Casa Braccio, Volumes 1 and 2

"Casa Braccio, Volumes 1 and 2" by F. Marion Crawford, is a story about a young noblewoman named Sister Maria Addolorata, unwillingly confined to a Carmelite convent in the mid-1800s. The tale begins by showing the town of Subiaco, its past, and the troubles of the people who live there as Maria faces a tough choice between what she wants and what society expects. We see Maria's inner battle as she struggles with being forced to live a life of isolation, even though she's beautiful and wants to experience the world. The book also shows the tension between Maria and the abbess, who is also her aunt, as they have very different ideas about faith, duty, and being yourself. Other important characters, like the lively Annetta and the mysterious doctor Angus Dalrymple, are introduced, suggesting a complicated network of relationships that will grow as the story goes on.