kassi_kennedy's review against another edition
1.0
I found this book poorly written and edited and, at times, hard to follow. I fonud it difficult to pick out a plot and the reason was revealed at the end as the book was written to attempt to conceal one piece of information which the reader learns at the end of the story.
I'm happy to read books about characters that I don't like, I was unable to identify or see the humanity in the characters written. I don't know if they were flat characters or not though, as they were fully fleshed out with both positive and negative characteristics; I just didn't believe they existed the way I typically do when reading.
I'm happy to read books about characters that I don't like, I was unable to identify or see the humanity in the characters written. I don't know if they were flat characters or not though, as they were fully fleshed out with both positive and negative characteristics; I just didn't believe they existed the way I typically do when reading.
littlebitofe's review against another edition
4.0
First Reads winner...
Very well written historical fiction. The author is very detailed - which I always like. I had a hard time connecting to many of the characters, but overall enjoyed the story. I am not very familiar with Borgia history and this novel peaked my interest.
Very well written historical fiction. The author is very detailed - which I always like. I had a hard time connecting to many of the characters, but overall enjoyed the story. I am not very familiar with Borgia history and this novel peaked my interest.
sugaredroses's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I first read this book years ago in a library and it was my first introduction to the Borgia family, and I never found another copy to reread until recently. Based on the historical characters of the family and the people around them, the story is based mostly on gossip and conjecture, but it does make for a good read that stick with me for many years.
Content Warnings
Minor: Confinement, Abortion, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Grief, Child death, Incest, Abandonment, Murder, Miscarriage, and Infidelity
slime's review against another edition
3.0
Sins of the House of Borgia is the story of a young Jewish girl who, after fleeing prosecution in Spain, becomes a handmaiden for Lucrezia Borgia. Originally named Esther, she is eventually renamed Violante and falls in love with Cesare Borgia.
For the most part, I liked the book. It was really interesting to read about the Borgias, especially Lucrezia. While the author took some artistic license, there were a lot of historical details, and it seemed well-researched. The writing was very good; however, one thing that really bothered me was all of the sentence fragments. They're ok. Except when there are too many. Like this. Then it's annoying.
The title of the book isn't all that accurate. Yes, there is much written about both Lucrezia and Cesare; however, the rest of the family seems to be added in as an afterthought. Pope Alexander is hardly even mentioned, even though he is arguably the heart of all of the family's corruption. Also irritating is the main character herself. Violante, who used to be Donata, who used to be Esther... throughout the whole book, she never really does anything. She just allows things to happen to her, and hardly ever takes an active role. In fact, none of the characters are particularly sympathetic, though I guess that may have been the point of the novel.
All in all, I would read the book for the history, and not the story.
For the most part, I liked the book. It was really interesting to read about the Borgias, especially Lucrezia. While the author took some artistic license, there were a lot of historical details, and it seemed well-researched. The writing was very good; however, one thing that really bothered me was all of the sentence fragments. They're ok. Except when there are too many. Like this. Then it's annoying.
The title of the book isn't all that accurate. Yes, there is much written about both Lucrezia and Cesare; however, the rest of the family seems to be added in as an afterthought. Pope Alexander is hardly even mentioned, even though he is arguably the heart of all of the family's corruption. Also irritating is the main character herself. Violante, who used to be Donata, who used to be Esther... throughout the whole book, she never really does anything. She just allows things to happen to her, and hardly ever takes an active role. In fact, none of the characters are particularly sympathetic, though I guess that may have been the point of the novel.
All in all, I would read the book for the history, and not the story.
dreamofbookspines's review against another edition
3.0
I agree with another reviewer who called this book "laborious". I had trouble keeping characters straight or caring what happened to the heroine. In the beginning she was sympathetic but then it just got sad when she couldn't let go of the guy she was in love with, who was so clearly a shitbag.
The last 20% or so put me strongly in mind if The Red Tent, which would have been great if only this book hadn't been so damn long. I mostly just wanted to strangle the main character; she was whiny and, frankly, an idiot. I find unrequited love stories mainly a snorefest. Those that love that sort of plot would enjoy this sad sack pile of too much book.
The last 20% or so put me strongly in mind if The Red Tent, which would have been great if only this book hadn't been so damn long. I mostly just wanted to strangle the main character; she was whiny and, frankly, an idiot. I find unrequited love stories mainly a snorefest. Those that love that sort of plot would enjoy this sad sack pile of too much book.
carmenna's review against another edition
4.0
Ero un pò prevenuta verso questo romanzo, in quanto temevo che sarebbe stato l'ennesimo che avrebbe sfruttato la "leggenda" degli amori incestuosi di Lucrezia Borgia; una volta cominciata la lettura, tuttavia, ho davvero pensato di dovermi ricredere... fino a trenta pagine dalla fine, ahimè!
Ma andiamo con ordine.
La storia prende le mosse dalla cacciata degli ebrei dalla Spagna, a causa della quale la piccola Ester, narratrice del romanzo, arriverà a Roma, e diventerà poi la dama di compagnia favorita di Lucrezia Borgia ai tempi delle sue nozze con Alfonso d'Este, dopo la morte del secondo marito Alfonso di Bisceglie.
Il libro è scritto benissimo, la prosa è davvero incantevole, e le descrizioni di scene di corte, abiti e quant'altro sono minuziose. La figura di Lucrezia si avvicina molto a quella descritta da Maria Bellonci nel suo bellissimo saggio, e innumerevoli sono i personaggi storici che sfilano davanti ai nostri occhi, da Angela Borgia a Dorotea Caracciolo, da Caterina Sforza a Isabella d'Este. La storia d'Italia e il coinvolgimento dei Borgia in essa viene spesso, purtroppo, lasciata in secondo piano, ma evidentemente non ci troviamo di fronte ad un libro di storia.
Cinquecento pagine scorrono veloci, anche se il romanzo non è proprio privo di difetti, come l'inconsistenza del personaggio di Ester (ribattezzata prima Donata e poi Violante) o la poco coinvolgente storia della stessa ragazza con il duca Valentino, di sicuro non il mio personaggio preferito.
Evidentemente, però, la presunta -e a quanto pare falsa- relazione di Lucrezia con il fratello Cesare rappresentava una tentazione troppo grande per non essere colta, e così, con il suo inserimento a pochissime pagine dalla fine si rovina, secondo me, un romanzo godibile e il cui elemento di novità era rappresentato proprio dal non servirsi degli incesti di casa Borgia.
Senza contare che alla luce della "rivelazione" va riletta l'intera vicenda e la funzione stessa della protagonista Violante all'interno della storia.
Il finale è un pò affrettato e la parte centrale, con un Cesare Borgia onnipresente e una Lucrezia momentaneamente scomparsa dalla scena, può risultare lenta.
http://iltesorodicarta.blogspot.it/
Ma andiamo con ordine.
La storia prende le mosse dalla cacciata degli ebrei dalla Spagna, a causa della quale la piccola Ester, narratrice del romanzo, arriverà a Roma, e diventerà poi la dama di compagnia favorita di Lucrezia Borgia ai tempi delle sue nozze con Alfonso d'Este, dopo la morte del secondo marito Alfonso di Bisceglie.
Il libro è scritto benissimo, la prosa è davvero incantevole, e le descrizioni di scene di corte, abiti e quant'altro sono minuziose. La figura di Lucrezia si avvicina molto a quella descritta da Maria Bellonci nel suo bellissimo saggio, e innumerevoli sono i personaggi storici che sfilano davanti ai nostri occhi, da Angela Borgia a Dorotea Caracciolo, da Caterina Sforza a Isabella d'Este. La storia d'Italia e il coinvolgimento dei Borgia in essa viene spesso, purtroppo, lasciata in secondo piano, ma evidentemente non ci troviamo di fronte ad un libro di storia.
Cinquecento pagine scorrono veloci, anche se il romanzo non è proprio privo di difetti, come l'inconsistenza del personaggio di Ester (ribattezzata prima Donata e poi Violante) o la poco coinvolgente storia della stessa ragazza con il duca Valentino, di sicuro non il mio personaggio preferito.
Evidentemente, però, la presunta -e a quanto pare falsa- relazione di Lucrezia con il fratello Cesare rappresentava una tentazione troppo grande per non essere colta, e così, con il suo inserimento a pochissime pagine dalla fine si rovina, secondo me, un romanzo godibile e il cui elemento di novità era rappresentato proprio dal non servirsi degli incesti di casa Borgia.
Senza contare che alla luce della "rivelazione" va riletta l'intera vicenda e la funzione stessa della protagonista Violante all'interno della storia.
Il finale è un pò affrettato e la parte centrale, con un Cesare Borgia onnipresente e una Lucrezia momentaneamente scomparsa dalla scena, può risultare lenta.
http://iltesorodicarta.blogspot.it/
drey72's review against another edition
3.0
Sins of the House of Borgia is a story of a young girl who gets embroiled in a game of politics that opens her eyes to the seedy side of religion and costs her more than she can afford to lose. Her mother's dead. Her father sends her to serve as lady-in-waiting to the Pope's illegitimate daughter. She is baptized, renamed, and nicknamed. All that she has ever known, from her prayers to her meals, have changed.
Then she meets her mistress' brother Cesare, and loses her heart. And in doing so she dooms herself.
There are no redeeming characters in Sins of the House of Borgia. Violante is silly and immature, playing in waters too deep for her by far. Lucrezia Borgia is spoiled by her position as her father's daughter, and spends her days trying to secure her position as her husband's wife--not that it stops her from dallying with others. Cesare is wickedly rakish and unrepentant about it. And all of them have their part to play in the scheming intrigues of the Church.
Fans of Philippa Gregory's work around the English monarchy will love Sarah Bower's portrayal of this Renaissance family.
Then she meets her mistress' brother Cesare, and loses her heart. And in doing so she dooms herself.
There are no redeeming characters in Sins of the House of Borgia. Violante is silly and immature, playing in waters too deep for her by far. Lucrezia Borgia is spoiled by her position as her father's daughter, and spends her days trying to secure her position as her husband's wife--not that it stops her from dallying with others. Cesare is wickedly rakish and unrepentant about it. And all of them have their part to play in the scheming intrigues of the Church.
Fans of Philippa Gregory's work around the English monarchy will love Sarah Bower's portrayal of this Renaissance family.
jennp28's review against another edition
3.0
Ugh, this book took me over a month to read... It was interesting and I wanted to get into it but it was just such a slog.
casreadman's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
rabristow's review against another edition
3.0
I am definitely interested in reading more of the Borgias, I just think that Ms. Bower just didn't illustrate them as clearly as she could have. The events in the book were kind of confusing and the sense of time was entirely lost on me. I think that too much time was spent on Violante/Esther's obsession with Caesare and not enough explaining the historical events.
I think certain bits were done well, certain scenes, but I really felt that she could have done more with what she had.
I think certain bits were done well, certain scenes, but I really felt that she could have done more with what she had.