I really enjoyed this book. It's reignited my enthusiasm for historical fiction. Costanza's strength came through beautifully and the authors prose throughout the book was lovely and fluid, so made the book an easy and engaging read. Thank you for the opportunity of reading this ARC!

4.5 stars. This is exquisite.

Historical fiction is not even one of my favourite genres. I believe it is challenging to strike a balance between a sense of realism and sustain the suspension of disbelief and reinvent a story out of written and well-documented history. But history is written from certain perspectives, and can never be fully known, hence it is part fragmented, incomplete, subjective and inaccurate. In that case, what matters more is a close-enough sense of the period told. I challenged myself with reading this book and it is much more than historical fiction.

It is a feminist story; the story of real-life Costanza Piccolimini told from her perspective. Is she a fallen woman? Is she shaped by her encounter with the Bernini bros? Or is she her authentic self; a fierce woman with agency, competence, resilience and skills?

My most favourite aspect was Blackmore’s vivid style and how she made Costanza come alive. Her inner thoughts and psyche, her stance in life and her realisations, and the brutal context of the times were executed very well. I liked Costanza. Then, the shape of this book was great too. It looks long but it flows, and the chapters are a perfect length each. My least favourite aspect was the ending and the events in the last few chapters, but the epilogue, and the last few sentences by Costanza were amazing.

I am expecting this book to get high ratings and that would definitely be well-deserved. It is beautifully written, Costanza as a character very observant, I really liked her... And yet, this book is not for me. All those men being obnoxious, I couldn't get past that - despite it probably being very near reality.

Making me wonder: can a book be too good written?

I like reading history novels but usually more about British history, especially the Tudors, as they are mad as a box of frogs. Therefore, I didn't know much about this time period and had to Google the protagonists..

Costanza Piccolomini was a 17th century Italian woman living in Rome. She was married at 18, fell in love with a much older sculptor, Lorenzo Bernini, at 22 and also had liasions with his younger brother Luigi. We don't know much about this relationship so the author uses her creative licence to make it non-consensual.

Both brothers were probably typical of the time but are the worst kind of men available - arrogant, egotistical, obsessively jealous, violent and misogynistic. Her husband is the only kind guy in the book, but both Bernini brothers are really bad news - red flag Central as we would say today. One brother uses coercive control, the other rapes her, then the first one orders her face to be slashed in retaliation for her perceived infidelity. (To which a Vatican representative actually says "Boys will be boys.") Back then, women were seen as either Madonna or whore, and after the attack Costanza is forcibly removed from her home and imprisoned in a nun's convent where she has to wash linen all day long, together with other "fallen women". This part is so full of misery that it's really hard to read. She eventually makes it back to her husband and the rest of her life is much better, not that we get to read much about that.

It is very clear that the author uses this story to (rightfully) rail against toxic men. She says in an afterword that she snapped after a vigil for Sarah Everard who was killed by a police officer during lockdown. I absolutely believe that 17th century (and other centuries) men often behaved appallingly because everyone told them of their God-given superiority, and it makes me quite furious to read how little women were respected. However, I can't help but think that the author uses this story to make her point with a sledgehammer, and it makes the story very uncomfortable to read, as it's so miserable. Women say things like
"We are here to bear babies, keep the house and our personages nice, and cause as little wifely grief as possible. That is our pact. For this, men love us well. For what more is needed in life?"
And
"Good women do as their husbands, and the Church, bid."
And men say things like
"I want a wife who is docile and pure, prudent, has no cunning side, beautiful but not vain, of an easy-going nature and such kindness – such capacity for hard work – she is called a gift sent from heaven."
And
"A woman’s self-respect," he had answered, trying not to be irritated by his sister, "lies in her ability to tolerate her husband’s imperfections. However great they may be. Catherine will not have an opinion. I am the master and I make the decisions in this house."

You could basically summarise the plot with this quote:
"My brother would rather destroy you than let you go."

The book is well-written and as well researched as possible when you have not much to work with but maybe I'll keep to #metoo novels about Henry VIII in future. The story is an important one, and it's good to get the woman's perspective but I basically slogged through it, hoping for the sweet release of death, just like Costanza.