From the author of the breakout New York Times best seller Hamnet—winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award—an electrifying new novel set in Renaissance Italy and centering on the captivating young duchess Lucrezia de' MediciFlorence, the 1550s. Lucrezia, third daughter of the grand duke, is comfortable with her obscure place in the palazzo: free to wonder at its treasures, observe its clandestine workings, and devote herself to her own artistic pursuits. But when her older sister dies on the eve of her wedding to the ruler of Ferrara, Moderna and Regio, Lucrezia is thrust unwittingly into the limelight: the duke is quick to request her hand in marriage, and her father just as quick to accept on her behalf.
Having barely left girlhood behind, Lucrezia must now make her way in a troubled court whose customs are opaque and where her arrival is not universally welcomed. Perhaps most mystifying of all is her new husband himself, Alfonso. Is he the playful sophisticate he appeared to be before their wedding, the aesthete happiest in the company of artists and musicians, or the ruthless politician before whom even his formidable sisters seem to tremble?
As Lucrezia sits in constricting finery for a painting intended to preserve her image for centuries to come, one thing becomes worryingly clear. In the court’s eyes, she has one duty: to provide the heir who will shore up the future of the Ferranese dynasty. Until then, for all of her rank and nobility, the new duchess’s future hangs entirely in the balance.
Full of the drama and verve with which she illuminated the Shakespearean canvas of Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell brings the world of Renaissance Italy to jewel-bright life and offers an unforgettable portrait of a resilient young woman’s battle for her very survival.Portraits of a Marriage by Sándor Márai - Goodreads "Portraits of a Marriage" follows a life of a wealthy Hungarian man who lived through the second world war. The man and his relationships are only a pretext to See a first look at Maggie O'Farrell's new novel The Marriage The Marriage Portrait will hit shelves in September. Maggie O'Farrell is moving from Stratford-upon-Avon in 1596 to Florence in 1550. The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell | Booklist Queen The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell. Everything you need to know: book description, quotes from the book, about the author and much more. The Marriage Portrait: A novel (Hardcover) unforgettable fictional portrait of the captivating young duchess Lucrezia de' Medici as she makes her way in a troubled court. Florence, the 1550s. The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell review - trend | trend 8 hours ago — Earlier this month, Philip Pullman went on a cranky Twitter rant that made me wonder if he too was reading the new Maggie O'Farrell novel. The Marriage Portrait book by Maggie O'Farrell - ThriftBooks Buy a cheap copy of The Marriage Portrait book by Maggie O'Farrell. From the author of the breakout New York Times best seller Hamnet--winner of the The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell | 9781472223852 Set at the heart of the treacherous political world of the Italian Renaissance, this is the masterful story of a young woman's battle for her very survival, Maggie O'Farrell's 'The Marriage Portrait - Yahoo! Sports 3 days ago — A couple of years ago, Maggie O'Farrell published a stunning, award-winning novel called “Hamnet.” In it she took inspiration from familiar The Marriage Portrait a book by Maggie O'Farrell - Bookshop The author of Hamnet--New York Times best seller and National Book Critics Circle Award winner--brings the world of Renaissance Italy to jewel-bright life in The Marriage Portrait: A novel (Hardcover) | Newtown Bookshop The author of Hamnet—New York Times best seller and National Book Critics Circle Award winner—brings the world of Renaissance Italy to jewel-bright life in this