The Daughter of Siena: A Novel

I love historical novels and have been to Siena and seen the Campo where the Palio is held. The elements individually were promising - Siena in 1723, political maneuverings involving the papacy, the rivalry and pure adrenaline of the Palio race, the rich and detailed references to the horses and their care, a forbidden romance, even a Medici Duchess. But the impact of all these elements were somehow diluted and never quite gelled. I kept expecting, chapter by chapter, to hit that critical point where you suddenly forget you are just reading a book and get lost in the book but it never happened for me. The author jumps between different voices - Pia, Riccardo, Faustino (Riccard's father), Zebra and the Duchess. The constant changing of voice was distracting and made it harder to invest in the characters and the story.

But it is worth noting that there are many interesting facets to this book and will appeal to readers who like historical novels, historical romances, Siena/Tuscany or have an interest in horsemanship and the Palio race. The novel is well researched and the level of detail provided in the descriptions and explanations appreciated by someone like myself who knows very little about horses and the lifestyle in the period of 1723.

I thought this was a fun, fast-paced historical thriller, although it was not without flaws. The novel was slightly clichéd, and some of the characters, especially Pia, seemed like stock characters (the beautiful virtuous princess, the rotten-to-the-core bad guys, the chivalrous knight, etc.), but the excitement and description of the setting was enough to make this book a good read.

However, I did take issue with another large part of the book. (This part is kind of a spoiler) There are some (three) gay characters in the book, and all of them were basically evil. I don't know if this was on purpose, but it seemed to me like an unfair representation of gay people. They were portrayed (more or less) and hedonists, and many of them were very cruel. Without giving too much away, I can say that two of them were involved in the killing of babies. All of them were dead by the end of the novel. There was also some passages that hinted at gay sex, and portrayed it as being brutal and disgusting. I can't say for certain whether or not it was a pointed political statement, but it seemed like it. That flaw in the novel destroyed some of the enjoyment I would have otherwise felt in it.

Last year I went to Italy and visited Siena. It was my favorite place. The day I was there the famous Palio was also taking place. We were unable to watch it live, but we did go back to the hotel and watch it on TV. It was very exciting.

So I was excited when I learned about this book. I love historical fiction and I loved Italy. This seemed liked a slam dunk.

Pia is a pretty young thing who is coming of age and her father decides he is going to marry her off to a very unbecoming man with questionable morals. Luckily he dies in the Palio, but unlucky for Pia the man has a brother who is equally undesirable. But of course Pia's life isn't all bad for she has a secret lover! Still, her marriage is less than pleasant.

The book was decent but I didn't feel as if I was caught up in the story. Personally I thought there was too much going on. I wanted to clear out the weeds and just get to the heart of the story. The different narratives made it cumbersome for me. They included Pia, Riccardo, Faustino, Zebra and Duchess Violante Beatrix de' Medici. What I also didn't like was that each person's chapter started not with "Pia" for example, to let the reader know that the narrative had changed but they used the flags of the Palio. Clever, if you knew who was what, which I didn't and I was confused and frustrated. Perhaps in the final version they will have a list in the book? Also there is a lot of description and not a lot of dialogue. This is, of course, a personal preference, but I like more dialogue in my stories.

Overall, this was a decent read, but one that is easily forgotten. Not sure its one that people should buy. This book would be a nice beach read, loaned from your local library.

Really love this author and enjoy reading her books about Italy! I want to go back to Siena!

Pia Tolomei is the most beautiful woman in Siena. Like her legendary ancestor, Cleopatra of the Ptolemy dynasty, she's also incredibly clever. All her virtues and good breeding, however, can't protect her from a disastrous marriage to a member of a rival contrada, or city district. Each year the contradas compete in a dangerous horse race, the Palio, a high stakes game on which fortunes are made and lost. When her husband-to-be is killed while racing in the Palio, only one racer stops to try and save him. This young man, Riccardo Bruni, steals Pia's heart, but she is hastily married off to another member of her dead fiance's family. Her new home is a hotbed of intrigue, and Pia and Riccardo are thrust into the thick of it. With the ruling Duchess of Siena, Violante de Medici, they must untangle a web of treachery before the next Palio, or the city will certainly fall.

The rich history and beauty of Siena is vividly described, and the excitement and danger of the Palio brought to life. I really enjoyed learning about the different contrade/city wards of Siena. The rivalries between the various factions are so intense! At first, I thought loyalty to one's contrada would be similar to a fondness for a sports team...but these guys make Oakland Raiders' fans look like peaceful, flower-bearing hippies. The contrada is a way of life; someone like Pia, born into the Owlet contrada, would live in her district, worship in a separate church, marry someone from an allied contrada.

Speaking of Pia, did I mention that she's beautiful and clever and virtuous? I probably should, since I swear this is stated in every chapter at least once. In fact, she's not only beautiful - she's the most beautiful woman in Siena. She's not only noble - she's descended from Cleopatra. Her life closely parallels that of Pia de' Tolomei, a character from Dante's [[ASIN:0140440461 Purgatory]]. The forbidden romance she shares with Riccardo Bruni parallels [[ASIN:0393974642 Le Morte Darthur]]. The book is so busy telling us what Pia is (gorgeous, intelligent, etc) and the heroines she recalls from classic literature that it never gives her a chance to shine. Pia never develops as a character, and that was a real disappointment.

The bad guys aren't nuanced at all - they're so cruel and awful and ugly that you know they'll get their comeuppance by the end of the story. Riccardo is so handsome, and Pia is so beautiful, and together they're so good and virtuous that you know they'll be together by the end of the story. I'd call the story a bodice ripper, but the main character remains a virgin 'til the very end, and can you even have a chaste bodice ripper? The plot twists are extremely formulaic and predictable. It's not unlike watching a melodramatic daytime soap opera.

The breathtaking setting and deep history of Siena kept the book interesting, but in the end it wasn't enough to elevate "The Daughter of Siena" to greatness or even make it memorable. Still, if you're ever planning to visit Siena during the time of the Palio, it would be a great read to help get you into the mood.

Just as described. Timely delivery. Would buy from again and recommend to friend.

Marina Fiorato has fabricated another fascinating book based on historical data from the 16th Century. She has taken an event, the Palio of Siena, which is a horse race representing various competing sections of Siena, run around the cities main piazza's and tied it into how women in 16th Century Italy had little opportunity for choice in marriage and were married for political alliances rather than love. The author has the advantage of her own close family who have professional knowledge and represent research into the social mores of that time so it is authentic in representation. Women were pawns by their fathers and brothers used to strengthen connections with various neighborhoods and the horse races (2 of them a year) were the all important indication of which were strong and which were weak politically. The author has done an excellent job of keeping the reader engaged with action and having a strong background in history she reports events as they were, not necessarily how you would hope they were. All of Marina Fiorato's books have keep me intrigued until the very end. Her facts as written about the actual historical times are accurate yet she has written a story that is both plausible and inventive. This is not book just for women, yet it does reveal how women have not always been given choices in the past even if they were very attractive and intelligent. Formal education was a luxury not afforded many women in past history as they were mostly considered decorative property by their Fathers and husbands and only a few escaped to make their own marks on history.

In 1723, Pia of the Tolomei was to be given a husband on the night before the Palio, a famous horse race that is of great import to the city of Siena. Her betrothed, an evil man, loses his life in the race. An unknown horseman, Riccardo Bruni, tries to save him but fails. Pia is ridden with guilt because she had prayed for her betrothed's death, and also relief, until she discovers she is still a pawn in the game of matrimony- she is to wed her dead husband's brother, Nello, who is equally evil.
There are two levels to this plot; the conflict between Nello's family, of the Eagle Contrada, and the behind the scenes plotting against the Governess of Siena, Violante de' Medici, who is considered an outsider and is unwelcome by the city folk who have governed themselves for centuries. There are warring factions within the city that create chaos and even murder, which was quite disturbing. One finds oneself hoping that Violante can remain and change the laws to dampen the conflicts between the contradas.
This book drew me in and held my focus. The characters are well crafted and endear the reader to their plight. The plot is knit together very well. I found myself on the edge of my seat, rooting for Pia and Riccardo, and hoping she would rescued from her fate and be able to find happiness with him.
The author, Marina Fiorato, did a wonderful job of pulling this complicated plot together. It is rich in detail. I enjoyed learning about the Palio and the different contradas, and I appreciated the knowledge of horsemanship that I did not know. The author was able to explain these details without bogging down the plot. I really enjoyed this book.

Good story, great setting.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I would highly recommend it.