The Birth of Venus is a love story, a history lesson and a coming-of-age saga. It's 1492 and Florence is enjoying its last, decadent days under the Medicis. The heroine is a precocious and spirited 14-year-old girl who is born into a noble Florentine family. She is artistically gifted, hungry for life and railing against all that tradition and religion say she must do. The object of her fascination: a beautiful young painter whom her father has brought to paint their chapel. And not just any painter but a beautiful young boy who has studied under Boticelli and Lorenzo the Magnificent. And so begins this exquisite story...a perfect novel to get lost in.

Alessandra Cecchi is a very precocious 14 year old when her father brings a young Northern Italian painter in to paint the chapel in the family's palazzo. Allessandra's father is a wealthy merchant in the Renaissance. Florence is under the influence of the Medicis with their love of art and luxury. But Savonarola, a religious monk, is trying to gain political power and life is becoming more violent and morally suffocating. In the midst of all this, the French are threatening to invade.

Alessandra loves to draw and finds the new painter attractive and mysterious. With the French on the doorstep of Florence, Alessandra is given a choice of being sent to a convent or marrying quickly. Her married life is a disaster but Alessandra is allowed the freedom to pursue her art.

Like many of Dunant's books, this is a very sexual book and has a few twists and turns. I did find it quite unrealistic that a child like Alessandra would be so worldly and knowledgeable sexually. That aside, I did find the book interesting in the historical area and a different turn on possible events.

This is a well written historical fiction that transports the reader into renaissance Italy. The beautiful descriptions of Florence, her art and her architecture were wonderful. The characters, especially the main character, were perfect. If you are a fan of historical fiction this novel will not disappoint.

This novel was our first selection for a new book club. The general sentiment was that this is a worthwhile read. I was immediately drawn into Alessandra's world of Florence, Italy and I thoroughly enjoyed the Medici family history lesson. The book gets slightly less than 5 stars as the novel was a little long on the political vs. religious struggle of the times. However, the story was a page-turner from beginning to end and worthy of a recommendation.