Enchanted Garden
Both sisters read and review the same book, a fairy tale retelling.
Our Fairy-Tale Book Club Pick for December 2020 is: Toads and Diamonds |
Introducing the Book Club Discussion | Every three months, Mary & Elizabeth will pick a fairy-tale retelling to read, review & discuss as part of the Enchanted Garden Book Club. Mirror, Mirror is our first book club pick. We've already shared our individual reviews (find Mary's here & Elizabeth's here) and an introduction to the historical context of this particular book (found here). Now, we'll conclude with a discussion about the book. |
The Historical Context of Gregory Maguire's Snow White Tale
Throughout Mirror, Mirror, Gregory Maguire makes use of the historical setting of Italy in 1502-1519. He references actual places, events, and people, interspersing facts with fantasy as he chooses which elements of history to use and tweak towards his own ends in forming the world and story of Mirror, Mirror. An understanding of the historical context he draws from, while not strictly necessary for reading the book, absolutely adds to a better understanding and appreciation of it.
With as few spoilers as possible, here are some of the key places and figures Maguire uses. Do note that, as Maguire explicitly acknowledges in a note at the end of the book, he has “taken certain liberties with the life stories of historical figures.” An interesting, albeit very involved, way to approach Mirror, Mirror is to take note of what details Maguire alters or embellishes in his depictions of these historical figures and places, and consider why it is that he has elected to make the changes that he does for this book.
With as few spoilers as possible, here are some of the key places and figures Maguire uses. Do note that, as Maguire explicitly acknowledges in a note at the end of the book, he has “taken certain liberties with the life stories of historical figures.” An interesting, albeit very involved, way to approach Mirror, Mirror is to take note of what details Maguire alters or embellishes in his depictions of these historical figures and places, and consider why it is that he has elected to make the changes that he does for this book.
Montefiore
The majority of the book takes place in an area of Italy called Montefiore. Maguire’s Snow White, embodied in the character of Bianca de Nevada, is fully fictional. ‘Bianca’ is Italian for ‘white’ and ‘nevada’ is Spanish for ‘snow-covered’ or ‘snowfall,’ so her name as a whole indicates a blended Italian-Spanish equivalent of ‘white as fallen snow.’ Bianca’s father is Don Vicente de Nevada, the established leader (don) of Montefiore.
Montefiore, a name which means ‘flower mountain,’ is an actual place—both historically and currently. Montefiore dell’Aso is a comune in Province Ascoli Piceno, and there is a castle called Montefiore Conca which is very likely the villa estate referred to as the residence for Mirror, Mirror’s Snow White.
Montefiore, a name which means ‘flower mountain,’ is an actual place—both historically and currently. Montefiore dell’Aso is a comune in Province Ascoli Piceno, and there is a castle called Montefiore Conca which is very likely the villa estate referred to as the residence for Mirror, Mirror’s Snow White.
From the arable river lands to the south, the approach to Montefiore appears a sequence of relaxed hills. In the late spring, when the puckers of red poppy blossom are scattered against the green of the season, it can look like so much washing, like mounds of Persian silk and Florentine brocade lightly tossed in heaps. Each successive rise takes on a new color, indefinably more fervent, an aspect of distance and time stained by the shadows of clouds, or bleached when the sun takes a certain position.
But the traveler on foot or in a hobble-wheeled peasant cart, or even on horseback, learns he truth of the terrain. The ascent is steeper than it looks from below. And the rutted track traverses in long switchbacks to accommodate for the severity of the grade and the crosscutting ravines. So the trip takes many more hours than the view suggests. The red-tiled roofs of Montefiore come into sight, promisingly, and then disappear again as hills loom up and forests close in.
- opening lines to "The roofs of Montefiore", Mirror, Mirror
Basilica of San Francesco, Arezzo
 The History of the True Cross | To the north of Montefiore is the city of Arezzo, where Vicente de Nevada is described as visiting the San Francesco monastery and contemplating a series of frescos upon its walls, painted by Piero della Francesca (“The vision in San Francesco”). This fresco sequence, known as The History of the True Cross or The Legend of the True Cross, is considered to be a masterwork of the Italian Early Renaissance period. You can find an interactive 3D model of the frescoes here. As you read Maguire's description of the images depicted upon the walls of San Francesco, you can browse those images for yourself. |
The House of Borgia
The primary historical figures Maguire references are Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia, whom he includes in the story as characters.
Cesare Borgia, the Duc de Valentinois, lived from 1475-1507. He was an illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI, and has been described as bloodthirsty and power-hungry. He is well-documented to have been the major inspiration for Machiavelli’s The Prince. He was an Italian politician and mercenary leader who fought for power both on and off the battlefield.
Cesare Borgia, the Duc de Valentinois, lived from 1475-1507. He was an illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI, and has been described as bloodthirsty and power-hungry. He is well-documented to have been the major inspiration for Machiavelli’s The Prince. He was an Italian politician and mercenary leader who fought for power both on and off the battlefield.
Lucrezia Borgia was Cesare’s younger sister. She lived from 1480-1519. Lucrezia was described to be one of the most beautiful women of her time. She was first married at the age of 13, and went on to marry two more times. She reigned as Governor of Spoleto in her own right, although that position was usually filled by a cardinal. Lucrezia was also a prominent patron of the arts.
Cesare and Lucrezia had a brother (a third child of Pope Alexander VI), but Maguire omitted him from his depiction of these figures in Mirror, Mirror.
Welcome to our fairy tale book club! Each quarter, both sisters will read and review the same book, a fairy tale retelling. We invite you to read along.
Our first book club pick is Mirror Mirror by Gregory Maguire, a retelling of Snow White. Our book reviews will go up on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
In the meantime, each of us will be posting on our own blogs on a regular basis. So feel free to stop in and say hi.
Our first book club pick is Mirror Mirror by Gregory Maguire, a retelling of Snow White. Our book reviews will go up on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
In the meantime, each of us will be posting on our own blogs on a regular basis. So feel free to stop in and say hi.
Image by 024-657-834 from Pixabay
Authors
Sisters and writers both. Love fairy tales.
Archives
October 2021
September 2021
July 2021
June 2021
April 2021
March 2021
January 2021
December 2020
October 2020
September 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
Categories
RSS Feed
Last quarter book club pick:
House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
December's book:
The Raven and the Reindeer by T. Kingfisher
The Raven and the Reindeer by T. Kingfisher
