THE REVOLUTION OF THE MOON

Grover Gardner's mastery of witty narration adds relish to this historical novel about the woman who governed Sicily for one month--one revolution (orbit) of the moon--in 1677. On his deathbed, the marquis named his wife as his successor, and Dona Elenora swiftly implemented sweeping changes before being banished by an old-boy coup and sent back to Spain. Gardner lithely delivers the delightful contemporary vocabulary, which elevates the entertainment value of this age-old story of dirty politics. His effervescent voice becomes almost angelic as he recounts Dona Elenora's elegant words, laced with Spanish phrases. The lush Italian names are delivered smoothly, allowing the listener to envision pompous, power-hungry men and the compassionate woman who called the shots for 27 days. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2018]