Alchemy's Daughter

Santina Pietra is seventeen and in medieval San Gimignano, daughters of merchants are expected to marry.  But Santina cares only for Calandrino, a brilliant young scholar who is preoccupied with his ancient alchemical texts.

Soon Santina meets Trotula, the village midwife, who might or might not be a strega, or witch.  Trotula challenges her to forget Calandrino and become the woman she is meant to be.  Some say she is a victim of the midwife’s spell, but Santina is determined to follow in Trotula’s footsteps even as calamities strike.

The setting is 14^th century Italy, yet in Santina contemporary readers will discover a strong-minded young woman whose search for meaning echoes their own.  Alchemy’s Daughter is the author’s second novel.