Bianca

Bertrice Small's first Silk Merchant's Daughter book harkens back to classic romances of the past, presenting the tale of Bianca, a stunning Florentine beauty who is given in marriage to a debauched older man. Escaping to a seaside resort, Bianca meets the Turkish Prince Amir, who stirs a passion she thought long dead even though society completely forbids the love they come to share. Narrator Jill Tanner's efficient presentation keeps the plot moving at a good pace, and her simple declaratory style makes for easy listening as she conveys the shame of Bianca's first marriage and her later exotic love. However, her lack of inflection or emotional color makes it difficult to sustain interest throughout the story and doesn't do much to blunt Small's stilted dialogue. B.E.K. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine