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    Blood & Beauty: The Borgias | A Novel
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    Blood & Beauty: The Borgias | A Novel
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    Blood & Beauty: The Borgias | A Novel
    Audiobook17 hours

    Blood & Beauty: The Borgias | A Novel

    Written by Sarah Dunant

    Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY KIRKUS REVIEWS

    The New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Italian Renaissance novels-The Birth of Venus, In the Company of the Courtesan, and Sacred Hearts-has an exceptional talent for breathing life into history. Now Sarah Dunant turns her discerning eye to one of the world's most intriguing and infamous families-the Borgias-in an engrossing work of literary fiction.

    By the end of the fifteenth century, the beauty and creativity of Italy is matched by its brutality and corruption, nowhere more than in Rome and inside the Church. When Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia buys his way into the papacy as Alexander VI, he is defined not just by his wealth or his passionate love for his illegitimate children, but by his blood: He is a Spanish Pope in a city run by Italians. If the Borgias are to triumph, this charismatic, consummate politician with a huge appetite for life, women, and power must use papacy and family-in particular, his eldest son, Cesare, and his daughter Lucrezia-in order to succeed.

    Cesare, with a dazzlingly cold intelligence and an even colder soul, is his greatest-though increasingly unstable-weapon. Later immortalized in Machiavelli's The Prince, he provides the energy and the muscle. Lucrezia, beloved by both men, is the prime dynastic tool. Twelve years old when the novel opens, hers is a journey through three marriages, and from childish innocence to painful experience, from pawn to political player.

    Stripping away the myths around the Borgias, Blood & Beauty is a majestic novel that breathes life into this astonishing family and celebrates the raw power of history itself: compelling, complex and relentless.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJul 16, 2013
    ISBN9780385393416
    Unavailable
    Blood & Beauty: The Borgias | A Novel
    Author

    Sarah Dunant

    SARAH DUNANT is the author of the international bestsellers The Birth of Venus, In the Company of the Courtesan, Sacred Hearts and Blood and Beauty (her first look at the Borgia family), which have received major acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic. Her earlier novels include three Hannah Wolfe crime thrillers, as well as Snowstorms in a Hot Climate, Transgressions and Mapping the Edge. She has two daughters and lives in London and Florence.

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    Reviews for Blood & Beauty

    3.5/5

    258 ratings76 reviews

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    • 3/5
      2.5 starsThis book follows a fictional account of the Borgias. Rodrigo became pope in the late 1400s. He had four(?) children, including Cesare and Lucrezia. History has not looked upon them kindly. Rodrigo had a number of mistresses. Cesare, though becoming a cardinal (for a while) also slept around. There were rumors of incest among them, and murders happened. This book opens when the conclave is happening just as Rodrigo will be voted in as the new pope and Lucrezia is 13 years old and soon to be married. How was this even acceptable for a pope!? How did he get voted in? (Hmmm, missed in in my reading of the book, but the summary tells me he bought his way to the papacy.) And for a cardinal (Cesare)? All the sleeping around. Even if there wasn’t any incest going on, Rodrigo’s children made it obvious he wasn’t celibate. Was this not a requirement of priests and higher ups in the Catholic Church at the time!? Anyway, I just didn’t find most of the book very interesting. I found the parts that focused on Lucrezia the most interesting and paid most attention to that, otherwise I was often skimming.
    • 2/5
      It seems more like a history book rather than a novel. Also, I find fiction written in the present tense rather annoying.
    • 4/5
      I have read many historical fiction novels on the Borgias and most of the left me feeling underwhelmed. They tended to focus on the more sensationalized aspects of the family like poisonings and the possible incestuous relationships (they were a scandalous bunch to be sure). I think Blood & Beauty did a great job of presenting a more multi-dimensional portrait of Lucrezia, Cesare and the Pope and also excelled at laying out the politics of the time. The only thing I found hard to get used to is that the story never really belonged to one character but was rather a panoramic picture of it all. This was not a light read but I really enjoyed it.
    • 2/5
      Not entirely convinced by this. Lots of research, lots of events,lots of characters, just not sure it ever really engaged me. Telling the story of Alexander VI, the Borgia pope and his children, Caesar & Lucretia, it's got lots of intrigue, lots of plotting & scheming, marriage, divorce, murder, battles etc. I just didn't really care for them. The characters never really came to life in a way that made me want to know more of them. Annoying habit, was that everything with a hint of Spanish was described as being Borgia *****. So oranges are Borgia fruit, and clearly despised by everyone else. Maybe it was the way the narrator had or rolling the r and extending the word that made it quite so noticable
    • 5/5
      I had heard of the Borgias' notoriety, but knew little about them or the period.. This was a fascinating and well-researched introduction, fleshing out the Borgia clan, and bringing Renaissance politics to life. And at the centre of it was the pope, seemingly using the papacy solely as a gateway to gain power and position for himself and his children. I loved the detail Dunnant delivers, and as with all good historical fiction, this has left me wanting to know more.
    • 4/5
      An engrossing and informative read about one of the major player families of Italy.
    • 3/5
      Dunant does a wonderful job of bringing these characters to life. I knew a few of the basics about the Borgias, and had heard most of the scandalous stuff, but I enjoyed learning more about them. I was surprised at how sympathetic a character Lucrezia turned out to be. There is also a great sense of it might have been like to live in Rome around 1500, and gave a good overview of the politics behind the era. That said, Dunant packed a lot into this novel - it covers a chunk of time with so many events that some of them felt glossed over, simply because there wasn't space to get into them. It also - and I realize this is due to the nature of following real historical events - didn't really have much of a climax, and it felt like it was building up to something that never really materialized. I enjoyed this, and it kept my attention, but maybe it just wasn't quite what I was in the mood for?
    • 4/5
      This is a big book of a family's rise to power along with their sense of entitlement, I very much enjoyed it and from what I gather there might just be a part two sometime in the future?The Borgia's. A family as loyal, loving and as mad as any I have read about from their time.Rodrigo Borgia, Pope Alexander Vl, this book brings to light some interesting misconceptions about this man, this legacy and this Pope. Of Pope Alexander’s illegitimate children the two that have captured the most attention are The lovely Lucretia and the charming Cesare both of which were very instrumental in their family’s legacy. I think The Borgia’s have been thrown “under the horse” as it were as most all the rich and powerful people living in the 15th and 16th centuries tended to be brutal, greedy and ruthless in order to have and keep it all, especially the men of the cloth.The men of the church all seem to have had egos the size of their purses and Rodrigo was no exception as his rise to power was an amazing one that the author has researched well.The Borgias have been much talked about and I think Sarah Dunant’s portrayal is probably a much more accurate account of what really went on than other "tellings" out there.While I was reading this I did something I rarely do, I took a look at the Showtime drama The Borgia’s and was instantly captured with book and movie. A fascinating time and a time I am glad I am not in!While reading this book our current Pope Ratzinger resigned saying he couldn't take any more… There are those in the know who say it is the ongoing and seemingly never ending sex scandals that he can’t handle anymore. Funny how some things never really do change……A wonderful book I would highly recommend.
    • 4/5
      Ahh, the Borgias are so addictive. Complex, unpredictable characters in an unforgiving and changeable world.
    • 2/5
      Several years ago I was preparing for a trip to Italy and somone recommended that I read Sarah Dunant's wonderful novel, The Birth of Venus. I did and was enchanted; I have read each of her succeeding historical novels set in Italy during the Renaissance period with nearly as much enthusiasm as I read her first. Would that I had felt the same about this one.Sarah Dunant has done an awesome job with the story of the Borgia family. Her interpretation of the facts seems much more even-handed than anything I've previously read; I admire and tend to agree with her interpretation of their attitudes based on their actions. Her skill at developing each of these major characters, and most of the minor ones, too, is so great that I feel as though I know them. In fact know them better than people in my own family. And her humor shines through in this novel in ways that I don't remember from previous books, zinging out single line asides that make me laugh out loud. So why can I not give this book the 4 or 5 stars that others believe it deserves? I wish I knew the answer to that question but, sadly, I do not. There was something about this book that just fell flat for me. Although I was interested in the characters, I just couldn't make myself care about their battles, and land grabs and political machinations (which get the lion's share of attention) and finishing the book became a chore. However, I have loved Dunant's previous novels of historical fiction, I tend to enjoy this genre more than just about any other, and it's clear that I'm in a very small minority here in not liking the book. Please feel free to assume I'm the aberration rather than the rule.
    • 3/5
      Ever since Showtime launched The Borgias, a spiritual predecessor to The Tudors, the book industry has dutifully followed, offering a fresh cascade of historical fiction novels about the infamous Borgia clan. Yet, it seemed like everywhere I turned, I just wasn't getting anywhere with these books. One seemed about as dull, slow and obsessed with sex as the other, and I couldn't seemed to find any Borgia book that I would recommend to anyone -or that I even really enjoyed. As a fan of Dunant's other novels, I was hopeful that she would finally be able to get it right for The Borgias.Well, I have to admit that I was disappointed. Blood & Beauty covered exactly the same ground as most of the other Borgia novels out there. It was slow-paced, especially at the beginning, and I felt like the book was somewhat laborious in places, where things needed to be significantly tightened up and strengthened. The book particularly suffered from telling too much instead of showing, especially in the exposition. For example, Dunant had to specifically tell readers that Juan and Cesare have a rivalry, that Lucrezia was an innocent child, etc. I got tired of it quickly and really wanted there to be more here. While Dunant does try to stick to historical fact a little more than most other novels I've read ,it just didn't keep my interest.
    • 4/5
      A blood and guts book as suggested by the title. Sarah Dunant is superb at bringing to life a time far away both in distance and years. You can see the glorious silk gowns, smell the dust and decay of the city. And even more, you feel a fly on the wall during the true-to-life encounters of those blood-thirsty Borgias. If you are interested in this time period in Europe, or the doings of the Borgia family, then this is the book for you!
    • 2/5
      As many times as I've tried, I can't seem to bring myself to read more than the first couple of chapters. I hope it gets better the further in I get, but I can't seem to talk myself into trying. It just isn't pulling me in at all.
    • 3/5
      As you know, every once in a while I will find myself veering from my usual pattern of reading mostly sci-fi and fantasy and venture into the realm of historical fiction. I admittedly will do this for any interesting looking books about European royals or powerful families, especially those related to either the Tudors or the Borgias. Hence, this book.Blood & Beauty focuses the Borgia family roughly between the years of 1492 when patriarch Rodrigo Borgia first began his papacy as Pope Alexander VI, and 1502 when his daughter Lucrezia Borgia married her third husband Alfonso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara. With scandals and rumors aplenty, this was an eventful decade for the notorious family, but also for the rest of Europe as well with their wars and ruthless politics.First of all, I think that the author made a very brave choice when it came to using the third person omniscient point of view to narrate the story, even though there were both positive and negative sides to this. In getting to know the thoughts and feelings of all the characters in this novel, Sarah Dunant managed to convey the sweeping influence of the Borgias and acquaint us with practically everyone in the family. On the downside, because we don't get to focus on any one POV for long, the connections the reader has with the characters also feel impersonal and distant.This last point wasn't much helped by the long sections of historical context and fact-dumping that were pervasive throughout the chapters, bogging down many parts of this book. This also made the novel feel more emphatic towards historical events rather than the characters, when I usually prefer it to be the other way around. On the other hand, this allowed us to see the bigger picture outside the personal dramas of the family, shedding light upon the political turmoil in other parts of Europe.However, at times I felt like I was reading a dramatized history textbook. I would have preferred more emphasis on the characters; though, of all of them, Lucrezia did come across to me as the most well-rounded and fleshed-out Borgia. Still, Sarah Dunant pretty much played it safe with the rest when it comes to the exploration and interpretation of their personalities, and I wouldn't have minded if she'd pushed it a bit further. I'm usually okay when historical fiction writers take liberties, as long as those liberties aren't completely outlandish and mentioned in an author's note.Anyway, no doubt this period of time was very interesting when it came to the Borgias, but history does show us that the fun doesn't end there. It's why I was glad to hear that Sarah Dunant's already preparing a follow-up novel to this one. This is the first time I've read anything by her, and despite some minor issues I had with Blood & Beauty, I did enjoy it. I would be absolutely open to picking up the next book.
    • 5/5
      Who hasn't heard salacious stories about the Borgia family? There was Rodrigo Borgia who made payoffs to cardinals and their families to become pope about the time Columbus was discovering America. He had a wife, several children by her, a mistress and more children, was enormously fat and emotional but also shrewd and conniving.We've also heard the stories about his son Cesare and his daughter Lucrezia. Cesare a warrior and Lucrezia a lovely young woman married off to men she didn't know for political alliances, but rumored to be promiscuous.The Borgia's sound like the main characters in a modern soap opera. The problem for author Sarah Dunant in her research to sort out the truth was that any of their peers who wrote about them had an ax to grind. We just can't know what the truth is.This left Dunant to write a novel in which she tried her best to be true to what she knew and felt about her characters. Her portrayals of the pope and his two older children are some of the best characterizations I've read. The complex pope seems to defy depiction but yet Dunant manages. She writes Lucrezia as a sympathetic and smart young woman who knows her only choice in life is to be used for political advantage. Cesare is larger than life and loves only Lucrezia.I loved this novel. Apparently there is to be a sequel to continue their story and I can hardly wait to read that too.Highly recommended novelSource: Amazon Vine
    • 3/5
      First Reads review. God, the Borgias. You can't make this stuff up! I'm not going to consider plot details spoilers since you can find pretty much everything on wikipedia. Much is known about the historical events surrounding the Borgias, but of their personal relationships are mostly conjecture. Did Lucrezia have an affair with Pedro Calderon? Who murdered Juan Borgia? Was Pope Alexander really that sex crazed? Dunant plays it safe with these details, skipping over the popular rumors. It honestly took me about 200 pages for me to really get into the book. The beginning details Pope Alexander's rise to power and Lucrezia's first marriage to Giovanni Sforza. The story gets more interesting as Lucrezia and her brother Cesare's relationship begin to devolve. Dunant really thrives in when writing about these complicated relationships. The book was well written, and the history is interesting. It takes a while, but Dunant really brings the historical characters to life. Really, when can I get a book about Caterina Sforza. 3.5 Stars.
    • 3/5
      Dunant does a wonderful job of bringing these characters to life. I knew a few of the basics about the Borgias, and had heard most of the scandalous stuff, but I enjoyed learning more about them. I was surprised at how sympathetic a character Lucrezia turned out to be. There is also a great sense of it might have been like to live in Rome around 1500, and gave a good overview of the politics behind the era. That said, Dunant packed a lot into this novel - it covers a chunk of time with so many events that some of them felt glossed over, simply because there wasn't space to get into them. It also - and I realize this is due to the nature of following real historical events - didn't really have much of a climax, and it felt like it was building up to something that never really materialized. I enjoyed this, and it kept my attention, but maybe it just wasn't quite what I was in the mood for?
    • 3/5
      I think the author tore off more than she could handle. The story covered several years which involved a lot of political dealings and conflict, so most of the book was just describing all the back and forth negotiations and battles. The plot thus moved at a fast clip, but it was too fast to really let the characters develop. It was hard at first to really figure out who the protagonists were--at first I thought it was the pope himself, but eventually it became clear the story was more about Cesare and the daughter (whose name I can't even remember). But I had a hard time sympathizing with either one of them. I thought the writing style was a little too forced--it didn't sound natural, like Dunant was trying too hard to write creatively and artfully.
    • 4/5
      Again Sarah Dunant writes a beautiful and involved story. It is definitely not a light read, it took me awhile to finish but it is so well done. Of course, the subject matter is at times troublesome (pope with children and mistresses, etc.) but it is based on history. If you like involved, detailed historical fiction, this is your book. A great read.
    • 4/5
      In 1492 the papal throne is empty due to the death of Pope Innocent VIII. There were several contenders for the papacy, but, perhaps, none more determined than Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia. Though Spanish by birth, he has sought to lead Rome, and Italy, by assuming the highest office in the land. During the papal conclave, he schemes all the while pretending to be unconcerned about who will eventually wear the robes of the Holy Father. He is canny, forceful, and manipulative; traits he has passed on to his children. During this time in history it appears that holding a high religious office convinces others to look the other way when it comes to carnal desires. He has four children and his oldest son, Cesare, and his only daughter, Lucrezia, are his favorites. Two other sons, Jofre and Juan will and can do little to further their fathers plans to rule all of Italy under the guise of religion. Of course, and with the help of ill-gotten gains, Rodrigo is elected Pope Alexander VI. Through wars, murders, and relentless backroom machinations, Pope Alexander manages to keep the papal seat. Cesare is proving to be as deadly and vengeful as his father. Nothing, not even the inability of a bastard son to become Pope, will stand in his way of following in Alexander's footsteps. Lucrezia, a young teen when the story begins, is used mainly as a pawn by her father and brother to control which families rule which area of Italy. By marrying her off, Alexander and Cesare can maintain a power balance that ensures their continued domination. In "Blood and Beauty", Sarah Dunant has created a family saga that rings true and real. History has not been kind to the Borgia family with tales of murder, incest, and various evil acts attributed to them. Pope Alexander is written to be a somewhat godly man who prays and praises when it suits him. Cesare stops at nothing to defend his father, brothers, sister, and their way of life, even if it means killing. Lucrezia is not as naive as originally thought. She understands how the world (at least her family's world) works and her piety doesn't always stop her from doing as her papa says. Each character in the novel, from Pedro the servant to Guilia the mistress to Michelotto the enforcer, is vividly drawn, each with their own motives. There are many characters in the novel, perhaps too many to keep track of, but each plays an important part in the story of the Borgias. There will be a sequel based on the fact that the story is left unfinished here. We know that Pope Alexander, Cesare, and Lucrezia go on to more infamous deeds. Finding how each ended up will be fascinating, just as reading about them here has been. This book is very highly recommended for those readers interested in Renaissance Italy, the Borgia family, 14th century papal history, and historical fiction.I'd also like to commend Donna Sinisgalli, the books' designer, which I'm assuming extends to the cover. The artwork is beautifully done and the portraits must be of Cesare and Lucrezia. If not, they reflect the characters well.
    • 4/5
      Summary: Rodrigo Borgia, Pope Alexander VI, bought his way into the papacy, and although corruption is rife throughout all levels of Roman society, the scheming of the Borgia family has earned them many enemies. But as much as Borgia loves power, and the trappings of power, he loves his family equally as much. But the ties of blood do not stop him from using his illegitimate children - particularly his eldest son, Cesare, and his daughter, Lucrezia - as pawns in his political schemes. Cesare is the youngest cardinal in the church, although he longs to put his intelligence to use in other arenas, while Lucrezia is a bargaining piece, sent to her first marriage when she is still but barely grown.Review: I quite enjoyed Sarah Dunant's previous three books set in renaissance Italy, so I was expecting to love this one as well. I like the Borgias, (both in book form and on TV; the Showtime series is amazingly addictive), and Sarah Dunant clearly knows her way around historical fiction, and this time period. But unfortunately, something about this book just didn't quite spark for me.I think that may have had something to do with the characterization, or the tone. In Dunant's previous books, she was writing from a particular person's point of view, and those people were all fictional. In this case, she's writing about real people, and real events, and so maybe felt a little more constrained by the actual history? There's also a more omniscient narrator in this book, frequently shifting points of view, which is something that I don't remember from her other books, and which I found to be somewhat distancing here. In either case, I didn't feel as though this novel really brought the characters to life the way I hoped it would. I understood their motivations, and they certainly were multi-dimensional, but they didn't quite seem to be real, living people in the way that characters in the best historical fiction should be. (I will admit that I may hold a high standard in this regard for the Borgias in particular after watching the TV show, which does an excellent job of bringing its characters to life.) I did think that Dunant did an excellent job with the history itself. We all know that I am not always the best of keeping track of shifting alliances and complicated political scheming, but Dunant laid out the various threads of the Italian nobility clearly enough that I had no problem following. I also thought she dealt with the scope of her novel quite well; able to cover long stretches of time while keeping the pacing of her story steady. Her take on some of the perennial questions surrounding the Borgias (whose child is the infant Romanus? Who killed Juan Borgia? etc.) was also interesting, and quite plausible, neatly paring away the malicious gossip of the Borgias' enemies (who were numerous, and wrote most of the history) while still maintaining an appropriately scandalous feeling. In sum, this book was entertaining enough, and certainly a faster read than might be expected given its scope and its size. But it just didn't feel as personal and as immediate as a book about such a vivid period of history should. 3.5 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: It's probably more historically accurate than most fictional accounts of the Borgias, even if it's maybe not the liveliest, so if you're interested in the period or the people, it's worth checking out.
    • 4/5
      "...these days saints are in short supply, particularly inside the Roman conclave of cardinals."Sarah Dunant sculpts a historical novel as fine as any marble creation from the Renaissance Europe in which it takes place. "Blood & Beauty" is a novel of the Borgia family - born in Spain, but risen to the top of the cultural, military and religious ladders of the late 15th century and early 16th.Patriach, Rodrigo Borgia is better known as Pope Alexander VI, who utilized his wealth, in equal parts with his political savvy, to climb to the head of Christendom. He emerged from a locked conclave in a Rome that's turning the corner out of a deep and dark middle age. Renaissance is blooming. Perhaps born in Florence but its seeds spread and taking form in the Eternal City. Dunant is comfortable in her brightly colored turn of phrase, and in this example drawing Renaissance Rome to life, "Church wealth and city growth rising entwined out of the fertile soil of corruption." "Power bought or power born?"Rome and the life of the Borgias is nothing if not dramatic: snakes in flesh with fangs of poison, real and metaphorical. Cesare is his eldest son, forced into church life to secure a future generation Borgia pope. Juan is Alexander's favorite, though not nearly as talented or savvy as his eldest brother. Lucrezia is the beautiful and blossoming young woman, and finally comes poor Jofre, uncomfortable in his own skin.Pope Alexander loves his children though they are equally flesh and blood as well as pieces to be moved across the chessboard of Italian and Papal politics. While the story of the Borgias has become a thing of legend and myth, their activities were far from hidden even in their day. It was written, "God preserve the family that brings them so much theater."Dunant fills in the blank spaces of the well known Borgia family drama while building her story around a most fascinating time in history. There's drama and there's melodrama. The characters are three dimensional, but Dunant can't help but create some cliches. If you're looking for a historical romance, look elsewhere. If you're looking for character and historical drama, then this is a clear winner.I received this book through the Amazon Vine program.
    • 2/5
      Picked it up, put it down. Tried again. Picked it up, put it down. I just couldn't get past a page or two, much as I wanted to. I expect I will try again as the subject is of interest and the other reviewers are so enthusiastic. This is my first Dunant, I'm an avid historical fiction reader but the characters didn't grab me and I failed to connect to the fiction aspect being bogged down in the historical detail. In parts it was "textbookish." Clearly I am alone in this view so no doubt I will try agin.
    • 4/5
      I knew Sarah Dunant was good but this new book of hers, Blood and Beauty, is superb. If you watch Showtime's The Borgias, you need to read this book. You will understand the times and the situations and the characters in depth and more completely than if you watch the TV show without having read Blood and Beauty. In fact, you don't even need to watch the show; just read this excellent book!
    • 4/5
      I was pretty happy to receive a copy of Sarah Dunant's new book "Blood & Beauty". I enjoy historical novels and have read several of Ms. Dunant's books. I've always learned something new, and have been entertained at the same time. Blood and Beauty was no exception. This was an engaging book and kept me riveted the entire time I read it. The characters were well developed. Ms. Dunant has obviously done her homework, as she did with her other historical novels. I whole-heartedly recommend this novel. It will be a great "summer read"!
    • 3/5
      I received this book as part of the ARC program. While I enjoyed Sarah Dunant's writing style and prose, I was not a big fan of this particular work. Perhaps it is due to the fact that the market is currently saturated with work about the Borgias, but I didn't find this to be the most compelling take on the Borgia family story. The pacing is a little slow in parts and rushed in others. It would also have made for a more believable POV of the Borgia family (especially Rodrigo Borgia/Pope Alexander) if we had gotten more backstory on his predecessors. It is not likely that I would recommend this book as I didn't find it to be a "must read" for me.
    • 4/5
      Helpful at answering the questions about her reputation and the personality of her brother - pure psychohistory.
    • 4/5
      Not having read any other novels on the Borgia family and knowing only their black reputation, I was pleased that this novel treated them evenhandedly and as well-rounded characters. I don't know how good other novels about them are, but I'll take this one as the gold standard. The story begins with Rodrigo's election to the papacy in 1492--he takes the name Alexander VI-- and treats of his four children. It progresses until a year or so before his death; we know he is dying, by the end of the novel. Cesare is as cruel and duplicitous as history portrays him, but Lucrezia is presented as a victim of her father and brother's whims. This novel takes us through the tumultuous years of politicking, intrigue, corruption, and wars between the Italian city-states, with Alexander and Cesare as puppet masters.Pacing was very good and the writing kept me enthralled throughout. Highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      I cannot say just how much I loved this book. There is something in the depth of the authors writing and research that appeals to me, and like the other stories I have read by Sarah Dunant, Blood and Beauty did not disappoint. It is the story of the Borgia family during the late 15th/early 16th century, during the height of the Italian Renaissance, a subject which enthralls me. Rodrigo Borgia buys his way into papal legacy, with guts and determination, along with slipping money to the right people. He is the father of four illegitimate children - technically a cardinal and pope cannot have children, but there are ways around everything. He proceeds, after his election as Pope Alexander Vl, to procure wealth and titles for his children, until his untimely death some years later. He was passionate about money, his children, his legacy, and God. Along the way he changed laws and terms, conditions to suit his own driven needs creating a corrupt net of power and fear. The author, at the end, pretty much guarantees a sequel, which I am looking forward to! The story is based on widely spread facts and assumptions, and also on the authors own fictionalized reason and deductions, but it is a glimpse into the papal world that totally intrigues.
    • 4/5
      Being a history fanatic I was glad to be able to review this one. Normally drawn to American history I wanted to step into something a bit different. I was very pleased with the book, Dunant created a factual and captivating book on the Borgias. As a matter of fact I was more than happy to recommend it to a couple of friends