Reviews - The Marriage Portrait

9.35k reviews for:

The Marriage Portrait

Maggie O'Farrell

4.03 AVERAGE

lanabstar's review against another edition

5.0

emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

A beautifully written and surprisingly gripping book. The tension rises as you read and keeps you turning pages until the very end!

erdnussblume's review against another edition

3.75

hopeful reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: N/A

Strong character development: N/A

Loveable characters: N/A

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

aripepper's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

saracrawford01's review against another edition

4.75

dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

ehnette's review against another edition

5.0

This imaginative retelling inspired by the life of Lucrezia de' Medici is set in Renaissance Italy, opens with the realisation that she will die by her husband's hand.

A huge event in the book is the portrait commissioned by Lucrezia's husband, the duke, and the act and symbolism of the painting becomes more important than the duchess herself. The painting acts as a metaphor for how women are treated in court, they are a status symbol, to be admired from afar and never heard.

O'Farrell's writing is lush and evocative, and has a beautiful way of writing minute observations that Lucrezia makes.