The Marriage Portrait

Bookclub read [UoG]:

First impressions - the book is huge, a giant hardback novel, I thought I'd never finish it. The cover is gorgeous - bright flowers, snakes and that tiger. I note that every cover version has a tiger - I really like tigers and am even more intrigued. (The tiger is disappointingly fleeting then becoming a metaphor).

The writing is stunning, O'Farrell draws you in instantly. Her words create a world that you can see, smell, feel and taste. It is obvious that there has been in-depth research done. The world is so real, the characters believable - flaws and all.

I want to know more about the people behind the scenes, the servants and painting assistants - they are infinitely more interesting than Lucrezia.

I felt I knew where it was going, but the ending was a bit ambiguous and I found myself let down. I almost enjoyed it against my will.