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Title: Life as Carola
Review: Joan Grant has written a vivid account of her life as Carola, the illegitimate daughter of a Griffin in 16th century Italy. One in a series of her "past life" novels, this account is seen through the child Carola's eyes against the backdrop of pre-Renaissance Italy. As Carola faces major life challenges and matures into a young woman she grows both in strength of character and spirituality. Grant's style, as always, is seemingly effortless (as in Winged Pharaoh and Scarlet Feather) and it is as though she'd experienced this life herself. It's a masterly read which has parallels for today's society as it contrasts the harsh conditions of the very poor with the excessive privileges of the rich. The idea that we cast off our bodies at the end of each life (as an actor does his costume) and return again and again until we learn life's lessons provides an intriguing perspective. An unforgettable book.
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