From Library Journal
In an alternate Venice, a young girl named Volpe demonstrates a miraculous ability to call fire and earns herself the status of holy woman in the eyes of a compassionate priest and a fanatic holy warrior. Behind the scenes, however, a ruthless and dogmatic Church leader works for Volpe's destruction, claiming that her powers come from the Devil rather than from God. The author of Faces Under Water continues her saga of a city at the mercy of powers beyond its control. Lee's sensual and evocative storytelling imparts a dreamlike quality to this tale of transcendent faith and human passion. For most fantasy collections.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
Second entry in Lee's latest fantasy tetralogy (following Faces Under Water, not seen) set in Venus, an alternate-world medieval Venice. Fourteen-year-old red-haired slave Volpa drudges for her brutal master until one night he attempts to rape her. Having learned from her mother how to bring fire, she burns the house down but loses her memory and afterward wanders the streets as a beggar. Cristiano, a Soldier of God, hearing a wild version of her feat, brings her to his superior, Magister Major Danielus. As Volpa regains her memory, Danielus coaxes her to demonstrate her talent. Knowing a war with the infidel trade rival Jurneians to be inevitable, Danielus arranges for Volpa to be educated, be taught to ride a horse, and learn to dress like a man. As Danielus had hoped, the Soldiers of God begin to worship her as the Maiden Beatifica. The Jurneians attack with their huge fleet, destroy Venus's navy, and occupy the lagoon. Danielus induces Beatificaby now convinced that Cristiano is an angel in human formto incinerate the enemy by telling her that the Jurneians will torture Cristiano to death. And so she burns the Jurneian fleet but spares the men, then falls into a deathly trance. When she wakes, thinking Cristiano dead, she can no longer call fire and is condemned as a witch. Evocative, and set forth in Lee's eerily crystalline prose; but, like her previous outing (The Gods are Thirsty, 1996), held back by being trite and overextended. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Tanith Lee is one of the leading fantasy authors working today. She has written over 50 novels and short story collections, among them the bestselling Flat Earth Series. She has won the World Fantasy Award numerous times as well as the August Derleth Award.
