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dexkit10's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infertility, Death, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Grief, and Domestic abuse
tinyjude's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Following a dual timeline, we see Lucrezia, the main protagonist and a big enigma in the real world apart from the fact that she died one year after she had been married to the Duke Alfonso of Ferrara (not suspicious at all; also she was like 15 years old and he doubled her age. Disgusting on so many levels), as she grows up with her family in Florence, being the less-favoured daughter of them all, always deemed as indomitable and worthless of attention or care at any point, as well as her time as a married woman (ehem child ehem) in Ferrara's state, her increasing sense of dread and fear, and her feeling of hopelessness, being trapped into a cage with her days already counted.
It was challenging to read through some of the horrifying things she and the other female characters have to suffer under the rule, command and oppression of the men around them. Whether they were in a economically and socially advantageous situation or were a kind-hearted maid, (we stan Emilia in this house) you couldn't avoid to felt sorry for their fates and lives knowing this was true at that time and, in many senses, still true despite the passage of time. But most of all, my heart stays with Sofia, Emilia and Lucrezia. And mourns and cheers at that bittersweet ending.
I was constantly afraid for Lucrezia safety and majorly concerned by her young age, the societal and marital expectations thrown upon her without almost any guidance or "sweet" lies, but also proud and enthralled by her constant defiance. Every moment in which she stood up for herself silently or loudly. Every time she did not yield to the iron grip of her husband. She is a very complex character for which you simply cannot avoid feeling pity and the need to protect her. And I absolutely adored every moment she relished among her paintings/tavole and instances of freedom.
Although it didn't make me weep like Hamnet, it surely impacted me in other ways that will haunt me for a while.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Rape, Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Classism, Confinement, and Misogyny
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Infertility
Minor: Animal death
helenaramsay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The writing is fabulous- you can read a chapter or two and realise there hasn't been much in the way of actual events happening, but the character development and, even moreso, the emotional current flowing through the whole novel are sublime.
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty
Minor: Medical trauma
tessa_samuels's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Violence, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, and Murder
abbasaurusrex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Rape
Minor: Animal death
charisw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Rape, Infertility, Misogyny, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Confinement, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Torture, Classism, Sexism, Grief, Toxic relationship, Blood, Violence, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Gore, and Sexual assault
alexandras_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
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The marriage portrait offers a fictionalized retelling of the short life of Lucrezia D’Medici, the youngest daughter of Eleanora and Cosimo. Somewhat of an outcast within the royal family, she is married off at the age of 15 and sent to live with her much older husband, the Duke Alfonso.
Lucre is stubborn and creative and imaginative, and cannot stand to be paraded around like a statue. After a year of a tedious marriage, she realizes that her husband is set to kill her. This story offers a complex and magical re imagination of lucre’s fate.
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I’ve never considered myself a fan of historical fiction but oh my god was this one of the most captivating stories I’ve read. O’Farrell has such a way with words as she is able to describe the most mundane details in such a mystical way. I highly recommend this to literally everyone, but just be aware of possible triggers!
Moderate: Sexual content and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Animal death and Murder
kamrynkoble's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The prose was gorgeous. I ADORE this author’s writing style. I highlighted several passages just for being beautiful. She has a unique way of describing the commonplace in a way that truly elevates it to something important.
Lucrezia is so, fiercely endearing to me. I LOVE her. I was aching for her quite literally the entire book.
I don’t want to spoil anything about the ending but it was simultaneously so sad and so satisfying. Perfectly handled.
I also really appreciated the author’s note on why she made certain changes. I’m a huge fan of books about real people, but they’re so hard to do right. This was handled perfectly. The author was brave enough to make narrative choices and breathe life into a real person, making for a captivating read. Although, it was super hard for me not to turn to Wikipedia over and over again, LOL.
If you love the story of Anastasia Romanov, I think you would like this one. Gorgeous, beautiful, perfection.
Moderate: Murder, Death, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Sexual content and Animal death
bookycnidaria's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Infertility
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
cadybooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Confinement, Death, Medical content, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Infertility, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Eating disorder
Minor: War, Animal death, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Blood