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A review by bronzeageholly
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book throws the damning reality of life for women in the 16th century into the full fire flares of the sun. We follow Lucrezia, born to be married, tossed and thrown from one man’s rule to another, her body kept in a fortress but never her spirit and creativity.
With Lucrezia we understand how to navigate court, we mourn, we love, we create. The Marriage Portrait is a beautiful, intricate, and full canvas of historical fact and fiction. O’Farrell writes inner monologue and imagery that could drive a stake through your heart.
The structure and tempo of the book are similar to Hamnet, flicking between present and past, however the prose is (in my opinion) not as intricately woven. While the vocabulary might be more “embellished”, the writing is more simplistic and reminded me of historical fiction I read (and loved!) as a teenager.
If you are not incensed to find out everything you can about Lucrezia when you have put down this book, I’ll eat my hat!
With Lucrezia we understand how to navigate court, we mourn, we love, we create. The Marriage Portrait is a beautiful, intricate, and full canvas of historical fact and fiction. O’Farrell writes inner monologue and imagery that could drive a stake through your heart.
The structure and tempo of the book are similar to Hamnet, flicking between present and past, however the prose is (in my opinion) not as intricately woven. While the vocabulary might be more “embellished”, the writing is more simplistic and reminded me of historical fiction I read (and loved!) as a teenager.
If you are not incensed to find out everything you can about Lucrezia when you have put down this book, I’ll eat my hat!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Death, and Emotional abuse