The Marriage Portrait
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- Create Date：2022-09-01 02:21:39
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：Maggie O'Farrell
- ISBN：059332062X
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Summary
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 Medici。
Florence， 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 to 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。
Florence， 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 to 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。
Reviews
Jo
，
THE UNDERPAINTING 4。5 ⭐️ I listened to the audible prior to seeing the author as a couldn’t afford the ticket and the book。 Excellent narration， wonderful plot， good characterisations and beautiful language。 It certainly didn’t disappoint after Hamnet and I hope it wins all the prizes
Heather
，
I was excited to start this book。 I usually love Historical Fiction。 While I did enjoy most of this book， I also felt like too much of it dragged on。 Lucrezia was an interesting character that had a sad life。 I was sad for her through most of the book， while at the same time cheering for how strong she was。 I am glad I read this book。 I feel like it must have been a great depiction of what life was like for woman in the 1950s。 I wish we could have stayed out of Lucrezia’s head a little bit。 She I was excited to start this book。 I usually love Historical Fiction。 While I did enjoy most of this book， I also felt like too much of it dragged on。 Lucrezia was an interesting character that had a sad life。 I was sad for her through most of the book， while at the same time cheering for how strong she was。 I am glad I read this book。 I feel like it must have been a great depiction of what life was like for woman in the 1950s。 I wish we could have stayed out of Lucrezia’s head a little bit。 She had very long winded thoughts that really had no importance to the story。 That said， if you enjoy Historical Fiction， you should try this book。 It was an interesting story that really makes you want to know what happened to Lucrezia in real life。 。。。more
Cathy
，
Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres and although this is my first book by Maggie O'Farrell that I have read it will not be my last。The plight of Lucrezia de Medici， the 5th child of the great Cosimo， is brought to life in these pages。 It flits between her early life and then to when she becomes the wife of Alfonso of Ferrara。 She feels certain that she will be poisoned by her husband。 Her husband appears to be two completely different men。 She cannot believe that he is capable of dr Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres and although this is my first book by Maggie O'Farrell that I have read it will not be my last。The plight of Lucrezia de Medici， the 5th child of the great Cosimo， is brought to life in these pages。 It flits between her early life and then to when she becomes the wife of Alfonso of Ferrara。 She feels certain that she will be poisoned by her husband。 Her husband appears to be two completely different men。 She cannot believe that he is capable of dreadful things but perhaps he is。 。。。more
Ron Charles
，
“The Marriage Portrait” drops us into the panicked mind of a teenage girl who knows her husband is plotting to kill her。 In a few months， she’ll be dead。That certainty must have been alarming for the girl， but it’s an ongoing challenge for the author。 Where， after all， is the suspense in a doomed life？Fortunately， this author is Maggie O’Farrell， one of the most exciting novelists alive。 Two years ago， she published “Hamnet，” about William Shakespeare’s only son。 The novel， which won a National “The Marriage Portrait” drops us into the panicked mind of a teenage girl who knows her husband is plotting to kill her。 In a few months， she’ll be dead。That certainty must have been alarming for the girl， but it’s an ongoing challenge for the author。 Where， after all， is the suspense in a doomed life？Fortunately， this author is Maggie O’Farrell， one of the most exciting novelists alive。 Two years ago， she published “Hamnet，” about William Shakespeare’s only son。 The novel， which won a National Book Critics Circle Award and the Women’s Prize for Fiction， created a devastating charge of tension and sorrow， despite the fact that almost nothing is known about little Hamnet except his death in 1596。“The Marriage Portrait” exhumes a similarly fated youngster: Lucrezia， the daughter of Cosimo I de’ Medici， the Grand Duke of Tuscany。 Like Hamnet， Lucrezia has fallen into the footnotes of history。 But she survives — “looking as if she were alive” — in Robert Browning’s grimly ironic poem， “My Last Duchess。”The facts of this case are thin and sad。 Lucrezia was born into Italy’s legendary family in 1545。 One of her sisters was supposed to marry Alfonso II d’Este， the future Duke of Ferrara， but she died before the ceremony。 Like some Renaissance edition of “The Bachelor，” Lucrezia took her place。 At the age of 16， before celebrating her first wedding anniversary， she was buried in。 。 。 。To read the rest of this review， go to The Washington Post:https://www。washingtonpost。com/books/。。。 。。。more
Martha
，
Wonderful， engrossing story by the author of Hamlet。
Magpie
，
Reserved for Cheryl ✅
Muriel DeSimone
，
Fantastic story that I couldn’t put down about Lucrezia de Medici and her marriage to Alfonso II arranged by her family。 Even though the outcome is stated at the beginning， the story is not what you would think。 The delightful detailed description of her life is definitely worth the read。
Michelle
，
Maggie O'Farrell is such an engaging writer & really lets the reader into the heart of the characters she is writing。 The Marriage Portrait is a familiar & heartbreaking story about a woman in history who was talented & clever & completely stifled by the times she lived in & the men in her life。 However， even though the story is familiar， the writing and the character of Lucrezia， how she is drawn， what motivates her， and her thoughts & feelings make it a wonderful read。 Maggie O'Farrell is such an engaging writer & really lets the reader into the heart of the characters she is writing。 The Marriage Portrait is a familiar & heartbreaking story about a woman in history who was talented & clever & completely stifled by the times she lived in & the men in her life。 However， even though the story is familiar， the writing and the character of Lucrezia， how she is drawn， what motivates her， and her thoughts & feelings make it a wonderful read。 。。。more
Adam
，
From the writer of Hamnet， Maggie O’Farrell， this is a richly detailed historical novel about Lucrezia di Cosimo de’Medici。 It follows her childhood in Florence to her short， married life to the Duke of Ferrara， and her mysterious death less than a year after their marriage。 While at times the subject matter and time period （especially for young women） is rather bleak and claustrophobic， the novel does a superb job at transporting readers to Renaissance Italy。 O’Farrell is at her best when explo From the writer of Hamnet， Maggie O’Farrell， this is a richly detailed historical novel about Lucrezia di Cosimo de’Medici。 It follows her childhood in Florence to her short， married life to the Duke of Ferrara， and her mysterious death less than a year after their marriage。 While at times the subject matter and time period （especially for young women） is rather bleak and claustrophobic， the novel does a superb job at transporting readers to Renaissance Italy。 O’Farrell is at her best when exploring the psyche of the young and brilliant Lucrezia， perpetually stymied in her attempts to express herself artistically and emotionally。 I admired this book more than enjoyed it， but I will certainly be recommending it to historical fiction fans， especially those who enjoy richly-detailed settings and O’Farrell’s previous book。 Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC， given in exchange for a fair review。 。。。more
Verity Halliday
，
It’s the mid sixteenth century and the teenage Lucrezia de' Medici must marry her dead sister’s fiancé to cement the political relationship between Florence and Ferrara。 The history books don’t tell us much about Lucrezia and her short life and unhappy marriage， but fortunately Maggie O’Farrell has done the research， made a few changes for poetic licence （and because everyone has such similar names）， and given us a rich historical novel exploring the sumptuous violence of courtly life and the tr It’s the mid sixteenth century and the teenage Lucrezia de' Medici must marry her dead sister’s fiancé to cement the political relationship between Florence and Ferrara。 The history books don’t tell us much about Lucrezia and her short life and unhappy marriage， but fortunately Maggie O’Farrell has done the research， made a few changes for poetic licence （and because everyone has such similar names）， and given us a rich historical novel exploring the sumptuous violence of courtly life and the treatment of medieval women valued more for their wombs and blood lines than their own selves。 Lucrezia comes to life on the page and I never quite knew what was going to happen。A recommended read for Hamnet fans and lovers of historical fiction。 。。。more
Liz Hein
，
Hamnet is all time favorite book for me and a tough act to follow。 In The Marriage Portrait， O’Farrell again masterfully reimagines the life of a little known historical figure， this time， Lucrezia de Medici。 “In 1560， fifteen-year-old Lucrezia di Cosimo de ‘ Medici left Florence to begin her married life with Alfonso II d’Este， Duke of Ferrara。 Less than a year later， she would be dead。 The official cause of her death was given as “putrid fever，” but it was rumored that she had been murdered by Hamnet is all time favorite book for me and a tough act to follow。 In The Marriage Portrait， O’Farrell again masterfully reimagines the life of a little known historical figure， this time， Lucrezia de Medici。 “In 1560， fifteen-year-old Lucrezia di Cosimo de ‘ Medici left Florence to begin her married life with Alfonso II d’Este， Duke of Ferrara。 Less than a year later， she would be dead。 The official cause of her death was given as “putrid fever，” but it was rumored that she had been murdered by her husband。”That’s the historical note and the premise。 O’Farrell pulls from Robert Browning’s “The Last Duchess” to tell us the story of Lucrezia， a character you will know and root for fully。 A character worth so much more than her the sole purpose given to her by her husband- producing an heir。 It’s no surprise that the writing is simply stunning。 The plot unfolds slowly， giving you just enough to keep you leaning slightly more forward after each page。 The tension is quiet yet omnipresent。 The ending didn’t make me weep like Hamnet， but instead it demands to be discussed， so please， let’s talk about it！ This story of captivity in many forms was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me and I very much hope O’Farrell continues in this style。 It works。 I am very very grateful for this advanced copy- The Marriage Portrait publishes September 6th。 。。。more
Loricha Honer
，
This was an easy read loosely inspired by the life of Lucrezia de' Medici。 Generally speaking， this is a strong historical fiction novel that I can foresee being as popular as the author's former bestseller， 'Hamnet'。 Nevertheless， despite wanting to love this one， something about this book simply failed to grip me。 I finished at least five other books after starting 'The Marriage Portrait' as I kept dipping in and out of the story。 This casualness is a testament to how easy the book was to read This was an easy read loosely inspired by the life of Lucrezia de' Medici。 Generally speaking， this is a strong historical fiction novel that I can foresee being as popular as the author's former bestseller， 'Hamnet'。 Nevertheless， despite wanting to love this one， something about this book simply failed to grip me。 I finished at least five other books after starting 'The Marriage Portrait' as I kept dipping in and out of the story。 This casualness is a testament to how easy the book was to read， but it also reflects my slight indifference towards it。 Were it not for the fact that I loved the renaissance setting， I likely would have taken even longer to finish it。 Ultimately， there is nothing wrong with the book！ I enjoyed it enough while reading and can fully appreciate why others might love it。 Indeed， to afford the book a rating lower than 4 stars seems unfair。 Perhaps I just wasn't in the right mood for this one at the time of reading。。。 （Thank-you very much to the publishers for having sent me an advance copy of the book！）3。5 stars 。。。more
Kate Galley
，
Another outstanding novel from Maggie O'Farrell！This book really spoke to me！ I love historic fiction， but sometimes it takes me a while to sink into the time and place。 Maggie O'Farrell， though， has a talent to drop you firmly into a scene， and to leave you feeling settled and also intrigued， immediately。 She presents such knowable characters， her prose is beautiful and the way she plots her books has you turning the pages。We follow the main character， Lucrezia di Cosimo de’ Medici from her bir Another outstanding novel from Maggie O'Farrell！This book really spoke to me！ I love historic fiction， but sometimes it takes me a while to sink into the time and place。 Maggie O'Farrell， though， has a talent to drop you firmly into a scene， and to leave you feeling settled and also intrigued， immediately。 She presents such knowable characters， her prose is beautiful and the way she plots her books has you turning the pages。We follow the main character， Lucrezia di Cosimo de’ Medici from her birth， through her childhood and into her marriage， aged just sixteen， to Alfonso d’Este。 She is convinced her husband is trying to kill her and she doesn't see seventeen years。 A brilliantly imagined novel of the short life of this woman。 There are so many scenes in this book that will stay with me， but one in particular I loved: Lucrezia is eight years old and her father， Cosimo de’ Medici， has bought a tigress to join his menagerie of other exotic， caged animals in the palace。 She and her brothers and sisters are allowed to go down to see them。 What follows is an evocative scene where Lucrezia manages to slip from the group and makes a brief connection with the animal。 Such a vivid moment and one of many to remember。Thank you to Maggie O'Farrell， NetGalley and Tinder Press for the opportunity to read this advanced copy。 。。。more
Ruth Brookes
，
The premise is simple: Lucrezia， fifth child to the Grand Duke of Tuscany; married at 15 to Alfonso， Duke of Ferrara， a soldier and grown man almost twice her age; dead at 16。 This is her story。O’Farrell’s astonishing attention to detail， her fascination with the minutiae of life， transports us to Renaissance Italy， where Lucrezia herself is vivid， real; a spirited， intelligent young girl who has lead a sheltered existence in the palazzo nursery。 Her marriage is a political contract; a duty to h The premise is simple: Lucrezia， fifth child to the Grand Duke of Tuscany; married at 15 to Alfonso， Duke of Ferrara， a soldier and grown man almost twice her age; dead at 16。 This is her story。O’Farrell’s astonishing attention to detail， her fascination with the minutiae of life， transports us to Renaissance Italy， where Lucrezia herself is vivid， real; a spirited， intelligent young girl who has lead a sheltered existence in the palazzo nursery。 Her marriage is a political contract; a duty to her family; her role to produce an heir。 Like the caged tiger in her father’s zoo， she is trapped。 Her compliance and absolute obedience is demanded by the husband who， she begins to realise， poses a terrible danger to anyone who contradicts him。 What will happen when he turns against her？ Sumptuous， exquisite， thrilling。 This breathtakingly brilliant novel is an absolute must read。 A strong contender for my book of the year。 。。。more
Mary Picken
，
This is the story of 16 year old Lucrezia， the third daughter of Cosimo de’ Medici， who is suddenly propelled into marriage to a man she has never met after her older sister， Maria dies on the eve of her marriage to Alfonso d’Este， about to become Duke of Ferrara。 Lucrezia who is the wayward sister， having little interest in boys and even less in jewels or clothes， preferring to spend time with her painting and enjoying the delights of nature。 She especially loves animals and is in awe of her fa This is the story of 16 year old Lucrezia， the third daughter of Cosimo de’ Medici， who is suddenly propelled into marriage to a man she has never met after her older sister， Maria dies on the eve of her marriage to Alfonso d’Este， about to become Duke of Ferrara。 Lucrezia who is the wayward sister， having little interest in boys and even less in jewels or clothes， preferring to spend time with her painting and enjoying the delights of nature。 She especially loves animals and is in awe of her father’s newest acquisition to his menagerie。But her father， Cosimo believes in creating diplomatically advantageous marriages for his daughters to bolster his position and ensure his lands are secure from hostile invaders or usurpers。 So when Maria dies and Alfonso d’Este requests the hand of Lucrezia in marriage instead， he is quick to agree。Lucrezia’s story is immortalised in Robert Browning’s famous poem， My Last Duchess set in 1564 and is based on the real-life Duke Alfonso II who ruled Ferrara， Italy in the latter half of the 16th century。 In the poem， he’s talking about his first wife Lucrezia de’ Medici， 3 years after she died under suspicious circumstances shortly after marrying the Duke。I was really interested to see what story Maggie O’Farrell would lay behind this famous portrait and I was not disappointed。 She writes with such skill and empathy that it is impossible not to fall for this fabulous character who is both naïve and tenacious as she comes to terms with realising that the man she married is interested in only one thing from her。The novel opens in the winter of 1561。 Lucrezia， Duchess of Ferrara， has been unexpectedly taken to a country villa， which more resembles a fortress than a place of rest and recuperation， by her husband， Alfonso。 None of their usual entourage is in attendance and Lucrezia does not even have a maid with her。 As they sit down to dinner it dawns on Lucrezia that Alfonso has created the perfect conditions for getting rid of her with no witnesses。Maggie O’Farrell’s novel moves backwards in time to show us Lucrezia as a young child in the sheltered environment of the Medici Palace in Florence and overshadowed by the more conventional beauty of her sisters。We learn about her childhood， and how her life was so suddenly altered by early marriage。 Her only example was that of her parents who had very much a loving marriage of equals when it came to ideas and affairs of state， but for Lucrezia no such potential for growth exists in her marriage to Alfonso。 He is a man of two sides; sometimes loving and tender， seeing his wife in a way that both pleases and surprises her while at the same time shutting her out of all his concerns and any matters of court。O’Farrell’s prose is lively， engaging and enchanting。 Her Lucrezia springs off the page like a delighted faun seeing the world for the first time， delighting in nature and with no idea that the woods are full of huntsmen with rifles。Lucrezia de Medici poss by BronzinoAs Lucrezia takes her place at the Court and is at all times accompanied by Alfonso’s sisters， we see this wild faun become tamed and increasingly feeling caged as she is constrained by her husband’s insistence on adherence to his customs of manners。 And when she is called upon by him to sit for her marriage portrait – to be painted by the impressive artist Bronzino， we feel the shivers of a woman realising that she is the subject of coercive control。 We care about what happens to Lucrezia and that’s because O’Farrell has brought a fully realised woman onto the page and into our hearts。Verdict: Maggie O’Farrell’s writing is rich and full of empathy for Lucrezia。 She paints a wonderful picture of a young woman out of her time， constrained at every turn and unable to grow her considerable potential。 This book is a dream to read and is a book to lose yourself in。 My time flew by and I could read it all again， so much did I enjoy it。 A hugely enjoyable， fascinating and immersive read。 。。。more
Jayne
，
Maggie O'Farrell is a master story teller who tells her stories with lush and gorgeous prose。 Lucrezia de Medici is married at 15 to Alfonso II， Duke of Ferrara。 The book opens with Lucrezia convinced that her husband plans to kill her。 It has been a year and she is not yet pregnant。 The author recounts Lucrezia's childhood as the daughter of the Duke of Tuscany。 She is a magical daughter that can tame a tiger and draw like a master。 Maggie O'Farrell draws the families with all the beauty availa Maggie O'Farrell is a master story teller who tells her stories with lush and gorgeous prose。 Lucrezia de Medici is married at 15 to Alfonso II， Duke of Ferrara。 The book opens with Lucrezia convinced that her husband plans to kill her。 It has been a year and she is not yet pregnant。 The author recounts Lucrezia's childhood as the daughter of the Duke of Tuscany。 She is a magical daughter that can tame a tiger and draw like a master。 Maggie O'Farrell draws the families with all the beauty available to her in the English language。 The tension in Lucrezia's marriage is palpable with every day she is not with child。 The Duke's cruelty is introduced bit by bit interspersed with his loving overtures of his young bride to a point。 Then the tension builds。 How will he kill her？The reader is in excellent hands with Maggie O'Farrell。 My fondest wish is that she continues to write her exquisite books for many years to come。 A big thank you to Netgalley and Knopf for an Advanced Reader's copy。 。。。more
Mihaela Sorlea Tentis
，
Maggie O'Farrell amazed me with Hamnet and this did not dissapoint！ The was she creates characters and places， is amazing。This is a historical fiction and she does explain at the end the alterations she opted for but it's the way she portraits the characters makes you emerge in the book and get lost in it。 I fell in love with Lucretzia and the way the author created her character。 About Lucretzia:'There is something at the core of her， a type of defiance。 There are times when I look at her and I Maggie O'Farrell amazed me with Hamnet and this did not dissapoint！ The was she creates characters and places， is amazing。This is a historical fiction and she does explain at the end the alterations she opted for but it's the way she portraits the characters makes you emerge in the book and get lost in it。 I fell in love with Lucretzia and the way the author created her character。 About Lucretzia:'There is something at the core of her， a type of defiance。 There are times when I look at her and I can see it - it's like an animal that lives behind her eyes。 。。 It makes me fear there will always be a part of her that will not submit or be ruled。'Many thanks to Hachette for the proof copy。 。。。more
Rita Brutsch
，
A gripping historical novel set in 16th century Italy。 The main protagonist is Lucrezia Medici who married the Duke of Ferrara at age 13。 Wonderful writing with a surprise ending。 Highly recommended！
Autumn
，
THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT delivered on all accounts， and I only wish that I could read it again for the first time。 It's hard a thing to go into an author's new book after loving the previous one so much， and not be somewhat disappointed。 When we talk about authors that should be read years and years from now， Maggie O'Farrell should be one of them。 She is an absolute artist。 THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT delivered on all accounts， and I only wish that I could read it again for the first time。 It's hard a thing to go into an author's new book after loving the previous one so much， and not be somewhat disappointed。 When we talk about authors that should be read years and years from now， Maggie O'Farrell should be one of them。 She is an absolute artist。 。。。more
Ruth
，
I'm not normally a fan of historical fiction， but I am a fan of Maggie O'Farrell， and so I trusted in her writing and she didn't let me down。 Whilst this isn't Hamnet （which I loved） it is beautifully written， and I was fully caught up in the Dukedoms and the court life。 The way the story is told keeps this relentless pace - you know what's going to happen， but you become more and more involved in Lucrezia's life， and increasingly worried on her behalf as we move from her childhood and early mar I'm not normally a fan of historical fiction， but I am a fan of Maggie O'Farrell， and so I trusted in her writing and she didn't let me down。 Whilst this isn't Hamnet （which I loved） it is beautifully written， and I was fully caught up in the Dukedoms and the court life。 The way the story is told keeps this relentless pace - you know what's going to happen， but you become more and more involved in Lucrezia's life， and increasingly worried on her behalf as we move from her childhood and early marriage to her final days， back and forth， building the tension。I could really sense the place， and time， through the writing， and the huge cast of characters is wonderfully handled。（view spoiler）[I could feel the twist coming， but still it made me gasp， as I half expected something else to happen， and something to stop her escaping the castle。 But my slight niggle with the ending is poor Emilia。 I just wish in that final imagining of Lucrezia's new life， there had been something about Emilia。 I thought it was coming， with the mention of the underpaintings， and that the face of the girl would be Emilia's， but instead it was Lucrezia again， and that made me like her just a tiny bit less。 （hide spoiler）]Looking forward to see what she writes next！Thanks to Net Galley for my review copy。 。。。more
Don
，
Releases 9/6/2022， I read an advanced reader copy。 O’Farrell， author of the award winning bestseller Hamnet， succeeds with another well written historical novel set in renaissance Italy。 This is the fictionalized story of Lucrezia de' Medici who was wed to Alfonso II， Duke of Ferrara， at age 13 （15 in the novel） after her older sister who was intended to marry him dies。 In less than one year she has died， presumably murdered， for not conceiving an heir。 In the after notes we learn that Al went o Releases 9/6/2022， I read an advanced reader copy。 O’Farrell， author of the award winning bestseller Hamnet， succeeds with another well written historical novel set in renaissance Italy。 This is the fictionalized story of Lucrezia de' Medici who was wed to Alfonso II， Duke of Ferrara， at age 13 （15 in the novel） after her older sister who was intended to marry him dies。 In less than one year she has died， presumably murdered， for not conceiving an heir。 In the after notes we learn that Al went one to marry twice more with no progeny。 Excellent writing， structure and character development， repeating the success of Hamnet。 。。。more
Linda
，
I won this book from Goodreads' giveaways， and had no special expectations since I hadn't yet read Hamnet， the well-received book from a few years ago。 This book， "The Marriage Portrait，" blew me away。 Seldom have I encountered an author like Maggie O'Farrell whose writing is stunningly beautiful - every single sentence。 I also enjoyed a book whose vocabulary was adult-like and occasionally even challenging。 Inserting a few bits of Italian provided even more atmosphere。 The story of Lucrezia di I won this book from Goodreads' giveaways， and had no special expectations since I hadn't yet read Hamnet， the well-received book from a few years ago。 This book， "The Marriage Portrait，" blew me away。 Seldom have I encountered an author like Maggie O'Farrell whose writing is stunningly beautiful - every single sentence。 I also enjoyed a book whose vocabulary was adult-like and occasionally even challenging。 Inserting a few bits of Italian provided even more atmosphere。 The story of Lucrezia di Cosimo de'Medici will always be a bit of a mystery since her death might have been because of illness， or maybe murder。 No one will ever know which makes O'Farrell's treatment of this final bit all the more intriguing。 O'Farrell provides a detailed background of daily life of a young woman， a noble woman at that， during the Renaissance。 Family relationships and the role of women are always an integral part of this story。 Above all is the understanding that a woman is valued a great deal for her ability to produce an heir。 Her other attributes including the ability to produce imaginative and very creative works of art just don't count。 Only fertility matters， even if her husband is sterile。 。。。more
Joanne
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For the last few days I have been lost in renaissance Italy through the pages of this wonderful book。 The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell shows us the political machinations of the Italian aristocracy and Lucrezia， the young girl at the heart of it。 I was vaguely aware of Lucrezia from Robert Browning’s poem， My Last Duchess， which my daughter studied recently。 In the poem， Lucrezia’s husband ponders on his late wife and there are hints that he had her killed。 In this novel， we find out mu For the last few days I have been lost in renaissance Italy through the pages of this wonderful book。 The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell shows us the political machinations of the Italian aristocracy and Lucrezia， the young girl at the heart of it。 I was vaguely aware of Lucrezia from Robert Browning’s poem， My Last Duchess， which my daughter studied recently。 In the poem， Lucrezia’s husband ponders on his late wife and there are hints that he had her killed。 In this novel， we find out much more about Lucrezia and her marriage through the wonderful prose of Maggie O’FarrellThe world building in this novel is incredible。 Maggie O’Farrell brings Florence and Ferrara vibrantly to life。 You can easily visualise the colourful surroundings， the heat of Italy， the violence of the storms， the textures of the fabrics， sounds echoing through the palaces， even the smells emanating from the kitchens。 This attention to minute detail makes it easy to visualise the world Lucrezia inhabits。Lucrezia is a talented artist， painting miniatures of scenery， animals and people。 Often she paints over previous work， creating hidden layers of paintings。 In a similar way， there are many layers to the book， and many things about herself which Lucrezia must keep hidden away beneath a façade。 The story moves back and forward in Lucrezia’s life and builds up her story like the layers of a painting。 We see her as a young girl， as someone promised in marriage against her will， through the early days of her marriage to its final days。Maggie O’Farrell builds a clear picture of this young girl。 She is a possession， a political pawn， her marriage a convenient political alliance。 She has no agency， no say， no opinions allowed which are contrary to those of her husband who is shown to be a cold and cruel man。 She is utterly at the mercy of the men in her life。 And yet she is full of spirit and courage， not someone who will be easily disregarded or made to bend to her husband’s will。Maggie O’Farrell is an exceptional storyteller in my opinion and had me utterly gripped by her beautiful writing throughout The Marriage Portrait。 It may be partly about the marriage portrait which Alfonso commissions， but it’s equally a portrait of their marriage。 This is a stunning piece of historical fiction and easily earns a place in my top reads of this year。Do take time to read the fascinating author’s note at the end where Maggie O’Farrell talks about the facts she used in the novel and explains the variations from what is known about the real Lucrezia。 。。。more
Coconut Creek Book Club ❧
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Publication Date: September 2022
Irene Veney
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90% of the books I read are audiobooks， and actually reading this book is a reminder of the sheer pleasure one can get from seeing gorgeously written words。 This novel of an historical figure， Lucrezia de' Medici， unfolds slowly and suspensefully。 We know the ending， yet O'Farrell makes our wait worth it as she builds up to a haunting completion。 It's brilliant。 And now I know I did Hamnet a disservice by listening to it， so that's my next print book。 O'Farrell is definitely a new favorite autho 90% of the books I read are audiobooks， and actually reading this book is a reminder of the sheer pleasure one can get from seeing gorgeously written words。 This novel of an historical figure， Lucrezia de' Medici， unfolds slowly and suspensefully。 We know the ending， yet O'Farrell makes our wait worth it as she builds up to a haunting completion。 It's brilliant。 And now I know I did Hamnet a disservice by listening to it， so that's my next print book。 O'Farrell is definitely a new favorite author！Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC。 。。。more
Ariel
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Absolutely amazing historical fiction based on the true story of an aristocratic child bride， Lucrezia de Medici of Florence， married to the brutal Duke of Ferrara at 15， died a year later。 The author brings 16th century Italy to life and is just such a wonderful writer。 If you loved the Wolf Hall books by Hilary Mantel， you must not miss this one。 Thanks to PRH for the advance readers copy through NetGalley。
Keri
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I received a copy from a Goodreads giveaway。This is a good historical fiction book about Lucrezia de Medici。 I like that O'Farrell includes a note at the end as to what is true and what has been fictionalized as well as the movement of timelines to keep the story fluid。The writing is very well done。 O'Farrell's descriptions are so vivid whether it be the scenery， or how Lucrezia poses for her portrait， etc。 The historical note at the beginning of the novel tells you how the story will end。 Norma I received a copy from a Goodreads giveaway。This is a good historical fiction book about Lucrezia de Medici。 I like that O'Farrell includes a note at the end as to what is true and what has been fictionalized as well as the movement of timelines to keep the story fluid。The writing is very well done。 O'Farrell's descriptions are so vivid whether it be the scenery， or how Lucrezia poses for her portrait， etc。 The historical note at the beginning of the novel tells you how the story will end。 Normally， I don't like spoilers but it did intrigue me。 I was wondering what O'Farrell was going to do with the end to make it her own since it is historical fiction and not nonfiction。 O'Farrell did not disappoint。 I thoroughly enjoyed the ending。My only negative remark regarding this novel is that at times the story was a bit slow。 Should it have been shortened？ Not sure。 。。。more
Marie
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After hearing amazing things about Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet （historical fiction） and I Am， I Am， I Am （memoir）， I was super excited to dig into an advanced copy of The Marriage Portrait。 The writing is heavily-detailed with vivid sensory images， transporting the reader to Renaissance Italy。 However， character development is lackluster， and I struggle to care about what happens to our protagonist， sixteen-year-old Lucrezia de’Medici。 One way to describe this novel is fan fiction of Robert Browni After hearing amazing things about Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet （historical fiction） and I Am， I Am， I Am （memoir）， I was super excited to dig into an advanced copy of The Marriage Portrait。 The writing is heavily-detailed with vivid sensory images， transporting the reader to Renaissance Italy。 However， character development is lackluster， and I struggle to care about what happens to our protagonist， sixteen-year-old Lucrezia de’Medici。 One way to describe this novel is fan fiction of Robert Browning’s famous poem “My Last Duchess”—which is excerpted in the epigraph and establishes the tone for the story。 O’Farrell builds intrigue with a nonlinear storyline， slowly responding to the questions established in her first paragraph: will Lucrezia’s husband murder her？ how？ when？ At times， the fanciful imagining of this forgotten de’Medici is engrossing， but the writing feels simultaneously rushed and long-winded at just under 450 pages。 While it is not my personal taste， this book holds tightly to the conventions of historical fiction; many enthusiastic lovers of the genre （or Italian Renaissance vibes） would surely enjoy The Marriage Portrait。 Follow @marizzlereadsbooks for more NONtent 。。。more
Valarie
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Lucrezia is the fourth child to her parents Eleanora and Cosimo。 She is different from her brothers and sisters， energetic， adventurous and prone to strange sicknesses。 At 15， she is married of to Alfonso， Duke of Ferrara。 This book alternates between Lucrezia's early life and her married life。 I really enjoyed the reading experience of this book。 The prose is just wonderful and flowing and you really feel the characters。 The story itself has a bit of mystery to it， but if you pay close attentio Lucrezia is the fourth child to her parents Eleanora and Cosimo。 She is different from her brothers and sisters， energetic， adventurous and prone to strange sicknesses。 At 15， she is married of to Alfonso， Duke of Ferrara。 This book alternates between Lucrezia's early life and her married life。 I really enjoyed the reading experience of this book。 The prose is just wonderful and flowing and you really feel the characters。 The story itself has a bit of mystery to it， but if you pay close attention you may be able to figure it out before the end。 There were some parts that were a bit slow and I found myself skimming just a bit。 I do love O'Farrell's prose， but sometimes it is too much。 My other complaint is that although the characters were amazingly fleshed out， I felt like the places weren't。 I couldn't get a good feel for the architecture and layout of the buildings。 These weren't central to the story， but it's something I like in a book where places are mentioned frequently。 This book also really shows how hard it was to be a woman in the 15oos。 There were no options， no choices and no autonomy。 It really was all about producing heirs and doing what you were told。 You really feel for Lucrezia and some of the secondary female characters like Alfonso's sisters and Lucrezia's maids。 That was partly the reason I wanted to smack Lucrezia sometimes for being so naive and saying the wrong things。 I was yelling at her in my head for not knowing better。 But she was 15 and growing up in a very different time so her actions made sense。 They were still infuriating though！Overall， this is a fantastic book and I'm sure it will be just as big a hit as Hamnet。 Definitely make time for this one！ Thanks @netgalley for the ARC！ 。。。more
Mairead Hearne （swirlandthread。com）
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“I thought I had made myself clear。 I want something that conveys her majesty， her bloodline。 Do you understand？ She is no ordinary mortal。 Treat her thus。”The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’ Farrell will be published August 30th with Tinder Press and is described as ‘an unforgettable reimagining of the life of a young woman whose proximity to power places her in mortal danger。’The Marriage Portrait follows on from the incredibly successful and very much loved Hamnet by Maggie O’ Farrell， a b “I thought I had made myself clear。 I want something that conveys her majesty， her bloodline。 Do you understand？ She is no ordinary mortal。 Treat her thus。”The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’ Farrell will be published August 30th with Tinder Press and is described as ‘an unforgettable reimagining of the life of a young woman whose proximity to power places her in mortal danger。’The Marriage Portrait follows on from the incredibly successful and very much loved Hamnet by Maggie O’ Farrell， a book which was released in 2020。 Described as ‘a luminous portrait of a marriage， at its heart the loss of a beloved child'， Hamnet was lush， exquisite and a remarkable piece of literary fiction， so my expectations were set very high for this one。Set in the mid 1500s， The Marriage Portrait is the reimagining of the short life and times of Lucrezia， the third daughter of Cosimo de’ Medici and his Spanish wife Eleonora。 Growing up， Lucrezia was different from her siblings。 She was free-spirited and had a passion for nature， animals and the world around her。 She loved losing herself in her artwork and never looked beyond the present moment， until the day her older sister， Maria， died。 Unbeknownst to Lucrezia this was the day that would change the course of her young life in the most unimaginable way。Maria’s unexpected death caused the family much pain but， life had to move forward and political allegiances had to be established， so a decision was made。 Lucrezia， although only twelve years of age， was betrothed to her sister Maria’s intended husband， Alfonso II d’Este， heir to the Duke of Fererra， Modena and Reggio。 Lucrezia was horrified with this news。 How could her mother and father agree to such an arrangement？Maggie O’ Farrell excels at immersing her readers in another time and place and in The Marriage Portrait the sights and sounds of Florence are wonderfully depicted， providing a very strong visual of life there in the mid 16th century。 At the time there was a menagerie in the de Medici Palazzo and Maggie O’ Farrell creates a fantastical scene when Cosimo de’ Medici requests for a tiger to be added to his collection。‘The Grand Duke’s peculiar fancy for a tiger was communicated to an emissary， and then an ambassador， a sea captain， a silk merchant， an advisor to a sultan， a viceroy， a spice trader， an under-secretary in a maharajah palace， the maharajah’s cousin， the maharajah himself， his wife ， his son， then back to the under-secretary， and in to a band of soldiers， then the villagers in a remote part of Bengal。’When the tiger eventually does arrive Lucrezia feels a bond with this captive creature， this animal shackled down deep in the depths of her father’s palace。 It’s how she expects her life will be in the years to follow。Following the inevitable marriage， Alfonso is gentle and attentive with Lucrezia。 Aware of her youth and inexperience he allows her the time to adapt to married life away from the eyes of the court。 After his father dies， Alfonso steps into his role as Duke of Ferrera， marking Lucrezia as the Duchess of Ferrara。 Together they travel to his family’s Palazzo where a new life awaits them。 But there is trouble brewing and very quickly Lucrezia realises that her husband is not all that she initially imagined， soon fearing for her very own life。Maggie O’ Farrell recreates these fraught months with painful scenes that tear at your heart。 Lucrezia， away from her family， has little in the way of allies。 She tries to be the woman she is meant to be but the restrictions of court life and the erratic behaviour of her husband， cause her many sleepless nights。 She knows that she is not the perfect wife but the rebel inside her will not stay hidden。Alfonso orders a portrait to be made of her， one that will be like no other， where her beauty will transcend and where folk will be astounded by her regal and ethereal beauty。 He is very involved from the beginning insisting on her dress， her posture， the jewellery to be worn， every little detail。 His strive for perfection and his express desire to be correct at all times is noted by Lucrezia， adding to her concerns about him as a man， as her husband。A beautiful and creative soul with a sadness in her eyes， Lucrezia’s image was actually captured in a renowned painting that has been attributed to Bronzino。 Maggie O’ Farrell on seeing the image was immediately captivated by this “young girl with a dark-eyed gaze and a slightly troubled expression” and “knew the instant I saw her that I would write about her” reimagining her life in this fascinating and intriguing tale。Even though The Marriage Portrait is a fictional recreation， there is an authenticity to the characters， creating a real sense of truth throughout。 All that glitters was most definitely not gold for Lucrezia and her fear jumps off the pages as she becomes aware of the destiny that awaits her。 Whatever really happened to Lucrezia no one will ever truly know but， with this reimagining of her short life， Maggie O’ Farrell has captivated her essence and brought us an opulent， yet devastating， tale set against the backdrop of the Italian Renaissance。While both are historical fiction， I am slow to compare The Marriage Portrait to Hamnet because they are clearly very different reads。 Many of us have some connection with Shakespeare， through our education or from general interest， but how many of us are as familiar with this period of Renaissance Italy？The Marriage Portrait is an intriguing tale of lies and deceit， of greed and exploitation， of vengeance and defiance， of passion and of hate。 Maggie O’ Farrell writes beautifully， creating palatial scenes in grandiose surroundings with very vivid descriptions and captivating portrayals of time and place。 Very rich in detail， The Marriage Portrait is a compelling and provocative piece of historical fiction， one that will definitely lead most readers to further research。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Marriage Portrait
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Marriage Portrait&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Marriage Portrait&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0