The life of a courtesan; decadent, erotic, glamorous. In the life of 16th century Italians courtesans were a normal if not always acceptable part of society. They were a permanent fixture in the life of the noblemen and even the clergy. No gathering of great and wealthy minds was complete without a courtesan to provide beauty, elegance, and a sharp wit. All to often though the fortunes of the courtesan were without stability and could be lost at a moments notice. This sad fact is shown on all it's pain and splendor in In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant which chronicles the fall of a popular Roman courtesan and her re-emergance as the toast of Venetian society.
Fiametta Bianchini is beloved of male Roman society. She is beautiful, bright, and talented and she should be since her mother groomed her from birth for this lifestyle. When Rome is sacked by German and Spanish armies in 1527 is brings to an end the livelihood, and indeed lives, of many good citizens of Rome. Fiametta escapes, though not completely unscathed, and flees for Venice with her most loyal companion, the dwarf Bucino Teoboldi.
Though the city of her birth and upbringing, Fiametta was debuted in Rome. She has never been a part of the Venetian social scene and must therefore begin paying her dues again, working her way up, from the slums to the Grand Canal. Though Bucino could in all truth be called her pimp he is also her companion, friend, steward, and stalwart defender. Together the two must build a life for themselves despite the hardships that the profession has placed on them. Their involvement with La Draga, a suspected witch, will strain their lives more then they could know and change them, though not necessarily for the worst.
Sarah Dunant has done a good job of bringing both the beauty and the ugliness of this remarkable period in time. I think she sums it up best in the description of the pretty peasant, who is pretty until she opens her mouth to reveal the rot within. I also like the ending as I hate stories that wrap up everything pretty and perfect. while it may be sad it is truthful to that period in time and that is what makes a novel like this so rewarding.
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Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Random House (February 14, 2006)
ISBN: 1400063817