“Her husband is sitting down, not in his customary place at the opposite end but next to her, close enough that she could rest her head on his shoulder, should she wish; he is unfolding his napkin and straightening a knife and moving the candle towards them both when it comes to her with particular clarity, as if some colored glass has been put in front of her eyes, or perhaps removed from them, that he intends to kill her.”–Maggie O’Farrell, The Marriage Portrait
After having my eye on this book for quite awhile, I finally got around to reading it and it was worth the wait! Maggie O’Farrell drew me into the story of Lucrezia de’ Medici from the opening paragraphs which describe a dark, gloomy “hunting lodge” (think fortress) where the 15 year old wife of the Duke of Ferrara realizes her husband intends to murder her. Set in Italy during the 1500’s, the story is loosely based on the real life Lucrezia. Did she die of putrid fever or did her husband kill her? This is a well crafted, layered, page turning story which also illuminates the workings of the Italian courts and as well as the plight of women during the time. The audio book is excellent and I was more than happy to keep working in my yard while listening to it!
Content Advisory: References to sex, violence