When seventeen-year-old Giulia, the orphaned, illegitimate daughter of a Milanese nobleman, learns she’s to be packed off to a life behind convent walls, she begs an astrologer-sorcerer for a talisman that will secure what she’s certain is her heart’s desire: true love and a place where she belongs. But does she really know the compass of her heart? The convent of Santa Marta is full of surprises, including a workshop of nuns who are creating paintings of astonishing beauty using a luminous blue mixed from a secret formula: Passion Blue. As Giulia’s own artistic self is awakened she’s torn: should she follow the young man who promises to help her escape? Or stay and satisfy her growing desire to paint?
This richly imagined novel of a girl’s daring journey towards self-discovery transports readers into the fascinating world of Renaissance Italy where love and faith and art inspire passion – of many different hues.
Books
Young Adult Fiction
Passion Blue
Passion Blue http://www.yabookscentral.com/media/reviews/photos/thumbnail/200x285s/7f/dc/00/_passion-blue-1352216740.jpeg Featured
Author(s)
Publisher
Genre(s)
Age Range
14+
Release Date
November 06, 2012
ISBN
978-0761462309
Buy This Book
Editor reviews
I love books set in Italy. The blurb to PASSION BLUE intrigued me and I was very excited to be able to read this book which was everything I'd hoped for and much more!
Let's just say this book kept me up into the early morning. This story follows seventeen-year-old Giulia, who is the illegitimate daughter of a Milanese nobleman. Giulia doesn't have much left from her mother but a piece of an astrology reading that says she'll never wed. After her father's death, she's sent away to the convent of Santa Marta. While there she discovers a workshop of nuns who create paintings using the mysterious and beautiful blue paint: Passion Blue. Giulia longs to be a part of this workshop as she loves to draw. She finds that within the convent, this gift of hers is accepted. This makes it even harder for her to decide if she should flee or stay.
The life of a woman in the 1400s is show in rich, vivid details. Strauss did her homework! I especially loved seeing the contrasts between the nuns of noble birth next to the others. I didn't know they were separated like this!
This story swept me away to Milan, Italy. Strauss shows readers the wonders of the Italian Renaissance along with the hardships felt by women and others not of the ruling class.
Giulia is a complex character. Even though her artistic ability is seen as frivolous, she continues to draw. She longs to not be like her mother but rather be able to marry. We see how she struggles with being forced into a convent and the conflict she feels at the idea that maybe this might not be as bad as she'd feared. It seems that the convent was the only place a woman could thrive without the constraints of what society expected at that time.
There's also some intrigue going on in the convent of Santa Marta. Plus Ormanno,a mysterious cute journeyman, who promises to help Giulia escape. Add to that some 1400s girls within the convent who are cruel to those not of royal birth.
I also love the little details such as how the nuns made the paint for their paintings. Also the passion blue paint color intrigued me. I couldn't help but wonder how many other women were behind some of the great paintings in cathedrals throughout Europe. In the author's notes, Strauss does mention that her fictional character Maestra Humilita Moretti is based on a real painter nun.
Beautifully written, this YA historical will have readers follow a heroine on her journey through self-acceptance during the Italian Renaissance. A total must read!
Reviewed by
Kim Baccellia, Editor
November 24, 2012
Last updated: November 24, 2012
Top 50 Reviewer - View all my reviews (299)
Let's just say this book kept me up into the early morning. This story follows seventeen-year-old Giulia, who is the illegitimate daughter of a Milanese nobleman. Giulia doesn't have much left from her mother but a piece of an astrology reading that says she'll never wed. After her father's death, she's sent away to the convent of Santa Marta. While there she discovers a workshop of nuns who create paintings using the mysterious and beautiful blue paint: Passion Blue. Giulia longs to be a part of this workshop as she loves to draw. She finds that within the convent, this gift of hers is accepted. This makes it even harder for her to decide if she should flee or stay.
The life of a woman in the 1400s is show in rich, vivid details. Strauss did her homework! I especially loved seeing the contrasts between the nuns of noble birth next to the others. I didn't know they were separated like this!
This story swept me away to Milan, Italy. Strauss shows readers the wonders of the Italian Renaissance along with the hardships felt by women and others not of the ruling class.
Giulia is a complex character. Even though her artistic ability is seen as frivolous, she continues to draw. She longs to not be like her mother but rather be able to marry. We see how she struggles with being forced into a convent and the conflict she feels at the idea that maybe this might not be as bad as she'd feared. It seems that the convent was the only place a woman could thrive without the constraints of what society expected at that time.
There's also some intrigue going on in the convent of Santa Marta. Plus Ormanno,a mysterious cute journeyman, who promises to help Giulia escape. Add to that some 1400s girls within the convent who are cruel to those not of royal birth.
I also love the little details such as how the nuns made the paint for their paintings. Also the passion blue paint color intrigued me. I couldn't help but wonder how many other women were behind some of the great paintings in cathedrals throughout Europe. In the author's notes, Strauss does mention that her fictional character Maestra Humilita Moretti is based on a real painter nun.
Beautifully written, this YA historical will have readers follow a heroine on her journey through self-acceptance during the Italian Renaissance. A total must read!
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Reviewed by
Kim Baccellia, Editor
November 24, 2012
Last updated: November 24, 2012
Top 50 Reviewer - View all my reviews (299)
Beautifully written YA Historical
I love books set in Italy. The blurb to PASSION BLUE intrigued me and I was very excited to be able to read this book which was everything I'd hoped for and much more!
Let's just say this book kept me up into the early morning. This story follows seventeen-year-old Giulia, who is the illegitimate daughter of a Milanese nobleman. Giulia doesn't have much left from her mother but a piece of an astrology reading that says she'll never wed. After her father's death, she's sent away to the convent of Santa Marta. While there she discovers a workshop of nuns who create paintings using the mysterious and beautiful blue paint: Passion Blue. Giulia longs to be a part of this workshop as she loves to draw. She finds that within the convent, this gift of hers is accepted. This makes it even harder for her to decide if she should flee or stay.
The life of a woman in the 1400s is show in rich, vivid details. Strauss did her homework! I especially loved seeing the contrasts between the nuns of noble birth next to the others. I didn't know they were separated like this!
This story swept me away to Milan, Italy. Strauss shows readers the wonders of the Italian Renaissance along with the hardships felt by women and others not of the ruling class.
Giulia is a complex character. Even though her artistic ability is seen as frivolous, she continues to draw. She longs to not be like her mother but rather be able to marry. We see how she struggles with being forced into a convent and the conflict she feels at the idea that maybe this might not be as bad as she'd feared. It seems that the convent was the only place a woman could thrive without the constraints of what society expected at that time.
There's also some intrigue going on in the convent of Santa Marta. Plus Ormanno,a mysterious cute journeyman, who promises to help Giulia escape. Add to that some 1400s girls within the convent who are cruel to those not of royal birth.
I also love the little details such as how the nuns made the paint for their paintings. Also the passion blue paint color intrigued me. I couldn't help but wonder how many other women were behind some of the great paintings in cathedrals throughout Europe. In the author's notes, Strauss does mention that her fictional character Maestra Humilita Moretti is based on a real painter nun.
Beautifully written, this YA historical will have readers follow a heroine on her journey through self-acceptance during the Italian Renaissance. A total must read!
Good Points
1. Beautifully written
2. Set in the Italian Renaissance
3. Coming of age story
4. Great details that bring to life 1400s Italy
2. Set in the Italian Renaissance
3. Coming of age story
4. Great details that bring to life 1400s Italy
Do You Recommend?
Yes
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