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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
This was such a wonderful book! I enjoyed the characters, the plot and the way the author wove the story in with known history. The twist at the end was one I didn’t see coming and I always enjoy that in a book!
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
3.5. I liked the concept. Too many descriptions of scenery for me. Also not sure how believable some of the characters were to me.
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
this is a very slow and introspective book but a real character study. i loved how interior it was and the in-depth everyday thoughts alongside beautiful prose, which built up a clear picture of the time period, landscape and main character. the dual timeline was executed well, one slowly creating tension and the other building up lucrezia's character and life which made it stronger to root for her.
the story was only slightly ruined by the ending. it felt bleak rather than liberating which it seemed to be going for because it ignored a character who should've been acknowledged and explored more if going for this ending. i prefer the alternative interpretations some readers have shared. still, the book is a lyrical and reflective exploration of a noble girl's life and struggles in renaissance italy.
the story was only slightly ruined by the ending. it felt bleak rather than liberating which it seemed to be going for because it ignored a character who should've been acknowledged and explored more if going for this ending. i prefer the alternative interpretations some readers have shared. still, the book is a lyrical and reflective exploration of a noble girl's life and struggles in renaissance italy.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
This is my third time dnf-ing this book. I love historical fiction and this time period in particular, but… it’s so incredibly boring.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I found myself feeling slightly bored at the start, reading about Lucrezia's childhood. The beautiful prose ultimately won me over and I flew through the rest of the story. O'Farrell has an unusual ability to bring to life surroundings, smells and views and sounds, that enriched this story for me immensely.
Considering the clues about Emilia looking similar to Lucré and also the fact that she was a great artist I expected an alternative ending to her widely accepted death (illness or murder regardless). I thought Emilia would maybe sacrifice herself for her mistress so Lucrezia could escape with Jacopo but I think the escape at the end was the dream. Lucrezia had imagined Emilia there with her and Jacopo telling her about the door in the kitchen. A sad and poignant story about the invisible bonds and silent struggles of so so many women and girls across human history.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No