Although it is in some ways a departure from of his previous novels, The Enchantress of Florence is nevertheless a fine example of Salman Rushdie’s expert ability to weave a story. 

Stylistically, Rushdie stays true to his earlier work, with his splendid manipulation of language and different plotlines winding through time and space. The setting, however, is quite different.  While he has dealt with Asia, Europe, and the Americas before, he has never done so during the Renaissance; there are even guest appearances from such historical characters as Niccolo Machiavelli, Amerigo Vespucci, and the Medici family. 

Rushdie thoroughly researched this book and it includes and extensive bibliography, but the historical accuracy is not heavy-handed and adds an air of authenticity to the narrative rather than overshadowing it. 

Overall, Rushdie fans will find The Enchantress of Florence a nice change of pace without being a shift in artistic direction.

If you could not attend the reading but would like to purchase a signed copy of The Enchantress of Florence, you can do so with this shopping cart. List price: $26.00