Friday, April 29, 2016

The Vatican Princess A novel of Lucrezia Borgia


The Vatican Princess 
A novel of Lucrezia Borgia
By: C.W. Gortner

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Summary:With the ascension of the Spaniard Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander VI, a new era has dawned in Rome. Benefitting from their father’s elevation are the new pope’s illegitimate children—his rival sons, Cesare and Juan, and beautiful young daughter Lucrezia—each of whom assumes an exalted position in the papal court. Privileged and adored, Lucrezia yearns to escape her childhood and play a part in her family’s fortunes. But Rome is seductive and dangerous: Alliances shift at a moment’s notice as Italy’s ruling dynasties strive to keep rivals at bay. As Lucrezia’s father faces challenges from all sides, the threat of a French invasion forces him to marry her off to a powerful adversary. But when she discovers the brutal truth behind her alliance, Lucrezia is plunged into a perilous gambit that will require all her wits, cunning, and guile. Escaping her marriage offers the chance of happiness with a passionate prince of Naples, yet as scandalous accusations of murder and incest build against her, menacing those she loves, Lucrezia must risk everything to overcome the lethal fate imposed upon her by her Borgia blood.

Review: The Borgia's have always been a family that I love reading about; they lived in an amazing time period and although they said that family was everything to them they are accused of some horrendous acts mainly relating to bribery, incest, and poison.  Lucrezia might have been the most innocent party in this family; this book follows from her early teen years into her twentieth year.

The relationships that Lucrezia thought she had with her brother Ceasre and her Father Rodrigo Borgia (who was Pope Alexander VI) was seen through rose colored glasses.  But as she is used as a pawn in her families bid for power she begins to see and witness the truth of her families ruthless cruelty to those who betray them or do not support them.  

Through three marriages we watch as Lucrezia (her first marriage being at the age of fourteen) fights to have a life of her own and tries not to get mixed up in the debauchery that the Borgia family is famous for.  Controlled by her Father and brother's Lucrezia has to fight for every moment of happiness that she experiences in her life.  And when it finally becomes too much she will find a way to live a life of her own away from the family that betrayed her.

The way this story was written it was very easy to stay engaged in the novel; and to not want to put it down. The characters were very real and relatable and the plot line kept the reader excited because you never knew what would happen next in Lucrezia's toxic environment with a family of murderers.  

I would recommend this book to anyone thirteen and up who enjoys historical fiction or enjoys reading about Borgia family history in general. I loved every second of this book and I hope you will too =)