The enchantress of Florence

a novel

455 pages

English language

Published Feb. 24, 2009 by Vintage.

ISBN:
978-0-09-953256-9
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OCLC Number:
310805230

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3 stars (1 review)

A tall, yellow-haired young European traveller calling himself "Mogor dell'Amore," the Mughal of Love, arrives at the court of the real Grand Mughal, the Emperor Akbar, with a tale to tell that begins to obsess the whole imperial capital. The stranger claims to be the child of a lost Mughal princess, the youngest sister of Akbar's grandfather Babar: Qara Ko z, 'Lady Black Eyes', a great beauty believed to possess powers of enchantment and sorcery, who is taken captive first by an Uzbeg warlord, then by the Shah of Persia, and finally becomes the lover of a certain Argalia, a Florentine soldier of fortune, commander of the armies of the Ottoman Sultan. When Argalia returns home with his Mughal mistress the city is mesmerised by her presence, and much trouble ensues. But is Mogor's story true? And if so, then what happened to the lost princess? And if he's a …

10 editions

Review of 'The Enchantress of Florence' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

This is a literary version of Salvador Dali's painting in which everything is possible: dreams mix with history, facts with fiction and fairy tales all distorted through the unique viewing glass of the storyteller. It is told in a voice that makes the reader believe, or at least want to believe in the story. If you like myths and tales of love, sorcery and enchantment from the past, you'll find it here.

Subjects

  • Social conditions
  • Kings and rulers
  • Women
  • Fiction

Places

  • Florence
  • Italy
  • Mogul Empire
  • India
  • Florence (Italy)