The Marriage Portrait

A Novel

By: Maggie O'Farrell

Narrated by: Genevieve Gaunt, Maggie O'Farrell

Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION FINALIST • REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • The author of award-winning Hamnet brings the world of Renaissance Italy to jewel-bright life in this unforgettable fictional portrait of the captivating young duchess Lucrezia de' Medici as she makes her way in a troubled court.

“I could not stop reading this incredible true story.”—Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club Pick)

"O’Farrell pulls out little threads of historical detail to weave this story of a precocious girl sensitive to the contradictions of her station...You may know the history, and you may think you know what’s coming, but don’t be so sure."—The Washington Post

Florence, the 1550s. Lucrezia, third daughter of the grand duke, is comfortable with her obscure place in the palazzo: free to wonder at its treasures, observe its clandestine workings, and devote herself to her own artistic pursuits. But when her older sister dies on the eve of her wedding to the ruler of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio, Lucrezia is thrust unwittingly into the limelight: the duke is quick to request her hand in marriage, and her father just as quick to accept on her behalf.

Having barely left girlhood behind, Lucrezia must now enter an unfamiliar court whose customs are opaque and where her arrival is not universally welcomed. Perhaps most mystifying of all is her new husband himself, Alfonso. Is he the playful sophisticate he appeared to be before their wedding, the aesthete happiest in the company of artists and musicians, or the ruthless politician before whom even his formidable sisters seem to tremble?

As Lucrezia sits in constricting finery for a painting intended to preserve her image for centuries to come, one thing becomes worryingly clear. In the court’s eyes, she has one duty: to provide the heir who will shore up the future of the Ferranese dynasty. Until then, for all of her rank and nobility, the new duchess’s future hangs entirely in the balance.

Full of the beauty and emotion with which she illuminated the Shakespearean canvas of Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell turns her talents to Renaissance Italy in an extraordinary portrait of a resilient young woman’s battle for her very survival.

©2022 Maggie O'Farrell (P)2022 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: TIME, THE WASHINGTON POST, GOODREADS • REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE NOMINEE

"[A] glittering, propulsive new novel . . . Few writers play as confidently with the nuts and bolts of language, and historical characters netted from the past. O’Farrell adroitly shrinks Lucrezia to her own vanishing point, even if the probable cause of the duchess’s demise was a pulmonary embolism rather than poison. O’Farrell’s creative license beautifully frames the chasms that open up between husband and wife, implicating an institution that has galvanized our canonical writers, including the Victorian poet Robert Browning, whose dramatic monologue ‘My Last Duchess’ was inspired by Branzino’s portrait of Lucrezia.”—Oprah Daily

"O’Farrell intelligently connects Lucrezia’s trapped circumstances with the art that her husband, a notable patron and collector, commissions to immortalize her . . . There is a blinding power to the heightened, almost fetishistic beauty of Renaissance art, this novel suggests as it portrays a world of far greater brutality and fierceness.”—Wall Street Journal

"[O’Farrell] has spun pure gold out of this tragic history . . . The Marriage Portrait builds a rich interior world while vividly re-creating an era, in this case the Italian Renaissance, a period overflowing with intrigue and pomp, rustling heavy fabrics and glowing frescoes, blood and lust and the desire for power.”—Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Wonderful Listen

Compelling plot and well developed characters made for an entertaining listen. 4.5 stars.
Perfect narration for this story.

Yes!

Maggie O’Farrell could make a bag of trash fascinating with her brilliant prose. So, it’s no surprise that, The Marriage Portrait, was a fascinating and addicting listen. Any historical fiction lover must listen to this tale about Alfonso III, Duke of Ferrera, Italy, and his first wife that was dead at just 16.

Brilliantly written and performed!

Yet another work of poetic genius and sweeping historic verisimilitude and research. O’Farrell is a skilled and exacting artist of the human heart, character, and capacity for passion. All I can say to her (if I could) is, “Please, Ma’am, can we have some more?”
Connie Conway

surprisingly great

heard about it from NPR and downloaded it on a whim. really well written with an. interesting stortline

I liked the ending

I am the type of person that doesn't really like a lot of tense anticipation. This book was just right, not boring but not a lot of stress. The narrator was excellent. She has a nice calm voice.

Brilliant

This is a brilliant book and a beautiful recording. Maggie O'Farrell is a superb quieter. I highly recommend this book!

Most excellent

I was fully immersed in Lucretia’s life and times. I love Maggie O’Farrell’s writing, both style and substance. I couldn’t wait for time to listen to this great novel!

Maggie is a master

Another outstanding novel by Maggie O’Farrell. Her artistry brings the narrative into a vibrant and enthralling view.

Loved it

I loved this book. So interesting to read about this time in Italy, the descriptions are vivid and beautiful, I could imagine my self there in the beautiful places described, and even picture the music that’s described. The connection between Lucre and the Tigris was thrilling and beautiful, all through the book it kept me on my toes. The violence, art, sadness, the criticism for the time, the LOVE.. this book made me feel and experience a lot with the character and I loved it. I loved the main character , her otherness, could relate to her so much.
I’m thankful for reading this.

Fascinating Tale

Maggie O’Farrell has created another novel which grabs the reader and doesn’t let go. The characters are very well drawn, the story beautifully told. The author is very gifted using language that brings the era to life. The reader is perfect for this story. A great read!