REVIEW: The Stone Witch of Florence / Anna Rasche
The Stone Witch of Florence
Anna Rasche
Park Row
Review by
Renae Steichen
Remember back in Spring 2020 when stores and restaurants were shuttered, no one was on the street , people fled to rural areas, and you were in your own personal/family bubble? Amplify that times 10, add a pinch of magic and a heaping spoonful of superstition, and you have the setting for Anna Rasche’s debut novel, The Stone Witch of Florence (Park Row, October 8, 2024).
Set in 1348 during the height of the bubonic plague in Florence, Italy, The Stone Witch follows Ginevra di Gasparo, a healer banished from the city for witchcraft. Ginevra’s former lover summons her back to Florence to solve a mystery of stolen saintly relics. The Florentines are drawn together in their belief these relics are their only hope of protection against the plague and are devastated at their disappearance. The bishop of the Florentines, willing to turn a blind eye to Ginevra’s unorthodox methods if it means he can be seen as the hero, tasks Ginevra with finding the thief and returning the relics. In exchange, the bishop will rescind her banishment and allow her to achieve her dream to join the Guild of Doctors and Apothecaries.
Rasche’s rich descriptions transport readers to this past-pandemic era. On entering Florence, Ginevra is met with a stark scene:
She stepped through the doorway, eager to experience the same elation she had when she first entered Florence as a young girl so many years ago, but O – desolate place! …The city was so quiet she could hear the ringing in her ears, hear the plaster upon the walls. As if all its inhabitants had disappeared into the air.
Rasche achieves an impressive balance of historical fiction with a gripping mystery and magical realism. Magic and spiritualism are woven seamlessly into the story to make it feel like a natural part of the way the world works. Rasche establishes how the magic works, and its immense possibility in just a few lines:
[Ginevra] was born with an aptitude. And when she walked, the invisible golden strings of the universe were plucked and caused the faintest vibrations in the air, and it was through these strings that the old magic could flow.
Along with the old magic, is also the old evil. The Evil Eye, or malocchio, is always roaming the earth, ready to latch on to those who are jealous, angry, and prideful. Ginevra’s mentor gifts her with a magical coral necklace that protects her from the Eye and all illness, which comes in handy when investigating a crime in the middle of a plague. She learns to harness the power of stones, such as the coral, to amplify her magical ability and dedicates her abilities to helping others.
In the Middle Ages, when people were still learning to balance the supernatural of “old magic” with that of religion, we see Ginevra caught in the crosshairs of trying to help others but needing to keep her ability secret from those afraid of magic. Yet are these spiritual paths so different?
Rasche shows how these seemingly disparate paths can work together as Ginevra works closely with the church’s Inquisitor and a religious friend. They are united in the mission to help the people and find the missing relics, and narrowly avoid danger in their investigation with the help of various powerful stones.
Trained as a gemologist and jewelry historian by trade, Rausche was inspired to create this tale of magic that resides in Earth’s natural wonders. She leverages her original research on the use of gemstones in medieval medicine to make it seem practical to use the power of stones for healing given the limited state of medicine at the time.
While the mystery of finding the relics drove the quick pace of the story, it doesn’t diminish the depth and breadth of characters in the story. Her use of several side characters adds moments of levity with clever humor (which is needed in a book with a plague!). In one scene, in which Ginevra and her friend Lucia are pretending to want to buy a relic in order to find out information about the stolen items, I was laughing out loud:
“Ah! Snignora, it is clear, I would recommend some of Saint Sabastian con carne for you.”
“Con carne?” she asked cautiously.
“Yes, meaning of course, with some of the holy flesh still attached to the holy bone. It is much more effective that way. And the stars tell me, you require something potent.”…
The apothecary bent down below the counter and brought out a dusty wooden box. He opened the lid; it was filled with dried-out fingers.
He rummaged through it a moment before saying, “Aha, here is the one, it is perfect for you.”
While the pandemic topic could easily be depressing, The Stone Witch left me feeling hopeful that there are people who have the tenacity and skills to pull us out of devastating situations. Ginevra’s strong, no-nonsense personality keeps her focused on her investigation, but she also shows a softer side with a motherly inclination to collect and help all the strays along the way. Even during the isolating time of a pandemic, people want to help each other and have shared beliefs, which may be a common religion or just a need to commiserate in the intensity of the moment. During COVID, people rallied to celebrate healthcare workers and had more Zoom calls with your friends and family across the country than ever before (or since). While it may look a little different than believing in saintly relics, a shared connection can be a powerful way to get through the tough times.
