At a glance
Romola
Classic historical fiction
Romola
In Renaissance Florence, learned but sheltered Romola de' Bardi marries Tito Melema, a charming Greek stranger whose adaptability gradually reveals a pattern of betrayal. Political upheaval and the preaching of Savonarola pull Romola beyond her father's library into public conflict, spiritual questioning, and responsibility for people outside her privileged world. Tito's choices entangle marriage, scholarship, family duty, and civic danger as Florence itself struggles over power and reform. Dense, atmospheric, and morally ambitious, this historical novel rewards a long reading stretch for anyone interested in Renaissance politics, intellectual women, compromised charisma, and a heroine building an ethical life after disillusionment.
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No surprises at chapter twelve
Content notes
Political and religious violence; war and civil unrest; plague, illness and mass death; bodies and burial; antisemitism and religious persecution; marital betrayal and emotional abuse.
Alcohol-Free Pour
Thirty-Story Orange Fizz
Orange juice and sparkling water make a sunny fizz for the next thirty stories.
What you'll need
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- Fill a glass with ice, add orange juice, top with sparkling water, and stir gently.
- Garnish: Orange wheel.
- Glassware: Highball glass.
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Highball glass ↗Cocktail Pour · 21+
Lager
For adults of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.
A mellow, malty pour suits an unhurried afternoon between the pages.
How to mix it
- Pour into a clean pint glass and serve at the appropriate cool serving temperature.
- Garnish: None.
- Glassware: Pint glass.
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