Abstract
<p>Gottfried, a glass-maker, and his daughter Rose, a budding herbalist, are victims of the historical period in which they live. After losing two family members to plague, they move westward to settle in Metz. In their new home, Gottfried joins his brother in the mirror-making business, where Gottfried seeks to put his talents to work to make mirrors, which, until then, were not much better than those made of polished metal. But in trying to put their lives back together, the vocations of both father and daughter soon clash with the city’s medieval system, in which patricians and the Church closely guard their power. When Gottfried’s workshop is vandalized, Rose tries to help uncover who is responsible. She suspects the Church or a suspicious agent of the French court. After meeting with a priest, Rose is arrested and charged with heresy. Now Gottfried, with the help of the agent, must find a way to free Rose from certain death. This is a story of family, regret, love, and redemption. Gottfried and Rose live in a period of history in which heresy and industry, and plague and innovation, live side by side. It’s the late Middle Ages, a period dominated by religion, superstition and received knowledge. But knocking at the door of history is the Renaissance and the secular patricians and merchants who want their own power and riches. In this world, Gottfried and Rose are among the many passersby who seek to maintain their own sense of normalcy.</p>
