1LibraryCin
I'm not sure how many people are still working on their BingoDOGs at this point, but I have two left (one just finished). I will finish the other one this month, as well.
You'll find the wiki here:
https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2022_BingoDog
You'll find the wiki here:
https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2022_BingoDog
2LibraryCin
Z in the title
The Vatican Princess: A Novel of Lucrezia Borgia / C.W. Gortner
Rating: 3.75 stars
This book follows Lucrezia Borgia from when she was 13-years old and her father became Pope until she was about 20-years old after her second husband died. In that time, she was married twice, may have had two children – possible spoiler here:one possibly via incest/rape (though this is speculation), and had to deal with a power-hungry father who was Pope and two power-hungry brothers, one whom she loved and got along well with (Cesare) and one whom she did not get along with (Juan).
History has not been kind to the Borgias, including Lucrezia, although Gortner states that, in his research, he found that - like many women of powerful families of the time (and (my added comment here) for centuries before and after), she really was just a pawn. His research did not show she was cruel and power-hungry like her father and brothers. I found this very interesting, as the little bit I’ve read about the Borgias, I also had the impression she wasn’t any “better” than the others in her family.
Gortner does a really good job of historical fiction from the viewpoint of a woman, though I’m not sure anything will beat “The Last Queen” for me (his first book). In all honesty, through most of this book, I was ready to give it an ever-so-slightly lower rating, but I upped it in the last ¼ of the book or so, after Lucrezia married her second husband, Alfonso, whom she loved (at least according to Gortner in this book).
The afterword goes a bit further into history after where the book leaves off so we know what happened to all the major players in the book, in addition to talking a bit about the author’s research. I also loved that he mentioned, in the acknowledgements his pets and does a bit of animal rescue promotion.
The Vatican Princess: A Novel of Lucrezia Borgia / C.W. Gortner
Rating: 3.75 stars
This book follows Lucrezia Borgia from when she was 13-years old and her father became Pope until she was about 20-years old after her second husband died. In that time, she was married twice, may have had two children – possible spoiler here:
History has not been kind to the Borgias, including Lucrezia, although Gortner states that, in his research, he found that - like many women of powerful families of the time (and (my added comment here) for centuries before and after), she really was just a pawn. His research did not show she was cruel and power-hungry like her father and brothers. I found this very interesting, as the little bit I’ve read about the Borgias, I also had the impression she wasn’t any “better” than the others in her family.
Gortner does a really good job of historical fiction from the viewpoint of a woman, though I’m not sure anything will beat “The Last Queen” for me (his first book). In all honesty, through most of this book, I was ready to give it an ever-so-slightly lower rating, but I upped it in the last ¼ of the book or so, after Lucrezia married her second husband, Alfonso, whom she loved (at least according to Gortner in this book).
The afterword goes a bit further into history after where the book leaves off so we know what happened to all the major players in the book, in addition to talking a bit about the author’s research. I also loved that he mentioned, in the acknowledgements his pets and does a bit of animal rescue promotion.
3clue
I'm still working on Bingo and have 6 (!) to go. I have small books to fill those but need to get on with it!
4lowelibrary
I have one left - travel or journey
5LibraryCin
My last one is a month in the title. But I should get to it in the next couple of weeks!
6Helenliz
There's already a thread set up for November/December:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/345538#7967135
https://www.librarything.com/topic/345538#7967135
