The Marriage Portrait: A novel | 
pickI just finished The Marriage Portrait. I thought it was great but could have benefited from some editing. I loved the first and the last 100 pages but thought the middle was slow. The story of Duchess Lucrezia is fascinating, all the more because it‘s based on real events. Maggie O‘Farrell is a marvellous writer!
I‘m also reading about The Balkans( fingers crossed my next OS trip) and PIP a wonderful local magazine about veggie gardening β€οΈ
pickThis book surprised me. I was set to love it. It started great, then it lulled me into a false sense of security, so much so I thought it a little boring and then I gasped. It reminded me of someone who described policing in a city as an over abundance of boredom interspersed with sheer terror. The juxtaposition of the dreamy style and the menacing plot is very clever. O‘Farrell brings you on location. It‘s beautiful, it‘s sunny, it‘s hell.
pickI don‘t know what, but I was dreading this one. Maybe it was a case of judging the book by its cover. Instead of a dry history I found a riveting portrayal of a young girl trapped in a dangerous marriage. It‘s based on the real marriage of Lucrezia de' Medici and Alfonso, the Duke of Ferrara. The author does an incredible job, building the tension in the tear as the options narrow for the Lucrezia.
When I went to my library to pick up Demon Copperhead, this was just sitting on a shelf. So of course I grabbed it. I loved Hamnet so looking forward to this. It‘s due back in two days so another snowy day at home reading.
pickExcellent historical fiction.Found the true info and essay at the back of my special edition fascinatingWhat Alfonso inflicted on his own sister and her lover ! So we can deduce from that act that he wasn‘t a kind man! The fate of her sister Isabella murdered & her cousin both murdered by husbands , Lucrezia younger brother being one. So much crime and hatred towards women, consequence of a forced arranged marriage and raising boys as superiors!
pickHamnet was just ok for me, so I didn‘t plan to read this until I heard O‘Farrell read the beginning on a podcast. And I‘m so glad that happened, because this is phenomenal! It‘s so well crafted and structured. She gives us just enough to tease the coming action and keep us guessing. I‘m a believer now!
pickBeautifully written with a tense plot but somehow a relaxed pace, with a surprise ending. I enjoy historical fiction that doesn‘t worry so much about historical accuracy that the character development is lost. Interesting journey of a girl too young to be married off for political gain.
Historical fiction at its best and a book about bookshops I‘m all set staying in avoiding the rainy weather in usually sunny California.
pickThis was so good set in the 1550s in Florence about the life of Lucrezia de'Medici. You can't be help feel bad for our young MC. She basically knows what will happen to her. I enjoyed all the descriptions of the places and the lives. It was gripping.
pickGorgeous writing full of beautiful descriptions & historical atmosphere. The plot moves languidly, but still gripped me so that I didn't want to put it down. Lucrezia's fate was looming & my heart just ached. You know from the beginning more or less what the ending will be & that spurs on a mild anxiety during the read. Something about that just feels right & delicious, despite the atrocity. Maggie O'Farrell is a queen of historical fiction.
pickNot all are hits, but when she nails it, she nails it. This was great. A 16 century story, infuriating and interesting. I enjoy how she tells history from a fiery feminist lens
pickβοΈ βοΈ βοΈ βοΈ This book is a work of historical fiction that draws inspiration from Robert Browningβs poem, βMy Last Duchess.β At its core, it is about a young womanβs resistance to oppressive gendered norms. The author writes with a prose that is lyrical, atmospheric, and plot-appropriate. Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4763135592
βThe tigress didn't so much pace as pour herself, as if her very essence was molten, simmering, like the ooze from a volcano. It was hard to distinguish the bars of the cage from the dark, repeating stripes on the creature's fur. The animal was orange, burnished gold, fire made flesh; she was power and anger, she was vicious and exquisite;
#Top22of2022
I have loved seeing everyone‘s list of their favorite books of the year. I screenshotted (is that a word?) several and compiled a list from that and other best of lists with different #. These 6 were the ones most frequently mentioned with 12 more getting a few nods each added and another 21 that I can‘t wait to read. TBR explosion! π₯
Couldn‘t resist the special edition cover ! What a sucker I am for special editions π
Congratulations, @wanderinglynn , on your big Litsy milestone! πππ
I‘d love to receive the tagged book after reading so many glowing Litsy reviews on it.
Thanks for the fun (and very generous) giveaway and enjoy your birthday month to the fullest! π
#300KBirthdayGiveaway
#12Booksof2022 - September @Andrew65
An atmospheric haunting #HF from one of my favorite authors - again, GORGEOUS narration
This DID make my #Top22of22
#Litsy Fun and Games
This the month to choose my favorite book of 2022? #SoManyGoodBooksThisYear
Thanks to @chasjjlee for designing the template.
#bookstagram #BestBookOf2022
6. The Marriage Portrait, by Maggie O'Farrell -- A novelistic portrayal of Lucrezia de Medici, with a killer first paragraph and a narrative that is gripping even if you know Lucrezia's life story. Beautifully written, you will never see the famous portrait the same way again.
pickFantastic! Tense, compelling and O‘Farrell‘s writing is so rich and vibrant. I love how she constructed this one with the dual timelines that ultimately converge. Really clever and effective.
βThe chamber is filled with people and the wedding gown waits for her on the bed. Lilies stand tall in a vase in the mantel, their stems offering up blooms as if for scrutiny. The air moving in and out of her is heavy with their scentβ¦Behind them, servants come and servants go, their shoes rushing one way and the otherβ¦Lucrezia is the only motionless being. She sits at the centre of this activity, a reed caught in the eddy of a stream.β
Amy, you‘ve spoiled me! I loved your card - and I had to go and spoil the surprise by recognizing your last name ππ€¦ββοΈ I‘m happy we‘ve become Litsy friends, too β€οΈ Thank you for the books (the extra book will probably wreck me but I still can‘t wait to read it), and the chocolate! Hubby and I will share that (maybe π). #jolabokaflodswap @Amiable
pickHistorical Note in front matter: βIn 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 βputrid fever,‘ but it was rumoured that she had been murdered by her husband.β
This is her story.
Currently reading with Reese‘s book club for December β¨
pickThis is a soft pick. I liked the prose, but the plot was very predictable even the twist ending.
pickI‘ve worked out how to have 2 books on the go . I read 1 fiction and 1 non fiction. One gets read in bed and the other elsewhere.
I wasn‘t sure about this book as I‘m not a historical fiction fan. However I loved this story. Maggie is such a great writer. I love her books. This was no exception. A great read.
pick#pop22 #tigeronthecover
Historical fiction at its best. Gorgeous lyrical writing, intricate detail, painting images of an unfamiliar world until you can picture it perfectly. The story itself is tense, as the already known ending, looms menacingly ahead. A book to savor, whilst also gripping until the last page.
Just 2 more prompts to go!
@Cinfhen @BarbaraBB @megabooks @squirrelbrain @jenniferw88 @alisiakae @cortg @laughterhp @raelovestoread
LitHub's favorite books of the year: https://lithub.com/our-38-favorite-books-of-2022
I've only read a handful; most of them weren't even on my radar.
pickBeautifully written capturing the horror of what it might have felt like being forced into marriage at 13 in the mid-1500s Italy (and the pressure of producing a male heir). The references to artists and historic families of the time had me referring to Google frequently. Sad but intriguing read.
@Chelsea.Poole what a great #AuldLangSpine list! I'm beyond excited to kick off my reading year with as many of these as I can get to in January π
Three of these I have read (in green), all of which I loved (which just goes to show how great @monalyisha is at bookish matchmaking!). And ALL of them are available to be through local libraries/Libby/hoopla (the glories of holding three library cards!).
I hope you are just as excited by my list!
November Reads:
5 π
The Marriage Portrait:Maggie O‘Farrell π
4.5 π
Elena Knows: Claudia Pineiro π
4 π
Lucy By The Sea: Elizabeth Strout π§
Fingersmith: Sarah Waters π§
3.5 starπ
Walk the Vanished Earth: Erin Sawan π§
3 π
Bitter Orange Tree: Jokha Alharthi π§
The Birdcatcher: Gayl Jones π§
2.5 π
When We Were Dragons: Kelly Barnhill π§
#bookspinbingo so close to a bingo but one book short! @TheAromaofBooks
pickSO GOOD.
Stayed up way too late reading last night and then needed some time to calm down. The story got me so worked up. Oh Lucré!
I love it when an author event goes well and it depends very much on who is interviewing. This was a really great interview between Maggie OFarrell and Kamila Shamsie, the conversation flowed. Maggie O'Farrell is such an engaging author, I can't wait to read this. She is definitely one of my favourite authors.
pickLoved it! So rich in setting and character. Drips with foreboding especially because it is based on the true unsolved mystery of the young Duchess of Ferrara‘s death.
Enjoyed this novel far more than Hamnet. Anxious to find out what she publishes next.
What a beautiful inside cover of this book π
And another deadly predator in the background
Audio caking the yarn I acquired at the Harvest Fiber Festival. If anyone had suggested I‘d be attending anything like it last year this time, I wouldn‘t have believed it. π
This novel is compulsive! The consummation scene π«£ - very well written.
Loving this on audio! So rich in description and foreboding atmosphere.
pickI adored this, and it will likely make my top 20 list for this year.
It‘s so beautifully written, but so full of menace too. I loved both Lucrezia and Emilia. I have to say it took a little while to get into, but once I did I just couldn‘t put it down.
Photo is off the little badge I got with my indie bookstore edition. There is a dedication at the beginning, thanking all indies for what they did during the pandemic. β€οΈ
so-soA sumptuous novel but too long for me. I like O‘Farrell‘s crafting of characters & warm, lyrical writing. She sets a scene well & captures nuanced moments between characters. But it lacked suspense (we know the ending), the scenes where he treats her badly didn‘t feel surprising & the English sensibility put me at a distance, instead of being immersed in Italy.
pickThis is a compelling story on the last duchess Lucrezia de Medici and her untimely death rumoured to have been killed by her husband. The story really spotlights women in history and adds depth to them, showing they were capable of so much more if they were given more opportunities and had less restrictive lives. A compelling book with gorgeous writing about a woman that was shown off in a marriage portrait but was ultimately a pawn in a game.
Lucrezia is taking her seat at the long dining table, which is polished to a watery gleam and spread with dishes, inverted cups, a woven circlet of fur.
#firstlinefridays @ShyBookOwl
Looks like more rain today, I‘ve got nothing going on.
pickWhat a magnificent book! I liked it better than #Hamnet. The cover is gorgeous, and I really liked our main character. The writing drew me right in, and delighted me until the inevitable ending.
#MaggieOFarrel
Rating: βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ/5
pickYes! This was as good as everyone says. What a storyteller O βFarrell is and what a great character she makes of the 15 year old Lucretia, the wild daughter of Cosimo de Medici, who had to obey and marry the Duke of Ferrara.
#pop22 #Book WithATigerOnTheCover
pickI loved this β₯οΈ the writing is beautiful, the descriptions of life, people etc and the MCs set against a quietly developing, dreadful story.
Had 2 papers I had to finish today with a 12pm one deadline and a 5pm one. Just finished the second at 4.28. I‘m rewarding myself with a 32 minute read π
