The Scarlet Contessa: A Novel of the Italian Renaissance

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Scarlet Contessa: A Novel of the Italian Renaissance

3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 · rating details · 925 ratings · 105 reviews

What Philippa Gregory has done for Tudor England, Jeanne Kalogridis does for Renaissance Italy. Her latest irresistible historical novel is about a countess whose passion and willfulness knew no boundsCaterina Sforza

Daughter of the Duke of Milan and wife of the conniving Count Girolamo Riario, Caterina Sforza was the bravest warrior Renaissance Italy ever knew. She ruled

...more

Hardcover, 464 pages

Published July 6th 2010 by St. Martin's Press

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Best Cover Art 2011 (Non-YA)

103rd out of 268 books — 1,387 voters

Italian Fiction

17th out of 56 books — 61 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 2,669)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Nov 15, 2010 Rio (Lynne) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, rome-italy-renaissance

Ehhh. I hate when you really want to like a book! 2 and 1/2 stars. This is the story of Caterina Sforza, the bravest warrior of the Renaissance. After reading The Borgia Bride where we were introduced to Caterina, I couldn't wait to begin to read her story. It started out interesting, even if the first half was about a fictional character her lady in waiting Dea. I started to wonder where the story of Caterina would begin. I see what the author was doing, but I would have rather read the story t...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 19, 2012 Matt Schiariti rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked this book better than the Devil's Queen easily, but I still prefer I, Mona Lisa and the Borgia Bride insofar as her works of historical fiction.

The novel follows the trials and journeys of Caterina Sforza from her childhood as the daughter of a powerful yet woman abusing Duke of Milan to her later years as the Contessa of Forli after becoming the wife of one of Pope Sixtus's less than lovable sons and everything between including shifting loyalties and dealings with the Borgias and Medic...more

like · see review

Aug 16, 2012 Elaine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Italy 1476-1500.

Time of Lorenzo d'Meici, the magnificent.

Pope Alexander VI--Rodrigo Borgia (very evil) Father of Lucrezia.
Caterina Sforza life story told by her lady-in-waiting.
Her son was Giovanni d' Medici, one of italy's most famous mercenaries. His son, Cosimos d'Medici, became the First Grand Duke of Tuscany.

Vatican means vacant, uninhabitableThe land on which it is built aquired its name in the first few decades after Christ's death, when Caligula's mother, Agrippina had ordered the marsh...more

like · see review

Aug 01, 2012 Kristen rated it 1 of 5 stars

I got about one-quarter through this book before admitting that I just wasn't enjoying it enough to finish.

I will take some of the responsibility for this being a miss, because I knew to some extent that the Sforzas of Milan weren't exactly humanitarians, but there wasn't a single character in this book I liked even a little bit. Virtually everyone in the story is selfish, mean, greedy and violent. And while I can cut them a little slack understanding how dog-eat-dog this period of history was,...more

like · see review

Oct 08, 2010 Marcie rated it 3 of 5 stars

The story is told through the eyes of Dea. She is the lady in waiting to Caterina Sforza. Caterina and Dea are very strong women. Caterina is bold and daring, willing to do what ever it takes to get the success she craves. Dea is strong in more subtle ways. She gives strength to those around her especially Caterina. Their fates are tied together by love, loyalty and sisterhood. The storyline was good, although a little hard to take sometimes. I don't want to give too much away and you know how I...more

like · see review

Jan 21, 2011 Tiffany rated it 3 of 5 stars

When I picked this book up at the library, I was under the impression that a good friend of mine had strongly recommended "The Scarlet Contessa" to me. Either a) I misremembered the wrong friend, or b) I fabricated the whole thing, because my friend denies all responsibility for this book. Either way, "The Scarlet Contessa" isn't bad. It's reasonably well written and the topic is a favorite one of mine: women who come to bad ends because they're too damned smart, ambitious, and just like men. I...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 05, 2010 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was drawn to this book set in Renaissance Italy because of how much I enjoyed Poison by Sara Poole last month. That book focused on the Borgia family, and in this book the Borgias are not main characters but play significant parts in the action (along with the De Medicis). While Poison was very suspenseful and it was clear that politics and religion were quite contentious at the time, The Scarlet Contessa portrays the politics and religious scandals with even more color. I walked away from thi...more I was drawn to this book set in Renaissance Italy because of how much I enjoyed Poison by Sara Poole last month. That book focused on the Borgia family, and in this book the Borgias are not main characters but play significant parts in the action (along with the De Medicis). While Poison was very suspenseful and it was clear that politics and religion were quite contentious at the time, The Scarlet Contessa portrays the politics and religious scandals with even more color. I walked away from this book surprised at the dangerous and unstable position of the ruling class in Italy during the Renaissance. Their existence, while lush and pampered, was by no means easy or safe.

The story is told from the point of view of Dea, a fictional adopted sister of Caterina Sforza. Their growing-up years are interesting since Dea has no memory of her mother and Caterina's father is a lecherous and powerful man. His actions toward young women are horrid, but his ability to sate his desires with few consequences kind of rubs off on Caterina. When she marries a man with whom she has little chemistry, she has few qualms about seeking out pleasure through affairs. So, there is a fair amount of sexual content in this book, and though it isn't the main purpose of this book it is a part of Catherine's character. For the most part the reader doesn't really get into Catherine's head because the story is told from Dea's point of view. Dea is tied to Catherine as her lady-in waiting and for much of the book Catherine refuses to let Dea leave her because she feels she is her talisman.

But to dwell on the sex and the relationship between the sisters is to gloss over the explosive political landscape that this all takes part in. Caterina married Girolamo Riario, who was officially the pope's nephew but was rumored to be his son. Caterina was unusual for her time in that she was not afraid to step up and protect her family's holdings when others sought to take them away. The turnover occurring within the Catholic Church with the election of each new Pope resulted in power struggles in the lands within Italy, and she wanted to make sure her family didn't lose their power. She also moved quickly to try to hold on to power after her husband was murdered. The steps she took to protect their holdings included taking up the sword to encourage her husband's soldiers, attempting to maintain control over Castel Sant'Angelo while seven months pregnant, and allegedly attempting to poison Pope Alexander VI. When I looked up some general information on Caterina, I found that this novel followed her life fairly closely (it does omit one of her marriages) and that Caterina was indeed an extremely interesting person for that time period or for any other time period.

Although I generally am not an avid reader of books with sexual content, once I got past it in this novel I thought it was fascinating and suspenseful. There was an element of mystery regarding Dea's "angel" and the future she had foreseen in the cards for herself and for Caterina. And since I am very lightly read on the topic of Italian history of any time period, I was highly intrigued by the politics and people of Renaissance Italy. It was all very scandalous and dangerous. Once again I am finding myself drawn to read more about Renaissance Italy.

The author includes a note at the end that explains that Dea was a fictional character but that most of the other characters were based on actual historical figures. I was disappointed that the author's note on the historical record was so short since I know so little about the time period myself. I would have liked to know more about where she fictionalized Caterina's life and where she stayed faithful to the historical record. But even with this complaint, I still found this book totally worth my time.

If you are a fan of historical fiction and are not bothered by books with sexual content, you should definitely give this book a try. Caterina Sforza was a woman whose life story was definitely worth being retold, and I think this fictionalization of her life was entertaining and riveting. The real-life Caterina Sforza is reported to have said, "If I were to write the story of my life, I would shock the world." I'll leave it to those with more knowledge of her life to decide whether this book was a fair characterization of her or not.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 12, 2012 Angela Montgomery rated it 4 of 5 stars

This novel deals with the fascinating, and poorly known, Caterina Sforza. She is not a likeable person, which I think may ruin the novel for many. However, I think any historical fiction about the Italian Renaissance would have to include many unsavoury characters. They were all ruthless shits, no doubt. It is written through the perspective of her lady-in-waiting Dea, in contrast a rather insipid personality, but who is not? The cover is misleading. Do not read this book if you are expecting a...more

like · see review

Jun 21, 2012 Claire rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The prologue failed to intrigue me but, knowing the author is very talented, I decided to continue anyway. Sure enough, the book picked up. Renaissance Italy was shown to be a bright and vivid place. The character development of Caterina Sforza was well paced and convincing. However, the same cannot be said of the protagonist. Without giving anything away, the inclusion of magic was fairly pointless later on in the book. I had expected it to be built upon more so that it would be relevant.

As for...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 11, 2010 C.W. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Bestselling author Jeanne Kalogridis returns to Renaissance Italy in this vivid tale of one of the era's lesser known figures— the indomitable Caterina Sforza, illegitimate daughter of the duke of Milan, who married into the papal della Rovere family and ended up battling for her estates against the notorious Borgia.

Told through the eyes of Caterina's lady in waiting, Dea, the book sweeps the reader from the glamorous barbarism of the Sforza court to the vicious intrigues of Rome and insular sav...more Bestselling author Jeanne Kalogridis returns to Renaissance Italy in this vivid tale of one of the era's lesser known figures— the indomitable Caterina Sforza, illegitimate daughter of the duke of Milan, who married into the papal della Rovere family and ended up battling for her estates against the notorious Borgia.

Told through the eyes of Caterina's lady in waiting, Dea, the book sweeps the reader from the glamorous barbarism of the Sforza court to the vicious intrigues of Rome and insular savagery of rural Romagna. Dea is a strong narrator in her own right, her mysterious birth and determination to uncover the mystery behind her husband's murder propelling her into arcane magical knowledge linked to a secret society founded by the Medici. While at times the supernatural aspects of the story can feel forced, Ms Kalogridis more than compensates with her superb attention to details of the era and in her compelling depiction of the danger and ambition of a country broken into patchwork states, where families vying for power will do anything to ensure their success. Infamous Rodrigo Borgia, patriarch of the clan, strides across the stage as a magnetic master of seduction, terrifying in his resolve, and Caterina’s husband is a murderous giant with a weakness for gambling and appetite for mayhem. But in the end, the reader’s heart is captured by Caterina Sforza herself— a pampered, vain young girl married off to further Sforza influence in Rome, who grows into to a shrewd and calculating wife capable of intriguing with the best of the men and possessed of a ferocious carnal appetite, until finally becoming the warrior virago of legend, intent on protecting her children and her lands.

Ms Kalogridis has crafted a magnificent evocation of a tumultuous and complex era, where the ripple of silk hides the vial of poison, where the dagger in the sleeve was only a breath away, and where one bold woman dared to defy convention and live her life as she saw fit. Highly recommended!
(less)

1 like · like · see review

May 04, 2013 Cindy rated it 2 of 5 stars

This historical fiction novel is based on the life of Caterina Sforza who was a noblewoman in 15th century Italy. The story is told from the perspective of Sforza’s lady in waiting Dea. Dea has the ability to read tarot cards, which she uses to help Sforza. The beginning of the book read like a harlequin romance and I had feared that I had been misled by the information on the book’s jacket. The story in some moments was extremely detailed and covering the characters moment to moment, then at ot...more

like · see review

Mar 11, 2011 Bonnie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really did enjoy this book and I'd have given it a higher rating if it weren't for two things. First, and I have to admit this was no surprise given the title, there was quite a bit of sex, at times rather explicit. I skipped to the next track a number of times since I prefer to use my imagination. The other problem was the rather new-agey stuff about the narrator "finding her angel". The narrator, Dea, was talented at reading the triumph cards (probably another word for tarot). She is urged b...more

like · see review

Dec 03, 2011 Judy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction

I guess the first thing I could say about this book is that it's perfectly adequate. The Scarlet Contessa follows the life of Caterina Sforza, one of the strongest and ruthless women from a very privileged Italian family in the Renaissance, through the eyes of one of her servants, Dea. Kalogridis did a good job of adding in some of the more popular historical facts. For example, when her children were taken hostage, she really did flip up her skirt and tell the captors that she didn't care if th...more

like · see review

Nov 22, 2012 Kate Sherrod rated it 3 of 5 stars

Let me take a moment to observe, very gratefully, that this has got to be one of the most misleading book covers I've encountered in quite a while. Sing hosannah! When I got a proper look at it, I felt I'd made a dreadful mistake and ordered some ridiculous softcore porn "romance" novel that was only sort of about Caterina Sforza, badass military bee-hatch of the Italian Renaissance.

Whew! Especially since The Scarlet Contessa seemed to be the only novel -- indeed, the only book -- devoted to Sf...more Let me take a moment to observe, very gratefully, that this has got to be one of the most misleading book covers I've encountered in quite a while. Sing hosannah! When I got a proper look at it, I felt I'd made a dreadful mistake and ordered some ridiculous softcore porn "romance" novel that was only sort of about Caterina Sforza, badass military bee-hatch of the Italian Renaissance.

Whew! Especially since The Scarlet Contessa seemed to be the only novel -- indeed, the only book -- devoted to Sforza that I could find after wondering what the hell kind of possibly-just-anachronistic-but-wouldn't-it-be-awesome-if-not hot chick in armor riding with the "bad" guys Gina McKee was supposed to be in The Borgias.

For a lot of the novel, though, Caterina is barely present. Much in the way Diana Paxon's The White Raven told the legend of Tristan and Isolde/Iseult from the point of view of the princess' maidservant, The Scarlet Contessa is mostly about Caterina's lady-in-waiting, Dea, a woman of even more dubious origins than Caterina (Caterina was a Duke's bastard daughter, but Renaissance Italy didn't make as big a deal about that as some cultures. As might be expected of a place and a time in which a supposedly celebate Pope made his son the commander of the papal armies and stuff) and who has a preternatural gift for reading Tarot cards. Which means the first third of the book is pretty much a giant foreshadowing yawn fest.

I guess I should have taken our lady-in-waiting's name -- Dea means "goddess" I do believe -- as a warning. There isn't quite enough supernatural/magical claptrap to make this a fantasy novel, but it comes awfully close. Dea inherited her murdered mother's "gift" with the Tarot, which gift seems to involve her not only reading the cards but also projecting herself bodily into their images (i.e. almost getting hit by falling masonry from the Tower card, which comes up over and over to make sure we Get It). In addition, Dea performs rituals to "find her angel" in the best New Agey bulldada tradition. This goes on for ages and pages until the non-New Age reader wants to Throw Up.

And of course everything Dea's Tarot cards predict Comes True. Quite literally. So, e.g., when the Two of Cups turns up in a reading, the promised lover shows up with a gift of two golden goblets. And of course Caterina -- remember, this is sort of supposed to maybe be a novel about Caterina? -- here presented as the most spoiled young woman ever, must have Dea by her side at all times so she can get a reading whenever she wishes. Huh what?

In the "further reading" section at the end of this book is a short -- unpardonably short! -- list of books that contain more information about the Lady of Forli, none of which are recent at all and so are most likely out of print. Sing hosannah I live in the Age of the Internet and can track down copies of those with relative ease, because if there's one thing I want to do after reading this book, it's read a better book about this fascinating woman.

I wish Jean Plaidy had written about her.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 19, 2011 Debbi rated it 5 of 5 stars

So far so good. The characters are interesting, there is a hint of magic, lots of political intrigue...I can't wait to see how it all ends.

Ok, I finished the book, and I can't wait to read another one of Jeanne Kalogridis's books. The book is based on a true person, an independent woman who was strong, and smart and brave. It's set in the time of the Borgia's and d'Medici's, a hugely dangerous time politically. The two main characters, Caterina (who is real) and Dea (who is not)are both very in...more

like · see review

Feb 08, 2011 Elli rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: abuse, renaissance, italy, historical, intrigue, women

I note that the author chooses to write about some of history's "bad" women. the Scarlet Contessa is about Caterina Sforza through the eyes of her prime lady in waiting. The Sforza family was one of the prime families in this period as well as the Medici's and the Borgia's, all of whom interract. The everyday lives and what is expected of the noble families including how much of their lives (including their very lives in any situation) belong to the liege lord (and lady). Right or wrong. Althoug...more

like · see review

Apr 27, 2012 Sasha Strader rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, historic-fiction

I always somehow manage to forget that history comes a pale second to bodice ripping in Kalogridis novels. Not to say they aren't still worthwhile reads, just that you get a lot more sex than you probably thought you would.

This was a pretty well written book about "The most infamous woman in Italy" who I've never heard of. The narrator is the servant of the true main character, Caterina Sforza. The narrator is a total limp noodle and Caterina is a borderline psychotic. Great dynamic (kidding) No...more

like · see review

Apr 01, 2011 Kat rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Sep 14, 2010 Kandice rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2010, historical

I enjoyed this book and the opportunity to explore a period of history that I hadn't studied much previously. While the main character of the book, the Contessa, wasn't quite as phenomenal as the flyleaf made her out to be, I did enjoy the narrator's character. Too bad Dea was fictional and the contessa genuine. I do find it interesting that so many of Kalogridis' books deal with magic and the supernatural. In reading other authors' books on the same characters, there isn't as much of this menti...more

like · see review

Oct 09, 2010 Zabet The Dark Empress of Dark Chocolate rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Feb 26, 2012 Kim Hathorn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Actually three and a half stars. I didn't care for the graphic sex scenes, although it was obvious how much Luca and Dea really loved each other and wanted to marry, so that actually softened the love scenes with them somewhat versus the sex for-just-pleasure scenes involving Caterina. But Caterina's bravery and political astuteness were highly evident throughout the novel, and Dea was extremely likeable for her goodness and loyalty.
I would've liked to have seen more interaction between Dea a...more

like · see review

May 09, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

With the new Showtime series The Borgias, publishers and authors have begun the cascade of Borgia-era novels. I've seen no fewer than five new Borgia-inspired novels being published (or republished) this year. I'm sure that's only the beginning. With the increased interest in the Borgias and all things Renaissance Italy has come a a resurgence in older Borgia novels, including Jeanne Kalogridis' The Borgia Bride and her 2010 novel, The Scarlet Contessa. But Kalogridis has been painting the world...more With the new Showtime series The Borgias, publishers and authors have begun the cascade of Borgia-era novels. I've seen no fewer than five new Borgia-inspired novels being published (or republished) this year. I'm sure that's only the beginning. With the increased interest in the Borgias and all things Renaissance Italy has come a a resurgence in older Borgia novels, including Jeanne Kalogridis' The Borgia Bride and her 2010 novel, The Scarlet Contessa. But Kalogridis has been painting the world of Renaissance Italy on the page for years with the most vivid and well-trained hand out there.

In The Scarlet Contessa, Kalogridis takes on Caterina Sforza, the daughter of the Duke of Milan, a fascinating and strong Renaissance woman who dared to defy Cesare Borgia, son of the notorious Pope Alexander VI (aka Rodrigo Borgia). Told through the eyes of Caterina's servant, Dea, who possesses the unique ability to read Tarot cards and foretell Caterina's future, Scarlet Contessa tells a strange and dangerous tale made even more colorful by Caterina's dark past and desperate need to continue fighting to protect her lands and live the life she wants.

I had somewhat mixed feelings about this one -and they aren't all bad. Let's start the bad...just to get it over with. Dea isn't a bad character -far from it, she's a fairly a interesting woman who offers interesting commentary on Caterina's life and lives a dangerous and romantic life of her own. However, Caterina was a considerably more interesting character who openly defied the social conventions of the times. She ended up being more interesting than the narrator of the story, and whenever the narrative shifted more to focus on Dea, I wanted it to get back to Caterina because I just wasn't as interested in Dea.

That aside, Scarlet Contessa is an incredibly well-written, well-plotted novel that I was able to get completely invested in from the very beginning and kept with it up until the end. Kalogridis' attention to detail and excellent eye for historical accuracy shone through in every sentence and the characters where fascinating to read about, but most importantly, I couldn't put the book down.(less)

like · see review

Aug 26, 2011 Abigail rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Not my favorite by Kalogridis, it seemed a little unfocused at times, but enjoyable all the same. I especially enjoyed the character development of Caterina Sforza. It was interesting to see her come from spoiled child to warrior. Main character Dea was also interesting, but she began to fall flat in the middle and not really come back until the very end. If you haven't read Kalogridis before, start with "Borgia Bride" or "I, Mona Lisa," where she is much stronger in her plotlines and characters...more

like · see review

Jul 29, 2011 Laurie added it

A confused effort that seems to try to please everyone: some neoplatonist magic, some bodice ripping, a touch of almost-incest for borgia fans, battle scenes and descriptions of sumptious palaces and dresses. A relaxing read in many ways, but one to be skimmed over. Catarina and Dea are appealing characters, as are their favorite male counterparts, Matteo, Luca, and Giovanni.

But there is a lot of confusion and lack of motivation.

Recommended with these warnings.

1 like · like · see review

Feb 11, 2011 Jodi rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: historical fiction fans

Shelves: historical-fiction

I do not know much about Italian history but I did find this book interesting. Caterina was definitely an interesting woman! I was rather amazed at how easily accepted Matteo as her brother - shouldn't she have been a little angrier over this deceit? I also had to laugh how Caterina was wed by proxy since her groom was too "preoccupied to attend the ceremony." Seriously?!? Girolamo was a rather distasteful man though once I read about him. I also understand now why Caterina was the "scarlet" con...more

like · see review

Jun 19, 2012 Jaclyn Terrillion rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I would say this book is for those into super natural/witch stuff... Along with playing Assassin's Creed 2 of Ezio's story of dealing with the Borgia family and Caterina Sforzia.

Granted its not all about her, which after reading further in notice this and gave into it. I love reading the book because it gave a different perspective on things. Yes would have been nicer to read a historical fiction like the Tutor family. But this was okay. Found certain parts to drag, though interesting still.

Boo...more

like · see review

May 20, 2013 Anissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, library-books

This was a very easy historical novel to get swept away in. From the start it drops you right into a dire situation which portends to only get worse for Caterina & is relayed to us by her closest attendant, Dea. I found Caterina an interesting woman. She had some aspects of her personality that were tough to love also she also displayed courage & steely determination. She was quite vivid & real & I loved watching her evolve throughout the book. For Dea's part, she was the anchori...more

like · see review

May 09, 2011 Karen Eagle added it

Was this a romance novel? Was this a shot at historical fiction? Was it a mystery? All questions I asked myself while reading it. I found it somewhat entertaining, slightly interesting, but really in need of a good researcher. Did palaces in Rome really have driveways in this time period? Did ladies in waiting know enough about science to compare a bright light to an atom? If you can overlook these 20th century references you might find this book interesting.

1 like · like · see review

Aug 07, 2010 Sherri aka SDMomChef rated it 2 of 5 stars

Loved her earlier books, the Borgia Bride and I, Mona Lisa. However, this book fell flat. I thought the main character was selfish and just didn't appeal to me at all. What I enjoyed about her earlier books was that she delved into the politics of the Italy and Rome. While the author attempted to bring in the political aspects of this book, it just didn't work. The politics ended up being more of a sub plot. Very disappointing.

1 like · like · see review

Jun 02, 2012 Diana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historocal

Not as good as Dunant, not as well written as I would like. The sex scenes are weird rather than forming part of the plot. There was no point to the 'angel' or the cards as it didn't build into the story. Dea felt quite nice but her voice felt modern and rather prim. Some of the history was rather shaky and some historical characters poorly drawn, relying on cliche but good for Caterina, her humanist education was well spent.

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 88 89 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (14)

More editions...

Genres

Historical Fiction

162 users

Cultural > Italy

26 users

Literature > 15th Century

6 users

European Literature > Italian Literature

5 users

Historical Fiction > Medieval

4 users

Romance > Historical Romance

3 users

Love

2 users

Literature > 16th Century

2 users

Romance

2 users

Womens

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

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

More about Jeanne Kalogridis...

Books by Jeanne Kalogridis

The Devil's Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici

Covenant with the Vampire (The Diaries of the Family Dracul, #1)

Children of the Vampire (The Diaries of the Family Dracul, #2)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Scarlet Conte...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: The Scarlet Contessa: A Novel of the Italian Renaissance
avg rating	preview: The Scarlet Contessa: A Novel of the Italian Renaissance Goodreads rating: 3.68 (925 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7340135-the-scarlet-contessa?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312018585l/7340135.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7340135-the-scarlet-contessa?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Scarlet Contessa: A Novel of the Italian Renaissance by Jeanne Kalogridis[/url]

The Scarlet Contessa: A Novel of the Italian Renaissance

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website