Tag: novella

Book Review: “The Lost Diary of Lucrezia Borgia” by Johnny Teague

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Have you ever wondered what it might be like to discover a long-lost diary of a historical figure by accident? Archaeologist Giuseppe Campise has already found a diary of Mary Magdalene. Now, the Vatican wants Giuseppe to uncover the tomb of Alexander the Great. However, while on the search for the tomb, Giuseppe finds something even more precious, the diary of Lucrezia Borgia. What secrets does the diary hold? Johnny Teague tells the tale of Lucrezia Borgia through her diary in his latest novel, “The Lost Diary of Lucrezia Borgia.”

I would like to thank Histria Fiction and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. I have been interested in Lucrezia Borgia’s story since reading “Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia” by Samantha Morris, so I wanted to see how her story would translate into a historical fiction novel.

Since this book is actually a novella, I will try to keep this review short. We begin with Giuseppe Campise as he begins his search for the tomb of Alexander the Great. Along the way, he gets lost and finds the tomb of Pope Leo X. By the tomb, he finds a diary that was written by Lucrezia Borgia, so he begins to read.

Lucrezia’s diary begins with her reflecting on her life as she is ill with her final pregnancy. This diary is really her autobiography, beginning in her childhood, when her father was Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, before he became Pope Alexander VI. We also get to see how close Lucrezia was to her brother Cesare and how it changes over time. Since they are the illegitimate children of a Pope, they are expected to make alliances through marriages and military might. Lucrezia was married three times. Her first marriage was to Giovanni Sforza, but it was quickly dissolved by her father, Pope Alexander VI. Her second marriage, to Alfonso of Aragon, resulted in a son, Rodrigo, before Alfonso died young. Lucrezia’s final husband was Alfonso d’Este, Duke of Ferrara. We get to see how Lucrezia’s life was changed through the chaotic politics of the Italian states, the constant wars, and the schemes of her father and her brother Cesare. Lucrezia was not just a one-dimensional character, but is well developed, and you feel sympathy for what she is going through.

Personally, I think this was a decent novella, but the subplot with Giuseppe did not feel necessary for me. The story of Lucrezia Borgia could stand on its own without the modern bits cutting in. Overall, I enjoyed this novella. If you enjoy reading about Lucrezia Borgia, her life and times, you might enjoy “The Lost Diary of Lucrezia Borgia” by Johnny Teague.

Book Review: “Queen Macbeth” by Val McDermid

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When we think of the name Macbeth, we often imagine the play by William Shakespeare of a power-hungry man and his equally vicious wife willing to do whatever it took to become King and Queen of Scotland. It is a play about revenge and murder, but Shakespeare did not pull these characters out of thin air. He took these characters from the annals of history, such as a man named Macbeth and his wife, a Lady Macbeth named Gruoch. However, the names are about as much as Shakespeare gets right regarding the story of one of the first Kings of Scotland. Val McDermid tells her version of Macbeth and Gruoch’s story in her latest novel, “Queen Macbeth.”

I want to thank Atlantic Monthly Press and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. It has been a minute since I read the Shakespearean play of Macbeth, but I did know that it was a story based on history. When I saw that this was specifically about Macbeth’s wife, it was intriguing to me and I knew I wanted to give it a try.

We begin with a sense of panic and dread. Reports have reached Gruoch that her husband Macbeth was slain at the Battle of Lumphanan and now Gruoch is on the run from his enemy Malcolm. Their son, Lulach, is on his way to be crowned King of Scotland while Gruoch, her ladies (Ligach, Aife, and Eithne), and Macbeth’s man Angus wait for the opportune moment to escape the monastery they are staying in before Malcolm catches up to them.

Sprinkled in between events in the modern day, McDermid included flashbacks to how Macbeth and Gruoch met and fell in love. At the time of their first meeting, Gruoch was the wife of Gille Coemgain, the Mormaer of Moray. Macbeth believes that Gille was responsible for the death of his father, Findlaich, and Gruoch fears that Macbeth is only visiting Gille to seek his revenge. However, this unexpected encounter between Macbeth and Gruoch turns into love and they have a child while Gruoch is still married to Gille. A rather awkward situation, but eventually, Macbeth and Gruoch are united to become King and Queen of Scotland.

As someone who is not familiar with the historical story of Macbeth and Gruoch, I found this novella engrossing and thrilling. This version of Macbeth and his Lady Macbeth was much more believable with danger around every corner and I did not know where the story was heading. It did not feel like a novella and I did not want it to end. If you are a Shakespeare fan or someone who loves a good medieval tale, I highly recommend you read, “Queen Macbeth” by Val McDermid.

Book Review: “Rizzio” by Denise Mina

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57147033 (1)David Rizzio was one of Mary, Queen of Scots’ favorites at court and the private secretary to the queen. Being a royal favorite would not have been seen as a grave offense in any other country during this time, yet this is Scotland in the 16th century. Scotland was filled with deadly feuds between lords fighting for control of the crown, which would lead to numerous prominent men being murdered, including Rizzio. On March 9, 1566, David Rizzio was murdered in front of Mary, Queen of Scots, while she was several months pregnant. The tale of the grotesque crime and those who witnessed the events of that night are told in Denis Mina’s latest gripping novella, “Rizzio.”

I want to thank Pegasus Books for sending me a copy of this novella. When I read the description of this book and how dynamic the cover design was, I knew that I wanted to read this title. I was intrigued to see how Denise Mina would write the tale of Rizzio for a modern audience.

We begin with a tennis match between David Rizzio and Lord Darnley, Mary’s angsty and angry husband. Darnley wants to be King of Scotland and is tired of Rizzio getting in the way of his plans and that his wife favors this Italian nobody. He wants Rizzio to die, but not by his hands. Darnley has enlisted a ragtag group of nobles to help kill Rizzio and make way for Darnley to become the King.

However, things don’t go as smoothly as Darnley plans. Mary hosts a dinner party for a small group of friends at Holyrood Palace before she goes into confinement to give birth to her son and heir, James VI. A delightful party is disrupted by Darnley, Lord Ruthven, and their men, including one Henry Yair, who have come to kill Rizzio. Mary tries in vain to protect her Italian favorite, but she cannot save her friend in the end.

The tension and the drama that Mina was able to create in such a short amount of time were masterfully done. She was able to show how complex Scottish politics and the battle between Catholicism and reform so that readers who are not familiar with this time could understand the friction between the factions. Even though I knew the history behind this event, how Mina described it sent shivers down my spine. The one issue that I had with this novella was the ending, and it felt a bit flat and rushed to me. I wish she would have tied in the death of Mary and Darnley a bit better into the murder of Rizzio.

I think for a historical fiction novella, Mina does an excellent job of grabbing the reader’s attention and transporting them to that horrible night. This story may be short, but the emotional impact and details will stay with readers even after reading it. If you love reading about Mary, Queen of Scots, and Stuart Scotland during the 16th century, you will find “Rizzio” by Denise Mina thrilling.