Between Two Worlds: Book 6
Publication Date: April 2, 2023
Clarissa Martinez, a biracial young woman has lived in seven different countries by the time she turns twenty. She thinks it’s time to settle in a place she could call home. But where?
She joins a quest for the provenance of stolen illuminated manuscripts, a medieval art form that languished with the fifteenth century invention of the printing press. For her, these ancient manuscripts elicit cherished memories of children’s picture books her mother read to her, nourishing a passion for art.
Though immersed in art, she’s naïve about life. She’s disheartened and disillusioned by the machinations the quest reveals of an esoteric, sometimes unscrupulous art world. What compels individuals to steal artworks, and conquerors to plunder them from the vanquished? Why do collectors buy artworks for hundreds of millions of dollars? Who decides the value of an art piece and how?
And she wonders—will this quest reward her with a sense of belonging, a sense of home?
From an early age, Clarissa Martinez was fascinated by art, especially picture books. It’s no wonder that news reports of two illuminated manuscripts for sale catch her attention.
Author Evy Journey takes readers on an adventure featuring priceless medieval artwork from Germany that somehow ends up in the hands of an American soldier. The Golden Manuscripts highlight an art form eventually replaced by the printing press, which is what makes these items so precious.
While on the surface, it appears the storyline is going to focus on the mystery aspect in determining how the items ended up for sale, there is a much deeper narrative at work. For Clarissa, it’s about finding a place where she belongs.
It just so happens that in the process of digging into the manuscripts, she finds happiness is less about a place and more about a sense of belonging. It’s interesting to see the evolution of her relationship with Nathan.
The author also adds flashbacks from the soldier’s perspective about how the manuscripts ended up in his possession and why. This is probably one of the most powerful segments of the story.
The Golden Manuscripts delivers an interesting trek into the art world to highlight how priceless treasures can end up in the wrong hands.
Evy writes short stories, blogs, and cross-genre novels. She’s also a wannabe artist, a flâneuse, and a former social science researcher.
Having studied psychology (M.A., University of Hawaii; Ph.D. University of Illinois), her fiction spins tales about nuanced characters dealing with contemporary life issues and problems. She believes in love and its many faces.
Her one ungranted wish: To live in Paris where art is everywhere and people have honed aimless roaming to an art form. She has visited and stayed several months at a time.
