This sweeping historical novel tells the dramatic tale of that most intriguing of Renaissance women, Lucrezia Borgia.
The Borgia Bride
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'from sexual passion to mortal danger, the dramatic shift of real historical events will keep the reader turning the pages.'
Philippa Gregory
'corset-busting escapism… Perfect for a naughty weekend in Rome.'
The Sunday Times Travel Magazine
Book Description
Incest. Poison. Betrayal. Three wedding presents for the Borgia bride...
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
111 of 112 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I started this book first thing one morning and before I knew it it was 4pm and I was nearing the end!!!! Yes, it really is one of those books that you can't physically put down. The Borgia Bride tells the story of Sancha of Aragon who married into the Borgia family by way of Jofre Borgia. She left her native Naples and ended up in Rome living alongside the famous Borgia clan comprising Rodrigo Borgia (Pope Alexander IV), the infamous Lucrezia Borgia, as well as her husbands brothers, Cesare and Juan who were both to take parts in her life. The authors portrayal of each and every character is incredible and you can really see the settings in your mind's eye. The story really goes full steam ahead when Sancha falls passionately in love with Cesare Borgia, a man she believes is perfect but unfortunately for her, her initial beliefs could not be further from the truth!!! It is in fact the author's portrayal of Lucrezia Borgia which I particularly liked, instead of portraying her as the black widow and evil woman she is usually portrayed as, Lucrezia is shown to be at times simply a political and sexual puppet for her father and brother Cesare. The plot is heart wrenching, gut wrenching, and at times so full of suspense you will find yourself holding your breath. An amazing must read book!!
55 of 58 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I was looking forward to reading this but admit to being a little disappointed in this book. It charts part of the life of Sanchia of Aragon, the illegitimate princess of Naples who married into the notorious Borgia family. It brings to life the scandalous nature of the Borgias, particularly the alleged incestuous relationship between Lucrezia and her father Alexander VI and her brother (and Sanchia's lover) Cesare Borgia. However, the author has chosen to ignore some of the more scandalous facets to Sanchia's character, such as the alleged number of her pre-marital affairs, limiting these to one, and suggests that the only extra-martial love affair was with Cesare Borgia. Sanchia is not as politically scheming as she has been described, although it is pleasant for the protangonist to be someone other than a Borgia in a work of fiction about them. However, this is essentially the problem; the novel is supposed to be about Sanchia but it is actually about the Borgias. This is reinforced when the book ends prematurely (at the fall of the Borgias) and does not detail the remaining years of Sanchia's life, save a brief mention in a postscript to the novel. This feels unsatisfactory as throughout the novel the drama unfolds through Sanchia's eyes but there is no real sense of what Sanchia's conclusion is. It is a well paced and dramatic novel and is very easy to read - I finished it in a couple of days. However, as the book purports to tell Sanchia's story in her own voice, I anticipated a greater attempt to explain her reactions and emotions to the events as they unfolded. Sanchia's love for her younger brother is well developed, but her initial love / lust for Cesare is relatively unexplained and her sudden switching to hate for him lacks the sort of heartache I expected.... Read more ›
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful
By J. Takata
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
If you like Phillipa Gregory - with a mix of sex, murder and politics - this is the book for you. Even if historical fiction is not generally your cup of tea, this book will keep you captivated.
The Borgias had always fascinated me with the sensational and often gruesome traces they had left in history - and none more so than Cesare Borgia. That is why I had picked up this book, hoping to gain a deeper understanding of Cesare and the rest of his family from a fiction perspective. I must say that overall, I was not disappointed. As can be seen from the afterword, the author had done her research very well. The Borgias are an enigmatic family - there is little known about the dynasty, save for the few scandalous facts which the author had used to create her scandalous story.
From the beginning the novel was mesmerising; compelling the reader to blindly keep turning the pages even through the night (I had managed to finish the novel in 2 days in between school) - finishing with a gripping finale. The atmosphere the author had built up sucks you in, succeeding in transporting you back to 16th century Italy.
However, I did knock off one star because of the few things that nagged me throughout the novel. First, the explicit sex scenes - though it adds to the whole 'sensational' aspect of the story it was altogether too graphic and degraded the novel. For this reason I cannot readily recommend the book to others as the sexual references can be downright embarrassing. Some parts of the novel I felt were distinctly mediocre, reading like a Hollywood melodrama or elaborate erotica.
Another point was the lack of buildup between Cesare and Sancha - after waiting pages and pages for Cesare to appear, they fall too quickly into love.... Read more ›
The Borgias had always fascinated me with the sensational and often gruesome traces they had left in history - and none more so than Cesare Borgia. That is why I had picked up this book, hoping to gain a deeper understanding of Cesare and the rest of his family from a fiction perspective. I must say that overall, I was not disappointed. As can be seen from the afterword, the author had done her research very well. The Borgias are an enigmatic family - there is little known about the dynasty, save for the few scandalous facts which the author had used to create her scandalous story.
From the beginning the novel was mesmerising; compelling the reader to blindly keep turning the pages even through the night (I had managed to finish the novel in 2 days in between school) - finishing with a gripping finale. The atmosphere the author had built up sucks you in, succeeding in transporting you back to 16th century Italy.
However, I did knock off one star because of the few things that nagged me throughout the novel. First, the explicit sex scenes - though it adds to the whole 'sensational' aspect of the story it was altogether too graphic and degraded the novel. For this reason I cannot readily recommend the book to others as the sexual references can be downright embarrassing. Some parts of the novel I felt were distinctly mediocre, reading like a Hollywood melodrama or elaborate erotica.
Another point was the lack of buildup between Cesare and Sancha - after waiting pages and pages for Cesare to appear, they fall too quickly into love.... Read more ›
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Neasa
Format:Paperback
I picked up this book on the basis of a lot of positive reviews and have rarely been so underwhelmed, despite the fact that this is a period of history and a set of characters which I find particularly fascinating.
The author is presented with a fantastic readymade story, and somehow fails to make a compelling novel out of. The best part of the book was the prologue, which doesn't even gel with the story in retrospect. The main character is a cardboard cut-out of a modern woman in Renaissance Italy. The author seems unsure who her villains are from one chapter to the next. I'm all in favour of complex characters, but characters whose motivations and behaviour seem to conflict and contradict one another are confused rather than complex. I would be unlikely to read this author again.
The author is presented with a fantastic readymade story, and somehow fails to make a compelling novel out of. The best part of the book was the prologue, which doesn't even gel with the story in retrospect. The main character is a cardboard cut-out of a modern woman in Renaissance Italy. The author seems unsure who her villains are from one chapter to the next. I'm all in favour of complex characters, but characters whose motivations and behaviour seem to conflict and contradict one another are confused rather than complex. I would be unlikely to read this author again.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent easy read
Excellent historical novel, if you like Phillipa Gregory you will love Jeanne Kalogridis.
I will be reading more of this ladies books.
I will be reading more of this ladies books.
Published 4 days ago by Miss NL Newman
4.0 out of 5 stars
Passionate historical with dramatic conflicts
A great tale, rich in historical detail and deals well with a little known member - by marriage - of the Borgia family. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Kelly Stringfellow
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent!!
This is the second book I have now read by this author, I find her work captivating. I found it impossible to put my kindle down, and read the book in 2 days. Read more
Published 1 month ago by amanda mccosh
3.0 out of 5 stars
A good Renaissance story
Great story for who loves a good Renaissance story, but it's quite long. be prepared to spend afew weeks reading it.
Published 1 month ago by JULES
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulous!!!
It is 6:49 am and I have been awake all night, enthralled, enchanted and bewitched by this book. So much so, that I have read it through, only stopping to eat my dinner!! Read more
Published 1 month ago by Hailz
4.0 out of 5 stars
Intersting and Absorbing read......
I loved the historical detail and descrptions of Italy in this book. It was very enjoyable and I couldn't put it down.
Published 1 month ago by Mrs Paula M Dunlop
5.0 out of 5 stars
WOW
I am definitely one for a brilliant historical novel, and it knocked my socks off. I was so happy to have come across and read this book, cannot fault it. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Little Miss Bookworm
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting plot
It was an interesting story and fascinating period of history. I enjoyed the book but did not like the style of writing. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Melinda Lansdall
4.0 out of 5 stars
Borgiamania
Enjoyed it very much, was well researched and characters were well drawn and story was well thought out. Great author.
Published 2 months ago by bigpete
5.0 out of 5 stars
Digital Borgias
Havent read this book yet but the delivery was excellent and rapid, looking forward to reading it. Would certainly recommend.
Published 3 months ago by Mrs. D. E. Patton
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