Blood & Beauty: The Borgias

Blood & Beauty: The Borgias by Sarah Dunant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Incredibly accurate for a historical fiction book. The historical notes at the beginning and end of the book will clear up any question you might have on what did or didn't happen. As with anything that happened 500 years ago, there are things we know, there are things we assume are most likely to have happened and there are theories that are meant to fill in the blanks but will probably never be proved 100%. The author successfully juggled through all of these, making up a version of events that matches all the facts we know about the Borgias and the, let's say, most agreed on theories on what happened. The only reproach I have is that she stops with Lucrezia's marriage to Alfonso d'Este. Yes, that was the pinnacle of success for the family and it is one way to end it, but I think many people, including myself, would be interested in a sequel that will cover their downfall - including Lucrezia's rather surprising survival through it all. Just in case ms Dunant is reading this and could be persuaded in writing it :).

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