Whatever her subject, Walton's fiercest weapon is her delicious ambiguity ... opens with a beautifully rendered retelling of the life of Savonarola ... a cast of characters, each with the ringing verisimilitude of well-researched, real historical personages ... in Walton's hands, the idea of a life lived and lived again takes on a new, rich ambiguity ... Walton is a prodigious and talented literary critic, with a gift for showing how books reflect the personal strengths and weaknesses of their authors. Walton's friendship with Palmer is producing a literary legacy that future critics will celebrate.

Lent...is in many respects an extension of several of the thematic arguments (and historical interests) already seen in that Plato’s Republic trilogy, albeit one oddly—given its protagonist—in some ways less theological and more philosophical than those previous novels. Here, the meditation is on damnation and salvation, in the place of divinity, but the argument about right action, responsibility, and personal change remains, seen from different angles, and given different weights ... Walton gives us a detailed, atmospheric, deeply believable Renaissance Florence. Girolamo is a fascinating, complex character ... Most interesting for me are Girolamo’s relationships with the women with whom he is occasionally in contact: relationships based on shared spiritual or political concerns ... Its first section...looks like it might be a political-historical thriller in shape and form, an alternate history with visible demons. But it transforms into deep character study ... I’m not convinced that Walton pulls off the conclusion, but it’s a deeply compelling novel, ambitious and kind, and deeply rooted in the intellectual life of the Renaissance. I enjoyed it immensely.

... a dense but rewarding look at the long, long road to redemption. The background characters—including some well-known historical figures—are an interesting and varied bunch, and the trials of Florence are a wonderful backdrop for the story.

Part of the charm of Jo Walton’s writing is how seriously and pragmatically her characters take their situations, no matter how outlandish...Walton’s authentic treatment of fantastic premises brings depth and humanity to what might otherwise be fun but ludicrous scenarios ... takes a richly historical, factual account and injects demons, reincarnation, and Groundhog’s Day-like repetition ... Winningly anxious, humane, and cerebral, Lent uses its time-loop structure to elevate historical narrative into a thoughtful exploration of character and faith ... Walton’s not above having a bit of fun here and there ... it’s her skill at character that really shines in Walton’s best work—making the protagonists relatable, somewhat rational, no matter how surreal their situation ... will be a treat for anyone with an interest in this period, but it’s this human angle, the way Girolamo slowly bends towards being humble enough to let others help him, that makes the novel come alive.

Jo Walton goes full multiverse in Lent, her fascinating examination of the life, or possible lives, of the Florentine cleric and prophet Girolamo Savonarola ... What began as a riveting historical about a fascinating figure whose self-destructive pride insured both his demise and his lasting influence ends up as a rather dizzying timeline adventure leading to a conclusion that ingeniously satisfies both the terms of its 15th-century Florentine worldview and the SF-like machinery that makes it work.

Walton masterfully engenders sympathy for the fanatic Savonarola, conveying how devastating it is to remember God’s love but be forever cut off from it. This book may also impel her close readers to perform their own feats of intellectual gymnastics ... By itself, a fascinating meditation on the choices which alter lives and the course of history; in the context of Walton's other novels, positively mind-bending.

... powerful, thoughtful ... Girolamo’s mix of moral rigidity and reflexive kindness makes him a complex yet affecting guide to this intricate set of alternate histories, each rendered gently but with a devastating emotional weight. Fans of Connie Willis and The Good Place will be awed by this nuanced, loving grapple with better selves and better worlds.