IMMORTAL

Author: Traci L. Slatton ISBN: 9780385339742 2/2008 HISTORICAL FICTION Publisher: DELTA
Time Period: Renaissance - Early 1300's through 1497 Italy

In an age of wonderous beauty and terrible secrets, one man searches for his destiny... In the majestic heart of Florence, a beautiful golden-haired boy is abandoned and subjected to cruelty beyond words. But Luca Bastardo is anything but an ordinary boy. Across two centuries of passion and intrigue, Luca will discover an astonishing gift—one that will lead him to embrace the ancient mysteries of alchemy and healing and to become a trusted confidant to the powerful Medicis…even as he faces persecution from a sadistic cabal determined to wrest his secrets for themselves. But as the Black Death and the Inquisition wreak havoc on his beloved city, Luca’s survival lies in the quest to solve two riddles. One is the enigma of his parents and his ageless beauty. The other is a choice between immortality and the only chance to find his one true love. As Luca journeys through the heights of the Renaissance, befriends Giotto and Leonardo Da Vinci—140 years apart—and pursues the most closely guarded secrets of religious faith and science for the answers to his own burning questions, his remarkable search will not only change him…but will change the course of history.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS: ^plus!

Having read Traci L. Slatton's IMMORTAL a few weeks ago, I can honestly say I'm still thinking about it. The characters and the emotions they invoked have never left me since I finished reading it. What better way to gauge the worth of a book than by how it makes you feel and think after you've finished it. In those terms, for me, IMMORTAL is worth an immeasurable fortune.

This captivating story begins upon the streets of Florence in 1330. Luca believes he's just another street urchin, an orphaned bastard trying to survive among the dangers of the city streets. But Luca's different than the other young boys his age—his eyes, his face, his coloring, his form are beautiful and nearly ethereal looking. While some people may see this as a gift of God, for Luca it is a curse. For it brings him to the attention of the sadistic owner of a children's brothel, the cruel and greedy Bernardo Silvano.

Silvano knows more about Luca than anyone, for he possesses a document that may have the key to Luca's lineage and what gives him his otherworldly looks. While Silvano may use him now for short-term gain, it's long term plans he has in mind for the boy. Then one day it becomes apparent that Luca really is different, for he never seems to age. As the children of the brothel grow older around him, Luca remains a young Adonis. Witch! Warlock! Abomination of God! Whatever the cause of his youthfulness, when the time is right, Silvano will have his reward.

That's really just a very minute intro into the storyline of this book. It would take me pages to write up a review that would give this book the justice it deserves (I'm a very wordy reviewer). Very rarely do I read a 500 page plus book in just one sitting—but this one, I did. For as Lucas grows into adulthood, he travels a rough and event filled road during very dangerous times. The more I followed along, the more immersed in this book and in love with Luca I became.

Fair warning: The scenes in the children's brothel are ugly, heartrending and very difficult to read at times. All throughout the book, you meet and fall in love with characters and know you'll lose some along the way. There are fictional characters seamlessly mixed in with fact-based characters, such as Leonardo Di Vinci, Giotto and other famous painters, poets, kings and public figures, all fleshed out and well rounded whether they be major or minor players in this drama. The chaos, the sufferings, the mysteries of alchemy, the Plagues, the carnivals, the sights and sounds, the intrigue, theologies and dangers of the Italian Renaissance—IMMORTAL is literally soaked in it. The storyline is never dull, always ever changing and full of dialogue that makes you think. Religious idealogies, political intrigue and a poignant love story all combine in this fast-paced work to make it a truly standout read.

IMMORTAL is a book rich in atmosphere, historical detail, characters, but most of all it is rich in plot and dialogue. An exemplary work of historical fiction—a debut book at that!— Traci L. Slatton has that rare gift of storytelling that draws you in and then holds you tight. This is one book you don't want to miss.

Nancy Davis