"This dazzling feat of historic fiction reimagines Florence’s 15th-century Bonfire of the Vanities to shine a light on contemporary culture wars, corruption and inequalities."
What an incredibly brilliant, resonant novella. A reimagining of the 15th-century Bonfire of the Vanities, Denise Mina’s Three Fires parallels contemporary issues of inequality, freedom of speech and cancel culture with medieval Florence. Perfectly succinct and powerfully stirring, it’s a tour de force of historic fiction, delivered with sparkling style, astute social commentary and the kind of page-turning pace you’d hope for from a rip-roaring thriller.
In Ferrara in 1471, after witnessing the likes of “prominent noblewomen dragged from the villas and stripped naked in the street, gang-raped by thugs and murderers”, Girolamo Savonarola’s “desperation reaches ever new lows, and this is when God first gets in touch.” And so he journeys to Florence and becomes a Dominican friar, where he finds the city to be “full of drunks and courtesans and open sodomite market-places”, but also a “city of beautiful art and architecture”.
In time, as puritanical Savonarola speaks out against corruption, sin, and the greed of the ruling Medicis using “oratorical tricks”, he gathers followers (“Word gets out: he’s shocking, you have to hear this guy”), “sodomy is outlawed, punishable by death”, and “women are no longer welcome at his services.”
There’s also war, rising food prices, and widespread disease. Savonarola has bully boy supporters, and anti-Semitic sentiments are whipped up. Then there’s the mass burning of everything from books, cosmetics and lavish clothing, to musical instruments and works of art.
With a killer concluding line — “This world is the aftermath of Girolamo Savonarola” — Three Fires is utterly enthralling, with potent present-day pertinence.
| Primary Genre | Historical Fiction |
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Three Fires is a captivating novel that delves deep into the complex themes of identity, family, and the consequences of one's choices.
Three Fires is a captivating novel that delves deep into the complex themes of identity, family, and the consequences of one's choices. The story follows three intertwining narratives set in different time periods, each centered around a significant fire and its impact on the characters' lives. The author's prose is rich and evocative, immersing the reader in vivid settings and emotions. The characters are thoughtfully crafted, their struggles and growth resonating with authenticity. With its skillful storytelling and layers of interconnected stories, Three Fires is a compelling and thought-provoking read that lingers long after the final page.... Read Full Review
