My rating: 4/5
This was disappointing after Hamnet, but still a good read. Set in Renaissance era Italy, O’Farrell unpacks just how little freedom women in wealthy families had at that time, by focusing on one young girl and her forced marriage. It’s a buoyant read, though, as Lucrezia has a lot of spark and creativity, and the plot drives along like a fast-pulled carriage. I was a little distracted by her choice to use the present tense in this novel, I have to say. Though very few events happen, I was fascinated by the relational ins and outs between characters — something I always admire O’Farrell for.
Lose Yourself Books 