First Impressions

[Bill_T]

Have you just begun reading The Lady in Blue? What do you make of Father Giuseppe Baldi?

[Librarian]

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Bill_T wrote:
Have you just begun reading The Lady in Blue? What do you make of Father Giuseppe Baldi?

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I have read the whole book. I almost couldn't put it down. It was so intriguing. Father Giuseppe Baldi----Right from the beginning, he seems interesting and mysterious to me.Especially after reading this sentence at the end of chapter one on page four---"Put another way, according to Baldi, music modulated the frequency of our brain waves, stimulating centers of perception capable of navigating rhrough time." Chapter one makes me feel, I will like this character--Father Baldi who lives on an island in a monastery and is a music professor in Venice.
Librarian

[KathyS]

From the onset I found this subject, which you've mentioned, something that I wanted to know more about, as the Father relates it to us. He seems to love what he does; his musicology and applications, and his interesting, investigative mind. He leaves me with a feeling of mystery surrounding him. He mentions being exiled.....and it makes me wonder why. I want to know more.

I'm listening to the audio of this book, which is something I've never done before, and my mind is still trying to adjust to the difference in visualizing these characters and places in this manner. Music wave lengths, as it applies to the brain, is an interesting concept, as well as trying to assimilate this novel through audio methods. I love music, and I can be transported at times, but I've never thought of it's potential in stimulating the brain in this way.

Kathy S.

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Librarian wrote:

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Bill_T wrote:
Have you just begun reading The Lady in Blue? What do you make of Father Giuseppe Baldi?

---

I have read the whole book. I almost couldn't put it down. It was so intriguing. Father Giuseppe Baldi----Right from the beginning, he seems interesting and mysterious to me.Especially after reading this sentence at the end of chapter one on page four---"Put another way, according to Baldi, music modulated the frequency of our brain waves, stimulating centers of perception capable of navigating rhrough time." Chapter one makes me feel, I will like this character--Father Baldi who lives on an island in a monastery and is a music professor in Venice.
Librarian

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[Jdup48]

I am on Chapter 17 and enjoying the book very much. Father Baldi is a very interesting character. You could see at the beginning he just wanted to be involved in his work and be left alone. He is very paranoid and it seemed like at the beginning he was just being a worrier, but as we move through the book we start to see that his anxiety is justified. I find that my suspense is building from him more than the other characters, because it seems like what he knows is startling and dangerous.

I could picture him at a Jesuit college. He would be well-liked by his students and interesting, but you would not know a lot about him personally because he is so guarded.

[Liamum]

I am up to chapter 11 in the book.

Baldi strikes me as very intelligent. But knowledge is often power, and that power can be threatening to others - or make others want to control it. Baldi seems to recognize this, which makes him cautious.

I am curious to see how the story unfolds.

[Stephanie]

At the beginning of the story I was curious to know all of Baldi's secrets - to know what he had done "wrong" and what created the circumstances of his life.

[Librarian]

Without giving anything away about the story to those not finished, I am glad,Javier, that you have included a Dramatis Personae at the end of the book where you connect your characters to real people in history. It's interesting to see that the fictional Father Baldi is partly based on a real priest. However, I'm not sure if anyone should go to that part of the book until you finish the story. This is on page 329 and I didn't read it until I was done with the book. I found it extremely interesting. I love historical fiction which also gives accurate historical information.
Librarian

[Stephanie]

Librarian,

I agree - and I also appreciate it when authors (at the end of the book) include the history and separate the fact from the fiction a bit. It saves me having to look up all the information!

[Javier-Sierra]

Dear Librarian,
It is difficult to answer to your comment. But I believe it is better to discover that the characters of your novel are based on real people once you have finished the book. It is like an unexpected gift from the author. A powerful insight into that novel that you have just finished.

All best,
Javier Sierra.

[Stephanie]

Javier,

I agree - I find discovery at the end of the book preferable. I sometimes break away from an historical novel to do a bit of research in the middle, but most of the time I finish the story first. I like to assume that the author will tell me what I need to know- when they do not, I often find that the information I'm seeking simply doesn't exist.

[Liamum]

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Without giving anything away about the story to those not finished, I am glad,Javier, that you have included a Dramatis Personae at the end of the book where you connect your characters to real people in history.

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I have not read the historical part at the end. As I was reading, I found myself wondering if the incidence of the rose birth mark has any basis in fact - so I am very eager to get to the end so I can find out

[Stephanie]

Liamum,

Good idea, not reading ahead. I was on the edge of my seat throughout, piecing all the bits together, but there were still great surprises to come. Enjoy!

[Javier-Sierra]

Dear Liamun,
There are some images in the book (the rose birth mark is one, the lady with red shoes is another) based on powerful remembrances I had during the first years of my approach to the Lady in Blue biography. They have lots of magic behind. In any case, I am glad that they attract your attention!
All best,
Javier.

[Liamum]

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Javier-Sierra wrote:
Dear Liamun,
There are some images in the book (the rose birth mark is one, the lady with red shoes is another) based on powerful remembrances I had during the first years of my approach to the Lady in Blue biography. They have lots of magic behind. In any case, I am glad that they attract your attention!
All best,
Javier.

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Yes- it definitely gets my attention - it is interesting to know where those powerful images came from.