
Santina Pietra is seventeen and in medieval San Gimignano, daughters of merchants are expected to marry. But Santina cares only for Calandrino, a brilliant young scholar who is preoccupied with his ancient alchemical texts. Soon Santina meets Trotula, the village midwife, who might or might not be a strega, a witch. Trotula challenges her to forget Calandrino and become the woman she is meant to be. Some say she is a victim of the midwife’s spell, but Santina is determined to follow in Trotula’s footsteps even as calamities strike.
Book Information
Alchemy’s Daughter
by Mary A. Osborne
ISBN 978-1-936181-17-9
Trade paperback
$16.95 ▪ 288 pages
Age level of readers 14 to adult
Available May 2015 at any retail or online bookstore.
by Mary A. Osborne
ISBN 978-1-936181-17-9
Trade paperback
$16.95 ▪ 288 pages
Age level of readers 14 to adult
Available May 2015 at any retail or online bookstore.
Available wholesale from Partners Book Distributing at 1-800-336-3137 or 517-694-3205
Email orders to orders@partners-east.com
Also available wholesale from Baker & Taylor and Ingram
Acclaim for Alchemy's Daughter
Brimming with details of life in Italy during the plague of 1348, this well-researched story incorporates historical information about medieval alchemy, midwifery, and the conflict between science and superstition, providing a rich context and arresting contrast for Santina's thoroughly modern attitudes. This medieval love story and its memorable heroine are likely to resonate with contemporary teens.
--Kirkus Reviews
In Santina, multiple-award winner Mary A. Osborne has crafted a fully complex character, impulsive and enthusiastic on the surface, but with greater depth than typically found in YA fare…A good choice for those who enjoyed either Cushman’s The Midwife’s Apprentice or McMahon’s The Alchemist’s Daughter. Santina’s story is a lively, emotional journey worth sharing.
—Pallas Gates McCorquodale, Foreword Reviews
Author Mary Osborne's adept portrayal of a spirited and intelligent young girl growing up in Italy during the Middle Ages is an alluring tale that provides an intriguing blend of history, romance, and adventure. Alchemy's Daughter is a story with timeless appeal which speaks to young readers on many levels pertaining to the choices one must make when embarking upon the threshold of adulthood.
—Literary Classics International Book Awards & Reviews
Brimming with details of life in Italy during the plague of 1348, this well-researched story incorporates historical information about medieval alchemy, midwifery, and the conflict between science and superstition, providing a rich context and arresting contrast for Santina's thoroughly modern attitudes. This medieval love story and its memorable heroine are likely to resonate with contemporary teens.
--Kirkus Reviews
In Santina, multiple-award winner Mary A. Osborne has crafted a fully complex character, impulsive and enthusiastic on the surface, but with greater depth than typically found in YA fare…A good choice for those who enjoyed either Cushman’s The Midwife’s Apprentice or McMahon’s The Alchemist’s Daughter. Santina’s story is a lively, emotional journey worth sharing.
—Pallas Gates McCorquodale, Foreword Reviews
Author Mary Osborne's adept portrayal of a spirited and intelligent young girl growing up in Italy during the Middle Ages is an alluring tale that provides an intriguing blend of history, romance, and adventure. Alchemy's Daughter is a story with timeless appeal which speaks to young readers on many levels pertaining to the choices one must make when embarking upon the threshold of adulthood.
—Literary Classics International Book Awards & Reviews
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