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beiyunliu's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
cupiscent's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
This was as interesting and fun as I was expecting. I think I came to this via extra-reading bibliography in Guy Gavriel Kay's recent novels, because some of the people and events recounted in here seemed very familiar, but this was also abutting various other historical and intellectual areas of interest (hello to Machiavelli, to Brunelleschi, to Medicis and Borgias, to Charles V and of course to Venice).
I also, amusingly, ran into my husband's Guicciardini-inspired dislike of the Sforzas, and many discussions were had about their perfidy (in inviting the French into the clusterfuck that was Italy at the time) versus the sheer seething mess in general. Honestly, this book gave excellent incidental context for why Machiavelli might have written The Prince, because Jesus everloving fuck, guys, can you just try? Just a little? Yikes.
Anyway, this sometimes felt a little overly starry-eyed or even hagiographic about Caterina, who was surely a lady who lived hard and boldly and sometimes not with her best reasoning, but who was also surely a fascinating figure, both at the time and now.
I also, amusingly, ran into my husband's Guicciardini-inspired dislike of the Sforzas, and many discussions were had about their perfidy (in inviting the French into the clusterfuck that was Italy at the time) versus the sheer seething mess in general. Honestly, this book gave excellent incidental context for why Machiavelli might have written The Prince, because Jesus everloving fuck, guys, can you just try? Just a little? Yikes.
Anyway, this sometimes felt a little overly starry-eyed or even hagiographic about Caterina, who was surely a lady who lived hard and boldly and sometimes not with her best reasoning, but who was also surely a fascinating figure, both at the time and now.
geoffsegal67's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
soapdish14's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
ladyhighwayman's review against another edition
4.0
A readable biography about a truly fascinating woman.
Caterina Sforza was the illegitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan and Lucrezia Landriani. As was usual of illegitimate children of the time, Caterina grew up in her father's home, raised by her stepmother Bona of Savoy.
I could be here all day telling you all the amazing – and sometimes ruthless – things Caterina did. She was married three times and gave birth to nine children. In 1484, while seven months pregnant, Caterina occupied the fortress of Castel Sant'Angelo after Pope Sixtus IV (her husband's uncle) died. She did this in order to guarantee safety and security to her family.
I admire how Caterina often stuck to her guns, even with a couple of ungrateful children, and then having the Borgias breathing down her neck – it was around this time that she gained the nickname Il Tigre. And after a tumultuous life, including being imprisoned, Caterina was able to have some peace with her children and experimenting with her hobby of alchemy. However, it didn't last long. She contracted pneumonia and died at the age of 46.
This biography of the great Caterina Sforza was, as I said, very readable. It wasn't stuffy at all, and the pages just flew by. Anyone interested in the Italian Renaissance and fierce historical women shouldn't be disappointed.
cindie's review against another edition
4.0
I’m watching Tom Fontana’s series Borgia: Faith and Fear, and can’t help but wish they’d get around to the Sforza family. I know they must, sooner or later, but I’m impatient. Ever since I finished Showtime’s The Borgias, I’m on a major Sforza kick. So when I saw that there was a biography about Caterina Sforza, I didn’t hesitate to download Elizabeth Lev’s The Tigress of Forli.
Gina McKee played Caterine Sforza on the Showtime series, and I fell in love with her character. She was strong and passionate, but to a fault. She was portrayed as the enemy (the show focuses on the Borgias, after all), but also with sympathy. I was looking forward to reading her biography to see how the writing of her character stacked up. The answer: for what they covered, it was pretty good.
Caterina Sforza was a strong, independent woman in a time where women were rarely strong and independent (sort of like The Widow Clicquot, I must have a thing for ladies-before-their-time). While, throughout her life, her family used her as a political pawn, she was determined to create her own destiny, and that’s the theme that runs through The Tigress of Forli.
Lev may emphasize her strength and skills, but she doesn’t shy away from her faults either: extensive parts are devoted to her shortsightedness, and the consequences of following her heart rather than her head. For this reason in particular, the biography seems pretty objective. Unlike Clicquot, whose early life is almost a mystery, Caterina Sforza was a force to be reckoned with from an early age; her correspondence, movements and relationships are well documented and Lev is generous with the source material.
Before reading The Tigress of Forli, I didn’t know much about Sforza except for her brush with Pope Alexander. After? Gosh, I think I appreciate her even more. Sure, she made some mistakes, but her strength, wit, intelligence and horseback-riding skills make her pretty admirable. Even though Lev doesn’t necessarily aim to make her a sympathetic heroine, Sforza’s actions are enough to speak on their own.
It’s not a long read, and it moves fairly quickly as Sforza’s life rarely provided dull moments to trudge through. If you enjoy biographies, the Renaissance, or plain old-fashioned girl-power, it’s worth checking out.
(Originally posted to my blog Mark It Read, copied/pasted for Goodreads).
Gina McKee played Caterine Sforza on the Showtime series, and I fell in love with her character. She was strong and passionate, but to a fault. She was portrayed as the enemy (the show focuses on the Borgias, after all), but also with sympathy. I was looking forward to reading her biography to see how the writing of her character stacked up. The answer: for what they covered, it was pretty good.
Caterina Sforza was a strong, independent woman in a time where women were rarely strong and independent (sort of like The Widow Clicquot, I must have a thing for ladies-before-their-time). While, throughout her life, her family used her as a political pawn, she was determined to create her own destiny, and that’s the theme that runs through The Tigress of Forli.
Lev may emphasize her strength and skills, but she doesn’t shy away from her faults either: extensive parts are devoted to her shortsightedness, and the consequences of following her heart rather than her head. For this reason in particular, the biography seems pretty objective. Unlike Clicquot, whose early life is almost a mystery, Caterina Sforza was a force to be reckoned with from an early age; her correspondence, movements and relationships are well documented and Lev is generous with the source material.
Before reading The Tigress of Forli, I didn’t know much about Sforza except for her brush with Pope Alexander. After? Gosh, I think I appreciate her even more. Sure, she made some mistakes, but her strength, wit, intelligence and horseback-riding skills make her pretty admirable. Even though Lev doesn’t necessarily aim to make her a sympathetic heroine, Sforza’s actions are enough to speak on their own.
It’s not a long read, and it moves fairly quickly as Sforza’s life rarely provided dull moments to trudge through. If you enjoy biographies, the Renaissance, or plain old-fashioned girl-power, it’s worth checking out.
(Originally posted to my blog Mark It Read, copied/pasted for Goodreads).
trejondunkley's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
4.0