This book is the fictionalized story of Lucrezia, third daughter of Cosimo de Medici, married against her will to Alfonso, the Duke of Ferrara at the age of 14. Lucrezia dies at the age of 16 under suspicious circumstances after failing to produce an heir. The writing is brilliant. The author evokes the the world of 16th century Florence and Ferrara including the focus in Florence on learning, antiquity, music, art, and culture and the intrigue in the palaces in both locations. The author renders these descriptions  with skill and in a way that pushes this character driven story forward so that the reader can’t stop reading.