The story follows Lucrezia, a quiet, observant girl who prefers the company of animals and her art supplies to the rigid expectations of the Florentine court. When her sister dies on the eve of her wedding, Lucrezia is thrust into her place, marrying Alfonso II d’Este, Duke of Ferrara.

O'Farrell writes with a "thick" style. You can smell the oil paints and feel the heavy velvet of the gowns.

The book jumps between Lucrezia’s childhood and the fateful dinner where she fears for her life, creating a ticking-clock effect.

💡 Keep your phone nearby to look up the real "Portrait of Lucrezia de' Medici" while you read—it makes the descriptions even more haunting.