. The scenes towards the end, in which Alessandro and Felicia are in mortal danger and it looks as if they really will meet a terrible fate, are wonderfully frightening.

It's unusual, but appealing to have a devoted brother and sister as your hero and heroine. You've introduced some excellent minor characters, such as the flamboyant Niccolo, and the silly idiot Clarice, who betrays her mistress. The princes of the church are a nasty bunch, and the scene in which the powdered, paedophile pontiff eyes up the little girl is properly creepy - I couldn't wait to hear that he'd been horribly done to death, and you didn't disappoint me. The scene in which Alessandro is washed by the little nuns is just on the right side of charming. The witchcraft element is well thought out and well integrated into the story. The finale, in which a last minute rescue is brilliantly executed, is very well written.

The novel is beautifully presented and was a pleasure to read.

The New Writers Scheme
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