Lucrezia is the daughter of a de Medici and is raised with the sole intention of making an advantageous marriage for her family. She has no interest in it and spends her time fascinated with animals and art. At 13 years old she is betrothed and married at 15, with no real understanding of what that actually means and her obligations as a duchess are. Her much older husband wants an heir and nothing more. He treats her like a beautiful plaything until that heir is not realized.
O’Farrell does it again. I was completely lost in a story I wasn’t sure I’d even been interested in when I read the synopsis. I gave her the benefit of the doubt and bought it, knowing how much I loved Hamnet. I wasn’t sure I liked Lucrezia at first and yet, I couldn’t put the book down. Quickly I realized how invested I was, so nervous for her even though it seemed her fate was sealed. I loved being immersed in the detail of life in an Italian court and the role of women of the time. The politics within the Duke’s family were fascinating and the brutality shocked me. Lucrezia’s journey as an artist was beautiful and all the way I wasn’t sure why this portrait was so important and then BANG, the ending. Absolute perfection. I’m only giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 because I didn’t love it as much as Hamnet and yet still love it.
Are you stingy with your 5 star reviews or can you easily reward them for books you enjoy?
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