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47 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
3 stars for entertainment value, 0 stars for actual scholarly research, September 30, 2008
While entertaining and at times salacious, if you're looking for an in-depth, scholarly biography along the lines of Antonia Fraser, keep looking elsewhere. All in all, I enjoyed reading about a now-forgotten woman who turned Rome and the Catholic Church on its ear with her ambition and greed. The author points out how this woman essentially ran the Vatican for extended periods of time for her brother-in-law, Pope Innocent X. Having schemed to place him on the papal throne, she continued to scheme and intrigue with cardinals, ambassadors, and royalty. All of this was acceptable at the time (bribery and coercion were the norm), but only if you were a man. That said, this work is far from intellectual and relies too heavily on phrases such as "we can imagine" and "we can picture". This type of speculation runs rampant through the book, as do lengthy fiction-like tangents where the author asks us to imagine scenes in the Vatican and palaces of Rome. I enjoyed the read, but took much of it with a grain of salt. If you like your biography heavy on opinion and guesswork, this is one for you. If like me, however, you prefer your biography to be well-researched, factual, and lacking in ridiculous exposition about the subject's motivations and the imaginings of the author, then it would be best to look elsewhere.
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27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Woman at the Pinnacle of Power, November 30, 2008
In her biography of Olimpia Maidalchini, Ms. Herman refers to her as "the secret female pope." This is a line meant to provoke and it does its job. Frankly, however, it is a bit of a stretch considering Ms. Herman's own descriptions of Olimpia's exile and near-catastrophic over-reaching. And let's not forget the fact that Olimpia's power was no secret. Still, given the Catholic Church's history of patriarchy and often sinful misogyny, it is wonderful to have reminders of the fact that, throughout its history, women have played important roles and wielded great power in the Church. In some ways, Olimpia's story is a great one for any age: a young woman defies the odds and works her way up to the pinnacles of power and wealth in her society. The fact that she does so in the Papal States of the seventeenth century when women were often less than second-class citizens is all the more impressive. Of course, Olimpia is no saint--but few were in Rome at the time--and her path to power is paved with the bodies of those who stood in her way, but it is a fascinating story nonetheless. Nearly forced into a convent by her father, she ends up marrying above her station in her native Viterbo. Soon after, she marries Pamphilio Pamphili, a nobleman of Rome and begins her quest for power there. She ultimately achieves this through her brother-in-law, Gianbattista Pamphili. Likely his mistress, she guides the shy canon into the intrigues of Vatican politics, to a cardinal's hat, and, ultimately, to elevation as Pope Innocent X. Through her vacillating lover, she controls everything from the purse-strings to cardinal appointments. At times, she truly did wield the power of the papacy and people knew it; at least, when she wasn't in disfavor with the pope. Like anyone, she wasn't perfect holding the reins of power and ran into some problems. Most of her problems came from her own mistakes and Ms. Herman is fair in describing Olimpia's weaknesses. Her greed and vengefulness are on display, though Ms. Herman sometimes seems tolerant of these short-comings. True, these were common failing in Rome at the time and, in some cases, would have been winked at in men. But that doesn't make them right. But it is fair to say that Olimpia generally knew how to play the game well and she couldn't have achieved what she did without being ruthless. All in all, this is a very well-written book about an amazing woman. Ms. Herman takes us right into the world of Rome in the seventeenth century. My brief description here does not do justice to the intricacy with which Ms. Herman brings things to life. And, in giving us Olimpia's story, she does more: she shows us how the Church of the time actually functioned. Great things were achieved, but these things were often achieved through less than holy methods. Olimpia turns out to be a reflection of her time. She did great and not-so-great things but she stands out because of her gender. Fortunately for us, since it allowed Ms. Herman to write this great book.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fascinating and absorbing read, August 30, 2008
_Mistress of the Vatican_ is a great read, even if you aren't a history buff or an expert of 17th century Italian culture. Herman wields her pen with almost magical effect, presenting the life and times of Olimpia Maidalchini in vivid color, packaging her extensive research in a delicious candy coating. Olimpia's story, who Herman describes as an Italian Scarlett O'Hara, is timeless tale of a strong and intelligent woman seeking to get ahead in a male-dominated world, thumbing her nose at naysayers and poking her finger in the eye of Vatican traditions all along the way. In a year that the United States has witnessed one, and now two, women take aim at the highest offices of the nation, _Mistress_ offers an interesting counterbalance. While Olimpia is the focus of the story, Herman painstakingly details the world in which she lived - the traditions, the culture, the clothing and architecture of old Italy. It is also a glimpse into the highs and lows of Italian society during Olimpia's day - ranging from the lush lives of the rich to the deprivations of the poor. Moreover, Herman tells a tale full of greed, lust, theft, humor, and treachery, all taking place within the sphere of the Vatican elite. _Mistress_ is a guilt-free guilty pleasure and Herman proves that good history can be very fun.
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