Dante's Daughter by Kimberley Heuston

The 14th-Century Italian poet Dante Alighieri lived through dangerous and difficult times, yet he was able to write masterful works that were bold in their social commentary and luminous in their spiritual vision. Very little is known of Dante’s real-life daughter Antonia, but in Dante’s Daughter author Kimberley Heuston has combined careful research and rich imagining to produce an engaging fictional portrait of a smart, artistic, and brave young woman seeking to find herself when her home and family have been torn apart by exile, civil war, and social strife. In a believable and intimate voice, Heuston has Antonia tell of her journeys and struggles through the varied landscapes and cultures of pre-renaissance Italy, of her partings and reunions with her strong mother and her brilliant, wandering father.
Unlike many books for young adults, Dante’s Daughter is not fast-paced or event-driven. Instead, it draws a quiet power from the vivid way it describes the sights, smells, textures, and moods of time and place. And during its best moments, it puts us right into Antonia’s ever-changing world, allowing us to feel her fears and friendships, her troubles and joys both inner and outer.

Reviewed by Mr. Brown