⇒ Download The Borgia Bride Jeanne Kalogridis 9780007148837 Books

The Borgia Bride Jeanne Kalogridis 9780007148837 Books

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The Borgia Bride Jeanne Kalogridis 9780007148837 Books

What a rich, fun historical novel! Filled with intrigue, drama, sex, murder, vengeance, friendship and foes, this is the story of a young woman, Sancha, who married into the Borgia family and lived to tell about it.

Headed by Pope Alexander VI, the Borgia family is a bit unusual. The pope had love affairs and openly acknowledged his children (unlike other popes who embraced their offspring as "nieces and nephews"). The Borgias were cunning, ruthless and power-hungry. All this is fact.

Author Jeanne Kalogridis tells this story in the first person from Sancha's point of view, beginning with her childhood in Naples, her move to Rome as a bride and her life there. She has a torrid love affair with one of the pope's son, is party to murder, witnesses extreme incest and lives on the edge of treachery. The fast-paced ending is an exciting read.


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The Borgia Bride Jeanne Kalogridis 9780007148837 Books Reviews

I picked up this book because I am currently loving season 3 of the Showtime series "The Borgias." I presumed I would read the book with a mental image of those exact actors populating the world in this book. How very wrong I was. The characters are written in a far more realistic manner. So much so, that my mental picture of each Borgia repeatedly veered to match those in portraits contemporary to that time. To soften the blow of the complex and often brutal Borgia clan, this author gives us Sancha. Sancha is a heroine to be admired. The character is, like the rest of this book, very well-rounded and fascinating. The author skillfully brings the reader into Sancha's world and makes us see it through her eyes. It became a novel that I could not put down. Spending time in Sancha's Rome was both wonderful and unsettling. I highly recommend this novel to any fans of historical fiction. I only wished there were more.
I had had this book on my shelf for a bit and decided it was time to read it. I'm glad I did. This novel follows the life of a Bride to the powerful Borgia family. Ms. Kalogridis' summary of the book states

"...THE BORGIA BRIDE is a sumptuous historical novel of passion, betrayal, scheming and incest, set in the Vatican during the 15th century, one of the most exciting, violent and also sensual times of European history. The plot and characters are based on actual historical personages and events..."

I agree that this book is, to my mind, unique. I have not read many books that focus on the political turmoil of the 15th century in Italy. Oddly enough I have always thought that it was Lucrezia Borgia who had the reputation for using the family recipe for poison. Read this book for another theory! I sailed through the first part of this book - reading late into the night. Mid story slowed a bit for me - but the pace picked up again for a rousing final quarter of the book. The characters in The Borgia Bride are well crafted and carried through a plot that is well thought out expertly crafted with many unusual twists and turns.

This book makes me want to read all of Ms. Kalodridis' titles. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would have gone for 5 stars - except for the lag midway through. I don;t think that you would regret reading this fine novel - it's appeal would, obviously, be for anyone who enjoys historical fiction - especially for 15th century Italy - but it would also please any lover of well crafted, fast paced fiction!

Ms. Kalogridis has an excellent website too - have a look [...]
This was the second Jeanne Kalogridis book I read. I picked this one up after I, Mona Lisa. This book was better, in my opinion, partly because I didn't have this nagging discomfort about character assassination that I had when I read I, Mona Lisa - the Borgia's really were dysfunctional.

This is a must read for any reader of rennaissance historical fiction. While I, Mona Lisa does a great job of discussing Savonarola and the criticisms of Pope Alexander VI and the Borgia family, the Borgia Bride puts these criticisms into context. After reading about the Borgia's exploits - based on fact as well as sixteenth century gossip - it is no wonder that the Reformation occurred shortly after Pope Alexander VI's papacy!

The book focuses on Sancha of Aragon, a princess of the royal house of Naples. I knew little about her family or Naples, so it was refreshing to read a peice of historical fiction about a person and family about whom I know little. The advantage for Kalogridis, compared to authors of historical fiction about better known historical figures, is that for Sancha of Aragon, Kalogridis had virtually a clean slate. Little is known about her. I tried some internet searches and beyond the fact that she married Jofre Borgia, was Cesare Borgia's lover, and the facts of her parentage, Kalogridis had room to develop her character. She was not constrained by a vast historical record. In the Borgia Bride, Kalogridis creates a strong, intelligent woman and meshes her character into one of the most shocking families of the Rennaissance.

The basic plot summary is as follows. Sancha married Jofre Brogia, a boy several years her junior, largely because her family wanted to secure the pope's support in the event of the rumored invasion by the French king. In return, the Napolese make Jofre and Sancha the Prince and Princess of Squillace. The rumored invasion occurs without the Pope's sending troops to support Naples, however, because the French kidnapped the Pope's teenaged lover. Disappointed, the Napolese are forced to confront the invasion on their own. As this time, Sancha exhibits her bravery and earns the respect of her countrymen. Eventually, Sancha and her husband are summoned to Rome where Sancha is confronted with the licentious and shocking behavior of the Borgias. At first, she is witness to the Pope's open sexual behavior with his mistress and prostitutes. She also meets Cesare Borgia and embarks on a passionate affair. Eventually, Sancha realizes that she has gotten herself in over her head, learning of the Pope's illicit relationship with his daughter Lucrezia. I don't want to spoil the rest of the plot, but the story that ensues is fascinating as Sancha uses her wiles to protect herself from the Borgia family.
What a rich, fun historical novel! Filled with intrigue, drama, sex, murder, vengeance, friendship and foes, this is the story of a young woman, Sancha, who married into the Borgia family and lived to tell about it.

Headed by Pope Alexander VI, the Borgia family is a bit unusual. The pope had love affairs and openly acknowledged his children (unlike other popes who embraced their offspring as "nieces and nephews"). The Borgias were cunning, ruthless and power-hungry. All this is fact.

Author Jeanne Kalogridis tells this story in the first person from Sancha's point of view, beginning with her childhood in Naples, her move to Rome as a bride and her life there. She has a torrid love affair with one of the pope's son, is party to murder, witnesses extreme incest and lives on the edge of treachery. The fast-paced ending is an exciting read.