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Rating: 
Summary: A good read. Lighten up, people.
Review: I am surprised at the number of people who have their knickers in a knot over the author's research or lack thereof, depending on who is doing the bellyaching. If you want exacting,unassailable pristine research, then read non-fiction and do it yourself. A novel is a novel. Although I am descended, on my mother's side, from the heroine/villainess of 'Grazia' I have to say I would have found it interesting anyway. It is a fun book. It loses a bit of steam toward the end and leaves some loose ends, but so what? The plot moves well and it is easy to read without being insulting.
Rating: 
Summary: My Followup to My First Review
Review: I felt bad discontinuing this book at 50 pages, so I read some more. It took FOREVER to finish because it was boring! It had so much to say, but redundantly made its point. I'd give it 3 stars as an overall review. Somehow I doubt that Grazia could just leave Judah and run off with Lord Pirro. Wouldn't that be fatally taboo in Christian society, and wouldn't the Jewish people sit shiva for her and take her son from her, Anna Karenina style? I also find it hard to believe that she could have sex so much throughout the book and get pregnant only once. It seems too convenient. Maybe I'll wait for Ms. Park to write more and then see if she's changed her plot structure to complement her rich writing style.
Rating: 
Summary: excellent and engrossing book
Review: I found this book to be extremely satisfying. I would rush home from work so I could read more. I was sorry when it ended. I lent it to a friend and then bought another copy because I just had to still have it. Great details and unsentimental about many of the difficulties present in that era. Poetic, realistic, great characters.One of my all time favorites.
Rating: 
Summary: Awwww this is sad =(
Review: I have a 50 page rule, where I don't put the book down or make any comments about it until 50 pages into the reading. This is a book that *should* be good. After all, the plot is excellent. I don't know what it is, though, but this book is just not appealing to me, and I usually love historical novels. The writing is too scientific and precise, and the use of Italian words for common words like "family" and "lady" is plain obnoxious. Is this a feeble attempt to appear cultured and multilingual? It's not working. I would love to see this work reworked, because it breaks my heart to write this review, especially considering someone sat down and took some effort to write this book.
Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: I loved this book! I only wish I had had more time to read it and was able to spend more time with it at any one sitting - I didn't want to put it down. Yes, on occasion it had the predictability and sappiness of a soap opera, but just knowing that it was loosely based on a real person's life made it intriguing and alittle more believable. The historical and religious inaccuracies (as some other reviewers were so eager to point out)were minimal and didn't take away from the actual story. The heroine was strong, powerful, intelligent and had an insight to life beyond her years; I kept having to remind myself that she was only a teen through most of the book. Remember, this is fiction!
While I definitely learned a lot about this time period (and especially Italian history), I must say that I found the storyline surrounding the wars alittle tedious (however relevant they might have been to the story) and often found myself confused as to the people and events involved.
And on one more note of negativity (there aren't many): the author liberally uses italian and hebrew words/phrases throughout the book, but without any reference as to their meanings. I wasn't always able to determine a word's meaning from the context in which it was used and felt like I was missing valuable information. A glossary would have been a nice addition.
I found the ending particulary moving and thought-provoking. While definitely sad (I'm not giving anything away), I felt a complete sense of closure and appropriateness by the ending the author chose. Too many times, I find that the endings of books are anticlimactic and leave me feeling cheated. Not so here.
I definitely recommend this book- to Italians, Jews and anyone else interested in a wonderful read! Definitely part of my permanent collection!
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: I recently completed The Secret Life of Grazia dei Rossi and found it to be thoroughly engaging as it is a leisurely read packed with adventure. The battles and time frames are all historically accurate, which aids in the reader being able to allow his or her imagination to conjure up what it must have been like. Also, some of the characters were real, such as Isabella de Este (look it up) and all of the rulers of the time. A fascinating, wonderful story of life for Jews during the Rennaissance.
Rating:
Summary: Hey! I liked this book!
Review: I was under the impression that I was not a big fan of historical fiction.....until I read THE SECRET BOOK OF GRAZIA DEI ROSSI. Who would of thought that the life of a Renissance-era Jewish woman in Italy would be so absorbing! This book went everywhere with me! Granted, life back then was not easy for anyone, but to be Jewish and a woman and told where you will live, what profession you will persue, and who you will marry and STILL live a full life, is an accomplishment beyond comprehension. Grazia is a wonderful character, intelligent, full of fire and passion, my only disappointment is that she was not real. Ms. Park makes her seem so.
Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: The history of 16th century Italy portrayed in this novel is captivating. The heroine is an interesting character, however the life she leads is unbelievable. I recommend this book and have, in fact, given it as a gift. The author has an error in connection with the use of the telescope in the early 16th century. Lenses, however, were not used until the early 17th century by Gallileo to form an eyeglass, later named an astronomical telescope. The editor should have proofed basic information.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic story, well written
Review: What is fascinating about this book is that it is based on fact. Jacqueline Park took two letters between Isabelle d?Este (a character who appears in the book) and a Mantuan Jew, after whom our narrator is based. (The letters appear at the back of the book and are definitely worth reading). Grazia dei Rossi goes through many trials and tribulations as she proudly establishes herself as an Italian Jew. We see Grazia grow up in Mantua and fall in love with a Christian. However, betrayed by Isabelle d?Este, Grazia marries a well-renowned Jewish doctor. Her ?secret book? is addressed to her son, Danilo. However, I?m not sure that many of the things she did were things that women of the period normally did. (ie, riding elephants, entrusted with running her father?s banco, etc.). Grazie is a fascinating woman, however, because of this fact.
I found this book to be well- constructed, with extensive research done by the author to present an accurate picture of a woman who lived in early 16th century Italy. The book is richly historical, and will keep you turning pages for hours on end. If you like The Secret Book of Grazia dei Rossi, then you will also like The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant.
Rating:
Summary: Not worth the time
Review: While it's evident the author did quite a bit of research in writing this book, it does not translate well to the page. She spends too much time on detail and not enough on developing these characters. I felt no connection or conviction to see where the main character goes. And I lost patience - finally giving up after 400 pages. And the Italian got annoying!
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