Voltaire's Calligrapher by Pablo De Santis

The lyrical quality of the prose is what struck me first about this book, from the opening paragraph as De Santis captures the flavor of living in the 18th century, the Enlightenment period in which this book is set. The quality of the writing reminds me of Zafron in Shadows of the Wind. Voltaire himself is a peripheral figure in this book and is only used as a source of action for the main character, the calligrapher, Dalessius. The author beautifully captures the history of, as well as the artistry and philosophy behind the dying art of calligraphy, which is appealing to this bibliophile. He bridges the gap between the mysticism of the Dark Ages and the beginnings of modern thought, while at the same time, providing a compelling historical mystery.