Book Review: The Stars Compel

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Stars Compel     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Michaela Roessner
Class/Genre:   Fantasy   Historical
Tor, Oct 1999, $25.95, 432 pp.

The poor little rich girl knows her soul is part of Florence, but her heart belongs to her third cousin Ippolito. Duchessina Caterina de’Medici is the heir to her family’s fortunes. That makes her an expendable political pawn subject to the whims of her uncle Pope Clement. To increase his power, Clement plans to “sell” Caterina to one of the royals. To insure Ippolito is out of the way and under his control, Clement makes the lad a Cardinal.

Caterina is escorted to Rome because her brother Allessandro, tyrannical ruler of Florence, wants her dead. Allessandro’s desires place him in conflict with Clement. However, neither male realizes that the target of their dispute is as politically astute as they are and her plan is to gain control of her destiny.

Anyone on a diet must avoid this novel at all costs as the descriptions of the lavish Renaissance meals will have the audience running to their favorite restaurant. Michaela Roessner bases much of her story on archival history that she embellishes with supernatural touches that helps explain the woman Caterina becomes. THE STARS COMPEL is a fine and brilliant work of historical fiction that brings to life Renaissance Rome.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner