The Daughter of Siena
I enjoy reading books that link historical information along with a good story line. After personally visiting Siena, Italy I particularly appreciate the facts Marina Fiorato incorporates into her romantic story of Pia and Riccardo. It is wonderful to look back and remember that beautiful Italian city with a better educational concept of the Piazza del Campo, the Palio, and the 17 Contrade.
Rated of 5
by Luisa A. (Flemington, NJ)
The Daughter of Siena
Overall I enjoyed the book very much. It took a little bit to get going and really capture my attention. Once the story started to develop it was hard to put down. At times a bit predictable – I caught myself hoping for a less foreseeable outcome. It is not a deep story but if you are looking for something light to read this is a great book
Rated of 5
by Mary O. (Boston, MA)
Intriguing historical read
I found The Daughter of Siena to be a very enjoyable read and good story - perfect for summer beach reading or a book club! I must preface my comments by saying that I am a sucker for romantic historical fiction or any novel set in Italy, especially Tuscany or Umbria! The author does a great job of weaving the Palio race and its rivalries, the city of Siena and its history and art with romance and intrigue. Definitely a quick, worthwhile, and enjoyable read!
Rated of 5
by Lynne B. (S. Lake Tahoe, CA)
Great Historical Fiction
Being an avid reader of historical fiction I was pleased to receive this book for review and was not disappointed. Though at first glance it may appear to be just another historical romance, Ms. Fiorato brings much more depth to the novel. The 18th century life in Siena is vividly recreated with careful attention to historical accuracy and detail. I so enjoy being educated in the history and culture of the time and this book enlightened me immensely. I had no prior knowledge of this time and place and now I am intrigued by the history and hope to learn more from this author. The characters are richly drawn and believable. She skillfully moves through the active plot leading the reader into the world of the Siena of 1723 full of the culture of class distinction and family pride. I highly recommend this as an excellent example of very readable historical fiction and look forward to reading more by this author.
Rated of 5
by Catherine H. (Nashua, NH)
Good book to take to the beach
This is a good book to read while vacations: wonderful descriptions of Siena and the Palio race, forbidden romance, the Medici Family, treason but despite all that, very slow action and very predictable ending.
Rated of 5
by Judy K. (Conroe, TX)
I liked it, BUT....
Whenever I read a historical novel, I'm always afraid it will actually be a romance novel. While I love history, I'm not so fond of romance. This book, has a foot in both worlds. It could have been a Walt Disney movie. All of the bad guys got their come-uppance, all loose ends were tied up and there was some jaw-dropping serendipity. Having said all of that, I truly enjoyed reading about the Palio, the contrade and the Medici. I just wish the story could've been less fanciful and more realistic. It could've been a really good book.
Rated of 5
by Joan V. (Miller Place, NY)
Daughter of Siena
I wish I had enjoyed this book more. The beginning was very predictable with stock characters, i.e., the good people were SO “good” and the bad -the other extreme. Many parts of the book were overly melodramatic. It was not until almost half-way through the book that the mystery and intrigue hooked me. That was when the twists and surprises emerged. In my opinion, the Violante was the most fully fleshed out character and the most interesting.
The author did a very good job in describing the Palio, you could truly feel the tension in those scenes. Obviously she did a LOT of research into the history of Siena – which was wonderful to read – and also a lot of detail about horses and the way they were trained.
This would be a good, light, vacation read, but I don’t think particularly suited for a book club.
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of 5
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