Introduction

“Tentarelli's ability to immerse readers in medieval Florence's sights, sounds, and struggles makes this a novel worth diving into.” –The Literary Titan

It's Europe in the 1300s, and Gino, a young man living in rural Italy, leaves behind the familiarity of his family's farm to seek a new life as an apprentice in an apothecary shop in Florence.

But Gino's dream quickly becomes a nightmare as relentless rain destroys crops in the countryside, leading to famine and despair in the city. He is grief stricken to lose contact with his family when they are forced to flee their farm.

Just as the rains end, the devastating Black Plague sweeps through Florence. Fear and superstition consume the city, targeting priests, immigrants, and women accused of practicing witchcraft.

Even with his own challenges, Gino offers help to the suffering—a woman left alone in the city, a young girl orphaned by the plague, and people who have lost everything. And just as he's providing hope to others, glimmers of happiness come his way as well, even in a world teetering on the edge.

The Blackest Time is a powerful tale of compassion, love, and the human spirit's ability to endure immense adversity.

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Excerpt

The Blackest Time is a tale of compassion, love, and the resilience of those who endured the Black Plague. Gino Liani, the central character, works in an apothecary shop that sells perfumes, pigments, and elixirs in addition to medicines. This chapter illustrates the desperation of people seeking to protect themselves from the scourge they believe is caused by “bad air.” ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

From the author:

1. How did the book change your assumptions about the time of the Black Plague? 

2. Which aspects of the story relate to our time? Which don’t?

3. Was there a specific decision made by a character in the book that struck you as particularly admirable or foolish?

4. Which turning points in the story were under the control of characters? Which were unavoidable?

5. Of those who escaped the disease itself, how were people in the various classes of Florentine society affected by the plague?

6. What were Gino’s impressions of Florence when he first arrived in the city and how did they change over time?

7. What measures did Florentines use to protect themselves from the plague? How do they compare to the steps we took to protect ourselves from Covid?

8. Florentines were devout Christians who believed in the mythical goddess Fortuna and in witchcraft. How did those beliefs lead to various explanations of the plague? Do we have dual beliefs today?

9. Does Professor Vianello’s prediction based on planetary conjunctions differ from today’s belief in astrology?

10. Who cared for the poor in medieval times? How does that differ from our practices today?

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