In The Company Of The Courtesan

I always struggle with books written in the first person and I usually avoid them because I think they limit the character develop of others.While it is very well researched, there are pages and pages of descriptions, philosphical musings, artistic explanations, there is just not much dialogue and not much of a story.I loved her books on the Borgias's. Now there was character development and dialogue that made the telling riveting even though I knew what happened. This book misses all that and it's really hard to care what happens to the characters.

Sarah Dunant has cracked the conundrum of taking a reader back to a time and place utterly remote from our own experiences and yet making it familair by dint of very human characters and a good story line. Her discription of Rennaissance Italy and the Courtesan's trade are gripping and she captures a society where everyone has an eye not so much to their own advantage as their own survival. With the possible exception of the Muslim Turkish ambassador. There is a twist in the plot that you can spot- at least the first one - if not the second, which brings the book to a conclusion. Take this on holiday with you or a long plane journey you will not be disappointed.

Usually like This author but found this novel just run out of steam and was a little disappointed.

I absolutely loved Sarah Dunant's 'Sacred Hearts', set in a medieval convent. This is just as well written, but the subject matter didn't grip quite as much as the description of the 'scientist' in Sacred Hearts, who has difficulties with the rigidity of convent life.Oddly, the racier content here seemed less enthralling. Still - a very good book, by an excellent writer.

As described