What do you when you have the misfortune of being born female in a society that praises women as the highest standard of virtue while subsequently keeping its women locked away, safe and pure? For Veronica Franco, a bright intelligent woman living in 16th Century Venice, there were two options available:either become the sequestered wife to a nobleman and bear children to further the Republic, or become a courtesan. Contrary to popular myth (perpetrated by recent movies) Veronica did try the marriage route first. When this failed, she became (albeit reluctantly) one of the most celebrated courtesans in Venetian history.

The book begins somewhat in the middle of Veronica's life, describing the enemies she was forced to deal with in her quest for recognition. There appear to be many, for though courtesans were a popular and appreciated ornament at most gentlemanly functions, they were also viewed as lecherous, venal, and greedy by many of the aforementioned gentles. Veronica, in particular, was despised, because she dared to wish for more than material riches. She may have donned the life of a whore, but in her heart, Veronica was a poet. The book goes on to describe her early life and education, as well as her failed marriage, her Inquisition trials, and her laborious attempts to be recognized for her writing, more so than her profession. And it truly was in the feild of writing that she excelled.

The book is liberally sprinkled with tantalizing bits of Veronica's poetry, as well as her lettere familiare or familiar letters. In the poetry, and the letters, Franco weaves a delicious spell, capturing the reader with her melodic verse, and a gift for description. In one poem she can raise you high, stringing out the beauty of Venice like pearls, while in the same poem, she will take you down into the depths, until you can almost smell the stench of the canals. And when she isn't singing the praises of Venice, Veronica is lamenting the plight of the oppressed female, crying out for equality, and the right to be heard. Her poems are a seductive, erotic mix of passion, anger and righteousness, fueled by the belief that things could and would change.

Now, before you get fired up to run out and by this book, here is the caveat: this book was written as a socio-political/gender study of 16th Century Venice. It is not light reading. If you're not familiar with the politics, and cultural ideas of this time period, you will be lost. I recommend this book to everyone who has an interest and a bit of a background in this field. I do not recommend it to anyone else.