Immortali is set in 16th century Tuscany and Venice. The Immortali are a humble troupe of travelling players in the tradition of the Commedia dell’Arte struggling to make a meagre living, on another level they could be considered truly immortal.
Their story is told through events which befall young Giulia Olivieri who, mesmerised by the company’s most cherished son the charismatic Arlecchino, becomes embroiled in a plot brimming with sex, heresy, murder and intrigue.
To echo the huge popularity of the Commedia, the novel is written in a style reflecting a soap or romantic comedy whilst, at the same time, addressing within the sub-plot spiritual and philosophical themes prevalent at the time.
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Many readers have reviewed Immortali, leaving such comments as…
- ‘Immortali is a truly compelling blend of mystery, love and enchantment. Quite simply, this novel is magical. It had brilliant characterisation. I read it in a couple of sittings and it left me wanting more.’
- ‘I loved the book. I couldn’t put it down and was totally in tune with the main character. The costumes, the colour, the sounds, and the smell of 16th century Italy leap from the pages of this remarkable evocation of the period.’
- ‘It’s a really good read. I enjoyed it very much. Quite racy!’
- ‘As each chapter ended, I was compelled to read on to find out what happened next but – at the same time I didn’t want the story to end.’
Immortali’s background information
The index finger pointing to the sky is a recurring theme in Immortali and also crops up in Leonardo’s painting. Who knows his motivation? Anne’s was to highlight the importance of Gnostic thought during the Italian Renaissance which is linked to Hermeticism, a belief in the writings of Hermes Trismegisto an Egyptian sage thought to have been a contemporary of Moses. His teachings were revered at the time and the gods with whom he is identified are Egyptian and the Greek Hermes, messenger to the deities. There is a link between the main character Arlecchino and Hermes; both were said to be able pass between one world and another without hindrance.
To find out more about Immortali, contact Anne Lewington via the contact form on the right.
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