By Joshua Kornfeld

“The Marriage Portrait” is an imaginative historical novel set in Renaissance Italy.

Using sparse details from the life of Lucrezia di Cosimo de’Medici d’Este, Duchess of Ferrara, and her relationship with her husband, the Duke of Ferrara, author Maggie O’Farrell weaves a harrowing story about the power dynamics and dangers faced by women in 16th-century Italy.

After the tragic death of her older sister, Lucrezia is rushed into a marriage to the Duke. She must navigate the transition between girlhood and adulthood prematurely and adjust to life in a new noble house, while facing that final question: Is her husband a caring and loving man, or is he trying to kill her? (Historical footnotes at the end of the book show that this was not an uncommon occurrence.) Lucrezia learns that her worth and security ultimately depend on her ability (or inability) to produce an heir.

O’Farrell’s florid writing style tells a harrowing and heartbreaking story that is somewhat reminiscent of her earlier work, Hamnet. True to its historical sources, The Marriage Portrait is tragic yet thrilling. Ultimately, it is a window into a world alien to the present day, although the damage that power does may seem familiar to the reader.

“The Marriage Portrait” will appeal to readers of historical novels, literary works, and tragic stories. Visit wcls.org to find “The Marriage Portrait” and other stories with similar themes.

“The Marriage Portrait” is the August selection for the Blaine Books and Bites book group. Come to Books and Bites at the Blaine Public Library on Friday, August 16th at 1 p.m. for a time of fellowship and lively conversation.

Jonathan Jakobitz is an avid reader and branch manager of the Blaine Public Library.