The Marriage Portrait: A novel Audiobook

Publisher Description

From the author of the breakout New York Times best seller Hamnetwinner of the National Book Critics Circle Awardan 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 courts 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 duchesss future hangs entirely in the balance. Full of the drama and verve with which she illuminated the Shakespearean canvas of Hamnet, Maggie OFarrell brings the world of Renaissance Italy to jewel-bright life, and offers an unforgettable portrait of a resilient young womans battle for her very survival. Cover image: Alinari Archives / Raffaello Bencini / Art Resource, NY Download and start listening now!

Quotes

A riveting tale about one womans fight for autonomy. – Real Simple A vivid depiction of the harsh manners and rigid expectations for women within ducal courts in sixteenth-century Italy. – BookPage (starred review)