In the Company of the Courtesan
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'There is no more accomplished guide to Renaissance Italy than Sarah Dunant ...enthralling...will give the reader as much pleasure as Fiammetta does her clients' Daily Mail 'The best kind of historical novel...Dunant's story blends beauty and brutality
Product Description
1527. While the Papal city of Rome burns - brutally sacked by an invading army including Protestant heretics - two of her most interesting and wily citizens slip away, their stomachs churning on the jewels they have swallowed as the enemy breaks down their doors. Though almost as damaged as their beloved city, Fiammetta Bianchini and Bucino Teodoldi - a fabulous courtesan and her dwarf companion - are already planning their future. They head for the shimmering beauty of Venice, a honey pot of wealth and trade where they start to rebuild their business. As a partnership they are invincible: Bucino, clever with a sharp eye and a wicked tongue and Fiammetta, beautiful and shrewd, trained from birth to charm, entertain and satisfy men who have the money to support her. Venice, however, is a city which holds its own temptations. From the admiring Turk in search of human novelties for his Sultan's court, to the searing passion of a young lover who wants more than his allotted nights. But the greatest challenge comes from a young blind woman, a purveyor of health and beauty, who insinuates her way into their lives with devastating consequences for them all.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
When Rome is invaded in 1527 by a pillaging army of Spanish and German Lutheran troops, the high life is over for Fiammetta Bianchini, a beautiful, young, high ranking courtesan who could count Vatican Cardinals among her select clientele. Shorn of her hair and her riches looted bar a few gems she has managed to swallow, she escapes with Bucino, a dwarf in her employ, and together they travel to Venice, hoping to make their fortunes again.
As the great city of commerce during the height of its power and influence, Venice is the perfect location where the courtesan's business of sex is just another trade where clients are selected for their influence and mutual favours can be gained. Dunant writes well here, with the same easy readability and unostentatious sense of the period that made her Renaissance Florence setting of 'The Birth of Venus' such a delight. Blended into the story here are historical characters such as Titian and Aretino and fine details and information on the period, such as how the courtesans would attract clients at church and the reason why the convents were so full of the daughters of nobles in those days (to cut down on the number of expensive dowries and divisions of estates that would result from a marriage). All these kinds of details are relevant to the subject and not just thrown in for colour or to show off the amount of research done.
The real key to the book being so enjoyable is through the sympathetic charm, intelligence and wit of its narrator - the dwarf Bucino. His small stature gives us, quite literally, a unique perspective as an outsider on the grandeur of Rome and Venice, as well as his view of his Lady's affairs, which is not quite as dispassionate as he would like it to be. And it's same inability to remain impassive while looking in on the riches and beauty as well as the brutality and corruption of 16th Century Venice that draws the reader into the book and keeps them involved through to the last page.
As the great city of commerce during the height of its power and influence, Venice is the perfect location where the courtesan's business of sex is just another trade where clients are selected for their influence and mutual favours can be gained. Dunant writes well here, with the same easy readability and unostentatious sense of the period that made her Renaissance Florence setting of 'The Birth of Venus' such a delight. Blended into the story here are historical characters such as Titian and Aretino and fine details and information on the period, such as how the courtesans would attract clients at church and the reason why the convents were so full of the daughters of nobles in those days (to cut down on the number of expensive dowries and divisions of estates that would result from a marriage). All these kinds of details are relevant to the subject and not just thrown in for colour or to show off the amount of research done.
The real key to the book being so enjoyable is through the sympathetic charm, intelligence and wit of its narrator - the dwarf Bucino. His small stature gives us, quite literally, a unique perspective as an outsider on the grandeur of Rome and Venice, as well as his view of his Lady's affairs, which is not quite as dispassionate as he would like it to be. And it's same inability to remain impassive while looking in on the riches and beauty as well as the brutality and corruption of 16th Century Venice that draws the reader into the book and keeps them involved through to the last page.
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Last year I read Sarah Dunant's 'The Birth of Venus', it was my book of the year and I didn't want it to end. It was a hard act to follow and although I enjoyed 'In the Company of the Courtesan', it didn't quite reach the grade.
The book covered a lot of ground; from the ransacking of Rome in 1527, through the exile of the courtesan Fiammetta Bianchini and her dwarf companion, Bucino, to their eventual arrival in Venice and their subsequent struggles to establish themselves with little financial provision.
The characters are wonderful and beautifully described, as is the feel of the watery wonderland / slum that was Venice at the time. My main problem with the book were the passages of philosophical discussion on subjects such as the morals of prostitution and who is actually the sinner. Without these this would have been a masterpiece.
Sarah Dunant has established herself in the genre of historical fiction and I shall certainly be eagerly awaiting her next book.
The book covered a lot of ground; from the ransacking of Rome in 1527, through the exile of the courtesan Fiammetta Bianchini and her dwarf companion, Bucino, to their eventual arrival in Venice and their subsequent struggles to establish themselves with little financial provision.
The characters are wonderful and beautifully described, as is the feel of the watery wonderland / slum that was Venice at the time. My main problem with the book were the passages of philosophical discussion on subjects such as the morals of prostitution and who is actually the sinner. Without these this would have been a masterpiece.
Sarah Dunant has established herself in the genre of historical fiction and I shall certainly be eagerly awaiting her next book.
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
For many years Sarah Dunant presented the late show. She is also the author of seven crime novels and creator of her famous sleuth, Hannah Wolfe.
I found this book much, much more enjoyable than I expected it to be, so it was a really pleasant surprise. This is in no way a slight on the writing capabilities of the author, who has proved her calibre with several previous offerings. The problem was that initially the subject matter of the book did not really appeal to me, but my mind was soon changed.
The book is about life in Renaissance Italy and begins with the sacking of the eternal city of Rome by the armies of the Holy Roman Emperor and the subsequent journey of the courtesan Fiammetta Bianchini and her dwarf companion Bucino, as they leave Rome with their stomachs full of the jewels they have swallowed and head for the city of Venice. How they manage to infiltrate themselves into Venetian society.
Together they make the ideal partnership. On the one hand the quick witted and intelligent Bucino, on the other his mistress Fiammetta, a beautiful woman, trained in the art of entertaining and satisfying men who have the money to support her.
This is a story of desire, deception, sin, loyalty, in fact everything that men and women bring out in one another, sometimes with heartbreaking and devastating consequences. Beautifully written, sometimes witty, sometimes sad, but always interesting.
I found this book much, much more enjoyable than I expected it to be, so it was a really pleasant surprise. This is in no way a slight on the writing capabilities of the author, who has proved her calibre with several previous offerings. The problem was that initially the subject matter of the book did not really appeal to me, but my mind was soon changed.
The book is about life in Renaissance Italy and begins with the sacking of the eternal city of Rome by the armies of the Holy Roman Emperor and the subsequent journey of the courtesan Fiammetta Bianchini and her dwarf companion Bucino, as they leave Rome with their stomachs full of the jewels they have swallowed and head for the city of Venice. How they manage to infiltrate themselves into Venetian society.
Together they make the ideal partnership. On the one hand the quick witted and intelligent Bucino, on the other his mistress Fiammetta, a beautiful woman, trained in the art of entertaining and satisfying men who have the money to support her.
This is a story of desire, deception, sin, loyalty, in fact everything that men and women bring out in one another, sometimes with heartbreaking and devastating consequences. Beautifully written, sometimes witty, sometimes sad, but always interesting.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Wonderful !!
Great read. Very different and intriguing. The characters are wonderful. Beautifully written. No wasted words and the author really transports you to a fascinating time in history... Read more
Published 3 months ago by E. S. Cook
Bold and daring
Venice has always been a place that held a special fascination for me. I've never visited there, unfortunately, but I've always meant to go one day. Why, you might ask? Read more
Published 4 months ago by W.M.M. van der Salm-Pallada
Great quality, speedy service
Despite being advertised as used, this product was as good as brand new. It reached me in good condition and within a reasonable time. Thankyou
Published 15 months ago by rayray
Sarah Dunat knows how to write!
I absolutely loved this book! I had never heard of Sarah Dunat before purchasing it but now I'm a follower! She really knows how to make history interesting.
Published 16 months ago by Brandy in spain
My type of book
Loved this. It has a cracking opening where we are plunged right into the midst of the terror of the sacking of Rome by Imperial troops. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Blencathra
VERY EVOCATIVE WRITING.
I enjoyed this book a lot. If I have a criticism it is this. The story begins with the sacking of Rome. Read more
Published on 21 May 2010 by ANITA
bringing venice alive
Like all Sarah Dunant's novels, this is a story first and foremost, and an involving and gripping one. Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2009 by Dr. Am Houghton
Great background... but where's the plot?
I was really looking forward to reading this and the first couple of chapters were great: well-researched, interesting character in Fiammetta, good writing. Read more
Published on 12 April 2009 by Roman Clodia
Very satisfying historical novel
This was chosen by a member of my reading group and was enjoyed by everyone. In fact it was voted our best read of the year! Read more
Published on 11 Aug 2008 by hiljean
Tragic but entertaining
This is a very good book. It is well-written in my opinion. The history is fascinating as are the characters of the dwarf and the courtesan. Read more
Published on 22 April 2008 by love reading
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