The Lover's Path
an illustrated novel
To truly love another, you must follow the lover's path wherever it may take you . . .
Filamena Ziani is the much younger sister of the most famous courtesan in sixteenth-century Venice, Tullia Ziani. Orphaned as an infant, Filamena has come of age bent like a branch to her sister's will, sheltered and lonely in the elegant but stifling confines of their palazzo by the sea. Then a dark-haired stranger offers a gift that will change the course of her life forever: a single ripe plum, and an invitation to walk along the lover's path, wherever it may lead.
The Lover's Path, a moving tale of forbidden love, is a feminist epic told in multiple layers. Through a novel combination of Filamena's narrative, famous allegorical love stories from history and mythology, sumptuously ornate illustrations, and "actual" letters to and from Filamena that must be opened to be read, Filomena's path is beautifully described and, finally, stunningly revealed.
Praised by The New York Times Book Review for her "quality of myth and magic," Waldherr brings to life a remarkable period in Venetian history. Her glorious celebration of romance, the feminine spirit, and the power of love to transform will inspire and move readers everywhere.
Hardcover, 144 pages with full color illustrations, 5.5 x 7". Full color dust jacket with gold ink.
$13.57
(discounted from publisher's list price of $24.95)
link will open in a new window
Reviews for The Lover's Path:
The Alburquerque Journal:
"With this illustrated novel, Waldherr has spun a wondrous story spilling over with mythological figures, with tarot cards and personal letters. You're pulled into a vortex of a 16th century romance centered on Filamena Ziani, the younger sister of a famous courtesan in Venice . . . Filamena becomes a singer, a composer and independent, which was unheard of for women of that time. Waldherr, who based her novel on a real-life courtesan, also created the illustrations for her book. Grazie, Signora Waldherr, per La Via dell' Amante."
WNBC/B(u)y the Book:
"Voluptuous illustration and enthralling narrative are accompanied by fun-to-open letters, maps, and tarot cards in this extraordinary testament to the strength of the feminine spirit."
Romance Reviews Today:
"The novel is gorgeous, every inch a work of art. Bound in hardcover with gilded page edges, it's heavily illustrated in the manner of the period. On the inside, an occasional page has a pocket or fold-out pasted in. Interspersed within Filamena's fictional fiabla, are reminders of storied tales of the past. Filamena's relating in her own words where following the lover's path leads her has a mythical aura . . . So well is the whole thing rendered that it all has the ring of truth."
