The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell

Author:  Maggie O'Farrell

Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction

Synopsis:

Florence, the 1550s. Lucrezia, third daughter of the grand duke, is comfortable with her obscure place in the 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, Modena and Reggio, Lucrezia is thrust unwittingly into the 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 enter an unfamiliar 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 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 beauty and emotion with which she illuminated the Shakespearean canvas of Hamnet , Maggie O’Farrell turns her talents to Renaissance Italy in an extraordinary portrait of a resilient young woman’s battle for her very survival.

Format: Paperback, 339 Pages

Setting: Italy

Awards: British Book Award Nominee for Fiction (2023), Australian Book Industry Award (ABIA) Nominee for International Book (2023), Women's Prize for Fiction Nominee for Shortlist (2023), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Historical Fiction (2022), Barnes & Noble Book of the Year Award Nominee (2022)

Goodreads Rating: 4.01

*This book is pre-loved, but has been carefully looked through to ensure it is not missing any pages and is in good condition. All visible flaws have been documented in the product photos.