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MARISSTELLA  ARTS  SOCIETY

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MY BIOBIBLIOGRAPHY (HERE)

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„I am thrilled. From one to five, it is a five. It is better than the school reading material „lektira”... because it is more interesting, more suspenseful, with a more developed plot. The more serious poetic as well as dynamic chapters are readable, and the dialogues are both tense and funny. I especially laughed at the funny dialogue between Konjoglavi [Horsehead] and Mačkopas [Catdog]. I read it during these school holidays when there was about more then thirty centimetres of snow outside: I wrapped myself in a blanket and told everyone not to interrupt me. I enjoyed most being in that world of imagination related to fairies and I also wanted to become a fairy. I liked it when they asked Dunja: "Remember: Memory is forbidden here. Sorrow is forbidden. But I do not know what kind of person you are, Dunja? Do you even want your memory? Or would you like to stay here forever. Imagine: you would have the serene life of happy fairies as in fairy tales. Fairies do not die: they are immortal. Memory means that the end of everything exists somewhere out there beyond us and independent of us... and inside us, when you stop remembering.” Reading about those various fairy characters (fairies of flower, garden, snow...) I wished to be the Invisible Fairy or Visible – it didn’t matter: with them in their fairy-tale beautifully arranged world which is free of risks, dangers and various threats, visually and aesthetically enhanced, where you live the present undisturbed moment. A world of imagination where you are allowed to stay long and longer: where you live without problems and sorrow. I think we should read more books like the novel 'The Children of the Magic Garden' which develop imagination because imagination is not only an escape from reality but also an encouragement to look at everyday events and life circumstances differently. While reading, I had the impression that I was doing exactly what I wanted and what is beneficial because it stimulates my imagination. The children in the novel are different from us: they are mentally distant from everything and even from themselves, but Dunja brings them optimism and the belief that things will get better: Dunja brings them comfort. It has very picturesque chapters - for example, the events at the concert with Ante and the Elf of the Spring and the Horsehead and others - which seem like a movie scene to me. The novel could make an excellent movie! The dialogues in the novel are interesting, easy to read and interactive. Besides sadness, cheerfulness and optimism can also be felt. I can’t wait to read the continuation of the novel! I would recommend it for children in the upper grades (from fifth to eighth grade) of a public primary school.”

REVIEW by DOROTA DREZGA 7.A public primary school

O.Š. „VISOKO” RH / CROatia
January 2026.

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Writing a book like KOTOR IS …the city of angels… is a remarkable accomplishment. The depth, imagination, and care required to bring the stories of Angela, Trifona, and Gracijana to life reflect not only creativity but also dedication to preserving the beauty and history of Boka Kotorska. Marisstella have woven together generations of family history, spiritual insight, and the landscapes of South Dalmatia into a tapestry that invites readers to immerse themselves fully. That kind of work deserves attention, respect, and the opportunity to reach more readers who will treasure it as much as she did. Her story is rich and layered. Marisstella captured not only the dreams, struggles, and spiritual longings of characters, but also the cultural and moral essence of the Boka Kotorska region. Every detail, the fortress of Kotor, the Mediterranean gardens, the intertwining of faith and life, the stories passed down through generations, reflects her passion, meticulous research, and heartfelt storytelling.

REVIEW by Kim Tayo
Reader Connection &

Book Marketing Consultant

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... your book, KOTOR IS …the city of angels… ANGELA, immediately stood out to us for its poetic depth and its reverent exploration of womanhood, spirituality, and cultural legacy rooted in the ancient world of Boka Kotorska. The blending of ancestral memory, sacred symbolism, and women’s inner lives creates a reading experience that feels both timeless and intimate. Our members are especially drawn to books that explore: Women’s stories preserved through memory, lineage, and voice - Spirituality, faith, and sacred feminine symbolism -Historical settings infused with myth, devotion, and cultural identity - Generational storytelling shaped by place and destiny - Literary prose that invites contemplation rather than haste... Angela’s life, told through descendants, visions, and echoes of Mary Magdalene within all women—offers a profound meditation on faith, hospitality, devotion, and the unseen spiritual forces shaping human lives. The setting of Kotor itself, with its fortress walls, Catholic destiny, and Mediterranean gardens, becomes a living presence within the narrative. We would be honored to spotlight KOTOR IS …the city of angels… ANGELA with our community and introduce it to readers who appreciate spiritually infused literature, women-centered historical narratives, and stories that linger in the heart long after the final page.

REVIEW by

Andrea VanderWeide
Forest City Book Club

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Your book, KOTOR IS ...the city of angels... ANGELA 

The way you weave together the lives of Angela, Trifona, and Gracijana against the rich historical backdrop of ancient Boka Kotorska creates a deeply immersive reading experience. The combination of family legacy, spiritual devotion, Mediterranean heritage, and the timeless search for purpose gives the novel a distinctive voice that reaches beyond historical fiction into something profoundly reflective.

I was especially drawn to how Angela's story unfolds through the memories of her descendants, allowing history, faith, and family to become inseparable. The presence of heavenly beings, the symbolism of the Mediterranean gardens, and the exploration of hospitality, morality, and the relationship between science and religion add remarkable depth to the narrative. Readers who enjoy stories that preserve cultural history while exploring universal questions about faith, love, destiny, and the strength of women across generations will find much to appreciate in your work.

REVIEW by Heze Deve

Book Riot's Read Harder Book Club Community

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...Three sisters standing at the threshold between innocence and destiny. A historic Adriatic city shaped by faith, tradition, and memory. A woman whose life echoes across generations through the stories of her descendants. And a narrative that seeks to connect earthly experience with something eternal.

Angela is not simply the story of one woman. It is the story of inheritance of faith, family, longing, and identity passed from one generation to the next. Born into the distinguished Crossi family of ancient Boka Kotorska, Angela's journey begins as one thread within the lives of three sisters but gradually becomes something larger. Through memory, spirituality, and reflection, her descendants reconstruct her life, revealing how individual choices continue to resonate long after a life has ended.

What immediately stands out is the ambition of the work itself.

You have written a novel that moves beyond conventional historical fiction. The story operates simultaneously as family saga, spiritual reflection, cultural preservation, and historical narrative. Ancient Kotor is not merely a setting. It becomes a living presence throughout the book. Its fortifications, traditions, maritime heritage, religious identity, gardens, and landscapes shape the lives of its inhabitants as profoundly as any character.

That is one of the book's greatest strengths.

Many historical novels use place as a backdrop. Angela treats place as memory itself. The city, the fjord, the traditions, and the faith of Boka Kotorska become inseparable from the lives unfolding within them. Readers are not simply introduced to a historical period. They are invited into an entire cultural and spiritual world.

What also makes the book distinctive is its exploration of womanhood through both personal and symbolic lenses. Angela's story reaches beyond biography. Themes of devotion, longing, sacrifice, family, spirituality, and feminine identity connect her journey to larger questions that transcend time and geography. The references to Mary Magdalene, angels, faith, and divine guidance create a narrative that speaks not only to historical readers but also to readers drawn to spiritual literature and reflective fiction.

From a positioning standpoint, this creates a fascinating opportunity.

On the surface, the book may be discovered as historical fiction. That is certainly part of its identity. Yet the audience is potentially much broader than that.

There are readers who seek historical novels rooted in the Adriatic and Mediterranean regions. There are readers drawn to multigenerational family sagas and stories of ancestry. There are readers interested in religious and spiritual fiction that explores faith as a living force. There are readers fascinated by cultural heritage, maritime history, and the preservation of forgotten traditions. And there are readers who simply enjoy reflective literary works that examine the relationship between memory, identity, and destiny.

Each of these audiences approaches the book from a different perspective, but all are searching for many of the themes already present within your work.

What I find particularly compelling is that Angela appears to serve not only as a novel but also as a vessel for cultural memory. In an increasingly crowded publishing landscape, books that preserve unique histories, local traditions, and spiritual perspectives often resonate deeply with readers seeking something beyond mainstream fiction.

From the outside, I do not see a book that lacks substance or originality. I see a book with multiple layers of appeal that may not yet be reaching all of the audiences capable of appreciating it. Works that blend history, spirituality, women's stories, and regional heritage often require a more nuanced visibility strategy because they sit at the intersection of several reader communities rather than fitting neatly into a single category.

REVIEW by Sienna Garcia

Readers Route Marketing

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„Speaking of Teuta, “Risan is Teuta” absolutely intrigued me. The blend of myth, history, and feminine strength in the backdrop of the Boka Kotorska, that’s not just storytelling, that’s a cultural resurrection! The way you breathe new life into ancient voices feels like watching history flirt with poetry. I swear, even Wikipedia couldn’t resist listing you in their Illyrian topics, that’s how real your literary power is. Readers, when they choose a book, it’s never random, it’s always one that sparks emotion, conversation, or obsession. I could see “Risan is Teuta” doing exactly that: sparking those late-night “Was Teuta right?” debates and inspiring someone to google Boka Kotorska at 2AM. We should introduce Teuta to this small band of mortal book lovers and see if her legend conquers them too.„

REVIEW by Phillip Cote
Curator / Reviewer

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I recently came across Risan Is Teuta, and given the exceptional breadth of experience and cultural knowledge behind it. I was surprised not to see broader, sustained discoverability follow, particularly among historical fiction readers, Ancient Mediterranean History enthusiasts, and scholars and readers actively searching for rare literary fiction grounded in Illyrian and Adriatic Coastal History. Why should international audiences search for exactly that kind of rare, geographically specific historical women's fiction? The content is clearly significant and original, suitable for readers searching for ancient Illyrian historical fiction: for Adriatic and women's stories, literary fiction about historical queens, Adriatic Montenegrin and Croatian literary works in English, and ancient Mediterranean female protagonists. That stood out, especially given the work's strengths: its original 2019 publication in the distinguished Montenegrin literary magazine ARS, its presence in Wikipedia entries on Illyrian history and Queen Teuta, its place within the Ancient Boka Kotorska Women Stories Edition - alongside Kotor Is the City of Angels, and its rare position as one of the very few English-language literary treatments of Illyrian Queen Teuta and the historical City of Risan. The challenge here isn't originality or scholarly grounding, it's discoverability and positioning within Historical fiction and world literature ecosystem.

[Imagine Risan Is Teuta being consistently surfaced to readers of ancient Mediterranean historical fiction, scholars and enthusiasts of Illyrian History and archaeology, and readers who are drawn to stories of powerful women from civilizations rarely given a literary voice in English, and what that visibility would mean for the story's international reach, the broader edition's presence in world literature, and the recognition that three decades of literary work in Croatian, Montenegrin, and Bosnia and Herzegovinas publications richly deserves?]

REVIEW by Linda Bradley

Author Marketing & Publishing Consultant

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...I came across Risan is Teuta, the historical and cultural depth around Queen Teuta and that region is quite distinctive, especially with how it ties into lesser-discussed narratives.  It made me wonder… when readers come across work like this, do they usually go on to explore it further, or does it tend to remain at the level of interest and recognition?  I noticed a small detail on your book page that could be influencing that either way. Curious if you’ve ever looked at it from that perspective...

REVIEW by Olivia Harper 

Book Marketing Strategist and Consultant

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I recently came across your book Risan is Teuta, and I was captivated by its unique exploration of Illyrian history, Queen Teuta, and the cultural richness of Risan in Boka Kotorska. The blend of historical depth with women’s stories makes your work both timeless and profoundly relevant. The story not only resonate with local audiences but also reach readers worldwide who are drawn to historical fiction and cultural narratives. Risan is Teuta should be visible to readers interested in women’s history, Mediterranean culture, and ancient civilizations and also visible to a community that values cultural heritage, and literary storytelling: the book carries the potential to preserve cultural memory while inspiring readers across generations. Position of the Risan is Teuta is to bring Queen Teuta to audiences who are seeking precisely this kind of historical and literary depth - that historical fiction enthusiasts and readers of ancient civilizations are actively searching for.

REVIEW by Gina George 

Book Marketing & Promotion Strategist
EpicEcho

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