Rating: 
Summary: Good, but not great
Review: The beginning is very good. The main character, Alessandra, is extremely rich and living in Florence. Her father brings in a painter from the north to live with the family. It is very interesting for the first half or so of the book, but then the book starts getting off-topic... I had to force myself to finish it. A pretty easy read without much substance.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but not Great
Review: It's not that I didn't enjoy this novel. I did. It's just that I thought it would be more fulfilling than it ultimately turned out to be, and that is, I believe, because it starts out so strongly and then sort of fizzles near the end. Few books captivate so completly in the beginning, which this one surely does. Who couldn't keep reading when the author has tempted us with a story of a dead, elderly and assumedly pious nun who is revealed to have a snake tatoo down the length of her body? And this in the 15th century no less. After that build up, I couldn't wait to read on and discover who applied the tatoo, and why. But, alas and alack, the denouement is anti-climatic and, for me, disappointing. This is not to say that I wouldn't recommend this novel, just that I thought it failed to follow through on its promise of being a decidely different read.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the truly great books
Review: Of the three truly great reads I've come across recently (McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD, a book called THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY, and this one) BIRTH OF VENUS is by far the best. All three are great reads, but Dunant takes the prize with her compelling style, plot, and subject material. Not to be missed, this excellent read is for everyone.
Rating:
Summary: Love and betrayal in 15th century Florence
Review: This beautifully told saga of a young girl's life in 15th century Florence (the era of the Medici and of the fanatic and mad priest Savonarola) is interwoven with mystery, intrigue, secrets, love, and ultimately betrayal. Allesandra, at 16, yearns to be an artist; in order to secure the 'freedom' that can only come by leaving her protective home as someone's wife, she agrees to an arranged marriage to elegant 48yo Cristoforo, tho she loves the tormented and nearly voiceless artist her father has hired to paint a family chapel with murals. Cristoforo promises her complete freedom, but it comes with a price tag that she doesn't learn of till her wedding night. Outside her cloistered world, chaos, madness, intrigue, and torture hold sway over the Florentines; they have come under the power of Savanarola, a mad priest eager to see sin in the glimpse of an arm or the lift of an eyebrow. Risking all, Alessandra draws closer to her suffering young artist - and there's soon hell to pay. But all this is merely the central story. There are side stories of art, religion, her mother's secret, her brother's secret, the free lives some nuns and priests led within convents... Richly detailed and well-researched, The Birth of Venus is well worth a read.
Rating:
Summary: A full and satisfying story...
Review: Unbelievably beautiful and rich with substance. You won't want to rush through this one. Without a doubt, one of the best novels I've read in years.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and forgetable
Review: This is the perfect summer read - highly entertaining and highly forgetable. Even though I read this only a few months ago I barely remember the characters or plot however I did enjoy the book at the time. For memorable and moving reads - look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: Not exceptional by any means
Review: Alessandra is the youngest daughter of a wealthy Florentine cloth merchant. Rebellious and artistic, she has trouble fitting in with her siblings. Rather than face a life in the convent, she agrees to marry Cristoforo an older man, who luckily turns out to be of artistic temperament, too, and is very tolerant of her. Her life is also inexplicably tied to that of the painter (whose name she does not even know) hired to paint her father's chapel. This base storyline is one that anyone who has read any historical fiction has read at least once. Some female, in some country, at some historical time period, exhibits some artistic talent but it is repressed for some reason. *sigh* But, despite that, Dunant managed to weave a beautiful tale of Alessandra and of Florence. She did so well, in fact, that I was in the middle of the story before I realized that the main plot might actually be the fascinating history of Florence at the turn of the 16th century, as shown through those who lived it. Florence's turbulent change from "New Athens" to New Jerusalem and back to a broken city was lightly and easily told and gave a colorful, realistic background to Dunant's tale of art, love and life. This was easily the best part of the book. I did not come to care about the characters nearly as much as I came to be curious about Florence. My other gripe was that after finishing the book, I had yet to discover the reason for the title. Venus' birth was mentioned only in relation to Botticelli's painting, nothing else. If Ms. Dunant decides to republish under a different title, allow me to humbly suggest The Serpent of Eve as an alternate. (Those who have read the book will immediately see the reason, just as they, too, are probably pondering the current title.) Overall, I would rate this book as a 3--a good read, but I would not go out of my way to recommend it or to read other books by Dunant
Rating:
Summary: An enchanting book in a fascinating setting
Review: As an Art History and Italian Studies student, the setting and subject matter of "The Birth of Venus" was exactly what I was looking for. The story was peppered with historically accurate information about Florence and its cathedrals and art. The book beautifully brought to life the streets of Renaissance Florence. I have to admit that as I was reading this book I wasn't sure I loved the story of Alessandra, because at times I was unsure where exactly the story was going. But by the end, I was truly enchanted by the story and captivated by the characters. Even though I finished "The Birth of Venus" over a week ago, I find that the story keeps coming back in my mind. This is truly an enchanting book and definitely a good read for anyone interested in art, the Renaissance, or Florence.
Rating:
Summary: Deeply Moving (in a wonderful way)
Review: I would highly recomend the book. It far outdid my expectations, this book made me think and feel, it was so beautifully written and the story was so captivating that i may just sit right down and reread it, seriously, it's rare to find such a literary pleasure!!!
Rating:
Summary: Book club pick last month
Review: Our book club is an eclectic bunch if nothing else. We read everything from self help (THE SEVEN HABITS) to Southern fiction (McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD) and a few that you've probably never heard of. So I didnt' know what to expect when BIRTH OF VENUS was put on the table. Sarah Dunant is just remarkable and I loved every sentence in this book. I can honestly say that it wasn't like anything else we've ever read and I look forward to reading her next one. This is a very unusual book, full of life, loss, and love.
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