athenany's review against another edition
5.0
This book just yanked at my heart the whole time I was reading it. I love the intrigue and history of the era, and I'm a sucker for the kind of over-the-top, passionate love portrayed in this book. At first I was going to give it a 4, because there were a few parts that plodded along a bit. But when I was crying at the end I had to give it a 5.
harishwriter's review against another edition
5.0
I read Diane Heager's Courtesan and was spellbound. The Ruby Ring is even better.
A must-read for any historical fiction buff.
A must-read for any historical fiction buff.
amberinpieces's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fairly quick read about the Italian artist, Raphael Sanzio, and his young mistress and poor baker’s daughter, Margherita Luti during the sixteenth century. One day, a chance meeting in the street ignites Raphael’s interest in Margherita as his new model for the Madonna and perhaps as something a bit more. After great reluctance and the urging of her family, Margherita relents and becomes the model for many of Raphael’s Madonnas as well as his lover. He wishes to marry her but cannot because he is pre-contracted to the niece of a churchman so he continues their affair as he tries to find a way out of the contract without alienating his betrothed’s uncle and the pope.
The historical note in the book did not help me much in understanding how much of the story was fact, but Raphael was obviously a real painter and it does seem that Margherita Luti was indeed his mistress and that he intended to marry her. Unfortunately, I do not have much to say about this book. I did enjoy it and it incited all of the right emotions at the right times, but since I delayed the review because of the read-a-thon, I am having trouble capturing what I originally felt as I read it. Luckily, I took notes on some of the other books I read during the same time and it seems that is a practice I should engage in with all of the books I read in case I cannot review them right away.
The original review can be found here.
The historical note in the book did not help me much in understanding how much of the story was fact, but Raphael was obviously a real painter and it does seem that Margherita Luti was indeed his mistress and that he intended to marry her. Unfortunately, I do not have much to say about this book. I did enjoy it and it incited all of the right emotions at the right times, but since I delayed the review because of the read-a-thon, I am having trouble capturing what I originally felt as I read it. Luckily, I took notes on some of the other books I read during the same time and it seems that is a practice I should engage in with all of the books I read in case I cannot review them right away.
The original review can be found here.
mmz's review against another edition
3.0
Very little about this book rings true. Which is a shame, because it's a good story, but nearly every scene seems contrived and forced. A few of the scenes that actually deal with art and painting are better than others, but there are too few of those scenes. Once Raphael and Margherita get together, all of their interactions are much the same, with a few variations in words and emphasis. A potentially interesting addition to the painting-turned-novel genre, but not in the same league as some others.
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