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The Marriage Portrait

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The Marriage Portrait

Written by: Maggie O'Farrell
Narrated by: Genevieve Gaunt, Maggie O'Farrell
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About this listen

REESE’S BOOK CLUB DECEMBER PICK
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The author of award-winning
Hamnet brings the world of Renaissance Italy to jewel-bright life in this unforgettable fictional portrait of the captivating young duchess Lucrezia de' Medici as she makes her way in a troubled court.

“I could not stop reading this incredible true story.” —Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club December ’22 Pick)

"O’Farrell pulls out little threads of historical detail to weave this story of a precocious girl sensitive to the contradictions of her station ... You may know the history, and you may think you know what’s coming, but don’t be so sure." —
The Washington Post

Florence, the 1550s. Lucrezia, third daughter of the grand duke, is comfortable with her obscure place in the palazzo: free to wonder at its treasures, observe its clandestine workings, and to devote herself to her own artistic pursuits. But when her older sister dies on the eve of her wedding to the ruler of Ferrara, Moderna and Regio, Lucrezia is thrust unwittingly into the limelight: the duke is quick to request her hand in marriage, and her father just as quick to accept on her behalf.

Having barely left girlhood behind, Lucrezia must now make her way in a troubled court whose customs are opaque and where her arrival is not universally welcomed. Perhaps most mystifying of all is her new husband himself, Alfonso. Is he the playful sophisticate he appeared to be before their wedding, the aesthete happiest in the company of artists and musicians, or the ruthless politician before whom even his formidable sisters seem to tremble?

As Lucrezia sits in constricting finery for a painting intended to preserve her image for centuries to come, one thing becomes worryingly clear. In the court’s eyes, she has one duty: to provide the heir who will shore up the future of the Ferranese dynasty. Until then, for all of her rank and nobility, the new duchess’s future hangs entirely in the balance.

Full of the drama and verve with which she illuminated the Shakespearean canvas of Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell brings the world of Renaissance Italy to jewel-bright life, and offers an unforgettable portrait of a resilient young woman’s battle for her very survival.

©2022 Maggie O'Farrell (P)2022 Penguin Random House Canada
Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction Marriage Renaissance Italy Wedding
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What the critics say

2023, Women's Prize for Fiction: Short-listed

“A vivid depiction of the harsh manners and rigid expectations for women within ducal courts in 16th-century Italy . . . O’Farrell is a marvelous stylist, and The Marriage Portrait is full of the same kinds of intense details that made Hamnet come alive. Her characters are captivating and believable, and the landscape of Renaissance Italy is a veritable gift to the senses, so powerfully does O’Farrell evoke the sights, sounds and smells of forest, castle and barnyard.” —BookPage [starred review]

"[A] poetically written, multilayered novel . . . O’Farrell creates another mesmerizing portrait of a Renaissance-era woman whose life is shrouded in mystery . . . Historical-fiction readers will love the cultural details, while Lucrezia’s plight speaks to modern themes of gaslighting and women’s agency . . . O’Farrell shines at instilling elegantly described scenes with human feeling, such as Lucrezia’s wedding preparations and her sense of inner strength while viewing the sunrise transform the sky at Alfonso’s country villa. The author proves equally skilled at evoking suspense." —Booklist [starred review]

“Finely detailed. . . . This beguiling tale of power, politics and one woman’s fight for agency is yet another masterpiece by the author of Hamnet.” —The Globe and Mail

What listeners say about The Marriage Portrait

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Great story

It’s a great historical story with an unexpected twist at the end. It’s a wonderful storyline but the narrator wasn’t great. You can hear her swallowing.

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Interesting…..

Although this book started off slowly, it was a very interesting story. I enjoyed this very much and will recommend to family and friends.

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Loved this book


This is excellent historical fiction, full of descriptions and details that bring the characters, the era, and the places to vivid life. It is compelling and beautifully written.

The narrator is, by far, the best of any I've listened to. Many narrators have a style that becomes distracting and pulls you out of the story, but Genevieve Gaunt creates the perfect mood and tone. I highly recommend The Marriage Portrait!

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Outstanding

I loved this retelling: the story is exquisitely structured, revealing just the right details in all the right order. Brava!

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interesting

I enjoyed this story and the narrator's voice. It is beautifully written.

I feel reading the book would have been easier to understand as the story goes back and forth in time and I was never quite sure when it would change from one to the other as the chapters changed.

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wait for it

I had difficulty maintaining my attention for the first half of the book, likely because I have little interest in this time in history when bloodlines mattered so, and society's role was to serve the few who were born into a family of importance, But the story developed beautifully to the last and best chapter, masterfully written throughout. The narration was perfect.

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Absolutely engrossing!

I have listened to 4 of her books and I am blown away by each one of them! The fact that this book is based on historical fact is another reason to appreciate her work. Her skill with words and the kind of storytelling she creates allows the listener to feel that the events are happening right before their eyes.

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Loved the voice of the reader

I love historical fiction and thought I would love this story. It is beautifully written, but is far too wordy much of the time. I enjoyed this book much less than I thought I would, however I really liked the performance and voice of the reader.

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Fascinating account

Gripping story told by an excellent narrator offers fascinating insight into the lives of Italian renaissance nobility.

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Intrigues at Court

At first the story seemed slow with lots of descriptions about everything but then it helped one envision the Court, paintings, countryside etc. As the story progressed it became more interesting and of course the intrigue in the last part of the book. A good listen(or read)!

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