'The Sonnet Lover' by Carol Goodman is a mystery novel that intertwines literary references with a modern-day murder investigation. The story follows comparative literature professor Rose Asher as she delves into the death of one of her students, leading her back to Italy and uncovering a tale involving the possible identity of Shakespeare's dark lady. The plot is filled with twists and turns, spanning centuries of poetic beauty and multiple countries, creating an engaging and evocative narrative that transports readers through time and space.
The writing style of Carol Goodman in 'The Sonnet Lover' is praised for its eloquence, vivid descriptions, and ability to immerse readers in the settings of Italy and upstate New York. The author's meticulous research is evident in the well-developed modern relationships between academics and the captivating story of Genevra's life in renaissance Italy. Despite some criticisms of the weak mystery plot towards the end, readers appreciate Goodman's skill in crafting a compelling narrative that blends past and present seamlessly, making the book an enjoyable and thought-provoking read.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book may contain themes that could be challenging for some readers, such as death, potential suicide, and references to murder.
Has Romance?
There are elements of romance within the narrative, especially in relation to the protagonist's past and present relationships.
From The Publisher:
For how thy memory has lingered on-
In spite of cruelest winter's drear and howl-
By inner mirror seen; I've dwelled upon,
I must confess, my treachery most foul.
Did Shakespeare pen a series of passionate sonnets, unknown to modern scholarship, ardently praising a mysterious dark-haired beauty? This tantalizing question is raised in a letter to literature professor Rose Asher. But the letter's author, Rose's star pupil, is not telling. A troubled, enigmatic young man, he plunged to his death in front of the college's entire faculty, an apparent suicide. Determined to find the truth, Rose journeys from New York to Italy, back to the magnificent Tuscan villa where as an undergraduate she first fell in love.
La Civetta is a dreamlike place, resplendent with the heady scent of lemon trees and the sunset's ocher wash across its bricks and cobbles. Once there Rose finds her first love still in residence. Torn between her mission and her rekindled feelings, Rose becomes enmeshed in a treacherous tangle of secrets and scandal. A folio containing what some believe to be one of Shakespeare's lost sonnets has vanished, and literary immortality awaits whoever finds the manuscript-as do a vast Italian estate and a Hollywood movie deal. Uncertain whom she can trust and where she can turn, Rose races against time and unseen enemies in a bid to find the missing masterpiece.
Lush, lyrical, and enthralling, The Sonnet Lover vividly brings to life the Tuscan countryside and the fascinating world of the Renaissance poets. Unmatched in her ability to evoke atmosphere and intrigue, Carol Goodman delivers her most ambitious and satisfying work to date, a seductive novel that skillfully propels its reader headlong to the final suspenseful page.
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About the Author:
Carol Goodman is the author of The Lake of Dead Languages, The Seduction of Water, The Drowning Tree, The Ghost Orchid, The Sonnet Lover, and The Night Villa. The Seduction of Water won the Hammett Prize, and others of her novels have been nominated for…
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