The Lion of Cortona: Exiles: A Novel of the Middle Ages

The stratified society of turbulent 13th-century Italy is the backdrop against which the love story of swineherd Giovanni's son Benno and aristocratic Nina Torreoni develops, in this first installment in a historical series. Exiled from their home city, Cortona, by a treacherous attack, the Torreoni family takes refuge at their country farm. While a monastery accepts Nino Torreoni as a student, the obligation of Sister Nina to marry spurs a hackneyed discussion between her and friend Angelica Bordoni about marriage for love or for wealth. Although Benno's inferior social status makes him ineligible for Nina despite their friendship, a Papal Bull allowing marriage if sexual intercourse has occurred injects new options. Although Van Doren ably addresses the issue of arranged marriage and social standing, his characters are not engaging enough to make their fates interesting, nor are their dilemmas out of the ordinary.