As one of the esteemed courtesans in Renaissance Rome in 1527, Fiammetta enjoys a house full of riches from admirers, many loyal servants and the favor of the local Cardinal, who protects her from censure. When the Protestant German forces under Charles V attack the walls of Rome, Fiammetta and her most trusted servant, Bucino, plan to welcome and entertain the invaders in an effort to save their own lives and wealth. For a time, the war-crazed men are appeased, but eventually Fiammetta and Bucino must escape from ransacked Rome with only the jewels they can swallow to sustain them on their journey.
They return to Venice, the city of Fiammetta's birth, a port city built upon waterways at the edge of the sea. While Venice is enjoying relative protection from the ravages of invasion, Fiammetta and Bucino have an arduous struggle to restore Fiammetta's beauty and establish themselves in business again. Unsure of whom can be trusted, Bucino is deeply suspicious of anyone willing to help them. A mysterious blind healer, La Draga, creates potions and creams to help Fiammetta's emotional and physical recovery. A valuable discovery provides the funds and incentive for a former friend to place Fiammetta's name in the Register of Courtesans and establish her as a desirable companion. In this stunning account, Venice holds the promise of wealth, the temptation of love and opportunities for both passion and betrayal.
Ms. Dunant weaves a gripping tale of survival, told from the perspective of Bucino, the dwarf who's Fiammetta's accountant, pimp and only ally. As a narrator, Bucino is an intriguing oddity. His physical deformities cause his body to ache, but they allow him to play a comic, a dim-wit or a demon in threatening situations. His livelihood and safety depend on his partnership with Fiammetta, and Dunant's depiction of their relationship is fascinating. A historical footnote details both Dunant's research and inspiration. She takes very few liberties with historical events and characters. This novel is highly discussable and will spark further interest in the historical politics of sex and religion and in Venetian glassmaking, art and architecture.
My lady, Fiammetta Bianchini, was plucking her eyebrows and
biting color into her lips when the unthinkable happened
and the Holy Roman Emperorβs army blew a hole in the wall
of Godβs eternal city, letting in a flood of half-starved,
half-crazed troops bent on pillage and punishment.
Thus begins In the Company of the Courtesan, Sarah
Dunantβs epic novel of life in Renaissance Italy. Escaping
the sack of Rome in 1527, with their stomachs churning on
the jewels they have swallowed, the courtesan Fiammetta and
her dwarf companion, Bucino, head for Venice, the
shimmering city born out of water to become a miracle of
east-west trade: rich and rancid, pious and profitable,
beautiful and squalid.
With a mix of courage and cunning they infiltrate Venetian
society. Together they make the perfect partnership: the
sharp-tongued, sharp-witted dwarf, and his vibrant
mistress, trained from birth to charm, entertain, and
satisfy men who have the money to support her.
Yet as their fortunes rise, this perfect partnership comes
under threat, from the searing passion of a lover who wants
more than his allotted nights to the attentions of an
admiring Turk in search of human novelties for his sultanβs
court. But Fiammetta and Bucinoβs greatest challenge comes
from a young crippled woman, a blind healer who insinuates
herself into their lives and hearts with devastating
consequences for them all.
A story of desire and deception, sin and religion, loyalty
and friendship, In the Company of the Courtesan
paints a portrait of one of the worldβs greatest cities at
its most potent moment in history: It is a picture that
remains vivid long after the final page.
No excerpt available.
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