LEONARDO'S SWANS

These swans are both avian and metaphorically feminine. The two protagonists are the Este sisters of Ferrara, Italy, in the fifteenth century. They both marry young and well. Elizabeth Sastre does not particularly differentiate the voices of the characters, so often it is hard to know who is speaking, especially in dialogue between the sisters. This problem mars the plot only minimally because the portrayal of the two noble houses searching for power and beauty involves many historical events and personages of the Renaissance, including Leonardo da Vinci. There is much art described and discussed in this novel. Perhaps it would be best listened to with an art history at one's side. B.H.B. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 06]