Act of Faith

A story of faith, intrigue and adventure in 17th-century Europe. Ages 14+ When ideas were dangerous, one girl found the courage to act. England, 1640. Sixteen-year-old Isabella is forced to flee her home when her father's radical ideas lead him into a suicidal stand against Oliver Cromwell's army. taking refuge in Amsterdam and desperate to find a means to survive, Isabella finds work with an elderly printer, Master de Aquila, and his enigmatic young assistant, Willem. When Master de Aquila travels to Venice to find a publisher brave enough to print his daring new book, Isabella accompanies him and discovers a world of possibility, where women work alongside men as equal partners, and where books and beliefs are treasured. But, in a continent torn apart by religious intolerance, constant danger lurks for those who don't watch their words. And when, the agents of the Spanish Inquisition kidnap de Aquila to stop him printing his book, Isabella and Willem become reluctant allies in a daring chase across Europe to rescue him from certain death.

THE SULTAN'S EYES is the sequel to ACT OF FAITH. the year is 1648 and life in Venice is serene for Isabella Hawkins and her friends Willem, Al-Qasim and Signora Contarini. together they publish fine books like the controversial encyclopaedia, the Sum of All Knowledge. When a new Inquisitor declares war on free speech however, they are forced to flee across the seas to the wondrous capital of the Ottoman Empire, Constantinople, which is ruled by the infamous Sultanate of the Women. Old friends and new, including the boy Sultan and his sister, welcome them to the world's greatest city. But Isabella is soon entangled in poisonous palace intrigues, while her friends secretly play perilous games of their own. the fascinating and page-turning sequel to Act of Faith, which was shortlisted for the 2012 NSW Premier's Literary awards, the 2012 Gold Inky awards and highly commended in the 2012 Barbara Jefferis Awards. Praise for Act of Faith: the novel is expansive and impressive, and with Gardiners eloquent words and literary flair she acts as fictional tour-guide breathing life into these cobblestoned walkways and Ghetto communities... a divine story, dripping in history and delivering a wonderful message of freedom, loyalty and bravery. the Alpha Reader Highly recommended... It is fast paced and the intriguing and well researched detail of life on the Continent in the 17th Century will be enjoyed by readers.' ReadPlus