Recent Reads {The Scarlet Contessa}

The Scarlet Contessa by Jeanne Kalogridis - I've read at least one other book by Kalogridis and had high expectations for this one. After all, it's supposed to be a novelization of the life of Caterina Sforza, an intriguing woman warrior of the Italian Renaissance, and one of the few who challenged the Borgia family. However, I found the book difficult to get into. The story is told by Dea, Caterina's lady-in-waiting and spends far more time on this fictional character than on anything really insightful on Caterina or the other historical characters until nearly halfway through. In many places it reads more like a cheap bodice-ripper that just happens to be set in the household of a historical figure, and very few of those lascivious "bedroom" scenes had any import to the story itself. Dea has the gift of being able to read the tarot cards (or triumph cards, as they were apparently called during that time), has prophetic visions, and has a special talent for reading and memorizing ciphers as well, so there is also a great focus on mysticism and magic throughout, including many over-the-top foreshadowing visions. There are few characters to sympathize with or even like very much, and Caterina was a widow well into the second half of the book before I found any redeeming qualities in her. Mostly she is portrayed as a selfish, scheming, cold-hearted and promiscuous spoiled snob. The Borgias, the Medicis, and Niccolo Macchiavelli all make appearances in the story.

Not the page-turner I was expecting, and it really took until the final chapter before I was truly interested in the political intrigues.

By the same author: The Devil's Queen

(Book #11 in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge)

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