Customer Reviews

Lucrezia Borgia (Women in History S.)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Winner of two coveted Italian literary awards when it was published in 1950, this book is masterfully translated to English and is one of the most well-written books I've read. Some of the passages are almost esquisite! The subject--Lucrezia Borgia, illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI--was obviously well-researched and the text based upon documents maintained in Italian archives, including at the Vatican. I learned a lot about Italian history of the period, social life, and the role/plight of women by reading this excellent book. I didn't want it to end and intend to read the other books written by this author.

This bio includes a lot of info about Lucrezia in the context of her family and time. I am still reading but not finding it too dry and/or too specific. Of course watching the TV series "The Borgias" has already made me aware of some of the characters involved, but this book fleshes out the Borgia family and gives many details that are too involved for TV drama.

If you want to know more about Lucrezia and her family, I think this book can provide you with a lot more detail and not put you to sleep while doing it.

This is probably the most accurate biography of Lucretia Borgia. (Yes, she spelled her name Lucretia, not Lucrezia.) The author accessed many primary sources--official documents, Vatican archives, contemporary letters and diaries. It is not an easy read, as there are many characters and titles to keep track of. The political alliances are complicated and keep changing. It is worth the effort, but I could have done without the detailed descriptions of wardrobes, pomp, and ceremony.

This book will surprise you if you are expecting a notorious poisoner putting arsenic and henbane into drinks right and left. Lucretia's sinister reputation is myth, mostly guilt by association. I haven't seen any evidence that she ever poisoned anyone. She can be faulted for aiding and abetting her brother Cesare, but what choice did she have against such a monster? She was a pawn in the power games of her father and her brother. Deep down, she was a pious conoisseur of poetry and poets.

The Borgias are enshrouded in mystery and "the mystery is insoluble," says Maria Bellonci. This book may not answer all your questions, but it will give you authentic glimpses into Renaissance Italy.

I first got this book because of the subject's intriguing reputation. Called both the Pope's daughter, lover, and daughter-in-law and known famously as a poisoner, I thought the book would be irresistible. But the first half of the book is more about her father, the lecherous and nepotistic Pope Alexander VI, and her two brothers. It weaves together the story of the tumultuous political situation in the Italian Papal court under Alexander VI, mentioning Lucrezia here and there as the background character she really was during her life. There's understandably a lot of guesswork about what Lucrezia must have been feeling and thinking during the events of her life, as there is not very much information about her. She was married three times for her family's political gains, forcibly divorced from her first husband, and widowed when her violent brother Cesare murdered her second husband. Even though the second half of the book is more about her than the first half, Bellonci glosses over the twisted allegations against Lucrezia and the other Borgias by either brushing them aside, or mentioning them briefly without going into detail. She mentioned the time period at which the Borgia's became known for poisoning, but she did not explain how specifically Lucrezia gained the reputation as a poisoner. It was a dissapointing read for that reason, but in other areas it was an excellent historical biography. It was well written and interesting for one thing. Names were not just thrown out and unqualified. Alexander and Cesare are interesting characters whose lives and actions are explicitely defined and well told. It's too bad the book was supposed to be about Lucrezia instead of them.

lucretia was a kind ,loving and smart woman ,who was use by the men in her family for political reasons.the borgia men wanted dynasty more than lucretia happiness.her father alexander the pope sold her recieve power he need at that moment.her brother murder the love of her life.also murder their own brother.she was trap in a family control by addiction to getting power.