Customer Reviews

The Time Returns

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After reading the reviews this book got, I almost didn't read it. Luckily, though, I know Alexandra Ripley's books and I am aware that she is not writing for art or 15th century Italy historians. She is writing for the pleasure of the typical reader that enjoys fiction sprinkled with history. Of course there are going to be errors along side the facts, but this is FICTION. If everything were kept exactly true, the story would neither flow well or catch much interest. If you want to read history then check out the reference section of your local library, but if you want to read a good love story that takes you on exciting adventures and mixes it with historical figures and places then read The Time Returns. You will absolutely fall in love with Lorenzo de'Medici and his leading lady Ginevra de'Pazzi

This book may read like a soap opera, but it's amust for anyone who is going to Florence,Italy. In the book you read about the people of the Renaissance who were responsible for the wonderful buildings and art of the city, and about a history of the times, although there is probably a lot of fiction thrown in. This book prepared me to see and enjoy florence.

I read this book at the age of 14. I knew nothing of Renaissance Italy or it's cast of characters. This book ignited my interest and desire to learn more. I paid attention in history class because these characters were personal to me. Although it is historically inaccurate in many regards, I think it's a passionate and colorful tale. It seems as though Ripley should rewrite it to be more true to historical details/events--it's a shame to let the spirit captured in this book die because of its messiness with historical fact.

A painful read. The characters prance one- demensionally from a badly researched high school history book. In particular, Ripley paints Lorenzo the Great to be too weak and womanish to be a convincing towel boy, let alone one of greatest powerbrokers in Europe's history. Aside from the many historical innaccuracies, this book is just too fanciful in its beliefs; such as that men just love to bring opinionated women on their male bonding trips and that rich and powerful men seek beautiful women merely as playthings when what they really want are cantankerous and homely soulmates. As a woman I was appalled when not one, but two female characters stated that it did no good to punish rapists, since you couldn't undo the damage. I wish it were possible to unread this book.

A friend gave me this book b/c I am an art historian who specializes in the Italian Renaissance and b/c I love romance novels. This is an absolute DUD! The writing is terrible and it is full of historial inaccuracies. None of her descriptions of life in 15th c. Florence make any historical sense. I feel like she consulted a junior encyclopedia written in the 1920s for her history, then added the names of some Florentine artists and other personages. I was so disgusted with this that I tried to write my *own* romance set in the Italian Renaissance !! If you want something fun to read before visiting Florence, try Foster's "Room with a View" or "The Agony and the Ecstasy." The latter is pretty much *pure* fiction, but at least it's fun!