For our second September book club selection, we’re headed to early 17th century for a fictional account of the Bohemian Hapsburg Court in Linda Lafferty’s The Bloodletter’s Daughter (A Novel of Old Bohemia). Read more and find out how you can win 1 of 5 copies of the book!
Inspired by a real-life murder that threatened to topple the powerful Hapsburg dynasty, the novel follows Marketa, a young woman who can only dream of being a bloodletter. Women were not allowed to become a bloodletter or a doctor, but as her father’s assistant Marketa studied as much as she could.
More about the book:
Within the glittering Hapsburg court in Prague lurks a darkness that no one dares mention…
In 1606, the city of Prague shines as a golden mecca of art and culture carefully cultivated by Emperor Rudolf II. But the emperor hides an ugly secret: His bastard son, Don Julius, is afflicted with a madness that pushes the young prince to unspeakable depravity. Desperate to stem his son’s growing number of scandals, the emperor exiles Don Julius to a remote corner of Bohemia, where the young man is placed in the care of a bloodletter named Pichler. The bloodletter’s task: cure Don Julius of his madness by purging the vicious humors coursing through his veins.
When Pichler brings his daughter Marketa to assist him, she becomes the object of Don Julius’s frenzied–and dangerous–obsession. To him, she embodies the women pictured in the Coded Book of Wonder, a priceless manuscript from the imperial library that was his only link to sanity. As the prince descends further into the darkness of his mind, his acts become ever more desperate, as Marketa, both frightened and fascinated, can’t stay away.
Are you intrigued? Grab a copy of The Bloodletter’s Daughter (A Novel of Old Bohemia) and join our book club members on September 25 when we discuss the novel.
Want to win your own copy? We’re giving away FIVE copies of the book (US addresses only). Just use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter the giveaway.
About Thien-Kim
My favorite historical period is the time of the samurai.
Colonial America is my favorite period.
Im super intrigued…I love historical fiction but most of what I’ve read takes place in England…would love to escape to Prague. Would love to get my hands on this as it sounds like it’s full of scandal AND girl power…one of my favorite combinations! I’m downloading a sample on my Kindle so if I win I will probably share it with a friend locally
Sounds great. I’d love to win it.
I absolutely loved the historical novel Girl With a Pearl Earring. Hoping this will be similarly wonderful!
This sounds like my kind of book! I love historical fiction… fingers crossed!
-LTV Mom
I love reading about the French Revolution OR biblical times.
Prague is one of the top places on my list to visit someday soon! I would love to win this book – it sounds fascinating, and I am indebted to my friend who posts at Not Ever Still for pointing me to this website – as a life-long avid reader, this feels like home!
This is the first novel I’ve read by Linda and I love her style! I will continue to purchase her work!