Love That Moves the Sun: Vittoria Colonna and Michelangelo Buonarroti

Written by Linda Cardillo
Review by Viviane Crystal

A Renaissance woman, wife, mother, poet, diplomat, spiritual reformist, and lover – all labels for Vittoria Colonna that omit the essence of this unique person living during turbulent times in 16^th-century Italy. While Italy is a country of warring city-states beyond the permanent control of leaders and Popes, Vittoria’s status as nobility and a spiritual woman allows her independence and power, a force to unite the factions across the country. The influence of her mother and Costanza, her mentor, leads Vittoria to a deeper appreciation of Mary, the mother of God. Gaining and losing the love and life of her husband, Vittoria discovers a true love beyond description in Michelangelo Buonarotti: “The intimacy that binds us – intellectual, emotional and spiritual – has transformed me… I am becoming Michelangelo.” The artistic brilliance of their work in poetry and painting is fed by the intellectual and spiritual poignancy of their sharing and that of friends. However, this time of reform is curtailed by the influence of Protestant changes instituted by Martin Luther and King Henry VIII. The rash acts of family and other influential leaders cause civil war.

Linda Cardillo’s writing is exquisite, inviting the reader into total immersion in this life story of a challenged and challenging woman who left an indelible mark on Italian and spiritual history. Descriptions of Vittoria’s poetry make the reader yearn to enjoy a sample (or two or three) of her writing – the only lapse in this moving story. The tale includes practical life fused with personal Christian meditation, poetry and sharing – the “questioning and doubt and discovery and revelation… the ultimate act of love.” Read and relish this singular work of historical fiction!