Hide this

Results from Google Books

Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.

In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant
Loading...

In the Company of the Courtesan

by Sarah Dunant

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations
1,457402,410 (3.63)41
Loading...
won't like will probably not like will probably like will like will love

Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book.

English (39)  Dutch (1)  All languages (40)
Showing 1-5 of 39 (next | show all)
It was ok..seems like I had read it before..similar to others in it's category. ( )
  Ames3473 | Nov 28, 2009 |
Rather than a tale of virtue and youth, Sarah Dunant brings us a journey of love and betrayal, prostitution and loyalty.

We meet our main characters, a courtesan called Fiammetta and her dwarf assistant Bucino in the height of their prowess in Rome. But alas, the city falls to invading forces and these two are barely able to escape with their lives. As we accompany them on their journey to Venice and watch as they are forced to start a new life, we are taken to a world the author has not shown us before.

To read the rest of my review, please visit:
http://www.dorolerium.com/?p=685 ( )
  dorolerium | Sep 28, 2009 |
This is the story of a 16th Century courtesan (Fiametta) and her dwarf business partner (Bucino) as they make their living in Venice. The setting of Venice and the interesting characters, including La Draga (a blind healer), carry what would otherwise be an unremarkable book. I missed the character development and compelling story of Ms. Dunant's earlier novel, The Birth of Venus. ( )
  LynnB | Sep 10, 2009 |
Anyone who is fascinated by Venice (and who isn't?) will absolutely love In The Company of The Courtesan. Obviously, that’s not all that the book’s about (I’ll get to that in a moment…), yet; this important aspect cannot be mentioned lightly. The vivid details of the setting naturally propel you right into the moment. Depictions of the world as it was then, with Venice at its center; the glory, the fame, the beauty and all that was decadent as well- set the stage for an incredibly absorbing read…just the right setting for the story of a wondrous courtesan…

The story begins with Fiammetta Bianchini, a courtesan of the highest rank, servicing in the papal courts of Rome, having to flee when the city becomes invaded, and later destroyed, by Spaniard barbarians and German Lutherans. Barely surviving the barbaric scalpel and in order to avoid a torturous death, Faimmetta feigns a religious conversion in order to appease and distract the zealous fanatics. Together with her companion and business partner, a dwarf named Bucino, Fiammetta manages to escape and make way to her native Venice to start up her career fresh from scratch- Not an easy task…

A disheveled Fiammetta arrives in Venice looking scraggly, beaten, unfed, and besides being poor, famished and sick; she is an ‘unknown.’ How can she ever reclaim her notoriety as the most beautiful, learned, sensual and classiest courtesan in town? Both Fiammetta and her side-kick/manager/entertainer and man-à tout faire, Bucino, have a lot of work to do.

The story, told by Bucino, magically unravels as it takes you from one strange character to another; one more flamboyant than the next. A mysterious woman, with a strange deformity and extraordinary healing powers, named La Draga, enraptures both Fiammetta and Bucino into a web of intricacies that lead to fascinating consequences. There is definitely an element of mystery mixed with a clear sense of curiosity that keeps you edging on for more.

I absolutely loved reading about these colourful characters and their different lifestyles- and couldn’t help but totally adore Fiammetta. Bucino too, this engaging, sharp little man who stopped at nothing to ensure the best for ‘his Lady’ while taking care of business as a priority, was endearing to no end. Everything seemed so real. For all I know, this story could have actually happened. After all, Sarah Dunant includes real historical figures such as the famous painter Titian; Arletino the ‘reporter’ of the time- and, La Draga was an actual person as well.

As for Fiammetta, in this novel she was also Titian’s preferred goddess to paint, perfectly insinuating his authentic painting of The Venus of Urbino…where the model was said to be indeed a courtesan. Although she is but a fictional character, In The Company of The Courtesan will leave you wishing that Fiammetta really did exist… knack for business, flamboyance, joviality, free spirit, and all.

A truly delightful read. Loved it! ( )
  LucyB. | Aug 25, 2009 |
This book was hard to get into. It included a lot of detail, and I could tell the author had done a ton of research. Overall, disappointing but interesting.
  love2rdinNH | Jul 12, 2009 |
Showing 1-5 of 39 (next | show all)
no reviews | add a review
You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.
For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.
Series (with order)
Canonical Title
Original publication date
People/Characters
Important places
Important events
Related movies
Awards and honors
Epigraph
Dedication
First words
Quotations
Last words
Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

None

Book description

Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 1400063817, Hardcover)

My lady, Fiammetta Bianchini, was plucking her eyebrows and biting color into her lips when the unthinkable happened and the Holy Roman Emperor’s army blew a hole in the wall of God’s eternal city, letting in a flood of half-starved, half-crazed troops bent on pillage and punishment.

Thus begins In the Company of the Courtesan, Sarah Dunant’s epic novel of life in Renaissance Italy. Escaping the sack of Rome in 1527, with their stomachs churning on the jewels they have swallowed, the courtesan Fiammetta and her dwarf companion, Bucino, head for Venice, the shimmering city born out of water to become a miracle of east-west trade: rich and rancid, pious and profitable, beautiful and squalid.

With a mix of courage and cunning they infiltrate Venetian society. Together they make the perfect partnership: the sharp-tongued, sharp-witted dwarf, and his vibrant mistress, trained from birth to charm, entertain, and satisfy men who have the money to support her.

Yet as their fortunes rise, this perfect partnership comes under threat, from the searing passion of a lover who wants more than his allotted nights to the attentions of an admiring Turk in search of human novelties for his sultan’s court. But Fiammetta and Bucino’s greatest challenge comes from a young crippled woman, a blind healer who insinuates herself into their lives and hearts with devastating consequences for them all.

A story of desire and deception, sin and religion, loyalty and friendship, In the Company of the Courtesan paints a portrait of one of the world’s greatest cities at its most potent moment in history: It is a picture that remains vivid long after the final page.

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:57:51 -0400)

(see all 4 descriptions)

The first test round has been closed. Visit the Open Shelves Classification group for details.

Quick Links

Ebooks Audio Swap
135/43

Popular covers

 

Help/FAQs | About | Privacy/Terms | Blog | Contact | LibraryThing.com | APIs | WikiThing | Common Knowledge | 46,199,547 books!