This novel is a truly engrossing, intelligent story of a Jewish woman in Renaissance Italy that I found very convincing. The historical events described and the adventurous life of Grazia in anti-Jewish Italy captivated my imagination. Whether or not the events and Jewish customs described were real, it's a wonderful story. I encourage anyone interested in historical novels or Jewish heroines to read this book. It is inspiring.

I was under the impression that I was not a big fan of historical fiction.....until I read THE SECRET BOOK OF GRAZIA DEI ROSSI. Who would of thought that the life of a Renissance-era Jewish woman in Italy would be so absorbing! This book went everywhere with me! Granted, life back then was not easy for anyone, but to be Jewish and a woman and told where you will live, what profession you will persue, and who you will marry and STILL life a full life, is an accomplishment beyond comprehension. Grazia is a wonderful character, intelligent, full of fire and passion, my only disappointment is that she was not real. Ms. Park makes her seem so.

I picked up this book because the name Rossi is a family name. I didn't expect to be all that into the book, though, because I didn't think I would be interested in a story that took place so long ago. This book proved me very wrong. Not only was captivated by the main character, Grazia, but i also would like to think that I absorbed some of the historical information and learned much about Renaissance Italy and events in that time. The book brought history alive for me in the days that I was reading it. Ms. Park should be thanked for doing such excellent research and presenting us with such a wonderful gift of literature. She writes in a sometimes sarcastic, very informative, and always friendly style and I hope to see some more books on the shelves by her.