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Audiobook14 hours
In the Name of the Family: A Novel
Written by Sarah Dunant
Narrated by Nicholas Boulton
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Before the Corleones, before the Lannisters, there were the Borgias. One of history's notorious families comes to life in a captivating novel from the author of The Birth of Venus.
"In the end, what's a historical novelist's obligation to the dead? Accuracy? Empathy? Justice? Or is it only to make them live again? Dunant pays these debts with a passion that makes me want to go straight out and read all her other books."-Diana Gabaldon, The Washington Post
Bestselling novelist Sarah Dunant has long been drawn to the high drama of Renaissance Italy: power, passion, beauty, brutality, and the ties of blood. With In the Name of the Family, she offers a thrilling exploration of the House of Borgia's final years, in the company of a young diplomat named Niccolò Machiavelli.
It is 1502 and Rodrigo Borgia, a self-confessed womanizer and master of political corruption, is now on the papal throne as Alexander VI. His daughter Lucrezia, aged twenty-two-already three times married and a pawn in her father's plans-is discovering her own power. And then there is his son Cesare Borgia, brilliant, ruthless, and increasingly unstable; it is his relationship with Machiavelli that gives the Florentine diplomat a master class in the dark arts of power and politics. What Machiavelli learns will go on to inform his great work of modern politics, The Prince. But while the pope rails against old age and his son's increasingly erratic behavior, it is Lucrezia who must navigate the treacherous court of Urbino, her new home, and another challenging marriage to create her own place in history.
Sarah Dunant again employs her remarkable gifts as a storyteller to bring to life the passionate men and women of the Borgia family, as well as the ever-compelling figure of Machiavelli, through whom the reader will experience one of the most fascinating-and doomed-dynasties of all time.
Praise for In the Name of the Family
"Reading In the Name of the Family, I began to smell the scent of oranges and wood smoke on the Ferrara breeze. Such Renaissance-rich details fill out the humanity of the Borgias, rendering them into the kind of relatable figures whom we would hope to discover behind the cold brilliance of The Prince."-NPR
"Dunant has a storyteller's instincts for thrilling detail and the broad sweep of history. This, and her glorious prose, make Dunant's version irresistible."-The Times (UK)
"With a vibrant cast of characters both iconic, including the vastly influential Niccolò Machiavelli, and rarely highlighted, Dunant's captivating Renaissance Italian saga will thrill her fans and bring more into the fold."-Booklist
"Skillfully drawn characters and an excellent sense of place will entice readers of historicals, especially those interested in the Italian Renaissance."-Library Journal
"One of Dunant's great strengths as a writer is illuminating the lives of women who were able to amass and wield power despite having no authority."-Kirkus Reviews
"In the end, what's a historical novelist's obligation to the dead? Accuracy? Empathy? Justice? Or is it only to make them live again? Dunant pays these debts with a passion that makes me want to go straight out and read all her other books."-Diana Gabaldon, The Washington Post
Bestselling novelist Sarah Dunant has long been drawn to the high drama of Renaissance Italy: power, passion, beauty, brutality, and the ties of blood. With In the Name of the Family, she offers a thrilling exploration of the House of Borgia's final years, in the company of a young diplomat named Niccolò Machiavelli.
It is 1502 and Rodrigo Borgia, a self-confessed womanizer and master of political corruption, is now on the papal throne as Alexander VI. His daughter Lucrezia, aged twenty-two-already three times married and a pawn in her father's plans-is discovering her own power. And then there is his son Cesare Borgia, brilliant, ruthless, and increasingly unstable; it is his relationship with Machiavelli that gives the Florentine diplomat a master class in the dark arts of power and politics. What Machiavelli learns will go on to inform his great work of modern politics, The Prince. But while the pope rails against old age and his son's increasingly erratic behavior, it is Lucrezia who must navigate the treacherous court of Urbino, her new home, and another challenging marriage to create her own place in history.
Sarah Dunant again employs her remarkable gifts as a storyteller to bring to life the passionate men and women of the Borgia family, as well as the ever-compelling figure of Machiavelli, through whom the reader will experience one of the most fascinating-and doomed-dynasties of all time.
Praise for In the Name of the Family
"Reading In the Name of the Family, I began to smell the scent of oranges and wood smoke on the Ferrara breeze. Such Renaissance-rich details fill out the humanity of the Borgias, rendering them into the kind of relatable figures whom we would hope to discover behind the cold brilliance of The Prince."-NPR
"Dunant has a storyteller's instincts for thrilling detail and the broad sweep of history. This, and her glorious prose, make Dunant's version irresistible."-The Times (UK)
"With a vibrant cast of characters both iconic, including the vastly influential Niccolò Machiavelli, and rarely highlighted, Dunant's captivating Renaissance Italian saga will thrill her fans and bring more into the fold."-Booklist
"Skillfully drawn characters and an excellent sense of place will entice readers of historicals, especially those interested in the Italian Renaissance."-Library Journal
"One of Dunant's great strengths as a writer is illuminating the lives of women who were able to amass and wield power despite having no authority."-Kirkus Reviews
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Author
Sarah Dunant
Sarah Dunant has written eight novels, including The Birth of Venus and three Hannah Wolfe novels—Birth Marks, Fatlands, and Under My Skin. She has worked widely in print, television, and radio. Now a full-time writer, she lives in London and Florence.
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Reviews for In the Name of the Family
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
4 ratings1 review
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Reading doesn't get any better than a novel by Sarah Dunant! The Borgias, full of scandal, plots and broken promises. You feel the pain Lucretia feels as a young innocent woman who is manipulated by her father and brother. The arrogance and lust for power of Cesare and the corrupt and exploitive nature of the Pope in almost every aspect of his life except his love for his children . It was a fast moving book, in-your-face, and blunt style that slapped you with shock and it was easy to fall utterly into the story complete with all the sites and smells of Renaissance Italy.
And yet its key strength is in Dunant’s ability to humanize her characters, no matter how shocking their actions. This thoughtful approach underpins the more dramatic moments of the book, making it a gem of a read. Dunant’s biggest and best work to date with monster players! Wow! BRAVO!!