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tinyjude's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Another historical fiction novel from O'Farrell that pulls the strings of your heart.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
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
cadybooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
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
epaige37's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Death, Animal cruelty, and Grief
Minor: Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Blood, Classism, Physical abuse, and Violence
newton's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Okay so. Generally I did enjoy this book, it kept me coming back for more every time I finished a chapter. It did a great job of building tension — especially towards the end — and I really did care about Lucrezia. However… I do have some thoughts. (spoilers below)
This one is pretty major and has to do with the very end of the book, so be warned. Emilia. Oh my love Emilia. She was so lovely from the moment she was introduced, and her relationship with Lucrezia broke my heart. The author did a lot of good work to establish their friendship/sisterhood, and I loved Emilia so very much.
With that said, I really do feel that she existed ONLY as Lucrezia’s loyal servant. An obvious example is her scar (gotten from playing with Lucrezia/foreshadowing that Lucrezia will be Emilia’s end), but this is MOST clear in how Emilia died. Unnamed and unmourned by anyone, not even Lucrezia! I wish I could say that she should have gone back for Emilia after her escape (or at least like, considered that Emilia looks like her and is ASLEEP IN HER BED. And there are men COMING TO KILL HER), but honestly? I never got the impression that Lucrezia gave much of a shit about Emilia outside of her loyalty and companionship.
This could have been a place for O’Farrell to explore the self-centered nature of nobility or the ways that Lucrezia IS privileged despite her gendered oppression as Alfonso’s wife. However, this doesn’t seem to have been given much of a thought, and Emilia was reduced to a simple plot device in order to allow Lucrezia to survive where history insists she did not.
A few more nit-picky issues I had:
If Alfonso was going to kill Lucrezia, why would he poison her only to then smother her a day or so later? I feel like it would make much more sense for the venison and wine to have contained a deadly poison rather than a poison that weakened her, though granted, I won’t pretend to know what was going through Alfonso’s mind in that moment.
The title, frankly, does not make sense. The marriage portrait, O’Farrell writes in the notes, is completely fictional, and it doesn’t even appear until well past the halfway mark. It had very little to do with the story as a whole, and instead tied the novel to Browning’s poem. This might just have been me, but I was reading this as historical fiction rather than a strictly intertextual work with “My Last Duchess.”
I also thought that Lucrezia’s feelings towards Alfonso flip-flopped a bit more than was realistic. It made sense to me that she would be unsure if he truly loves her, but to have her thinking that he would never hurt her moments after she’s convinced that he is going to kill her just felt unnatural.
All in all, this was a book that I enjoyed reading, but I don’t think it’s one that I would highly recommend or reread.
With that said, I really do feel that she existed ONLY as Lucrezia’s loyal servant. An obvious example is her scar (gotten from playing with Lucrezia/foreshadowing that Lucrezia will be Emilia’s end), but this is MOST clear in how Emilia died. Unnamed and unmourned by anyone, not even Lucrezia! I wish I could say that she should have gone back for Emilia after her escape (or at least like, considered that Emilia looks like her and is ASLEEP IN HER BED. And there are men COMING TO KILL HER), but honestly? I never got the impression that Lucrezia gave much of a shit about Emilia outside of her loyalty and companionship.
This could have been a place for O’Farrell to explore the self-centered nature of nobility or the ways that Lucrezia IS privileged despite her gendered oppression as Alfonso’s wife. However, this doesn’t seem to have been given much of a thought, and Emilia was reduced to a simple plot device in order to allow Lucrezia to survive where history insists she did not.
A few more nit-picky issues I had:
If Alfonso was going to kill Lucrezia, why would he poison her only to then smother her a day or so later? I feel like it would make much more sense for the venison and wine to have contained a deadly poison rather than a poison that weakened her, though granted, I won’t pretend to know what was going through Alfonso’s mind in that moment.
The title, frankly, does not make sense. The marriage portrait, O’Farrell writes in the notes, is completely fictional, and it doesn’t even appear until well past the halfway mark. It had very little to do with the story as a whole, and instead tied the novel to Browning’s poem. This might just have been me, but I was reading this as historical fiction rather than a strictly intertextual work with “My Last Duchess.”
I also thought that Lucrezia’s feelings towards Alfonso flip-flopped a bit more than was realistic. It made sense to me that she would be unsure if he truly loves her, but to have her thinking that he would never hurt her moments after she’s convinced that he is going to kill her just felt unnatural.
All in all, this was a book that I enjoyed reading, but I don’t think it’s one that I would highly recommend or reread.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Sexism, and Rape
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy
stvalentine's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Pregnancy, Murder, Sexual content, Confinement, and Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Child death, and Blood
Minor: Religious bigotry, Incest, and War
booksalacarte's review
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-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
3.25
It was really hard to get into the book, feeling as if I knew how it ended.
There is a lot of timeline jumping, starting in 1561, then looking back. It was a good take and created a little more suspense that was necessary for a fictional take on a historical figure.
Looking into the fantastical mind of a young girl growing up in the life she did was very interesting. To see her unsettled nature, suspicion and premonition of her own life. She is battling for her own survival and it’s hard to read and not be moved.
I also found reading about a child bride a challenge. Especially knowing that it was normal for the time. I couldn’t stop thinking about how she was a child, having to act as a wife and the duplicity of those around her.
The depictions of the Italian courts and culture was very nice.
I appreciated the creative liberties taken. I thought it was well done!
There is a lot of timeline jumping, starting in 1561, then looking back. It was a good take and created a little more suspense that was necessary for a fictional take on a historical figure.
Looking into the fantastical mind of a young girl growing up in the life she did was very interesting. To see her unsettled nature, suspicion and premonition of her own life. She is battling for her own survival and it’s hard to read and not be moved.
I also found reading about a child bride a challenge. Especially knowing that it was normal for the time. I couldn’t stop thinking about how she was a child, having to act as a wife and the duplicity of those around her.
The depictions of the Italian courts and culture was very nice.
I appreciated the creative liberties taken. I thought it was well done!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Vomit, Sexism, Death, Animal cruelty, Violence, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Religious bigotry and Animal death
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