Synopses & Reviews
In the tradition of The Birth of Venus and The Other Boleyn Girl, Jeanne Kalogridis' The Borgia Bride is novel is about an actual historical figure, Sancha of Aragon, a young princess from Naples who marries into the decadent Court of the Borgias and finds herself caught between her dangerous passion for handsome Cesare Borgia and the ferocious jealousy of his sister Lucrezia -- who is also her brother's mistress Incest. Poison. Betrayal.Three wedding presents for the Borgia bride.
Italy 1492.Pope Alexander VI is elected. And so begins the Borgia reign of terror. Alexander murders,bribes and betrays to establish his dynasty.Rome is a hotbed of accusation and conspiracy. Every day,the River Tiber is full of new bodies.Sancha of Aragon,daughter of King Alfonso II of Naples, arrives in Rome newly wed to Alexander's youngest son, Jofre. Their marriage protects Naples against the ambitions of the French King Louis and gains Spanish support for the Borgias. But Rome is very different from her beloved Naples.The debauchery of the Borgia inner-circle is notorious: every lust is indulged and every indiscretion overlooked. It is an open secret that the beautiful and tantalizing Lucrezia Borgia is involved in sexual liaisons with both her father, the Pope, and her devastatingly handsome but sadistic brother, Cesare. Sancha is no innocent: she possesses an indomitable spirit that allows her to survive in the snake-pit, but her paternal ancestors once rivaled the Borgias in cruelty and Sancha's greatest fear is that her father's nefarious blood will dominate the sweet, humanitarian legacy of her mother. Lucrezia's vicious jealousy stings Sancha at first, but gradually the two young women develop a cautious friendship. But when Cesare's malice turns on Sancha and her beloved brother, she must summon her dark side and do whatever it takes to protect her country, her family, and herself.
Review
"From sexual passion to mortal danger, the dramatic shift of real historical events will keep the reader turning the pages."
---Philippa Gregory, author of The Other Boleyn Girl
Synopsis
A dangerous seductress...
Her ruthless brother...
And the spirited and ambitious woman who comes between them.
Synopsis
Vivacious Sancha of Aragon arrives in Rome newly wed to a member of the notorious Borgia dynasty. Surrounded by the city's opulence and political corruption, she befriends her glamorous and deceitful sister-in-law, Lucrezia, whose jealousy is as legendary as her beauty. Some say Lucrezia has poisoned her rivals, particularly those to whom her handsome brother, Cesare, has given his heart. So when Sancha falls under Cesare's irresistible spell, she must hide her secret or lose her life. Caught in the Borgias' sinister web, she summons her courage and uses her cunning to outwit them at their own game. Vividly interweaving historical detail with fiction, The Borgia Bride is a richly compelling tale of conspiracy, sexual intrigue, loyalty, and drama.
About the Author
Jeanne Kalogridis lives on the West Coast, where she shares a house with an adorably wiggly black Lab named Django. She is the author of
The Scarlet Contessa,
The Devils Queen, and other dark fantasy and historical novels. Born in Florida, Kalogridis has a B.A. in Russian and a masters in linguistics, and taught English as a second language at The American University for eight years before retiring to write full-time.
Reading Group Guide
1. How do you feel about Sanchas childhood experiences shaping her personality as an adult? What parts of her temperament do you think were inherited, and which shaped by experience?
2. What common traits does Sancha share with her brother Alfonso? What do you believe accounts for the difference in their personalities? Do you believe the fact that Sancha was older made a difference? Do you see Alfonsos goodness as a weakness? Which character do you admire more?
3. How do you feel about Jofre as a character when he first appears in the novel? Does your opinion of him change over the course of the novel? Do you feel he is a sympathetic character?
4. How does your opinion of Lucrezia change over the course of the novel? Are her actions justifiable?
5. Why do you believe Sancha was so drawn to Cesare Borgia?
6. Do you believe Cesare possessed any positive character traits? If so, which? Do you believe he was capable of genuine love for Sancha?
7. Sancha and Lucrezias personalities differ enormously, yet they formed a strong bond. Outside of their shared affection for Alfonso, what was the basis for this bond?
8. Who was more in control of the House of Borgias politics: Pope Alexander or Cesare? Do you believe that Alexander feared Cesare, or that the two schemed together, with Alexander often playing the innocent?
9. When faced with the choice between her husband and her son, could Lucrezia have acted differently? Discuss the consequences of her actions.
10. Do you think Cesares slaughter of the condottiere of the noble houses of Italy was a wise or unwise political move?
11. Do you believe the Pope and Cesare could have succeeded in their quest to unite all of Italy under their rule? Why or why not? Do you feel Pope Alexander was a shrewd politican, or did he often alienate useful factions?
12. If Sancha had married Cesare, could she have influenced him for good? Could she have been a successful “power behind the throne?”