This was my first by Denys. Her only other novel
is The Flesh And
The Devil, which is also wonderful. Both are set in 17th century Europe.
The Silver Devil begins in 1605 north of
Naples, Italy, at the time of the plague. It tells the story of Felicia Guardi,
a commoner beauty who comes to the attention of Domenico della Raffaelle, the
new Duke of Cabria, the one they call the “Silver Devil.”
When her mother died, Felicia learned from her
brother that she was bastard born. Forced by him and his wife to live in their
house as a servant, Felicia becomes a sort of Cinderella. Though Felicia has
had a hard life, she has virtue, integrity and wisdom that outshine all those
around her. Surely that is what Domenico saw when he chanced to glimpse her.
Without her knowing it, Domenico buys Felicia from her half brother who drugs
her so she can be taken to the duke’s palace.
Already ruined by having been taken to the duke,
Felicia nevertheless fights the man who would have her (“a demon’s eyes in the
face of a fallen angel”… “as graceful as a leopard and as treacherous as
murder”). After he takes her maidenhead, she realizes she has no choice but to
stay with him until he tires of her, which according to what she is told, may
be very soon as he runs through mistresses quickly. But Felicia is unlike any
woman Domenico has ever known and he does not cast her off.
Having just come to power, Domenico is aware of
the seething treachery swirling around him. There are those who would prefer to
see his half brother Alessandro rule the duchy. And Domenico knows he must take
a wife and sire an heir so there are choices to be made. But Felicia has fallen
in love with him (“…it was then, as I went to him like a falcon flying to his
fist, that I realized I loved him”); and even knowing she will be set aside,
she stays.
I can’t say enough good about this classic.
Brilliantly written with attention to detail reflecting much research into the
era and the politics of the time, it is a fascinating story of warring families
and the vicious actions some take to stay in power. The prose is nearly lyrical
at times and Denys’ writing is truly beautiful in its descriptions. Few authors
could do it so well.
The plot is intricate and captured me from the
start. Though told from the first person (we are only ever in Felicia’s head),
it works for an intriguing story as we can only wonder what the Silver Devil is
thinking behind his black eyes. Felicia is a wonderful heroine, and though he
was often wicked, Domenico was a very worthy alpha male hero. I did not want to
put it down. I highly recommend this one and it’s going on my Best Bodice
Ripper list, My Favorite Heroes & Heroines list and my Top 20 list!
You’ll have to get it used, but get it! It's a
keeper.
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