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The Borgia Bride

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 4,587 ratings · 332 reviews

Vivacious Sancha of Aragon arrives in Rome newly wed to a member of the notorious Borgia dynasty. Surrounded by the city's opulence and political corruption, she befriends her glamorous and deceitful sister-in-law, Lucrezia, whose jealousy is as legendary as her beauty. Some say Lucrezia has poisoned her rivals, particularly those to whom her handsome brother, Cesare, has...more

Paperback, 509 pages

Published May 1st 2005 by St. Martin's Griffin (first published 2005)

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Jul 12, 2012 Caroline rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: No one

Shelves: jeanne-kalogridis, the-borgia-bride, borgia-fiction, historical-fiction, historical-romance, one-star, renaissance-fiction, the-worst

The history fanatic in me looks at The Borgia Bride and thinks, "Oh, God, people are actually being led to believe that this is historical fact. The reader is more than happy to join in with a "Oh, and the rest of it's bad, too."

Like Philippa Gregory before her, Jeanne Kalogridis has the potential to write something interesting. The prose is nothing spectacular--it suffers from many historical fiction woes, such as trite dialogue and flowery, borderline-ridiculous descriptions--but it could do....more The history fanatic in me looks at The Borgia Bride and thinks, "Oh, God, people are actually being led to believe that this is historical fact. The reader is more than happy to join in with a "Oh, and the rest of it's bad, too."

Like Philippa Gregory before her, Jeanne Kalogridis has the potential to write something interesting. The prose is nothing spectacular--it suffers from many historical fiction woes, such as trite dialogue and flowery, borderline-ridiculous descriptions--but it could do. If she knew at all what she was writing about or how to write it, Kalogridis' work would probably be enjoyable. However, what is either an inability to interpret history, or, in the Gregory manner, a complete disrespect for it--paired with awful characterization--completely ruins what might have been a fun, frothy read.

I get it: this isn't a textbook, she has a right to artistic license, and so forth. I understand the need to fill in holes where history is either unknown or a little to dry. Who wants to read about every single one of Lucrezia's many pregnancies when we could gloss over a couple through time-jumps or omission? We don't need to count and flesh out all of Cesare's mistresses, because, well, that would be a big task. That said--these are real people. To slander their names without even an explanation in an author's note, something along the lines of, "I took license with this and this and this" is disrespectful to the dead. Yes, these people did live and die centuries ago: but they lived and died. Writers should not have to be historians. What they do need to think about is some respect. Particularly within cases where people like the Tudors and certainly the Borgias do not need further fiction scandal to make their already amazing stories more interesting. Kalogridis takes genuinely remarkable figures and turns them into caricatures. And because she does not even bother to elaborate upon that, she leads her readers to believe that at least some of this is rooted in fact.

Our protagonist is Sancia of Aragon, wife to Joffre, the youngest of Pope Alexander's children with mistress Vannozza de Cattanei. Sancia, an incredibly sexually confident woman in real life--who had very consensual affairs with both of Joffre's brothers, Cesare and Juan/Giovanni (he's mentioned by either name, but I'm referring to him as Juan for this review)--is reduced to a shrinking violet victim. Why should I root for Sancia when she disgusts me, unable to take any initiative and constantly used by the men in her life? Yes, you may argue that all women were used at that point in time. Lucrezia Borgia was a pawn: however, she used her influence over the men in her life to gain power, and so Sancia is simply irritating. She doesn't even try. She's not a participant, a villainous protagonist that would have been interesting and multi-dimensional. She's a bystander, wringing her hands and gasping at the hideous Borgias' exploits. That is, when she's not swooning over Cesare; her ability to both despise and love him isn't conflicted; it's childish. Why not have her embrace one or the other? I would guess that it's because Kalogridis doe not know how to sell a truly dark protagonist. Of course, Sancia suffers from other typical historical fiction heroine problems. Note that she is pointed out, in her own voice, to be prettier than legendary beauty Lucrezia; note that she manages to make even the most terrible Cesare fall in love with her, not to mention Rodrigo's completely fictionalized attraction and Juan's obsession. It's so boring.

Now, as for the Borgia clan themselves... Their complete lack of dimension--they are either villains or victims, without a shred of gray--makes them appalling as either antagonists or protagonists. Rodrigo, a pope with cunning and known love for his family, is reduced to being a molester and rapist. Kalogridis, unsurprisingly, gives way to the fabricated rumors that he had a sexual relationship with his daughter, Lucrezia... Which was one of the greatest lies of history, with no basis. At this point in the book, I was not at all shocked.

Juan and Sancia's affair is treated as some sort of rape scene, to avoid casting our heroine as a "slut". But I don't care about that as much as I care about deciding whose character is assassinated more: Lucrezia or Cesare Borgia's. Their relationship, which was one of non-physical, unintentional and unconditional love in real life--beautiful rather than incestuous--is depicted here as another rape. Why? We can't rehabilitate "terrible" Lucrezia Borgia without completely ignoring the darker aspects of her life, can we? Lucrezia didn't sleep with her brother; she did have a closer relationship with him than what can be called normal, and rather than dealing with what is an amazingly complex relationship, Kalgridis washes it over as some one-sided posession. A sort of thing that is, of course, nothing next to Cesare's "love" for Sancia. His strong sister, the one person who had any real influence over his life, is transformed into a quivering, submissive thing who would have disgusted the real Cesare and all of her contemporaries.

Cesare, by the way, was not a good man. Unlike his sister, he was not, for the most part, betrayed by history books. Kalogridis still manages to ruin his character. He's a lovestruck teenager one second, a monster the next. But he never forgets to love Sancia, right? Gone is the man who inspired Machiavelli's "The Prince". One must wonder how Cesare managed to get this far if all he talks about is loving Sancia or being rebellious or making his sister his "queen". By the way, if I read one more passage about his smirks or how "darkly charming" he is, I will throw up. The reality? This is a man who is willing to kill his brother with no remorse. He will also drop everything, riding without stop for days to console his sister after the loss of her baby, rub her feet, and tell jokes to get her mind off of the doctors' visits. He is someone capable of extreme love and extreme hate, so why doesn't Kalogridis leap at the opportunity to tackle that?

As is the norm with Borgia fiction, "The Borgia Bride" is a case of wasted opportunity. And it was a waste of my time.(less)

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Sara Agree 100%. I read it years ago and I remember I had liked it, but I didn't have a single notion about the real Borgias. I had heard of them, of cours...more
May 04, 2012 01:28am

Caroline Sara wrote: "Agree 100%. I read it years ago and I remember I had liked it, but I didn't have a single notion about the real Borgias. I had heard of t...more
May 04, 2012 06:03am

Hannah I agree completely with this review. I had just read it after buying it on kindle for a cheap price (I wanted to read Borgia fiction) and at first, I...more
updated Jun 04, 2012 03:43pm

Oct 20, 2008 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

The story of The Borgia Bride by Jeanne Kalogridis is packed with historical facts but does not become bogged down in the breadth of details, the story flowing naturally from season to season through the life of Sancha of Aragon.

The young Sancha has a rebellious nature and is in a battle of wills with her father Alfonso II of Naples, although she completely loyal to her brother Alfonso. Retaliating against Sancha for her behaviour, her father contracts a marriage for her to the Borgia family of...more

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Jul 16, 2010 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: italy, historical-fiction, hf-group-challenge, borgias, 2010, renaissance

I've been debating whether I should give this book 3 or 4 stars and I've decided on 4 because I really can't think of anything that I didn't enjoy about it. I loved the writing style and the characters, or in the case of many in this novel, loved to hate them.

This is my first time reading about the Borgias and I can't wait to get my hands on more about them. I thought the Tudors were corrupt!

What really amazed me was the afterward in this novel claiming that most of what was written actually h...more

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Jun 10, 2007 Kristin rated it 4 of 5 stars

One of my hobbies as a history student throughout high school and college was learning the sordid details of the corrupt ruling families of Europe. The Borgias of Italy were the epitome of fucked up, and I nearly peed myself when I saw the title of this novel at the bookstore. I enjoy historical fiction novels not only for the characters in them, but also because they're delightfully smutty and twisted. Kalogridis did not let me down with this book at all! There's graphic sex, murder, and incest...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Alyssa Bowling rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: the-worst-of-the-worst

Basically, whoever gave Jeanne Kalogridis a book deal needs to seriously reevaluate their life choices, if only because this crap will be taken by readers who aren't very familiar with the Borgia histories as actual fact (protip: it's not). While some of the reasons I hate this book are decidedly nit-picky (spelling her name as Sancha and not Sancia grated my nerves so bad, painting Juan and Sancia's affair - it's a thing, it happened, read about it - as some sort of rape scenario just so Sancia...more Basically, whoever gave Jeanne Kalogridis a book deal needs to seriously reevaluate their life choices, if only because this crap will be taken by readers who aren't very familiar with the Borgia histories as actual fact (protip: it's not). While some of the reasons I hate this book are decidedly nit-picky (spelling her name as Sancha and not Sancia grated my nerves so bad, painting Juan and Sancia's affair - it's a thing, it happened, read about it - as some sort of rape scenario just so Sancia doesn't come out looking like a whore made me want to vomit, and don't even get me started on how bad first person narratives always end up being), my biggest issue with this disaster of a novel was this: Cesare Borgia was not a good person. He wasn't even a remotely good person. Cesare Borgia was a fratricidal, sociopathic murderer who manipulated every single person around him, an egotistical military strategist that Machiavelli based "The Prince" on. He did not write over-the-top flowery love letters declaring his all-consuming and powerful love for Sancia - he did not really love anyone besides Lucrezia (whether it was ever physically incestuous or not, it's undeniable that she was the only one who had any remote hold over him, and he was near-infatuated with her to the point where he murdered just about all of her husbands and lovers out of obsessive affection and uncontrollable jealousy, so there), and yet Kalogridis paints him as this hormonal, love sick teenager and I have never wanted to drop kick an author more.

She completely misses the point with Lucrezia as well; this was a woman who ran Rome while her father was away, a woman who was well-read and well-versed in things like military strategies and the Roman classics, a woman who used her remarkable influence over the men in her life for her own political means to an end. This is a woman that she really could have run with and could have done something decent with, but Kalogridis reduces her to this innocent, meek little thing that could do nothing on her own. No, no, no; I could write essays on the ways Lucrezia is superior to Sancia, and it drove me up a wall to see her made into a pathetic, shrinking violet. And actually painting the rumors that Lucrezia was sleeping with her father as historical truth? Come on, Kalogridis, you know better than that.

Don't read it, ever. If someone hands this book to you, you throw it right at their head and immediately begin to question their literary tastes.(less)

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Aug 27, 2012 Rebecca added it

I do enjoy historical fiction and this book kept my interest. i was looking for some escapism and this fit the bill.

Like any book dealing with that time period it begins with a young girl married off for political gain. But this time it's to a Borgia and yes Lucrezia plays a role. Sancha (our heroine) is thrust into the world of the papacy, political intrigue, wars, kings and what have you. She makes the mistake of falling for the brother of her husband and the Pope is making eyes at her.

Sancha...more

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Mar 04, 2012 Grace rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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Sep 13, 2011 Brie rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Borgia Bride was a quick read for me despite it 500 plus pages. The story starts out a little slow, as the backdrop and foundation of the story are set, but then quickly picks up pace some 20 pages in. It is told from Sancha's first person perspective and works well because it still leaves an air of mystery around the Borgia's since the motivation and mind frame of the Borgia's is not ever truly known and they remain cloaked in question. Though The Borgia Bride is historical fiction, it is b...more

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Sep 05, 2010 Stacie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was the first book I've read by Ms. Kalogridis and I have to say, it was EXACTLY the type of entertainment I was looking for! Exciting, suspenseful, thought-provoking. I knew little about the Borgia family before this book. After reading Tudor books almost exclusively for the past couple of years, I am thrilled to find another historical family as interesting, shocking and colorful as the Tudors - perhaps even more so! The Borgias' story is quite the historical soap opera!

In the book, the...more

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Feb 14, 2010 Marie Z. Johansen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

I had had this book on my shelf for a bit and decided it was time to read it. I'm glad I did. This novel follows the life of a Bride to the powerful Borgia family. Ms. Kalogridis' summary of the book states:

"...THE BORGIA BRIDE is a sumptuous historical novel of passion, betrayal, scheming and incest, set in the Vatican during the 15th century, one of the most exciting, violent and also sensual times of European history. The plot and characters are based on actual historical personages and event...more

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Jun 05, 2011 Dark rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review:
First off, I’d like to say that this review was a lot longer, but I trimmed it down ;-) I’ve been very interested in the Borgia family for the past few years, and they’re one of the most fascinating parts of European Renaissance history.
Okay, okay, I admit it. I’m in withdrawal after the first season of Showtime’s The Borgias ended a few weeks ago. I love Neil Jordan’s vision of Renaissance Italy, of what went on in Pope Alexander VI’s household, and, of course, the actor who portrays Ces...more Review:
First off, I’d like to say that this review was a lot longer, but I trimmed it down ;-) I’ve been very interested in the Borgia family for the past few years, and they’re one of the most fascinating parts of European Renaissance history.
Okay, okay, I admit it. I’m in withdrawal after the first season of Showtime’s The Borgias ended a few weeks ago. I love Neil Jordan’s vision of Renaissance Italy, of what went on in Pope Alexander VI’s household, and, of course, the actor who portrays Cesare Borgia, the talented Francois Arnaud. He did a fantastic job and I look forward to seeing what he does in season two.

Because of said withdrawal, I decided to check out some Borgia fiction. Having already read The Family by Mario Puzo years before the show started, I thought I’d check out some alternate options. (The Family was well-written and interesting, but Puzo goes all the way with the incest rumours, for those interested, and the way that the dastardly Pope explains it to his children is, well, disturbing. Jeremy Irons’ version of the Pope hasn’t gotten anything on Puzo’s).

One of the first books I found was from Jeanne Kalogrides, author of The Devil’s Queen, about Catherine of Medici. The back cover blurb sounded intriguing, so I thought I’d give it a shot. I started reading the first few pages and soon I had finished the first few chapters, my interest thoroughly piqued.

Sancia of Aragon (pronounced “san-cha” and thus spelled as Sancha in this book and heretofore spelled as Sancha), for those who don’t know, was an illegitimate daughter of King Alfonso II of Naples. She married 13 year-old Joffre Borgia against her will, and unsurprisingly, they didn’t have kids (although they do shack up a number of times, much to her chagrin). While we’re on the history part, her brother, Alfonso of Aragon, was Lucrezia Borgias’ second husband (and one she actually liked. A lot. Which pissed Cesare off royally). The historical record and The Borgia Bride do intersect, but Kalogrides makes a number of amendments to suit her story, which made sense given that she put the spotlight on Sancha (who, incidentally, is played by one of my favourite actresses, Emmanuelle Chriqui in the Showtime series).

Sancha starts out as a rebellious youth who gets along well with her grandfather, King Ferrante of Naples (or Ferdinand I) despite his penchant for stuffing the bodies of his enemies and putting them in display in a cordoned off room of his castle,sitting around a dining table. But Sancha’s dad, Alfonso II, aka Douchebag #1, doesn’t like her independent spirit or the fact that she has the balls to question him, and he’s had it in for her since she was a kid, which is why he separates her from her favourite playmate, her brother (also named Alfonso; we’ll call him Alf despite any associations with a certain TV alien). Sancha eventually hooks up with an older guy who treats her nicely, and since they’re engaged, things are looking up for our heroine. Until her dad pulls the ultimate douchebag card and marries her off to Joffre, who is younger, shorter, kind of girly looking, and generally a wimp who never stands up for himself.

The book does a great job of re-painting some of the common perceptions and beliefs we have about the historical characters featured, including Lucrezia, who starts off like a bitch but softens toward Sancha eventually (the two become very good friends), and the Pope is basically portrayed as the lecherous, ass-grabbing pervy old man that he was rumoured to be. Cesare gets the most interesting treatment, starting off like an angel and ending up as someone so dark and violent that he would put Beelzebub to shame.

Cesare and Sancha begin an affair, and things seem to be going swimmingly until Juan Borgia, or Douchebag #2 as he will be affectionately known for the rest of the novel, comes into play. He screws things up for them by lying after having violated Sancha, but Cesare doesn’t know that. It escalates until Sancha finds out that Cesare isn’t all he’s cracked up to be. He has huge ambitions after he ceases to become a cardinal, something that does happen, and she knows from the start that it’s trouble for her. He claims to love her and to be crazy about her, but she also sees him smooching dear old sis, who, incidentally, isn’t into her bro, but rather Sancha’s, named Alfonso (it doesn’t help that her first hubby, Alfonso Sforza, has the same name. As does hubby #2′s dad. *sigh*)

It all pretty much goes downhill for Sancha after Cesare starts murdering like there’s no tomorrow. He starts going large-scale with his plans, making an alliance with France to try to take Romagna and also Naples as revenge against Sancha. And, like her father before her, Cesare knows that Sancha’s Achilles heel is her brother. As history buffs will know, he had it in for Alf (Lucrezia’s husband) allegedly because he was jealous, but this novel deviates from history’s version, which is fine in the context. While I had higher hopes for the ending, especially because of Sancha’s prowess with her blade, and I envisioned something more like a great Mexican standoff, what occurs is satisfying.

Cesare starts out like a prince, but bonus points to Kalogrides for not hiding what a cad he truly was — murderer, liar, adulterer, and master manipulator all rolled into one good looking package (well, until he gets syphilis, gets pockmarks all over his face, and takes to wearing a black veil to hide it from people. Yeah. Not pretty). Sancha, on the other hand, is as likeable a historical heroine you could ask for. She’s a fully fleshed out, three-dimensional person who isn’t just a tool to move the plot along. She’s brave, noble, kind, but also tough when she needs to be and far more interesting than the historical Sancia.

It was fascinating to see Cesare’s true, uncensored darkness, something I hope the Showtime series delivers more of in the coming second season. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve seen hints of that darkness when Cesare murdered another woman’s husband, and with his hiring out of the asssassin Michiletto, but I don’t think that the ruthlessness has been cranked up to full blast just yet. Here’s to hoping that it does.

So if you’re currently Borgia obsessed and need a different kind of fix that involves a fascinating narrative, a likeable protagonist, intrigue, and a well-written story, then look no further than The Borgia Bride. (less)

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Apr 28, 2011 Suzanne rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

Enh. I'm getting ready for a trip to Italy and I love reading historical fiction before I travel to a country (reading Wolf Hall while staying down the road from Lambeth Palace, divine). My mom recommended this one (and several others by Jeanne Kalogridis), but I did not find it as entertaining as I had hoped. Those Borgias were bloody violent, which the Tudors were as well, but somehow Kalogridis is not as good at developing the character of the narrator as, say, Phillipa Gregory, which makes i...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Christina Sesok rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

The summary on the back of the book implies that Sancha of Aragon (the narrator and main character) will be spending the entirety of the novel with the Borgias in Rome, but that is quite to the contrary. In fact, she doesn't even meet the infamous Pope Alexander VI, Caesar and Lucrezia until about 150+ pages into the book. Nevertheless, I found it a particularly excellent book.

Jeanne Kalogridis captures the Borgia clan in a way that leaves you walking away wondering, were they all really as bad...more

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Nov 04, 2009 PurplyCookie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography-memoir, historical-fiction, royalty

Against the backdrop of 15th-century Italian feuds, debauchery and Vatican corruption, "The Borgia Bride" chronicles the story of the ravishing and iron-willed Sancha de Aragon, princess of Naples. Illegitimate daughter to the cold-hearted Duke of Calabria (briefly king of Naples), she is used to establish ties to the feared and influential House of Borgia when her father betroths her to the younger scion, Jofre.

Much to the dismay of her beloved younger brother Alfonso, Sancha is sent from Napl...more

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Sep 23, 2009 Alta rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is one of those books that's hard to ignore once you get into it. It calls to you to finish.

It's not a story that will leave you feeling wonderful. It is not a love conquers all type of story, I wish it was. I'm kind of partial to happy endings and love so strong mad men become sane, and disaster is diverted.

It was morbidly fascinating, like a train wreck. You're pretty sure you don't want to know what comes next, but you're compelled by sheer curiosity to look, because you're pretty sure t...more

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Oct 13, 2010 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had read a few reviews of this book before I started it. And even seeing mention how scandalous the Borgia family was, I don't think I believed that that would in fact turn out to be the case. BOY! Was I ever wrong! Even with all of that going on it was still a very interesting novel. Very hard to put down, kind of like a train wreck you can't help but look at? It was very much like that.

I picked this book up, having read another one of Ms. Kalogridis' books before. And I admit to being curio...more I had read a few reviews of this book before I started it. And even seeing mention how scandalous the Borgia family was, I don't think I believed that that would in fact turn out to be the case. BOY! Was I ever wrong! Even with all of that going on it was still a very interesting novel. Very hard to put down, kind of like a train wreck you can't help but look at? It was very much like that.

I picked this book up, having read another one of Ms. Kalogridis' books before. And I admit to being curious about the Borgia's on a whole. Especially once I learned that the Borgia apartments in the Vatican had been sealed for some time. What sort of scandal could have caused that? Well, this book will tell you what sort of scandal caused this!

I enjoyed Sancha's character very much. Although at times I thought she was a little too worried about going mad. I understand that since her father and grandfather were off kilter that she might head that way also, but so could anyone else in her family. So I thought that obsession was a little bit much. I liked the way the war in Naples was described, and how much it showed that the younger generation just wanted to go home, and restore their birthright.

I did not care for Jofre at all. His was a character that I tried again and again to like in some way. And I just couldn't do it. He was her husband, but he was so weak, and undecided most of the time. It was easy to see how he was used as a pawn and ridiculed by his family. I don't doubt that he cared very much for Sancha and was happy to have her for his wife. He did seem quite devoted to her. Although if he was so devoted why all the courtesans? Why not stand up for her with his family? Maybe if he had a little more steel in his back bone they wouldn't have looked down on him so.

Rodrigo Borgia was something else all together. He loved his children immensely. He came across as most content when his children were surrounding him. On that same note, he loved his daughter especially inappropriately! And for a new bride to the family to happen across the Pope and her sister-in-law (his daughter) in an "intimate embrace"....oh my goodness!

I both liked and disliked Cesare. I thought he had good points, and then seemed to not care to cultivate them, maybe? He could have been a good man, he had the tools, but he chose to go another way. I think almost limitless power will do that to you.

I felt sorry for Lucrezia in a way. She was obviously well used by the men in her family which is incredibly sad. And it seemed to weigh on her conscious. But, it didn't seem like she tried to ever say "No". Maybe she was too scared for her life? Maybe she didn't realize that she could in fact say no. I don't know. It was just a sad situation.

It amazes me that this powerful family was as dastardly as it was. I'm surprised anyone lived to hear about any of the things that went on during that time. It also makes me wonder if anything could have been done to stop the destruction before it got so out of hand.

Over all, very good read. Ms. Kalogridis does not disappoint! (less)

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Jul 22, 2011 Meagan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, renaissance, italian, read-in-2011

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Sep 25, 2009 Tara Chevrestt rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: women-that-really-existed-fiction, rome

I do not like this book, or I should say I enjoyed this book fine until the Romans entered the picture. I am seeing a pattern in all books I read with Romans in them. What a vile, disgusting lot. The first half of the book is Sancha and her childhood home, cruel father, a war fought with the french, an unwanted marriage to the Pope's son, and then she goes to Rome. In Rome, she discovers the Pope is having inappropriate relations with every woman that crosses his path, including his daughter. Af...more

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Nov 25, 2008 Carrie rated it 3 of 5 stars

A friend of mine introduced me to the wonders of historical fiction, so I picked this book up. It's based on fact - the evils and corruption of Pope Alexander and his family, and what happened to them. The details are what was invented for the book. It's especially interesting if you enjoy history involving royalty and/or the Catholic church. It's about a royal girl, who is married off to the son to a Pope, and must go live with them. The longer she's there, the more she learns about how corrupt...more

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Feb 18, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: renaissance

Jean Kalogridis is to Italy what Philippa Gregory is to England. Except more hard-core. This is my second time reading "The Borgia Bride" and the more brutal/squirm-inducing aspects were a bit easier to deal with on a second go-round. A re-read also allowed me to admire her wonderful story-telling and complete bravery in tackling such taboo topics head on. Kalogridis captures Italy perfectly at the time of the "Borgia Fever" showing the utterly evil and despicable acts and atrocities committed b...more

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Aug 13, 2010 Abby Lyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

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Apr 26, 2013 Linda Ulleseit rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-historical-fiction

I liked it, I didn't love it. I found myself wondering why the author chose to write from Sancha's point of view instead of the much more interesting Lucrezia. I know more rumor than fact about the real Borgias, but even so I found these women pretty disappointing. Sancha travels to Rome to wed a powerful Borgia. She's disappointed to be leaving her brother in Naples, where she is depicted as a strong daughter of the ruling family. When she gets to Rome she withers and dithers over the depravity...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Tonia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have discovered Kalogridis as an author in the last few months. These books written as historical fiction novels are keeping me awake at night (as I can't put them down) and keep me running to the library (because there are more along the same vein to read). The history of the era comes to life with characters that range from those people who have good intentions but make questionable choices, to those who are incredibly manipulative ready to use anyone necessary to reach their selfish goals....more

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Oct 17, 2012 S rated it 5 of 5 stars

I started reading these types of books only a short while ago with a Philippa Gregory book. I was immediately hooked - I have now read all of hers and was looking for something to fill that gap. I stumbled across this book quite by accident in my local library and I loved it. The characters are believable and the inner torment faced by the main character is very clear and strong throughout the book. I really felt for the characters and the storyline kept me interested the whole time. I felt that...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Tiffany rated it 3 of 5 stars

When I first began "The Borgia Bride" I wasn't entirely sure I was going to make it through the novel. Kalogridis' opening exposition of the who-what-where is ponderous at best and tedious at worst. However, as the plot picked up, especially following the heroine's removal to Rome, I found myself more and more engaged in the story. I admit that I chuckled when I saw the cover - can the links to "The Other Boleyn Girl" etc be more clear? And do I hate to pigeonhole myself? :) I didn't enjoy "The...more

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Jul 04, 2011 Nanci de Suffren rated it 4 of 5 stars

The brutality of this time in history makes current events sometimes seem tame. The Borgias had no scruples when it came to advancing their ambitions. They sacrificed everything decent: faith, morals, life, in their quest for immortality. If history teaches us anything it is that those kinds of sacrifices come back to haunt at the last possible moment of life. Death is certainly frightening for most people but the terror that faced the Borgia clan had to make those last moments of terror beyond...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: chick lit, historical fiction, mystery, war, politics, war

Shelves: abuse, death, famous-people, historical-fiction, family, italy, love, mystery-suspense, politics, rape, war

If you like scandal, this book is for you. Although this is filled with the highest of taboos, this book manages to maintain beautiful character development and a full, deep plot - it escapes the typical downward spiral to Gossip Girl style (which, although a guilty pleasure of mine, does not count as any kind of serious literature). A very interesting interpretation of the historical events surrounding the mysterious deaths and scandals of the Borgias. Very well written, full of intrigue - hist...more

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May 28, 2011 Brynne Betz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ok, I admit it. I'm a sucker for Italy. And this just fueled the fire. I knew nothing about the Borgia family before I began reading so take that into consideration, though. Truth be told, anyone who reads (or hears) about the Borgia family for the first time is bound to be caught with their mouth open. But...there's much more to this book than its shock appeal. It was an all around great read. Well written, interesting, with fierce love, ugly betrayal, and lavish living in one of the most beaut...more

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Mar 18, 2013 MMOGC rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

This review originally posted at The BiblioSanctum

Taking a break from my usual SFF to check out another one of my beloved genres, historical fiction -- and I can never resist a Borgia book.

I would recommend The Borgia Bride to: fans of Philippa Gregory. This book reminded me of her work in many ways, from the first person narrative of its female protagonist to the rich and detailed descriptions of the setting and environment. And of course, those like me with an interest in fiction about the Bo...more This review originally posted at The BiblioSanctum

Taking a break from my usual SFF to check out another one of my beloved genres, historical fiction -- and I can never resist a Borgia book.

I would recommend The Borgia Bride to: fans of Philippa Gregory. This book reminded me of her work in many ways, from the first person narrative of its female protagonist to the rich and detailed descriptions of the setting and environment. And of course, those like me with an interest in fiction about the Borgias should check it out.

I would not recommend this book to: people easily frustrated or offended by any historical inaccuracies or any creative liberties taken by the author. When it comes to historical fiction, it really boils down to your tolerance for such things, but it also comes with the territory. It just makes sense; like if you want to learn actual facts about the reign of King Henry VIII, for example, watch a documentary, not The Tudors. Same kind of deal here. Anyway, once I accept a book as fiction, so long as the author does not write with a complete disregard for historical fact, then I'm more interested in the story and how they manage to spin a tale around the real historical figures and events.

In any case, I have a feeling this book was meant to be a little shocking and a little scandalous, playing to all the rumors surrounding the Borgias, as most works of fiction about the notorious family tend to be. On some level, I was prepared for and even expected it, so in this the book delivered exactly the drama, intrigues, and conspiracies it promised. Jeanne Kalogridis includes a lot of true events, but also fills in the gaps with her interesting interpretations of them.

The main protagonist and narrator of The Borgia Bride is Sancha (or Sancia) of Aragon. The book begins with her childhood growing up in the court of her grandfather Don Ferrante (or Ferdinand I of Naples) which leads up to her marriage to Jofre (or Gioffre) Borgia and her subsequent move to Rome. There, she meets the rest of the family: Cesare Borgia, with whom she has a torrid affair; Lucrezia Borgia, whom she eventually befriends; Juan (or Giovanni) Borgia, for whom she develops an immediate dislike; and of course, the patriarch Rodrigo Borgia or Pope Alexander VI himself.

I notice there almost appears to be three sides to Sancha in this book, distinguished by her actions and behaviors, with each side accompanying or making an appearance only after certain events of significance in her life. The first third of the book, which builds up some of the history, features young Sancha who happens to be my favorite because she's headstrong and goes through life knowing exactly what she wants. But then when she moves to Rome and meets Cesare, she suddenly becomes wishy-washy Sancha, going back and forth on her stances and her feelings. I found it a little amusing and ironic how she repeatedly accuses Pope Alexander for being "inconstant", when she's being kind of a flake herself. Anyway, it got really frustrating, almost like Cesare cast a spell on her, one she never manages to shake off for the rest of the book, which was kind of a shame.

The third Sancha is "Mopey Sancha", who doesn't reveal herself until about the last quarter of the book, but at this point I've already accepted that her character was not who I thought she was. That isn't to say her reaction and change isn't justified, given what happens around that part in the book, but that was probably my one disappointment while reading this.

Apart from the inconsistencies in Sancha's personality, however, I have to say this was an enjoyable read. I had hoped the Borgias would be characterized and developed a little more, but considering the story was told from Sancha's point of view, I thought what the author presented was pretty good. Pleasant to read and entertaining overall.(less)

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Oct 07, 2011 Gaile rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 15th-century

Jeanne Kalogridis does a good job of writing about good and evil. Sancha Of Aragon is married reluctantly into the Borgia family. Later her brother marries Lucrezia Borgia. This book is full of blood, murder, struggles of conscience and divided loyalties under the regime of Pope Alexander VI, The Borgia pope who openly acknowledged his children. Told from the POV of Sancha, Ms Kalodigris takes the history of that period and actual happenings into a suspenseful plot with Sancha at the center of i...more

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About Jeanne Kalogridis

Okay, here are the bare facts: I was born in Florida on December 17, 1954, and I've been interested in books ever since. My interest in language led me to earn a B.A. in Russian in 1976 (although my major was microbiology until my senior year).

That was soon followed by a two-year stint as a legal secretary. The good part about that was, I learned how to type, which comes in useful these days. Then...more

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