The Blackest Time offers a glimpse at a difficult period in medieval Florence through the eyes of a young man, Gino, an apothecary apprentice. Not long after Gino arrives in Florence, Tuscany experiences two years of unrelenting rains, resulting in widespread famine. The city fills with refugees desperate for food and work. Just as the weather begins to moderate, the Black Death arrives. Although these are dramatic events, this is the story of how people coped with unexpected and overwhelming tragedy. The author hasn't filled the pages with lurid descriptions of the Bubonic Plague; instead, we read of the frustrations of doctors and apothecaries desperate to help patients. This is a quiet, thoughtful tale of family and friends facing unimaginable, catastrophic events without losing their humanity. This book transported me to another time and place...I read it in one sitting. If you enjoy character-driven stories, rich in historical details, I highly recommend The Blackest Time.