I adored this book and it remains as one of my favourite reads of 2023.

O’Farrell’s writing is just exquisite, it is rich in texture and depth. I was on tenterhooks for most of the book, I thought the structure in timelines worked really well to build the suspense and intensity in the novel.

Seriously brilliant and I’ve personally recommended it to many people.

I loved this story. This is a spellbinding and compelling narrative. This is beautifully written. It’s a family about love and family. A great historical fiction

Maggie O’Farrell is a writer whose work I was sucked into due to the hype surrounding her. I’d seen countless reviews of Hamnet before finally picking up my own copy and tearing through it though I was left feeling a little underwhelmed. I was intrigued though by this offering of hers and enjoyed it much more. It’s dynamic and her writing style is immersive and captivating

The Marriage Portrait – Maggie O’Farrell (Tinder Press, August 2022)
Maggie O’Farrell’s latest novel was never going to live up to Hamnet for me, but it is still very deserving of a spot on this list! It tells the story of Lucrezia de’ Medici who married Alfonso, Duke of Ferrara, when she was just thirteen, and explores the circumstances of her suspicious young death.

🇮🇹 Italian Renaissance
🗡️ A plot to kill
🐅 A special connection to a locked-up tigress

I loooooved this book! Brilliant brilliant. Everyone’s obsessed with committing to hamlet but they’re so different and great in their own ways. So excited to keep following this author!

a spectacular story from one of the queens of fiction - what a treat to read. Every book she reads is so different from the one before and so full of imagination and passion. in The Marriage Portrait, 15 year old Lucrezia de Medici is married to Alfonso II d’ Este Duke of Ferrari. Just a year later she dies; and the Marriage Portrait is the story of what happened in that year. Poor Lucrezia is not cut out for court life, she is happier in nature or with her faithful nurse, but that's not the life she is allowed to live, as first her father and then her husband take her power and make all the decisions.
The story is brimming with Renaissance Florence detail and colour, you can feel life happening around you, the sights, sounds and smells pour off the page.
Another triumph from Maggie O'Farrell! An easy 5 star read

The Marriage Portrait ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Winter, 1561. Lucrezia, the young Duchess of Ferrara, is taken on an unexpected visit to a country fortress by her husband, Alfonso. As they sit down to dinner it occurs to Lucrezia that Alfonso has a sinister purpose in bringing her here. He intends to kill her.’

Well, just as I thought I had my top reads of the year sorted this stunning read comes along!!

I’d not read any of her books before and so wasn’t sure what to expect but it certainly wasn’t this! The pace is exquisitely slow, which in this case was fine by me as it gave me the chance to savour every word!

I love historical fiction but am usually drawn to the WW2 era, this has really opened my eyes that I need to keep broadening my horizons.

While I found a lot to admire in this book - the descriptions of people and places especially I never warmed to the book or the subject.
For me it felt like a piece of art that I could look at but not touch, I also felt that controlling husband and people's insights into his behaviour were a bit 21st century rather than being realistic to the setting of the book.

I enjoyed this book but not as much as others I have read by this author. Perhaps, after Hamnet my hopes were just unrealistically high. I did love her descriptions, they really made me feel I was there. As a one time student of Renaissance art Lucrezia being a painter didn’t ring true for me, female painters were incredibly rare. I enjoyed O’Farrell’s rich prose that ran through this book, it felt more ornate than in previous outings.
I liked this book just perhaps not as much as I expected.

I loved Maggie's descriptions of Florence and the claustrophobia of Lucrezia's life in the Uffizi. I felt whisked away to 16th century Italy. There was an undercurrent of tension throughout the whole book, building to an exciting climax. It was a pleasure to see into the mind of Lucrezia and Maggie has made her a fascinating character. I thought this was expertly done, as ever, and I look forward to whatever Maggie Farrell comes up with next.

4.5 stars

One of the reasons I enjoy historical fiction so much is because it brings the past to life in a way no textbook ever could. And O’Farrell, with her meticulous research and dazzling gift for reimagining people and events, does this better than most.

In The Marriage Portrait, O’Farrell transports us to renaissance Florence and the court of Cosimo de’ Medici, whose 16 year-old daughter Lucrezia is married off to Duke Alfonso d’Este in what is a politically advantageous match for both families. The story opens a year into the marriage, with Lucrezia, having failed to produce an heir, convinced her husband intends to kill her.

The sweeping narrative that follows takes us back to Lucrezia‘s childhood and the events that led up to her current situation.

As always, O’Farrell’s prose is sumptuously evocative, giving richness and depth to her depiction of courtly 16th century life: the authoritarian power, the ostentatious wealth, the whimsical accoutrements. All of which stands in stark contrast to the careless brutality and misogyny.

Equally vivid is O’Farrell’s characterization of Lucrezia, who even as a child refuses to mould herself to the expectations of her position. She’s curious and quick-witted, strong-willed and fiercely intelligent, and above all an extraordinarily talented artist.

The question is, does she have the wherewithal to outwit her scheming husband?

It’s fair to say that I found this a fascinating and totally immersive read. I adore O’Farrell’s writing style. It’s so beautifully expressive; vibrant, luscious and mellifluous, but at the same time never, ever, overdone.

I had to keep reminding myself that these were actual historical figures and events I was reading about. Reimagined, yes, but still based on known facts, as O’Farrell outlines in her illuminating afterword.

Highly recommended for all historical fiction fans.

Probably 3.5* but nevertheless, a rating I feel very guilty about, considering Maggie O'Farrell is one of my favourite writers, and has been for years and years.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. I was extremely excited to receive a copy, but sadly, The Marriage Portrait missed the mark for me. It is written in the delicious prose that O'Farrell is known for, but for me, the plot and emotional depth was lacking. The Browning poem that inspired the book held so much promise, and bizarrely, tells me more about Alfonso, the male protagonist of the story, than the 450 odd pages of the book. Maybe I needed to hear more from Alfonso, and wanted O'Farrell to delve deeper into his dark and twisted psyche. I failed to connect with Lucrezia either, and again, I think I wanted more from her too.

It is a fascinating story and the time and the setting were incredibly convincing and evocative, and I leave the book knowing more about that period of history, which is obviously a good thing. There are many redeeming qualities that I can reflect on, and make me question whether I am being unjust in my feedback. The ending held me captivated, and the marriage portrait segment was handled very well (despite being purely fictitious). However, the book took me some time to read and I simply didn't feel inspired to pick it up, and my overall impression is one of disappointment. I am sorry Maggie! I will still rush to read your next novel...

There's something about the warm familiarity of O'Farrell's writing. I know there is a good story awaiting me in the pages of her work and this was no exception. Whilst it is a privilege to have favourites from a writer and this sadly isn't one of them but it doesn't stop the pure enjoyment. O'Farrell has woven together a fascinating story from a piece of history to which I wasn't aware, it has been so enjoyable discovering renaissance Italy and learning more about how paintings from this time were crafted. I love O'Farrell's attention to historical detail as well as being witness to where her imagination takes her when faced with these pieces of history. A delightful read.

Maggie O’Farrell has followed up her best-selling and award-winning 2020 novel ‘Hamnet’, which examined the short life of Shakespeare’s son, with another work of historical fiction. ‘The Marriage Portrait’ also uncovers an unsung figure from the Sixteenth Century. This time, her story is set in Italy, and it follows the life and early death of Lucrezia de’ Medici, a daughter of the ruler of Tuscany, who was married off to Alfonso II, the Duke of Ferrara, when she was only thirteen‘

The Marriage Portrait’ is a beautifully-written and compelling work of historical fiction, and in Lucrezia de’ Medici, O’Farrell has created a memorable and well-rounded protagonist. The novel will appeal to readers who enjoy domestic portraits in period settings, and sensitive explorations of young women’s lives

Another absolute wonder by Maggie O’Farrell. Historical fiction at its best, just like Hamnet.
A teenage girl is panicked, knowing her husband is planning to killer. Despite this, she’s a wonderful character, strong willed, determined and artistic. A real page turner. Highly recommend.

Exquisite detail, rich, evocative and so compelling. I’ve read Maggie O’Farrell since After You’d Gone, which broke me in two, and never thought anyone would be able to keep writing such stunning novels, but I think this is the crowning glory so far. THE book of the year so far for me.

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell is a historical novel that is a reimagining of the life and marriage of Lucrezia de’ Medici.

3.5/5

Often, when I read literary/historical fiction like this, I feel enormously stupid. Like I'm missing some subtext beneath the words that are actually being presented to me. I felt mildly less stupid reading 'The Marriage Portrait'. Examining the unnamed figure referred to in 'My Last Duchess', this novel follows the literal child who gets married off to a Duke in 16th century Italy.

The book is very atmospheric. If you liked the weaving of the world in Hamnet, you're going to be absolutely fine here. And I read this book very quickly - it's a very readable book. O'Farrell clearly excels in these reimagining of historical contexts, draping it with more metaphors than you can shake a stick at. And it's certainly an interesting read.

I feel exhausted by the misogyny, man. I know, it's a historical book, it's hardly going to be the most progressive thing in the world. But the intense verbal abuse scenes, the murder of the wife, just the endless mind games - I felt like I was going to be sick. Maybe it's a good thing because it shows how skilled O'Farrell is at crafting the realities of this world. But also - I'm kind of sick of reading about this. I'm so tired.

Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres and although this is my first book by Maggie O'Farrell that I have read it will not be my last.

The plight of Lucrezia de Medici, the 5th child of the great Cosimo, is brought to life in these pages. It flits between her early life and then to when she becomes the wife of Alfonso of Ferrara. She feels certain that she will be poisoned by her husband. Her husband appears to be two completely different men. She cannot believe that he is capable of dreadful things but perhaps he is.

The Marriage Portrait is a dazzling evocation of the Italian Renaissance in all its beauty and brutality. The author manages to infuse a thoroughly evocative atmosphere into a page-turner plot.