You're reading: Book Review: 14th century Italy, setting of expat’s second book

A new war is afoot for Squire Geoffrey Hotspur of the English Free Company when he stumbles upon a divided northern Italian state of Ferrara. On one side stands a young princeling, Niccolo d’Este, who must prove himself as the rightful heir to the throne of Ferrara. On the other side is the seasoned leader Azzo d’Este, the young prince’s uncle. Kyiv expatriate Evan Ostryznuik has set the second chapter of his English Free Company series in 1395.  

The Canada-born, Cambridge-educated author weaves together a tale of history and fiction in Of Fathers and Sons to provide readers with a riveting story of early Renaissance regality and chivalry. Knowledge of the previous book isn’t necessary due to subtle recollections of characters as they reflect on previous experiences.

Opening with an intense battle, the reader is immediately aware of main character Squire Geoffrey Hotspur’s aspiration: to become a knight. The novel builds on Hotspur’s desire as he accepts numerous daring quests ranging from escorting pilgrims to waging battle. In the midst of these trials, Hotspur encounters historical figures ranging from a nobleman of Cyprus to Niccolo d’Este himself.

 A money-grubbing French debt collector named Jean Lagoustine accompanies him on these escapades, and these two unexpected companions truly make the novel a fantastic tale. The quick-witted banter adds further pleasure as it highlights the differences between the nobility and peasantry. This relationship becomes even more profound as the reader is able to watch the two characters grow.

While the story begins with these two fictional characters, the focus eventually shifts to the struggle between Niccolo and Azzo d’Este. During this part of the novel Ostryzniuk truly excels at setting the period for the reader. He also deftly illustrates questions that both youngsters face while fitting themselves in their roles as men and as members of society. These authentic characters provide the historical structure of the time with names of documented households and alliances. Furthermore, the reader is able to enter the minds of the characters and see how they act in accordance to those alliances to further their own goals.

One historical embellishment is  the use of medieval Italian words throughout the story. All of the characters employ such words to describe pieces of their armor and their rank in the many regions of Italy. To complement this literary touch, Ostryzniuk provides a glossary of terms in the back of the book.

Although the novel starts out action-packed with the sense of an ever encroaching battle, there are a few lackluster moments. In particular, the climactic battle falls short of expectations. As a fast 330-page read, only the last twenty or so pages are dedicated to this final battle. Furthermore, the results of the fight, while historically accurate, were summed up in four pages and left Hotspur in the same place as he was at the beginning of the novel – and thus no closer to achieving knighthood. A lingering question is: was this book focused on character development to benefit the next addition or was the history too constrictive to enable progression for this fictional squire? 

On the technical side, there are occasionally missing words and grammatical errors, and they detract from the novel’s flow.

In conclusion, Ostryzniuk draws the reader in with his loveable fictional characters and then enthralls us with his descriptive history to provide a worthwhile experience of early Renaissance Italian history. While the ending may be a little prosaic, if anything it only should further entice the reader to want the next addition to the series to answer those lingering questions. 

Of Fathers and Sons, published on March 7, 2013, is available now in the iTunes store for $5.99, as an e-book for $7.99 and in hardcover for $27.99 through Knox Robinson Publishing. 

Kyiv Post intern Jesse Fleck can be reached at [email protected]