Anastasia's Book of Days

From the vestiges of the Holy Roman Empire in Europe to the creation of Germany, the life of Anastasia Burkart reflects the momentous changes sweeping across her beloved Black Forest homeland. Based on Anastasia' purported diaries, this novel presents her life story, of a real woman who passed the family name down through the generations.

KIRKUS
“In this historical novel, Maynard uses stories passed down as family history to imagine the life of her great-great-grandmother Anastasia Burkart.

This first-person narrative focuses closely on Anastasia’s relationships and what it takes for her to survive. She is a compelling narrator, alert, practical, and shrewd.
Maynard touches on many relevant topics—religious divisions, smallpox inoculation, the guild system—within the context of the narrative, revealing substantial research and knowledge without burying readers in an excess of information. . . .

This engrossing and well-developed novel will appeal to fans of women’s fiction.