Paula Berinstein's Blog - Posts Tagged "dwarves"

In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant.

When I read historical fiction, I'm often struck by how boisterous people were in the past. Whether this is because many authors choose to write about lively people and places or whether the past was noisier and less private than now I'm not sure. Certainly that seems to be the case here. Of course when you start with the sack of Rome what do you expect, but even when the narrative gets past that, the overwhelming feeling--at least for me--is of noise and action. What a wonderfully immersive environment the author builds!

I loved this book, not just for the gorgeous but accessible writing, but because it made me wonder. I kept imagining what life was like for Fiammetta--the courtesan of the title--and her partner, the dwarf Bucino. When they were at the height of their profession they were dazzling, but yikes--all the work that went into getting and keeping them there! Outwardly glamorous, they worked their butts off every day to maintain their image. The day-long beauty treatments, the "marketing," the household management, the security were all-consuming. But for them, this was what was necessary to survive.

Despite the subject matter, I did not find this a sexy book. Thrilling, suspenseful, sumptuous, and engrossing, yes, but not erotic, so if you're looking for sex scenes, I'd look elsewhere. But if you love history and Italy and unusual characters, you might want to give it a try.