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Dreaming Sophia

Melissa Muldoon (Goodreads Author)

4.28 · Rating details · 47 ratings · 31 reviews

Dreaming Sophia is a magical look into Italy, language, art, and culture. It is a story about turning dreams into reality and learning to walk the fine line between fact and fantasy. When tragedy strikes, Sophia finds herself alone in the world, without direction and fearful of loving again. With only her vivid imagination to guide her, she begins a journey that will take ...more

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Paperback, 274 pages

Published August 17th 2016 by Matta Press

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Nov 28, 2016 Laura rated it it was amazing

Dreaming Sophia is a fantastical and charming coming-of-age tale of a young and lively dreamer who finally follows her calling to study art in Florence. Filled with artistic and cultural references of well-known Italian icons in Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and Modern Art as well as music and cinema with the alluring Sophia Loren, after whom the main character is named, readers will get their fill of Italy and its language.

Sophia suffers a tragedy early on in her story. Her deep grief along Dreaming Sophia is a fantastical and charming coming-of-age tale of a young and lively dreamer who finally follows her calling to study art in Florence. Filled with artistic and cultural references of well-known Italian icons in Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and Modern Art as well as music and cinema with the alluring Sophia Loren, after whom the main character is named, readers will get their fill of Italy and its language.

Sophia suffers a tragedy early on in her story. Her deep grief along with the loss of her muse make it difficult for her to move on. Always having been encouraged to dream in life, Sophia relies on "dreaming with her eyes wide open" and conjures up famous people from the past who help her along when she has to make serious decisions or when she feels lost and needs direction. Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Eleonora de Medici, Garibaldi and Sophia Loren are among some of these colorful characters that dispense advice to our young heroine.

If you are familiar with Italian culture and history then this will be a refreshing look at Italy's beloved artists, but if you are not, it's a great and fanciful introduction to a culture and history that has touched and influenced the rest of the world. The history of the Mud Angels who helped salvage literary and art works in Florence after its 1966 flooding, for example, was interweaved into the story and will touch any who claim to love art.

The first part of the book in which Sophia comes to grips with what she wants to do in life reads almost like a memoir, whereas the second half of the book is a beautiful journey into Italy's artistic world as Sophia pursues her dream and falls in love both with a country and a man who can't help but be attracted to her jubilance and sometimes adorable clumsiness.

Although the magical realism resembles fairy-tale like storytelling and may throw off a few readers, Sophia's journey while living in Italy is well worth the reading. Author Melissa Muldoon's experience with Italians, their language and their culture will resonate true to North American readers of Italian origin. Highly recommended for dreamers and lovers of art and all things Italian. ...more

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Nov 21, 2016 Carla rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I fell in love with Dreaming Sophia! My time in Italy when I was sixteen was magical, Italy has this way of drawing you in with its culture, history and people. The streets are alive with history at every corner and instead of hiding it, history is embraced and celebrated. The art in Italy is incredible - I could have spent days just wandering around the cities I visited. You want to touch the walls, visit every Church and just sit in the streets to embrace every moment.

In Dreaming Sophia, we ...more

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Jul 17, 2017 Erik Zidowecki rated it it was amazing

I was thrilled to receive my copy of "Dreaming Sophia: Because Dreaming is an Art" by Melissa Muldoon, for I had read the description and it reached out to me.

First of all, the book itself is absolutely beautiful. Melissa is a graphic artist and she made sure that every centimeter of the cover is artistically delightful.

The contents are no less captivating and finely crafted. The story is about a young American woman named Sophia (named by her mother after the Italian film star, Sophia Loren) ...more

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Jan 20, 2017 Reader Views rated it it was amazing

Reviewed by Sheri Hoyte for Reader Views (01/17)

Author Melissa Muldoon presents spellbinding artistic expression in her delightful story, “Dreaming Sophia.”

Sophia is without a doubt, a dreamer. Yet when tragedy strikes, grief takes over, as young Sophia finds herself alone, fearful, and uncertain of the future. It takes some time, but with a little hope and inspiration, she picks herself up, and returns to school to pursue her master’s degree in painting. Soon life begins anew as she starts Reviewed by Sheri Hoyte for Reader Views (01/17)

Author Melissa Muldoon presents spellbinding artistic expression in her delightful story, “Dreaming Sophia.”

Sophia is without a doubt, a dreamer. Yet when tragedy strikes, grief takes over, as young Sophia finds herself alone, fearful, and uncertain of the future. It takes some time, but with a little hope and inspiration, she picks herself up, and returns to school to pursue her master’s degree in painting. Soon life begins anew as she starts dating, letting go of her fears, and taking a few chances. When her art professor recommends a school in Italy, Sophia applies to the school and is accepted; thus beginning a journey of a lifetime. Along the way, Sophia receives advice and guidance from the unlikeliest of sorts, well aware that for her, there is a fine line between fantasy and reality.

Not your typical Italian romantic adventure, “Dreaming Sophia” is a wonderful multifaceted story that pushes through several genres, with layers and layers of exquisite entertainment. The story interweaves the experiences of a young girl as she overcomes significant loss and learns to love again, a historical peek into the lives of notable Italian dignitaries, and wonderful lessons and insight into all the splendor of Italy’s culture, language, art, and magical countryside. Basically, it’s a coming of age story, a romantic drama, action and adventure tale, travel guide, history text, artist book, and fantasy novel all rolled into one – phew!

I enjoyed this story immensely and was taken with the author’s creativity. Her love and passion for all things Italian exude from every single page. I quite imagine her to be just like her leading lady. She writes with an undeniably distinctive flair, and the seemingly effortless ability to draw readers into her world. The development of her characters is flawless. It was fun to watch Sophia grow and come into her own as the story progressed; she is truly an appealing protagonist that will squeeze her way into the hearts of readers. I fell in love with Sophia’s supporting cast of characters as well and found the way the author wrote the Italian personalities into the story to be unique and quite refreshing. And – I know it’s cliché to say that the author writes in such a way that I felt like I was right there, but here goes – the author writes in such a way that I felt like I was right there in the story with Sophia!

I highly recommend “Dreaming Sophia” by Melissa Muldoon. It’s a fantastic read with an appeal that will captivate and take you on a journey you won’t soon forget. ...more

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Nov 24, 2016 Shree rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

My love for Italian culture stemmed from reading plenty of fiction which was based in that country. This book is the epitome of my Italian fantasy. The story line is quite simple and doesn’t have much to go on so to say, but the narration and characterization is way too good.
Our protagonist Sophia succumbs to the sorrow of losing her parents. Having raised by a mother who loved the Italian culture, Sophia connects with her mother’s Italian muses and heads on a path of self-recovery. She goes to My love for Italian culture stemmed from reading plenty of fiction which was based in that country. This book is the epitome of my Italian fantasy. The story line is quite simple and doesn’t have much to go on so to say, but the narration and characterization is way too good.
Our protagonist Sophia succumbs to the sorrow of losing her parents. Having raised by a mother who loved the Italian culture, Sophia connects with her mother’s Italian muses and heads on a path of self-recovery. She goes to Italy to study art and connects with every important historical moment her mother had told her about when she grew up.

My want to visit that beautiful place filled with such rich history increased leaps and bounds after reading this book. The crux of the story is rather simple – a girl on a road to recovery with memories of her mother which intertwine with Italy’s rich history. The story contains major chunks of interesting history of Italy’s famous persona like actress Sophia Loren, Michelangelo, DaVinci, Garibaldi, Dante Alighieri and Casanova. Then there are the others whom I hadn’t know of – Marcello Mastroianni, Simonetta Vespucci, Eleonora De Medicim Lucrezia Borgia, Lorenzo de Medici, Filippo Brunelleschi and Giuletta Capuleti. The story itself is divided into 8 parts featuring various states of Sophia’s life featuring each of the above mentioned persona who help her out in times of trouble. It is apparent that the writer knows her history well and is familiar with even the most vivid detail of all the sights mentioned in the book. With such lush narration and vivid description, this book is dream come true for me. In fact, Sophia is such an inspiration for me to step up and work towards my dream of learning Italian and visiting the country. In spite of being so beautiful, the writer hasn’t described the real ugly face of the city. However, this can be overlooked. After all, some positivity doesn’t hurt.

The cover and the section covers deserve a special mention. While the cover it was just perfect, the short comment mentioned by another writer it spoiled it for me a bit. The section art work in black and white, with write ups, were brilliant. Given that this is an ebook, the writer had provided links for songs and other tidbits of information. I made a colossal mistake of reading this book on my kindle and couldn’t visit the links. Planning to re-read this book on my tab so that I can go check out all songs and other interesting information she has linked up.

MY SAY: One beautiful book.

RATING: 5/5 ...more

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Dec 09, 2016 Kathleen Kelly rated it it was amazing

Dreaming Sophia What a fun book! Dreaming Sophia's protagonist, Sophia, is a young woman who is an aspiring artist and is passionate about Italy. She is away at college and her parents are in Rome on a second honeymoon. She receives devasting news that the plane that her parents were on bringing them home has crashed and both parents have died in the crash.

Sophia is so upset by the news that she virtually hides away, still going to classes but just kind of living inside of herself and her dreams Dreaming Sophia What a fun book! Dreaming Sophia's protagonist, Sophia, is a young woman who is an aspiring artist and is passionate about Italy. She is away at college and her parents are in Rome on a second honeymoon. She receives devasting news that the plane that her parents were on bringing them home has crashed and both parents have died in the crash.

Sophia is so upset by the news that she virtually hides away, still going to classes but just kind of living inside of herself and her dreams and memories. In this time we learn abit about her parents and that her mother was also an artist and Sophia inherited her free spirit and dreams from her. Sophia was named after Sophia Loren, the beautiful Italian actress, as her mother was a fan of Ms.Loren.

Sophia's dreams are what keeps her going in this tragic time. Her art professor tells her about an art school in Italy that she applies to and is accepted. She needs to get away and get immersed in her art. She travels to Italy and starts her new life among the art of the Medieval, Baroque, Renaissance,and Modern periods that she loves.

As I mentioned before, Sophia dreams, she dreams not just at night but during the day also, as she wanders around Florence she not only encounters the art works that she so loves, but she also dreams about historical figures such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Eleonora de Medici and Cassonova. The dreams are so vivid that it is like she has been transported to the era that they lived.What a fun time I had reading this book, I am not an expert on art but it was fun to learn about the works of the artists famous in Italy who have so shaped the beauty of the country. The writing was so good that it felt like I was on the Sophia's journey right along with her. The sights, sounds and smells of Italy came right through the pages. The author definitely knows of what she writes and has put her own experiences onto the page. To me that is the mark of a great author that can have the reader transported into the pages of the book. I hope to read more by this author, maybe a continuation of Sophia's story.."because dreaming is an art". ...more

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Oct 30, 2017 Kat Kennedy rated it really liked it

Sophia Dreaming by Melissa Muldoon is a love song written to Italy. The novel incorporates magical realism, romance, travel, and art history, all blended into a story of devastating loss and the human capacity to overcome tragedy. Sophia, named for the Italian actress, Sophia Loren, has heard about Italy her entire life. Her mother, an artist, had lived in Italy when she was young and had encouraged Sophia to travel to Italy. As a child, Sophia’s mother had surrounded Sophia with the culture, ...more

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Mar 07, 2018 Nicole rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Magical read!

Dreaming Sophia is a magical book that transcends time and imagination. The book starts with a tragedy. Sophia learns her parents died in a plane crash. This sends her down a spiral of sorrow. She isn't sure how she can ever be the same again.

When the grief lifts she has a renewed mission to visit the place her mother loved the most: Italy. Along the way, she meets incredible characters from history who interact with her in their past which impacts her present day. Is it real or is ...more

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Dec 14, 2016 Julie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

It is clear that the author has a strong affinity with Italy as love for the country shines through. It takes the form of a newly bereaved Sophia finding solace in the Art, history, philosophy, music and poetry of Italy, guided by spirits of the famous. I loved the descriptions and Sophia's story even if the dreamlike quality of the apparitions was a little harder to find credible. Nevertheless, if you want to eat, sleep and breathe Italy then this is the book for you. It is also especially ...more

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Feb 24, 2018 Tanya rated it it was amazing

I got this book because I've been to Italy growing up so many times I just love it and I was super excited to read about the wonderful country I haven't visited in six years. And, oh my gosh, I need to book a trip again. I loved this book.

Melissa does justice to my memory and an amazing country. She brings Italy to life in such a vibrant way you can't help but fall in love. The way she blends in the culture, language, world building is superbly done.

The story is about a young American woman ...more

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Feb 28, 2018 Caitlynn Akin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is a wonderful novel that will transport you into the life of a young artist, Sophia, trying to find her place in the world. It is a delightful tale of love, loss, and so much more. Following her journey of self-discovery, you will travel through Sophia’s dreams (and reality) from the serene wine country of California to the historical, culture filled piazzas of Italy. Melissa Muldoon does a fantastic job at providing the reader insights into Italian culture, art, and historical muses. ...more

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Jul 03, 2019 Rita Paschoalin rated it really liked it

Dreaming Sophia is a book about dreams, the power of art and the search for one's true self. And, of course, it is a book about a girl's love for Italy, for its culture ans its language. I particularly like the fact that Sophia's journey is about what really defines her, rather than a blind search for love and acceptance. For anyone interested in Italian art history, Dreaming Sophia is a delight. I tend to think it is most suitable for young readers, but I've had my good moments reading it as ...more

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Oct 20, 2017 Christine-Marie Dixon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Minor grammar and punctuation issues aside, “Dreaming Sophia” is a spellbinding novel that expertly blends reality and fantasy. The author’s love for Italy and for art shine through in what is clearly a work of passion. Sophia’s journey of self-discovery introduces us to some of the most important figures in Italian history, seamlessly merging the past and present. Engaging characters and vivid descriptions help bring this modern-day fairy tale to life. “Dreaming Sophia” is a charming story for ...more

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Oct 07, 2017 Shelly Riley rated it it was amazing

Melissa Muldoon's Dreaming Sophia is a beautiful, fanciful tale set in modern day Florence. The author has a lovely way of weaving Florentine Renaissance history and bits of Italian Language and culture into the story line. Many Renaissance historical figures, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, and the Medici Family come alive in this book in a way that allows the reader to appreciate and absorb their contributions, their challenges, and their humanness. If you have been to ...more

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Jan 22, 2018 Lonielle De Haven rated it it was amazing

I am in love with this book and Italy! Melissa has beautifully shown her love for La Bella Italia in this wonderful story about making dreams come true. Melissa's detailed storytelling and knowledge about Italy, Italian and Art History will take you on Sophia's unforgettable journey with her.

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Mar 14, 2017 Aurora rated it really liked it

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Mar 02, 2017 Gwen A. rated it really liked it

Scared? To read a novel? Why? I have a childhood friend whom I love, dearly. Her mother was from Italy and yes, indeed; her IS Sophia. Based on the title alone, the book had a lot to live up to my original Sophia.

Nonetheless, I really liked this book. If such a Sophia exists, I would love to have her be my best friend. I loved how book wove the Italian language throughout the novel; a brilliant idea. The explanations of the differences in artistic expressionist periods and the font with the ...more

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Dec 07, 2016 Jeremy Michael Gallen rated it really liked it

This realistic fiction novel, narrated by character Sophia Loren, is dedicated to the author’s parents and husband, who in her words inspired her creativity and “gave her wings to fly,” with an initial illustration depicting the protagonist surrounded by Italian luminaries such as Michelangelo, and history playing a significant role in the book. The novel is further divided into parts reflecting a portion of history, the first being antiquity, referring to classical civilizations. Tragedy This realistic fiction novel, narrated by character Sophia Loren, is dedicated to the author’s parents and husband, who in her words inspired her creativity and “gave her wings to fly,” with an initial illustration depicting the protagonist surrounded by Italian luminaries such as Michelangelo, and history playing a significant role in the book. The novel is further divided into parts reflecting a portion of history, the first being antiquity, referring to classical civilizations. Tragedy strikes early on in the death of the protagonist’s parents, with Sophia contemplating several courses of action, mentioning that her mother had studied art in Italy.

The second section references medieval art, which the author indicates became less realistic after the devastating Black Death, and where Sophia returns to Philadelphia to finish her Master of Fine Arts degree, ultimately moving to Italy in further pursuit of her studies. The third part references the early Renaissance, where artists broke free from the restrictions of the medieval era, and indicates that Sophia didn’t have a great track record when it came to relationships, although finding out a truth about her mother’s past somewhat encourages her to seek love again.

The following section alludes to the Golden Renaissance, where the philosophy of humanism influenced the arts, and where Sophia executes her creative skill in drawing outdoor scenery. The next part involves the baroque period, which involved complex artistic emotions, and where the narrator becomes a teacher, introducing students to Florence. Next is the rococo period, where art became more graceful than in previous artistic epochs, where the protagonist celebrates Christmas and the new year in Florence. The Venetian Renaissance follows, which involved the heightened popularity of oil painting started in Venice, and where Sophia becomes intimate with an Italian man named Lorenzo.

The final section of the novel references modern art, the author indicating that this period lasted from the 1860s to the 1970s, and during which Sophia solidifies her relationship with Lorenzo. Overall, this is a satisfying, often education read, with some introduction to Italian language phrases and history of luminaries from the country, although it could have very well gone on for at least one more section, given the lack of explanation of an artistic period beyond the ‘70s, and there are occasional incongruities such as the pleonastic use of “from whence” where simply “whence” would have sufficed. Even so, this reviewer would very easily recommend this story. ...more

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Dec 13, 2016 Angela Thompson rated it it was amazing

Dreaming Sophia guides readers through the Italian culture. While the author takes readers on a fictional quest as the main character finds her path in life--the realistic novel guides readers through the history and culture of Italy. Readers will meet artists and writers, historical figures and film legends as Sophia allows her dreams to guide her through her days.

Readers will find beauty (and hope) on nearly every page. Even through Sophia's early struggles and loss--she shares her love of the ...more

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Nov 28, 2016 Debra Schoenberger rated it it was amazing

Can you learn history through fantasy? It certainly felt like that as I read Dreaming Sophia. I’m a history and art buff and didn’t realize how much I would enjoy reading this fantasy / novel. Sophia’s muses really make Italian history “come to life” and their inclusion added an unusual dimension to her story. The interaction between her “dream characters” was clever. On several occasions her “muses” moved me to put down the book and do more research into their lives. I was also interested in ...more

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Nov 29, 2016 Melissa W rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, contemporary, romance, book-tours, 2016

I reviewed this book for Italy Book Tours. You can find the original review at http://jaynesbooks.blogspot.com

Despite it taking me a little bit to get a rhythm going with the book, I really enjoyed the book. I quite enjoyed how Sophia was drawn and how her character went about her journey and how it wasn't as clear cut as I expected it to be. What really captured me as a reader, is how Sophia was able to find her way without her parents by her side (I’m not really spoiling anything here, trust ...more

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Dec 16, 2016 Jessica rated it really liked it

What a very inspirational book to read

I am not an artist but Dreaming Sophia is such a very inspirational book to read. My daughter K will love reading this book when she is older enough. Just like Sophia, she also loves to draw anything that interest or inspired her.

Reading this book is so educational. You also traveled to Italy and learned new things about this very historic country. You also learned Italian words which until now is hard for me to understand. The book is slow at first but the ...more

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Feb 07, 2017 Cynthia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: womens-fiction, romantic-suspense, contemporary

I won this this book for Goodreads giveaways. I thought it was a very thought provocative book about a daughter who's mother was an artist and fell very much in love with Italy and passed on that passion to her daughter, while in college she lost her parents on a trip to Italy and she started have the awake conversions with Italian person of different times and how the affect her life throughout her adulthood and choices she makes.

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Dec 18, 2016 Corinne Rodrigues rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-i-ve-read-in-2016

I loved the way the book flowed allowing the reader to be carried away with Sophia. I could relate to the protagonist, Sophia (named for Sophia Loren), a girl with an active imagination which she uses to ‘travel’ and ‘experience’ life despite her circumstances.

That Sophia’s dreams spoke wisdom to her and helped her discover herself and her creativity is beautifully brought out.

Travelling to Italy – Florence, Venice and Rome – that’s the stuff of dreams for me. Just looking at pictures and ...more

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Dec 04, 2016 Dawn rated it really liked it

I received a free e-copy of this book and chose to review it. All opinions are my own and are unbiased.

Dreaming Sophia is about a woman who experiences a tragedy early in her life. She learns to cope with it by embracing her love of art and history. She relies on "dreaming" about important historical figures who help her make decisions and get through life.

I have never been to Italy but Melissa Muldoon brings the art and history of Italy come alive. I happen to have a book with amazing photos of ...more

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Dec 11, 2016 Haddie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

DISCLAIMER: I was sent a copy of this book as part of a blog tour.

This story is so neat. The author brings Italian aspects into every possible part of the story. Sophia is a brilliant character. The way the author incorporates artwork and classic characters from literature. When my dad saw the book cover, he took an interest in it because of the simplicity of the cover. Told me to make sure my sister reads it too!

It is really a great story to follow. The author represents each section ...more

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Nov 28, 2016 Lunette rated it it was amazing

i found the story of Sophia's journey to finding herself and happiness again very entertaining. Melissa has a great way of weaving an educational experience of Italy's culture and art into a wonderful tale of this young lady. I found that i learned a lot along the way and found it hard to put down. I can't wait to visit Italy one day and see all the amazing places that were painted so vividly on the pages of this book

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Jan 20, 2017 S.L. rated it it was amazing

Not your typical Italian romantic adventure, “Dreaming Sophia” is a wonderful multifaceted story that pushes through several genres, with layers and layers of exquisite entertainment.

I enjoyed this story immensely and was taken with the author’s creativity. Her love and passion for all things Italian exude from every single page.

Read my full review on the Reader Views Goodreads page.

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Apr 18, 2017 Claudia Cardillo rated it it was amazing

I am very fascinated by the story and the concept! I love travelling, I love art and I love Italy. So this novel is just perfect for a entertaining and enjoyable reading.

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Nov 02, 2017 Stacy Briscoe rated it liked it

I'm going to preface this review with a note that there are some glaring grammatical and typographical errors throughout this novel with such regularity that it may impede some readers' enjoyment of the book. It's obvious that the original manuscript was written in the first person, and there are some sentences -- or portions of sentences -- that were overlooked during the final proofread.

That being said, this IS an independently published novel -- so if one can forgive a few typos or are not I'm going to preface this review with a note that there are some glaring grammatical and typographical errors throughout this novel with such regularity that it may impede some readers' enjoyment of the book. It's obvious that the original manuscript was written in the first person, and there are some sentences -- or portions of sentences -- that were overlooked during the final proofread.

That being said, this IS an independently published novel -- so if one can forgive a few typos or are not affected by these types of errors, then please read on, as the novel itself is quite enjoyable.

Dreaming Sophia chronicles the story of a young collegiate girl who has a connection with the theater and art of Italian culture, both through her mother and her own innate fascination. After the death of her parents, Sophia decides to study abroad in Italy -- something she's always wished to do, but has always put aside. Sophia has a tendency to be a "dreamer," a girl who often spaces out, takes her time to admire her surroundings, and tends to run on her own time-clock (or what her father adoringly called it "Bella Time") -- she IS an artist, after all, and draws her inspiration from both her fantasies and her realities.

Throughout her travels and studies in Italy, Sophia is often met by iconic Italian artists -- Leonardo Di Vinci, Michelangelo, amongst many others who, though imaginary, have a real influence on the decisions Sophia makes. If you've ever seen the movie "Midnight in Paris" -- it's kind of like that.

What Muldoon does so well is immerse us in Italian culture. Her scenes and descriptions -- from the bustling cities of Rome or Venice to the bucolic country-sides of Tuscany and beyond -- are enough to make those who've been to Italy yearn for return, and those who haven't feel like they have. What's more is readers have a chance to learn about Italian history, art, culture -- all through the guise of a piece of fiction.

If you're a lover of romanticism and all that word entails, then you'll enjoy Dreaming Sophia. ...more

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About Melissa Muldoon

Melissa Muldoon

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Melissa Muldoon is the author of three novels set in Italy: “Dreaming Sophia”, “Waking Isabella”, and “Eternally Artemisia”. All three books tell the stories of American women and their journeys of self-discovery to find love, uncover hidden truths, and follow their destinies to shape a better future in Italy.

Melissa is the author also of the Studentessa Matta website, where she promotes the study ...more