Status
Available
Publication
Random House (2007), Edition: 1st Thus., 416 pages
Description
My lady, Fiammetta Bianchini, was plucking her eyebrows and biting color into her lips when the unthinkable happened and the Holy Roman Emperor’s army blew a hole in the wall of God’s eternal city, letting in a flood of half-starved, half-crazed troops bent on pillage and punishment. Thus beginsIn the Company of the Courtesan, Sarah Dunant’s epic novel of life in Renaissance Italy. Escaping the sack of Rome in 1527, with their stomachs churning on the jewels they have swallowed, the courtesan Fiammetta and her dwarf companion, Bucino, head for Venice, the shimmering city born out of water to become a miracle of east-west trade: rich and rancid, pious and profitable, beautiful and squalid. With a mix of courage and cunning they infiltrate Venetian society. Together they make the perfect partnership: the sharp-tongued, sharp-witted dwarf, and his vibrant mistress, trained from birth to charm, entertain, and satisfy men who have the money to support her. Yet as their fortunes rise, this perfect partnership comes under threat, from the searing passion of a lover who wants more than his allotted nights to the attentions of an admiring Turk in search of human novelties for his sultan’s court. But Fiammetta and Bucino’s greatest challenge comes from a young crippled woman, a blind healer who insinuates herself into their lives and hearts with devastating consequences for them all. A story of desire and deception, sin and religion, loyalty and friendship,In the Company of the Courtesanpaints a portrait of one of the world’s greatest cities at its most potent moment in history: It is a picture that remains vivid long after the final page. From the Hardcover edition.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member madamejeanie
It's 1527, and Rome is under attack by Lutherans and Protestants, bent on rape and murder as they sweep through the city. Fiammetta Bianchini and her dwarf companion, Bucino, gobble down the gemstones from her jewelry and manage to flee in the middle of the night, heading for Fiammetta's childhood
This is a sweeping novel with rich descriptions of Renaissance Italy so vivid you can smell it, full of bawdy characters and cunning villains. I don't often pick up a novel set is this time period, but this one was an exception I'm glad I made. It was a wonderful and interesting read. I give it a 5.
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home in Venice, but only after the wives of the invading Germans have shaved her head and burnt her scalp, stealing her beauty but not her spirit. With their fortunes literally in their stomachs, they leave behind a world of opulence and ease where Fiammetta has been a famous and favored courtesan, and arrive at her mother's home only to learn that the older woman is dead of the pox and her sullen and half stupid housekeeper has literally kept the house. It is a long, hard struggle but under Bucino's guidance and with the help of a crippled, blind healer-witch, Fiammetta finally takes her place at the top of the Venetian Courtesan Registry. As their fortunes rise, this unlikely duo come under threat from a visiting Turk who wants to steal Bucino away to join his collection of oddities, from a handsome and tender young man whose passions threaten to ignite the courtesan's heart, and the greatest challenge of all, from the one person who is closest to them in all of Venice.This is a sweeping novel with rich descriptions of Renaissance Italy so vivid you can smell it, full of bawdy characters and cunning villains. I don't often pick up a novel set is this time period, but this one was an exception I'm glad I made. It was a wonderful and interesting read. I give it a 5.
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LibraryThing member LARA335
A courtesan and her business-partner dwarf escape the sacking of Rome to set up in Venice.
Sarah Dunant has done her historical research, and displays it with a light touch, immersing the reader in the sights, sounds and smells of 16c Italy.
What I particularly like about her story-telling, is that
A fascinating history lesson, and interesting characters that I cared about.
Sarah Dunant has done her historical research, and displays it with a light touch, immersing the reader in the sights, sounds and smells of 16c Italy.
What I particularly like about her story-telling, is that
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she has the confidence (and the confidence in her readers) not to give endless back-stories. Characters appear and disappear without full explanations - as people do in life.A fascinating history lesson, and interesting characters that I cared about.
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LibraryThing member Helenliz
This is a fun read. Narrated by Buccino, who is a dwarf and the pimp to the most fabulous courtesan in Rome - or she is until the sack of Rome in the 1520s, at which point they barely escape the city with their lives and their jewels. At which point they set out to Venice and aim to conquer the
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city anew. You can;t help feeling for them in their struggles, but when things start to unravel, they do so with alarming rapidity. They discover that there is a limit to influence and that being sorry can't actually undo the damage, no matter how hard they try. A good story, well told and it's a most engaging set of characters. Show Less
LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: In the Company of the Courtesan is the second of Sarah Dunant's triad of works about the fate of women in Renaissance Italy. Options available to young women were limited, they could either become wives (The Birth of Venus), nuns (Sacred Hearts), or whores. This book explores the life of
Review: This is an odd book in that, while I quite enjoyed it and found it very absorbing, I can't exactly say why. It wasn't the characters; Bucino is interesting, and a good choice for a narrator, but I found Fiametta rather tiresome, especially in the last third or so of the book. It wasn't a burning desire to find out what would happen; the story certainly wasn't boring, but it was not particularly plot-driven either, and there really isn't one through-line of story that carries from beginning to end. The setting was certainly well-done - Dunant excels, as always, at bringing historical Italy to life from a unique perspective - but a masterful setting isn't enough to keep me coming back for more. I think what I enjoyed most was the interesting way Dunant wove her themes throughout the story, packing in a heavy dose of musings on the nature of beauty and lust and sex and love and religion and sin without ever letting her writing get bogged down by philosophical musings. I've always enjoyed questions of that nature, and the courtesans of Renaissance Italy embody so many of these issues that it was fascinating to watch the way they might play out. Choosing Bucino as a narrator was an inspired move; it allowed Dunant to tell a story about the life of the courtesan while still keeping the focus off of the salacious details in the bedroom, and his own deformity made the contrasts to his mistress all the more stark. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: I enjoyed this one more than The Birth of Venus but not quite as much as Sacred Hearts; regardless, all three are vividly-drawn works of historical fiction told from a unique perspective, and should appeal to most readers of the genre.
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this last group of women by following the fate of Fiametta Bianchini, once the most famous courtesan in Rome, as seen through the eyes of Bucino Teodoldo, a dwarf who is her companion and business manager. The pair of them must flee Rome following the sack of the city in 1527, and they return to Fiametta's childhood home of Venice bruised, scarred, shorn, and with only a tiny handful of jewels they were able to smuggle out of Rome. Their only hope for survival is to get Fiametta established as a high-class courtesan once again, a task that will take all of their skills, charms, and wiles. For beauty is fleeting, tastes are fickle, reputations are tenuous, and the life of a prostitute is never easy in a city where even the most private sins can become public business.Review: This is an odd book in that, while I quite enjoyed it and found it very absorbing, I can't exactly say why. It wasn't the characters; Bucino is interesting, and a good choice for a narrator, but I found Fiametta rather tiresome, especially in the last third or so of the book. It wasn't a burning desire to find out what would happen; the story certainly wasn't boring, but it was not particularly plot-driven either, and there really isn't one through-line of story that carries from beginning to end. The setting was certainly well-done - Dunant excels, as always, at bringing historical Italy to life from a unique perspective - but a masterful setting isn't enough to keep me coming back for more. I think what I enjoyed most was the interesting way Dunant wove her themes throughout the story, packing in a heavy dose of musings on the nature of beauty and lust and sex and love and religion and sin without ever letting her writing get bogged down by philosophical musings. I've always enjoyed questions of that nature, and the courtesans of Renaissance Italy embody so many of these issues that it was fascinating to watch the way they might play out. Choosing Bucino as a narrator was an inspired move; it allowed Dunant to tell a story about the life of the courtesan while still keeping the focus off of the salacious details in the bedroom, and his own deformity made the contrasts to his mistress all the more stark. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: I enjoyed this one more than The Birth of Venus but not quite as much as Sacred Hearts; regardless, all three are vividly-drawn works of historical fiction told from a unique perspective, and should appeal to most readers of the genre.
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LibraryThing member AdonisGuilfoyle
A book worth persevering with; not a lot happens, and the first person narration, bar a random break in an early chapter, is limiting, but the imagery of sixteenth century Venice - the town without a sewer - is captivating and well researched. Also, as the story is told from the perspective of one
Some of the dialogue is a little lazy (the phrase 'So - what?' is very jarring in historical literature), and I would have preferred to spend more time in the company of the courtesan rather than her abbreviated yet arrogant pimp, but the characters were all distinct and believable, and the setting of time and place impressive.
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character, the courtesan's dwarf Bucino, the reader learns only as much as he knows, and trusts only those admitted into his friendship and esteem, so that another reward for accompanying Bucino is the surprising twist in the tale that brings a secondary character into stark relief.Some of the dialogue is a little lazy (the phrase 'So - what?' is very jarring in historical literature), and I would have preferred to spend more time in the company of the courtesan rather than her abbreviated yet arrogant pimp, but the characters were all distinct and believable, and the setting of time and place impressive.
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LibraryThing member tututhefirst
Last fall I read and reviewed Sarah Dunant's latest book "The Blood and the Beauty", a book I thoroughly enjoyed. I have always been a fan of Dunant finding her historical fiction easy to read, enjoyable and always well researched. So I sought this one out for no reason other than I wanted to read
Essentially this one is the story of a famous beauty Fiametta Bianchini and her sidekick business manager, companion, and friend Bucino Teodoldi the dwarf. Bucino narrates the story, and his point of view is what makes this one so much fun. Together with Tiziano Vecellio (a thinly veiled Titian) they provide us with the male point of view on this distinctly female occupation.
The story opens in Rome in 1537 as the Catholic city is being overrun by Protestant hordes from outside the country. Fiametta and Bucino escape to Venice where Fiametta grew up. They have only her collection of jewels (which they managed to swallow !!!!) to support them. In Rome, she had been a well-known, well-regarded and very wealthy courtesan, entertaining royalty, businessmen and not a few Cardinals of the church.
In Venice, she must begin again. Bucino goes about finding them living quarters, working space, and all the accoutrements needed to maintain the lifestyle she must project to be successful in her calling. She was well trained by her mother for this life, and knows her worth.
Up to about the middle of the book, the pace moves along, we are able to empathize with the characters, and look forward to a reasonable conclusion. At some point though, the story begins to unravel. It becomes less linear, and the reader is left to stumble along trying to keep track of several different story lines and characters. For instance, I never could get a clear handle on the character of Elena "La Draga" Crusichi. Was she simply a servant, a healer, a sorceress, WHAT? Her side story seems to come out of nowhere, and I'm not quite sure how it fits.
In spite of the crazy plot pattern, it's still a good read. It gives a good picture of Venice and a well-researched story of the art of the courtesan, but it presented a fuzzy finale that left me frustrated. In short, I found the ending particularly disappointing and that colored my overall perception of the work.
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more of her work and had somehow missed this one published back in 2007.Essentially this one is the story of a famous beauty Fiametta Bianchini and her sidekick business manager, companion, and friend Bucino Teodoldi the dwarf. Bucino narrates the story, and his point of view is what makes this one so much fun. Together with Tiziano Vecellio (a thinly veiled Titian) they provide us with the male point of view on this distinctly female occupation.
The story opens in Rome in 1537 as the Catholic city is being overrun by Protestant hordes from outside the country. Fiametta and Bucino escape to Venice where Fiametta grew up. They have only her collection of jewels (which they managed to swallow !!!!) to support them. In Rome, she had been a well-known, well-regarded and very wealthy courtesan, entertaining royalty, businessmen and not a few Cardinals of the church.
In Venice, she must begin again. Bucino goes about finding them living quarters, working space, and all the accoutrements needed to maintain the lifestyle she must project to be successful in her calling. She was well trained by her mother for this life, and knows her worth.
Up to about the middle of the book, the pace moves along, we are able to empathize with the characters, and look forward to a reasonable conclusion. At some point though, the story begins to unravel. It becomes less linear, and the reader is left to stumble along trying to keep track of several different story lines and characters. For instance, I never could get a clear handle on the character of Elena "La Draga" Crusichi. Was she simply a servant, a healer, a sorceress, WHAT? Her side story seems to come out of nowhere, and I'm not quite sure how it fits.
In spite of the crazy plot pattern, it's still a good read. It gives a good picture of Venice and a well-researched story of the art of the courtesan, but it presented a fuzzy finale that left me frustrated. In short, I found the ending particularly disappointing and that colored my overall perception of the work.
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LibraryThing member dougwood57
The characters and the setting make Dunant's latest historical novel worth reading. Dunant makes the main fictional actors, the courtesan Fiammetta, the dwarf Bucino, and the witch La Draga (Elena) come alive as real personas rather than caricatures. Bucino and Fiammetta flee the sacking of Rome in
The story also features interesting real characters such as the artist Tiziano Vecellio (Titian) whose painting adorns the book cover and Pietro Aretino, author, writer, poet and satirist whose scandalous sonnets accompany the I Modi - the Sixteen Pleasures - sexually explicit drawings. Bucino and Fiammetta come into possession of the last copy of this famed bit of Renaissance pornography and use it to leverage their new beginning in the upper strata of Venetian society. Having reached the pinnacle again, their decline is inevitable.
Beautifully told.
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1527 by German Lutherans. They remove to Venice and begin to reconstruct their business - the high-class whore and the pimp serving society's rich and powerful. The story also features interesting real characters such as the artist Tiziano Vecellio (Titian) whose painting adorns the book cover and Pietro Aretino, author, writer, poet and satirist whose scandalous sonnets accompany the I Modi - the Sixteen Pleasures - sexually explicit drawings. Bucino and Fiammetta come into possession of the last copy of this famed bit of Renaissance pornography and use it to leverage their new beginning in the upper strata of Venetian society. Having reached the pinnacle again, their decline is inevitable.
Beautifully told.
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LibraryThing member sarradee
With this, her second foray into historical fiction Sarah Dunant gives her readers another brilliantly written novel. Obviously well researched, Dunant's depiction of the Italian Renaissance setting is so realistic as to be magical. She transports the reader to 1527 and keeps them there for the
The story is that of Fiametta, the titular courtesan and her dwarf companion, Bucino. They lose everything they hold dear, and barely escape with their lives when Rome is sacked and destroyed around them. Fiametta's legendary beauty was damaged in an encounter with "Lutheran harpies", and the two voyage to her matriarchal home in Venice to rest and recover. Sadly Fiametta's mother has long since died and almost nothing remains of her fortune. With the help of La Draga an eerily blind, crippled healer, Fiametta is nursed back to health and works hard to regain her status as the high class companion to the wealthy and titled men of her time. All is well until an accident involving Bucino sends him seeking after La Draga. To her misfortune, his discovery of her secret ends in an accusation of witchcraft and subsequent trial.
Dunant's Venice is truly compelling, shown to the reader by the unusually astute observer Bucino, narrator of this story. At times he is companion, helper, business manager, confidant and exotic plaything. He uses his status as a dwarf to full advantage, even pretending to be a drooling idiot to further their cause. He is quite a sympathetic character; one can't help but like him for his loyalty to his mistress. He stands by her through thick and thin, even when there is considerable danger to his own skin. Indeed his loyalty makes him reject an offer that, had he accepted, would have set him up in luxury. Only once does Fiametta push him to the breaking point. She falls in love with a young client, and starts giving him freely what Bucino as her pimp thinks should be paid.
The courtesan Fiametta is both vain and shallow, excellent qualities in a woman who lives by her beauty. Under her flighty facade she has a core of steel, to have survived not only the rape of Rome, but also the setbacks that awaited her in the expected haven of Venice. Although Fiametta is a slightly lesser character, her relationship with Bucino is the backbone of the story and the heart of the book; all events in some way revolve around her. La Draga the mysterious blind healer, has a terrible secret, this and her powers leave a permanent mark on the courtesan and her dwarf. Dunant's characters are absolutely irresistible.
This fascinating novel is well fleshed out with historical figures and events. Even La Draga herself is a real person, although some liberties are admittedly taken with her story. All in all, an exceptionally satisfying way to wile away an afternoon or two.
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duration.The story is that of Fiametta, the titular courtesan and her dwarf companion, Bucino. They lose everything they hold dear, and barely escape with their lives when Rome is sacked and destroyed around them. Fiametta's legendary beauty was damaged in an encounter with "Lutheran harpies", and the two voyage to her matriarchal home in Venice to rest and recover. Sadly Fiametta's mother has long since died and almost nothing remains of her fortune. With the help of La Draga an eerily blind, crippled healer, Fiametta is nursed back to health and works hard to regain her status as the high class companion to the wealthy and titled men of her time. All is well until an accident involving Bucino sends him seeking after La Draga. To her misfortune, his discovery of her secret ends in an accusation of witchcraft and subsequent trial.
Dunant's Venice is truly compelling, shown to the reader by the unusually astute observer Bucino, narrator of this story. At times he is companion, helper, business manager, confidant and exotic plaything. He uses his status as a dwarf to full advantage, even pretending to be a drooling idiot to further their cause. He is quite a sympathetic character; one can't help but like him for his loyalty to his mistress. He stands by her through thick and thin, even when there is considerable danger to his own skin. Indeed his loyalty makes him reject an offer that, had he accepted, would have set him up in luxury. Only once does Fiametta push him to the breaking point. She falls in love with a young client, and starts giving him freely what Bucino as her pimp thinks should be paid.
The courtesan Fiametta is both vain and shallow, excellent qualities in a woman who lives by her beauty. Under her flighty facade she has a core of steel, to have survived not only the rape of Rome, but also the setbacks that awaited her in the expected haven of Venice. Although Fiametta is a slightly lesser character, her relationship with Bucino is the backbone of the story and the heart of the book; all events in some way revolve around her. La Draga the mysterious blind healer, has a terrible secret, this and her powers leave a permanent mark on the courtesan and her dwarf. Dunant's characters are absolutely irresistible.
This fascinating novel is well fleshed out with historical figures and events. Even La Draga herself is a real person, although some liberties are admittedly taken with her story. All in all, an exceptionally satisfying way to wile away an afternoon or two.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
Protagonist: Bucino Teodoldo
Setting: 16th-century Venice, Italy
Renaissance Italy comes to life as a street-smart dwarf, Bucino, tells of
his life with his mistress, celebrated Roman courtesan, Fiammetta Bianchini.
Barely escaping the 1527 sack of Rome with the clothes on their backs (and a
few jewels
the city of her birth. Fiammetta is starved, her beauty destroyed, but with
sheer determined cunning, Bucino's loyalty and the help of a blind healer
called La Draga, Fiammetta recovers.
Bucino misses very little of what goes on around him, and his narration is
superb. Through his eyes, we see the Venetian weave of politics, religion,
social class, rituals, intrigue, superstitions and betrayals. The three
characters--Fiammetta, Bucino, and La Draga--are vividly brought to life,
and the story's pacing doesn't miss a beat.
Setting: 16th-century Venice, Italy
Renaissance Italy comes to life as a street-smart dwarf, Bucino, tells of
his life with his mistress, celebrated Roman courtesan, Fiammetta Bianchini.
Barely escaping the 1527 sack of Rome with the clothes on their backs (and a
few jewels
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in their stomachs), Fiammetta and Bucino seek refuge in Venice,the city of her birth. Fiammetta is starved, her beauty destroyed, but with
sheer determined cunning, Bucino's loyalty and the help of a blind healer
called La Draga, Fiammetta recovers.
Bucino misses very little of what goes on around him, and his narration is
superb. Through his eyes, we see the Venetian weave of politics, religion,
social class, rituals, intrigue, superstitions and betrayals. The three
characters--Fiammetta, Bucino, and La Draga--are vividly brought to life,
and the story's pacing doesn't miss a beat.
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LibraryThing member lorielibrarian
Nice historical detail, well developed characters. I listened to the CD, which was quite good.
LibraryThing member GMac
Escaping the sack of Rome in 1527, with their stomachs churning on the jewels they have swallowed, the courtesan Fiammetta and her dwarf companion, Bucino, head for Venice. Yet as their fortunes rise, this perfect partnership comes under threat, from the searing passion of a lover who wants more
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than his allotted nights to the attentions of an admiring Turk in search of human novelties for his sultan's court. But Fiammetta and Bucino's greatest challenge comes from a young crippled woman, a blind healer who insinuates herself into their lives and hearts with devastating consequences for them all Show Less
LibraryThing member emhromp2
The story relates how a courtisant builds up a life in 16th century Venice after losing almost everything. At times sad, always humoristic. You almost smell the stench coming from the canals of Venice.
LibraryThing member SelimaCat
I kept waiting for this to be lusher and smuttier than it was. The story follows the dwarf companion of a renowned courtesan in Venice's heyday. It starts with a dramtic escape from Rome as it's being sacked by some sort of protestant infidel, and watches the courtesan trying to make a name for
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herself in a new city as she befriends a strange, witchy woman. The relationship between the dwarf and the courtesan is the important one, but lacks meat until the book is nearly over. It's telling that I returned from vacation, picked it up to finish it, and had forgotten that I already had. Meh. Show Less
LibraryThing member francescadefreitas
From it's dramatic opening scenes in Rome, the main characters in this story captured my attention. The story is not a large one, but more a collection of small events over many years until a satisfying endpoint is reached.
There were several interesting characters that I felt were painted well,
I look forward to reading more of this author's work.
There were several interesting characters that I felt were painted well,
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then abandoned by the plot. And a large time shift part way through was a little disconcerting. But the mix of fictional and historical characters, and the Venetian setting were all delightful. I look forward to reading more of this author's work.
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LibraryThing member shieldsk2
What a fun read - full of Venice with a touch of history and deception.
LibraryThing member ladybug74
I liked the first half of this book, then it began to drag a little until it got near the end. The foreign names were a bit hard to follow at times. Overall the book was just okay.
LibraryThing member flutterbyjitters
it was good, i enjoyed it. recommended.
LibraryThing member harveywals
Sarah Dunant is a great researcher/historian, though she denies it. Wonderful historical details and setting. The story is less engaging, though picks up in the last third.
LibraryThing member bdinan
Enjoyable and unpredictable.
LibraryThing member hep
Not only does this have a great story line - dwarf, courtesan, Titian - but it feels and reads as though the author has really done her research. I could almost smell and see Venice from her descriptions. I'll certainly check out her other books.
LibraryThing member jcelrod
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel although I felt that the end was a bit rushed - although I could piece together La Draga's backstory, it would have been nice to have had more detail. I liked the way that Dunant fictionalized real characters and found her explanation of her research interesting.
LibraryThing member aapjebaapje
Long book, short on story about a dwarf and his mistress, Fiametta, the Courtesan. Glad to got through it. Phew!
LibraryThing member michdubb
An interesting and often amusing story of a courtesan (high paid prostitute) and her entourage (including a midget) and her ambition to become the best and most expensive whore in venice.
LibraryThing member kakadoo202
it took me a moment to get into the history, but then I was drawn into the characters with their bad and good moods and their lives. I had the audio version and was happy with the reader. Gave you an intersting view behind the scences of the houses in Venice.
LibraryThing member astridnr
In the Company of the Courtesan is my second Sarah Dunant book. I am now officially a fan. The author has a talent for hooking and reeling the reader in during the first pages of her books. I was instantly transported to 16th century Rome. The protagonists are a beautiful courtesan, Fiammetta
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Bianchini, and her dwarf companion, Bucino. While the story begins in Rome, it unfolds in Venice. Our protagonists lose everything in the pillage of Rome and escape with only a few jewels they swallow to allow them to set up a new life in Venice. Historical themes include art, religion, Venetian society, prostitution, and deception. Amidst this backdrop the protagonists lives become individual explorations on the nature of love. I found the book and its characters entertaining, and the setting fascinating. The author takes us from heartbreak to wonder in a matter of pages. Sweet and beautiful ending. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2006
Physical description
416 p.; 4.96 inches
ISBN
1844082296 / 9781844082292
Local notes
Fiction