Charlotte is a senior who really likes to write and admires the famous writer, Luca Bruni. She is also the descendant of Isabella di Angelo, a poet who her family believes actually wrote the famous poem “In Guerra” by Antonio Tasso. She applies for a summer program with her idol, Luca Bruni, in Venice and gets in. Charlotte decides to uncover Isabella’s past and rightfully give her credit for the poem. But when Luca Bruni tries to kiss her as he does the other girls in the program, she goes back to her home and her journey to discover her past comes to a stop. However, her Italian boyfriend, Dante, continues to help her uncover the history behind Isabella di Angelo. Finally, she travels back to Venice to search for Isabella’s story and fight against the patriarchal society.
This book tackled the idea of female representation in writing really well. I also found the writing style to be new and interesting. I liked how Charlotte grew as a character and began to learn more about the history around her in Venice. The book was a bit slow in the beginning but as you get farther in it gets more fast and more interesting. This is a good read for those who like realistic fiction and some history.
Overall, I liked the book and found it interesting despite the slow start. I rate this a 3 out of 5.