Sunday, March 21, 2010

Historical Fiction Conundrum



Let's just say I'm happy to be living in 2010.

This was an interesting look into the life of 1530s Venice but the realities were just a little too -ugh- visceral for me. Of course there were some good story elements in here with adventure and politics and relationships but with all the unwashedness and casual references to base bodily functions it was all I could do not to shower after every chapter. In The Company of the Courtisan is good escapist historical reading but I won't be running out to get another renaissance era story any time soon. Perhaps that's why there was a three year lapse between reading this and Dunant's earlier (and also very good) Birth of Venus.

2 comments:

Susan Abramson said...

Not sure if I should try this one out from your critique here. I personally loved Birth of Venus though.

Have you read The Red Tent by Anita Diamant?

Trish said...

Birth of Venus was definitely the better of the two.

I read The Red Tent years ago and it is still one of my favourite books!