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A review by sunspot
Sins of the House of Borgia by Sarah Bower
4.0
Having a fondness for European history as I have, the lives of the Borgia family were not unknown to my when I won this book in a GoodReads giveaway -- indeed, I entered the giveaway because I was already acquainted with their colourful lives and had always found them a fascinating family.
"Sins of the House of Borgia" -- an ill-fitting title, I think, but given the upcoming series, I can understand the choice -- follows the life of Esther Sarfati, a Jewess who converts to Christianity when she becomes a lady-in-waiting for Lucrezia Borgia shortly before her third marriage at age 21. Across its 544 pages, Esther (later Donata, then Violante) becomes entangled in the lives of the powerful and corrupt Borgia family, becoming a confidant to one and the lover to another. Fifteen years -- years of births, deaths, love, hate, and constant struggles for power -- pass between the time Esther becomes Lucrezia's lady-in-waiting and when she finally flees Europe, escaping to the New World and leaving everything and everyone she knew and loved behind. The novel's epilogue is fitting and sad, an appropriate end to the lengthy confession of an aging woman with a remarkable past. Those looking for a clean, happy ending will likely be disappointed, of course, but I found the epilogue to be my favourite part of the novel.
"Sins of the House of Borgia" -- an ill-fitting title, I think, but given the upcoming series, I can understand the choice -- follows the life of Esther Sarfati, a Jewess who converts to Christianity when she becomes a lady-in-waiting for Lucrezia Borgia shortly before her third marriage at age 21. Across its 544 pages, Esther (later Donata, then Violante) becomes entangled in the lives of the powerful and corrupt Borgia family, becoming a confidant to one and the lover to another. Fifteen years -- years of births, deaths, love, hate, and constant struggles for power -- pass between the time Esther becomes Lucrezia's lady-in-waiting and when she finally flees Europe, escaping to the New World and leaving everything and everyone she knew and loved behind. The novel's epilogue is fitting and sad, an appropriate end to the lengthy confession of an aging woman with a remarkable past. Those looking for a clean, happy ending will likely be disappointed, of course, but I found the epilogue to be my favourite part of the novel.