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Secrecy
A sorcerer in wax. A fugitive. Haunted by a past he cannot escape. Threatened by a future he cannot imagine.
Zummo, a Sicilian sculptor, is summoned by Cosimo III to join the Medici court. Late seventeenth-century Florence is a hotbed of repression and hypocrisy. All forms of pleasure are brutally punished, and the Grand Duke himself, a man for whom marriage has been an exquisite torture, hides his pain beneath a show of excessive piety.
The Grand Duke asks Zummo to produce a life-size woman out of wax, an antidote to the French wife who made him suffer so. As Zummo wrestles with this unique commission, he falls under the spell of a woman whose elusiveness mirrors his own, but whose secrets are far more explosive. Lurking in the wings is the poisonous Dominican priest, Stufa, who has it within his power to destroy Zummo’s livelihood, if not his life.
In this highly charged novel, Thomson brings Florence to life in all its vibrant sensuality, while remaining entirely contemporary in his exploration of the tensions between love and solitude, beauty and decay. When reality becomes threatening, not to say unfathomable, survival strategies are tested to the limit. Redemption is a possibility, but only if the agonies of death and separation can be transcended.
Zummo, a Sicilian sculptor, is summoned by Cosimo III to join the Medici court. Late seventeenth-century Florence is a hotbed of repression and hypocrisy. All forms of pleasure are brutally punished, and the Grand Duke himself, a man for whom marriage has been an exquisite torture, hides his pain beneath a show of excessive piety.
The Grand Duke asks Zummo to produce a life-size woman out of wax, an antidote to the French wife who made him suffer so. As Zummo wrestles with this unique commission, he falls under the spell of a woman whose elusiveness mirrors his own, but whose secrets are far more explosive. Lurking in the wings is the poisonous Dominican priest, Stufa, who has it within his power to destroy Zummo’s livelihood, if not his life.
In this highly charged novel, Thomson brings Florence to life in all its vibrant sensuality, while remaining entirely contemporary in his exploration of the tensions between love and solitude, beauty and decay. When reality becomes threatening, not to say unfathomable, survival strategies are tested to the limit. Redemption is a possibility, but only if the agonies of death and separation can be transcended.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
65 people are currently reading
1308 people want to read
About the author
Rupert Thomson
35 books314 followersRupert Thomson, (born November 5, 1955) is an English writer. He is the author of thirteen critically acclaimed novels and an award-winning memoir. He has lived in many cities around the world, including Athens, Berlin, New York, Sydney, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, and Rome. In 2010, after several years in Barcelona, he moved back to London. He has contributed to the Financial Times, the Guardian, the London Review of Books, Granta, and the Independent.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
February 3, 2018
For those that don’t know there’s a museum in Florence called La Specola. It’s devoted to works in wax and without question is the most macabre museum I’ve ever visited. This because many of the exhibits are graphic depictions of what disease does to the organs of the human body. There are sculptures there by the protagonist of this novel – Gaetano Zummo. The author here invents a biography of this mysterious artist. Secrecy deploys the basic tenet of romance fiction – an idealised love affair threatened by an ogre. The heroine, of course, has green eyes. It’s not a novel of character development like Wolf Hall; the characters here are like chess pieces, their power of movement fixed from the oft. It’s the good guys versus the bad with little nuance.
Zummo has a secret which has forced him to flee from his native Sicily. When the Grand Duke Cosimo III sees his work, he becomes his patron and commissions him to create a life-size beautiful woman in wax. Zummo meanwhile learns his young lover possesses a dangerous secret too. He will code some of these secrets he possesses into his sculpture. All the many secrets in this novel are of a sexual nature. A puritanical spirit reigns in Florence, personified by the sinister Dominican monk Stufa. Women especially are locked up and tortured on hearsay of sexual impropriety. The Jews are locked into the ghetto at night. Stufa, intent on bringing Zummo down but impeded by the Grand Duke’s fondness for the artist, turns his attention to the girl. Zummo seems to inspire absolute emotions in those he meets – the good characters love him; the bad characters hate him. This perhaps was the clumsiest aspect of the novel. The psychology was a little rudimentary and lacked the persuasive subtlety of a Mantel. The line the author draws between the good and the bad is a little too thick, making it essentially an adventure story. A very engaging adventure story however.
What I most loved about this was the quality of the descriptive writing and the love and imagination with which the author recreates a detailed map of 17th century Florence. It also becomes a gripping page turner when the splendidly sinister Stufa begins closing in on his prey. Not perhaps the most thought-provoking of novels but hugely enjoyable.
Zummo has a secret which has forced him to flee from his native Sicily. When the Grand Duke Cosimo III sees his work, he becomes his patron and commissions him to create a life-size beautiful woman in wax. Zummo meanwhile learns his young lover possesses a dangerous secret too. He will code some of these secrets he possesses into his sculpture. All the many secrets in this novel are of a sexual nature. A puritanical spirit reigns in Florence, personified by the sinister Dominican monk Stufa. Women especially are locked up and tortured on hearsay of sexual impropriety. The Jews are locked into the ghetto at night. Stufa, intent on bringing Zummo down but impeded by the Grand Duke’s fondness for the artist, turns his attention to the girl. Zummo seems to inspire absolute emotions in those he meets – the good characters love him; the bad characters hate him. This perhaps was the clumsiest aspect of the novel. The psychology was a little rudimentary and lacked the persuasive subtlety of a Mantel. The line the author draws between the good and the bad is a little too thick, making it essentially an adventure story. A very engaging adventure story however.
What I most loved about this was the quality of the descriptive writing and the love and imagination with which the author recreates a detailed map of 17th century Florence. It also becomes a gripping page turner when the splendidly sinister Stufa begins closing in on his prey. Not perhaps the most thought-provoking of novels but hugely enjoyable.
Want to read
April 22, 2014I look at this cover and go:
Why can't we have gifs as names of shelves?
Why can't we have gifs as names of shelves?
August 17, 2015
Forced to flee his native Sicily, Gaetano Zummo journeys first to Naples, then to Palermo before being summoned to Florence at the request of Cosimo III de Medici himself. The Grand Duke of Tuscany is interested in Zummo's skill as a sculptor in wax, and offers him a special commission in reward for a generous stipend. However, Florence in the late 17th century is not an ideal place for a wax sculptor with a particular interest in the macabre; people vanish in its dark, suffocating alleys, and anOffice of Public Decency has been established to enforce strict laws which prohibit even minor display of affection between unmarried residents. Everybody whispers rumors full of suspicions, and everybody has a secret.
Secrets should not be a surprise in a novel titled Secrecy, and Thomson delights in having a multitude of them. From the method he used to frame his story - having Zummo retell it to another character, with much of what we know of other characters are in fact their own stories that they relay to him. it is worth noting that like Cosimo III de Medici, Zummo was a real person - but unlike the Grand Duke little is known about his life, leaving Thomson plenty of space to make him an intriguing character. Still, fictional Zummo is just as shrouded in secrecy as his real-life counterpart - I never felt that I gained an understanding of what drove him forward, what motivated his interest in body decay and corruption.
Thomson is a good writer, and Secrecy is full of descriptive passages which give the book a dreamlike, hallucinatory mood. Readers will feel the eeriness and uneasiness creeping up on them like Tuscan heat, thanks to Thomson's elegant and succinct prose - one almost expects Savonarola to rise from the ashes to again proclaim Florence a city of God, and burn Zummo's sculptures on one of his bonfires - presumably along with our hero.
Where secrecy disappoints is its meandering plot and the very bland characterization and almost forced romance between Zummo and his love interest, Faustina. There is just very little characterization to Faustina - she is presented as a woman full of mystery (a fact that she herself acknowledges in the narrative), and who has many secrets which she does not want revealed. The problem is that aside from her obligatory physical beauty, this very mystery i the only characteristics that pull Zummo to her - logically in hopes of one day uncovering them and understanding her. While a part of Faustina's story is eventually reveled to the reader, it felt artificial - as if inserted to shock, and not reveal the real character behind the veil of secrecy.
Secrecy is a novel which could have been truly wonderful - Thomson is a fine writer and his setting and themes are fascinating; however, I thought that he himself had no clear idea what particular direction he should pursue with this novel, and it ended up being all over the place. Despite its good qualities, it is an easy book to put down - it lacks something to grab the reader and refuse to let go. If you are curious about Rupert Thomson, I would advise to skip it and go to the book which was my introduction to his work and which I consider to be his great accomplishment - The Insult.
Secrets should not be a surprise in a novel titled Secrecy, and Thomson delights in having a multitude of them. From the method he used to frame his story - having Zummo retell it to another character, with much of what we know of other characters are in fact their own stories that they relay to him. it is worth noting that like Cosimo III de Medici, Zummo was a real person - but unlike the Grand Duke little is known about his life, leaving Thomson plenty of space to make him an intriguing character. Still, fictional Zummo is just as shrouded in secrecy as his real-life counterpart - I never felt that I gained an understanding of what drove him forward, what motivated his interest in body decay and corruption.
Thomson is a good writer, and Secrecy is full of descriptive passages which give the book a dreamlike, hallucinatory mood. Readers will feel the eeriness and uneasiness creeping up on them like Tuscan heat, thanks to Thomson's elegant and succinct prose - one almost expects Savonarola to rise from the ashes to again proclaim Florence a city of God, and burn Zummo's sculptures on one of his bonfires - presumably along with our hero.
Where secrecy disappoints is its meandering plot and the very bland characterization and almost forced romance between Zummo and his love interest, Faustina. There is just very little characterization to Faustina - she is presented as a woman full of mystery (a fact that she herself acknowledges in the narrative), and who has many secrets which she does not want revealed. The problem is that aside from her obligatory physical beauty, this very mystery i the only characteristics that pull Zummo to her - logically in hopes of one day uncovering them and understanding her. While a part of Faustina's story is eventually reveled to the reader, it felt artificial - as if inserted to shock, and not reveal the real character behind the veil of secrecy.
Secrecy is a novel which could have been truly wonderful - Thomson is a fine writer and his setting and themes are fascinating; however, I thought that he himself had no clear idea what particular direction he should pursue with this novel, and it ended up being all over the place. Despite its good qualities, it is an easy book to put down - it lacks something to grab the reader and refuse to let go. If you are curious about Rupert Thomson, I would advise to skip it and go to the book which was my introduction to his work and which I consider to be his great accomplishment - The Insult.
November 10, 2013
This is a very striking book, one of the best novels I've read for quite a while. The last quarter or so didn't quite work so well for me, or I'd have given it five stars. The writing is nothing less than brilliant: more impressive than Mantel's in Wolf Hall for my taste, as it's much more concise and compressed. The evocation of place and time is amazingly vivid and visceral.
I was attracted to this book by its setting, in Florence—not the familiar world of Renaissance Florence, but the decadent Baroque world of the later seventeenth century. The subject also struck me as fascinating: the protagonist is Gaetano Zumbo (called Zummo in the book), creator of the astonishing, disturbing, borderline-deranged wax sculptures of plague scenes in the museum at La Specola (I saw these first on a special late-night opening when I appeared to be the only person in the museum, not an easy experience to forget).
The best part of the book for me is its remarkable evocation of Florence and the eccentric and perverse world of Cosimo III de' Medici's court. The characters are fabulous, from the strange young daughter of Zumbo's landlady—like most figures in the book, damaged physically or emotionally in some way—to the eccentric French acrobat who lives upstairs from him, to the drunken, vomiting Medici princeling Gian Gastone, the jovial anatomist Pampolino and his urchin sidekick Earhole (more damage), and the affable-but-almost-bound-to-turn-sinister-at-some-point ducal secretary Bassetti. The grand duke himself is a memorable monster, and perhaps—aptly enough—just about the most damaged character of all. The arch-villain Stufa is perhaps a mite too villainous for my taste, but he’s fun in a grand guignol kind of way.
Elements I wasn’t quite so taken with: Zumbo’s backstory in Siracusa; the love story; the frame story that comes in at the beginning and end. But these are quibbles, it’s an excellent novel. There’s a scene near the beginning where Bassetti gives Zumbo a ‘welcome to Florence’ gift of a truffle that reveals itself, when cut open, to be full of maggots. It strikes me as not a bad metaphor for the book itself—in a good way. A lot of the material is very dark, and these are not the last maggots we see.
One historical footnote: although she appears once only briefly in person in the novel, we hear a lot about the nightmarish, ultra-pious dowager grandduchess Vittoria della Rovere, Stufa’s patron, who is pretty much held to blame for what is wrong with her son’s Florence (and there’s a lot …) This used to be pretty much how Vittoria delle Rovere and all the seventeenth-century Medici wives were regarded, but there has been a lot of research on them recently and they are emerging as much more interesting and less stereotypical and grotesque figures. Vittoria was responsible for founding the first all-female literary academy in Italy and I think Europe, among other things. I don’t think you’d guess that from her portrayal here.
I was attracted to this book by its setting, in Florence—not the familiar world of Renaissance Florence, but the decadent Baroque world of the later seventeenth century. The subject also struck me as fascinating: the protagonist is Gaetano Zumbo (called Zummo in the book), creator of the astonishing, disturbing, borderline-deranged wax sculptures of plague scenes in the museum at La Specola (I saw these first on a special late-night opening when I appeared to be the only person in the museum, not an easy experience to forget).
The best part of the book for me is its remarkable evocation of Florence and the eccentric and perverse world of Cosimo III de' Medici's court. The characters are fabulous, from the strange young daughter of Zumbo's landlady—like most figures in the book, damaged physically or emotionally in some way—to the eccentric French acrobat who lives upstairs from him, to the drunken, vomiting Medici princeling Gian Gastone, the jovial anatomist Pampolino and his urchin sidekick Earhole (more damage), and the affable-but-almost-bound-to-turn-sinister-at-some-point ducal secretary Bassetti. The grand duke himself is a memorable monster, and perhaps—aptly enough—just about the most damaged character of all. The arch-villain Stufa is perhaps a mite too villainous for my taste, but he’s fun in a grand guignol kind of way.
Elements I wasn’t quite so taken with: Zumbo’s backstory in Siracusa; the love story; the frame story that comes in at the beginning and end. But these are quibbles, it’s an excellent novel. There’s a scene near the beginning where Bassetti gives Zumbo a ‘welcome to Florence’ gift of a truffle that reveals itself, when cut open, to be full of maggots. It strikes me as not a bad metaphor for the book itself—in a good way. A lot of the material is very dark, and these are not the last maggots we see.
One historical footnote: although she appears once only briefly in person in the novel, we hear a lot about the nightmarish, ultra-pious dowager grandduchess Vittoria della Rovere, Stufa’s patron, who is pretty much held to blame for what is wrong with her son’s Florence (and there’s a lot …) This used to be pretty much how Vittoria delle Rovere and all the seventeenth-century Medici wives were regarded, but there has been a lot of research on them recently and they are emerging as much more interesting and less stereotypical and grotesque figures. Vittoria was responsible for founding the first all-female literary academy in Italy and I think Europe, among other things. I don’t think you’d guess that from her portrayal here.
August 25, 2013
I enjoyed and disliked this book in almost equal parts. On the one hand, the language is beautiful, the characters are interesting and the setting (17th century Florence) seems meticulously researched. On the other hand, it has a creepiness about it which I found off-putting to read, the prologue gives away twists that would be better held until the book's ending and somehow I didn't get any sense of place. I learned a lot about Florence at that time, but I never felt like I was there.
The story is about Zummo, a wax sculptor who has come to Florence after a scandal forced him out of his native Sicily. The scandal is not explicitly described and there is some doubt over whether it was true or not. He comes to work for the Grand Duke of Florence, a complex character who was scorned by his wife and whose children have all gone off the rails. Florence is a dangerous place, both literally - with murders in dark alleys at night - but also in the sense that someone is always watching and is ready to have you arrested. When Zummo falls in love, he exposes both himself and his lover to danger.
As the title alludes, secrecy is everything. Zummo is secretive about his past, his techniques, his assignments and of course his relationship. Faustina, his lover, also has her own secrets. At one point she comments: "I've got more mystery in me than all these people put together". But in fact, almost every major character is hiding something.
So, an intriguing plot in a fascinating setting, but somehow it fell short for me of what it could have been.
The story is about Zummo, a wax sculptor who has come to Florence after a scandal forced him out of his native Sicily. The scandal is not explicitly described and there is some doubt over whether it was true or not. He comes to work for the Grand Duke of Florence, a complex character who was scorned by his wife and whose children have all gone off the rails. Florence is a dangerous place, both literally - with murders in dark alleys at night - but also in the sense that someone is always watching and is ready to have you arrested. When Zummo falls in love, he exposes both himself and his lover to danger.
As the title alludes, secrecy is everything. Zummo is secretive about his past, his techniques, his assignments and of course his relationship. Faustina, his lover, also has her own secrets. At one point she comments: "I've got more mystery in me than all these people put together". But in fact, almost every major character is hiding something.
So, an intriguing plot in a fascinating setting, but somehow it fell short for me of what it could have been.
August 31, 2013
I so much wanted to like this book. From the sumptuous cover with gold titling and a pregnant woman half hidden by drapes of crimson, you are prepared for a feast by the wonderful designers at Granta. The wrappings far outweigh the contents.
Let me say, Rupert Thomson is a good writer. But good writing cannot disguise a messy meandering plot with characters who are unengaging, glibly described and unmemorable. There are lines in this book that I highlighted with a yellow marker pen - but so, too, are there pages of sheer absolute tedium.
Let me say, Rupert Thomson is a good writer. But good writing cannot disguise a messy meandering plot with characters who are unengaging, glibly described and unmemorable. There are lines in this book that I highlighted with a yellow marker pen - but so, too, are there pages of sheer absolute tedium.
May 11, 2018
This book confused me a lot. I wanted to DNF it at least a few times but I kept going although I didn't see any point. Also, it was kind of disgusting. Definitely not a book I'd recommend.
March 6, 2014
BABT
BBC BLURB: "Some see you as a master craftsman. Others say you're a sorcerer. You're mysterious, obsessive. Controversial."
Zummo - a 17th-century sculptor - makes things out of wax, figures so lifelike they look as if they might move and breathe. He has journeyed throughout Italy over the years in an attempt to flee his past. Now, in 1691, he has been summoned to the Medici court by the Grand Duke of Tuscany. He arrives in Florence, a city in which "everything was forbidden [and] anything was possible." But what does the Grand Duke have in mind for him?
Ten years later, Zummo visits a convent in France and tells the whole story to Marguerite-Louise of Orléans, long-estranged wife of the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Secrecy is a tale of love, art, murder and concealment, enacted within a beautifully-realised 17th century Florentine and Tuscan setting.
Some of the 'plague pieces' by Gaetano Zummo (1656-1701) can be found in La Specola, Florence.
Rupert Thomson is the author of eight highly-acclaimed novels including Death of a Murderer, which was shortlisted for the 2008 Costa Novel Award. His memoir This Party's Got to Stop won the Writer's Guild Non-Fiction Award.
Episode One In 1701, a frail, dying Zummo arrives at a French convent. He has a story to tell. His audience? Marguerite-Louise of Orléans, former wife of the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Readers: Greta Scacchi and Owen Teale Abridger: Jeremy Osborne
Producer: Rosalynd Ward A Sweet Talk Production for BBC Radio 4.
half way through: this should of been blindingly interesting given the time, the gore factor, the morbid artistry. All I kept noticing was a spider web formed overnight between that delicious photo of the Nofolk sands and the wind-up pendulum clock. And how aqbout the windows?; fully fly blown.
2.5 upped to 3* because it is such a lovely sunny warm day.
2* Divided Kingdom
3* Secrecy
BBC BLURB: "Some see you as a master craftsman. Others say you're a sorcerer. You're mysterious, obsessive. Controversial."
Zummo - a 17th-century sculptor - makes things out of wax, figures so lifelike they look as if they might move and breathe. He has journeyed throughout Italy over the years in an attempt to flee his past. Now, in 1691, he has been summoned to the Medici court by the Grand Duke of Tuscany. He arrives in Florence, a city in which "everything was forbidden [and] anything was possible." But what does the Grand Duke have in mind for him?
Ten years later, Zummo visits a convent in France and tells the whole story to Marguerite-Louise of Orléans, long-estranged wife of the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Secrecy is a tale of love, art, murder and concealment, enacted within a beautifully-realised 17th century Florentine and Tuscan setting.
Some of the 'plague pieces' by Gaetano Zummo (1656-1701) can be found in La Specola, Florence.
Rupert Thomson is the author of eight highly-acclaimed novels including Death of a Murderer, which was shortlisted for the 2008 Costa Novel Award. His memoir This Party's Got to Stop won the Writer's Guild Non-Fiction Award.
Episode One In 1701, a frail, dying Zummo arrives at a French convent. He has a story to tell. His audience? Marguerite-Louise of Orléans, former wife of the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Readers: Greta Scacchi and Owen Teale Abridger: Jeremy Osborne
Producer: Rosalynd Ward A Sweet Talk Production for BBC Radio 4.
half way through: this should of been blindingly interesting given the time, the gore factor, the morbid artistry. All I kept noticing was a spider web formed overnight between that delicious photo of the Nofolk sands and the wind-up pendulum clock. And how aqbout the windows?; fully fly blown.
2.5 upped to 3* because it is such a lovely sunny warm day.
2* Divided Kingdom
3* Secrecy
April 5, 2016
Dragi moji evo od sinoć pokušavam da shvatim kako je ovaj stil pisanja uspio pobrati toliko nagrada i da se poredi sa nekim imenima iz vrha književnog svijeta.Ma dobro rekla sam odavno da se o ukusima neda raspravljati, ali ova knjiga meni nije ispunila očekivanja. Stil pisanja mi je u više navrata bio usiljen, kao da je pisao knjigu pod čizmom izdavača ili ti što sl..Glavni lik previše zaposjednut prošlošću, i problematika njegovog življenja svedena na dvije do tri ključne stvari, koje i nisu toliko zanimljive bar meni, opisi nekada previše šturi, nekada pretjerani, ne znam ovo djelo mi je bilo povuci, potegni, a k tome što nikako ne volim , dosta JE nedorečeno...
Prelasci iz stanja sna u budno pisani u čudnoj formi, sa delikatnim ali nejasnim, nekad ne svarljivim sponama, nekada totalno u pogrešnim momentima , i jednostavno nisu mi imali onu lakoću prelaza koju sam otkrila kod drugih pisaca...Neka mi oproste oni koji su uživali i otkrili da je ovo djelo odlično, meni jednostavno...nije
I ocjena zbog samog mjesta zbivanja, i neke dobre početne ideje je kao što vidite prosječna trojka 3....
Prelasci iz stanja sna u budno pisani u čudnoj formi, sa delikatnim ali nejasnim, nekad ne svarljivim sponama, nekada totalno u pogrešnim momentima , i jednostavno nisu mi imali onu lakoću prelaza koju sam otkrila kod drugih pisaca...Neka mi oproste oni koji su uživali i otkrili da je ovo djelo odlično, meni jednostavno...nije
I ocjena zbog samog mjesta zbivanja, i neke dobre početne ideje je kao što vidite prosječna trojka 3....
July 11, 2013
This isn't Thomson's first foray into historical fiction (see Air & Fire) but it was definitely a departure from his last novel, Death of a Murderer. As usual, Thomson's ability to paint a vivid picture of the novel's setting is in full force. Thomson's fascination with the macabre and the darker side of human psyche is once again front and center in this beautifully rendered mystery/romance. His characters always have a bit of the unexpected to them, and as you get deeper into the novel the revelations become more surprisng and unsettling. He paints his characters and the world they move through like a watercolor - transparent in parts, layered and luminous in others. Although this wasn't my favorite novel of his (that would have to be The Insult or The Book of Revelation) this is a great introduction to one of today's best writers, in my opinion. He's got a fantastic back catalog and he never fails to disappoint with each new title.
May 6, 2014
Wonderful historical thriller set in 17th century Florence. The novel drew me in by its fantastic sense of place and time, and then I got engrossed by the plot and the characters. A very satisfying read. great for book clubs, since there are a number of moral questions to discuss.
April 27, 2016
Not bad, definitely original and interesting, maybe a little slow on some parts, but still.. Amazing story..
August 18, 2019
Tesko i sporo se cita.
September 13, 2016
This is one of the most disappointing books I have ever read in my life. I honestly do not think it deserves a review, just a blatant disregard, but here's the short version of my disgust:
- horribly boring main character, without a defined purpose, personality or traits, of which we know that he has some dark mystery and painful memories
- extremely bland main female character of which we know just that she has some dark mystery and painful memories
- everything is based on dark mysteries that, when explained, are really mundane and soap-opera worthy
- pathetic villain that is just a sadistic priest with zero background and mostly presumptions to shape his personality
- the death of the villain by FALLING DOWN A WELL....are you kidding me? after the hundreds of books I've read with glorious, epic battles and intense conflicts, I get to be taken back in time to stories with villains that die out of clumsiness and sheer bad luck....PATHETIC!
- the worst insult of them all, by far, is the horrible misuse of the historical setting: Florence during one of its darkest times in history....people have mentioned in their glowing reviews that this book has taught them so much about Florence...what, pray tell? The fact that it has some of the following building in it: Il Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio and Church of Santa Maria del Fiore? And a river called Arno? Was the research done from google maps and a short skimming of that period on Wikipedia? There is none of the atmosphere captured, nothing but random names dropped (and I've been in Florence and can actually place those names, but for someone who is not particularly sure what part of Italy Florence is even in, those names would mean nothing whatsoever), no context explained, none of the sights, smells, architecture of the time, NOTHING. This book could have taken place in 1850's Bucharest, it would have made no difference.
I could go on, but I want to be done with this book as fast as possible and never think of it again.
Recommended to none but the most simplistic and unassuming of readers.
- horribly boring main character, without a defined purpose, personality or traits, of which we know that he has some dark mystery and painful memories
- extremely bland main female character of which we know just that she has some dark mystery and painful memories
- everything is based on dark mysteries that, when explained, are really mundane and soap-opera worthy
- pathetic villain that is just a sadistic priest with zero background and mostly presumptions to shape his personality
- the death of the villain by FALLING DOWN A WELL....are you kidding me? after the hundreds of books I've read with glorious, epic battles and intense conflicts, I get to be taken back in time to stories with villains that die out of clumsiness and sheer bad luck....PATHETIC!
- the worst insult of them all, by far, is the horrible misuse of the historical setting: Florence during one of its darkest times in history....people have mentioned in their glowing reviews that this book has taught them so much about Florence...what, pray tell? The fact that it has some of the following building in it: Il Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio and Church of Santa Maria del Fiore? And a river called Arno? Was the research done from google maps and a short skimming of that period on Wikipedia? There is none of the atmosphere captured, nothing but random names dropped (and I've been in Florence and can actually place those names, but for someone who is not particularly sure what part of Italy Florence is even in, those names would mean nothing whatsoever), no context explained, none of the sights, smells, architecture of the time, NOTHING. This book could have taken place in 1850's Bucharest, it would have made no difference.
I could go on, but I want to be done with this book as fast as possible and never think of it again.
Recommended to none but the most simplistic and unassuming of readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2014
I had high hopes for this book. And they not only fell but plummeted.
I read this on a three strike basis and then skimmed the rest to get to the end.
**Some SPOILERS** But does not give away any main plot points**
Strike One: The love interest, Faustina, is completely banal though she is made out to be dark and mysterious. Zummo compliments her as often as he can. He says, "They're beautiful, your fingers." Her response is, "Are they?" Not even a full page later, Zummo tells Faustina that she's lovely and she says, "Am I?" before looking off pensively into the distance to contemplate mystery in life, and the fact that a young woman in Italy in the late 1600s would never be allowed to travel alone with a male stranger at least two decades her senior.
Strike Two: Zummo shares a meal with an acquaintance, Pampolini, who encourages him to go visit another artist. At least several days, if not weeks pass before he makes the visit with Faustina (when the above exchange occurs). He then returns, immediately gets sick (which does nothing to further the plot) and mentions that it takes him three weeks to recover. So, it has been at least three weeks, if not several more, since he shared a meal with Pampolini. Only four pages later and on the same day Zummo stated his three week recovery, he says, "It was only a week or two since I had talked to Pampolini." If the author can't keep track of time passing, how can I?
Strike Three: Faustina is given a tragic rape backstory for no reason. It does not further the plot or add to her bland character in any way. She was raped because??? Disgusting.
There were several other things wrong with the book including a wandering plot, nonexistent transitions between scenes, annoying and boring main characters, unmemorable supporting characters, and info dumps.
2 stars because the author appeared to have researched Italy fairly well except when he didn't.
I read this on a three strike basis and then skimmed the rest to get to the end.
**Some SPOILERS** But does not give away any main plot points**
Strike One: The love interest, Faustina, is completely banal though she is made out to be dark and mysterious. Zummo compliments her as often as he can. He says, "They're beautiful, your fingers." Her response is, "Are they?" Not even a full page later, Zummo tells Faustina that she's lovely and she says, "Am I?" before looking off pensively into the distance to contemplate mystery in life, and the fact that a young woman in Italy in the late 1600s would never be allowed to travel alone with a male stranger at least two decades her senior.
Strike Two: Zummo shares a meal with an acquaintance, Pampolini, who encourages him to go visit another artist. At least several days, if not weeks pass before he makes the visit with Faustina (when the above exchange occurs). He then returns, immediately gets sick (which does nothing to further the plot) and mentions that it takes him three weeks to recover. So, it has been at least three weeks, if not several more, since he shared a meal with Pampolini. Only four pages later and on the same day Zummo stated his three week recovery, he says, "It was only a week or two since I had talked to Pampolini." If the author can't keep track of time passing, how can I?
Strike Three: Faustina is given a tragic rape backstory for no reason. It does not further the plot or add to her bland character in any way. She was raped because??? Disgusting.
There were several other things wrong with the book including a wandering plot, nonexistent transitions between scenes, annoying and boring main characters, unmemorable supporting characters, and info dumps.
2 stars because the author appeared to have researched Italy fairly well except when he didn't.
March 16, 2013
A stunning, powerful and bloodcurdling book. It is set in Florence, at the end of the seventeenth century, a time at which the de Medici's still flourished. Florence was in the grip of the Dominican inquisition. In order to survive in this dark period you would have to be careful to make no enemies within higher circles. Jesuits and 'contaminated' people were bound to end their lives being tortured in jail, without any form of justice.
In this lugubrious setting a Sicilian wax artist tries his luck. He is commissioned by Cosimo the third to work on a strictly confidential work of art. Who can he trust and is he to be trusted himself? A beautiful and sensuous work of art. The cover of the book gives one a good idea of the what to expect of the contents.
In this lugubrious setting a Sicilian wax artist tries his luck. He is commissioned by Cosimo the third to work on a strictly confidential work of art. Who can he trust and is he to be trusted himself? A beautiful and sensuous work of art. The cover of the book gives one a good idea of the what to expect of the contents.
August 18, 2013
17/08 - I'm enjoying this but at the same time having a few problems with the fact that the situation in Florence isn't properly explained for someone who doesn't already know the history. I was a big fan of the tv series The Borgias, but that is about the extent of my knowledge of Italy prior to the twentieth century. In fact, I've just gained a much better understanding from reading another reviewer's explanation of the atmosphere in Florence at that time. I just wish there was some more background information about why a wax sculpture of nude female was a hanging offense and why Gaetano and Faustina can't be seen together. I don't think it should be up to the reader to do their own research on a subject that is so central to the story, it should be a given that all necessary information is included in the story itself. We shouldn't have to work so hard to understand the plot. To be continued...
18/08 - I found the ending better than I was expecting, but I was sad that . I do think this could have been a better book, but it didn't quite reach it's potential. I wish Gaetano's life with his family, before moving to Florence, had been better explored, because the intimations made by Thomson about Gaetano's life were interesting and I wanted to read more.
18/08 - I found the ending better than I was expecting, but I was sad that . I do think this could have been a better book, but it didn't quite reach it's potential. I wish Gaetano's life with his family, before moving to Florence, had been better explored, because the intimations made by Thomson about Gaetano's life were interesting and I wanted to read more.
March 30, 2014
This is an ARC that I received from the publisher, Other Press from a Facebook giveaway. It came wrapped in brown paper and sealed with wax which was very cool. This book really was a 3 1/2 star read. This is the story of Zummo, an Italian was sculptor who has found his way to Florence in the early 1700s. He is working for the Grand Duke who enjoys his work and then commissions a very special piece. This is a time of great repression in Italy, where people are spied on and punished for any number of crimes related to adultery and " sexual deviancy." The Roman Catholic Church had a stronghold in this part of Italy and among the Grand Duke's advisors were a number of priests from different orders. This leads to a lot of drama, intrigue and secrets in the duchy. Zummo discovers more secrets in Florence and soon knows more than may be safe. Author Rupert Thomson has written a page turner which comes together well and does not feel rushed at the end and I am looking forward to meeting him at Booktopia Vermont.
August 18, 2017
I have never read a Rupert Thomson novel before, but I shall certainly seek out others. This is really a novel of atmosphere. One senses the spirit of Florence in the 1600s; one is touched by the intrigue; captivated by the society. Yes, there is a murder mystery in there somewhere, but that is really not the theme of the book. There is, overall, almost a sense of the magical. One expects demons or angels to appear. But such realities lie always just beyond the text, lurking enticingly in the background.
April 28, 2025
Laat mij weten als jij weet waar dit nu overging, want ik ben niet helemaal zeker. Ik dacht dit gaat over beeldhouwer Zumbo/Zummo, maar de schrijver houd zich eigenlijk weinig bezig met het werk van de kunstenaar. Ik had meer van zijn werkwijze en wassen werken willen terugzien, in plaats van dit onduidelijke verhalen over een random dominicaan en een bastaarddochter. Maar goed, uiteindelijk klaag ik niet want ik vind een Nederlands boek over mijn niche (Wren-romance when?)
April 14, 2024
I didn’t event finish this book. I think the idea is great but I just got lost in the writing and then I lost interest
There’s time jumps in the book and the pacing is slow. So I ended up very confused
There’s time jumps in the book and the pacing is slow. So I ended up very confused
March 1, 2020
Forced to flee from his hometown, Zummo, finds himself always looking over his shoulder in case his criminal past catches up with him. However, when he is summoned to create a piece of art like no other for the Grand Duke of Florence, Zummo falls deep into the cities darkness.
Picked up on a whim, I both liked and disliked Secrecy. A historical thriller isn't something I'd necessarily reach for when choosing a book, I was intrigued by the cover and thought it would be good to try something new. To branch out into a different subgenre of the thriller world.
In the beginning, I thought I was going to give up on Secrecy. There were some nights where I settled down to read it and found myself getting bored, wondering whether this would be my first 'I couldn't finish it' book of 2020. But I persevered and found myself having a bittersweet l0ve-hate relationship with this book.
The story really didn't fascinate me enough. I didn't audibly gasp, I didn't feel connected to anything that was going on. It definitely wasn't a page-turner for me. However, part of me feels like this is because of the writing style. It is somewhat poetic and lyrical, with large chunks of text, that were sometimes a little too much for me to focus on when I wasn't already gripped by the plot itself. It was a combination of the two that made it difficult for me to enjoy reading Secrecy for the majority of the time.
As for the characters, I felt very disconnected to them. Though there were some who were interesting, others felt rushed and flat. Often, with books, if I dislike the main character, I'll find a character somewhere who I can relate to, or enjoy enough to make me enjoy the book. However, this wasn't the case with Secrecy. I'm unsure of whether this was a time-period thing or because most of the characters weren't fleshed out enough for me, but it was still a factor that heavily effects my rating.
What I heavily enjoyed about Secrecy was the descriptive passages. There was definitely some beautiful writing in this book, with imagery like no other book I have read. The descriptions of smells, sights, and sounds were mesmerizing - creating a breathtaking setting for the events to take place.
There were also some extremely dark elements of the book that I really enjoyed. However, they felt short-lived in a lot of areas which makes it difficult for me to pinpoint which ones I actually enjoyed and which ones I wish had gone on for a little longer.
Overall, I'm glad I read Secrecy. It was something different from what I would normally reach for, but it didn't wow me enough to make me dive deeper into this subgenre.
Picked up on a whim, I both liked and disliked Secrecy. A historical thriller isn't something I'd necessarily reach for when choosing a book, I was intrigued by the cover and thought it would be good to try something new. To branch out into a different subgenre of the thriller world.
In the beginning, I thought I was going to give up on Secrecy. There were some nights where I settled down to read it and found myself getting bored, wondering whether this would be my first 'I couldn't finish it' book of 2020. But I persevered and found myself having a bittersweet l0ve-hate relationship with this book.
The story really didn't fascinate me enough. I didn't audibly gasp, I didn't feel connected to anything that was going on. It definitely wasn't a page-turner for me. However, part of me feels like this is because of the writing style. It is somewhat poetic and lyrical, with large chunks of text, that were sometimes a little too much for me to focus on when I wasn't already gripped by the plot itself. It was a combination of the two that made it difficult for me to enjoy reading Secrecy for the majority of the time.
As for the characters, I felt very disconnected to them. Though there were some who were interesting, others felt rushed and flat. Often, with books, if I dislike the main character, I'll find a character somewhere who I can relate to, or enjoy enough to make me enjoy the book. However, this wasn't the case with Secrecy. I'm unsure of whether this was a time-period thing or because most of the characters weren't fleshed out enough for me, but it was still a factor that heavily effects my rating.
What I heavily enjoyed about Secrecy was the descriptive passages. There was definitely some beautiful writing in this book, with imagery like no other book I have read. The descriptions of smells, sights, and sounds were mesmerizing - creating a breathtaking setting for the events to take place.
There were also some extremely dark elements of the book that I really enjoyed. However, they felt short-lived in a lot of areas which makes it difficult for me to pinpoint which ones I actually enjoyed and which ones I wish had gone on for a little longer.
Overall, I'm glad I read Secrecy. It was something different from what I would normally reach for, but it didn't wow me enough to make me dive deeper into this subgenre.
July 14, 2015
I was so immensely reluctant to start this novel because frankly this is my least favourite era of history in any medium. (Blackadder being the one exception.) In fact, if it was written by anyone other than Rupert Thomson, I wouldn't even have bought it.
But that cover is so glorious and I am a completist and well, I thought I should just trust him and go with it. To my immense relief, I actually found myself getting into it and even enjoying the read to a certain extent.
And then I didn't. As I read on, it became increasingly clear how this was very much a novel of men viewing women, men telling each other secrets about the women who hurt them, loved them, changed their lives. Mothers, maidens, muses, crones, gorgons. All women made into symbols by men. Metaphorically and then literally, with the most appalling last minute wondering of who our murdered girl was. Really, Zummo? You utter jerk. And the few actual women in the narrative? Not really that interesting, no real substance to them.
Bar one. And she's relegated to bookending the narrative. I can appreciate the concentric circles of this book, very much like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, stories nested within stories, much like the sculpture itself, yes. I can appreciate all that.
But I didn't like it.
And then I started to think about all the other Rupert Thomson books I've read and tried to recall a single interesting woman from any of them. Oddly enough, all the women I can think of are real life women -- Myra Hindley, his mother and his wife with her clever insight.
Which is why I'm suddenly intensely anticipating the next novel, Katherine Carlyle. Guarded anticipation, based on the few ARC reviews on here.
But that cover is so glorious and I am a completist and well, I thought I should just trust him and go with it. To my immense relief, I actually found myself getting into it and even enjoying the read to a certain extent.
And then I didn't. As I read on, it became increasingly clear how this was very much a novel of men viewing women, men telling each other secrets about the women who hurt them, loved them, changed their lives. Mothers, maidens, muses, crones, gorgons. All women made into symbols by men. Metaphorically and then literally, with the most appalling last minute wondering of who our murdered girl was. Really, Zummo? You utter jerk. And the few actual women in the narrative? Not really that interesting, no real substance to them.
Bar one. And she's relegated to bookending the narrative. I can appreciate the concentric circles of this book, very much like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, stories nested within stories, much like the sculpture itself, yes. I can appreciate all that.
But I didn't like it.
And then I started to think about all the other Rupert Thomson books I've read and tried to recall a single interesting woman from any of them. Oddly enough, all the women I can think of are real life women -- Myra Hindley, his mother and his wife with her clever insight.
Which is why I'm suddenly intensely anticipating the next novel, Katherine Carlyle. Guarded anticipation, based on the few ARC reviews on here.
April 2, 2017
An artist friend of mine lent me this book, curious to know what I thought about it.
In short, this is a historical romance (with an emphasis on romance) and an area of art I know little of - sculptures made of wax. Madame Tussaud's first comes to mind. However, our artist main character creates little maquettes of people suffering - like a Hieronymous Bosch set in 3D. Weirdly the commission that he is hired to complete for the Grand Duke of Tuscany (and takes up most of the book) is a nude woman in an erotic pose but with a small child impregnated in her belly. Creepy.
Set around 1690, Rupert Thomson creates a whole host of sordid characters. The main characters are flawed but likeable. One thing that drove me nuts was the artist, Zumbo / Zummo constantly had dreams where the story line seemed to blend. If it was Borgesian surrealism, the dreams would have meshed, but doesn't because this is a romance. Too bad.
The story had a "Da Vinci Code" mystery-intrigue about it but I felt like the characters seemed more 20th century rather than 18th century in their thoughts and dialogue. Maybe I have read too many actual historical stories, but I never made the connection that Thomson was striving for.
So if you like the Da Vinci Code thriller with a weird art bent, you may like this. Not sure what I will tell my artist friend? The truth I guess.
In short, this is a historical romance (with an emphasis on romance) and an area of art I know little of - sculptures made of wax. Madame Tussaud's first comes to mind. However, our artist main character creates little maquettes of people suffering - like a Hieronymous Bosch set in 3D. Weirdly the commission that he is hired to complete for the Grand Duke of Tuscany (and takes up most of the book) is a nude woman in an erotic pose but with a small child impregnated in her belly. Creepy.
Set around 1690, Rupert Thomson creates a whole host of sordid characters. The main characters are flawed but likeable. One thing that drove me nuts was the artist, Zumbo / Zummo constantly had dreams where the story line seemed to blend. If it was Borgesian surrealism, the dreams would have meshed, but doesn't because this is a romance. Too bad.
The story had a "Da Vinci Code" mystery-intrigue about it but I felt like the characters seemed more 20th century rather than 18th century in their thoughts and dialogue. Maybe I have read too many actual historical stories, but I never made the connection that Thomson was striving for.
So if you like the Da Vinci Code thriller with a weird art bent, you may like this. Not sure what I will tell my artist friend? The truth I guess.
March 17, 2014
Blurb
A sculptor of the macabre. A sorcerer of wax. A criminal. A runaway.
Set in Florence blighted by corruption and austerity, Secrecy is a tour de force of whispered pleasures and startling revelations. It is a scintillating, breathtaking read from a novelist at the height of his powers.
My thoughts
With a blurb like that, I was hanging out to read Secrecy by Rupert Thomson.
Such a magnificent premise: an artist working in wax in Florence in the 1690s, obsessed with the plague and making wax figurines depicting the suffering of the human race. His dark matter attracts the attention of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, who asks him to create a commission that is daring, never been done before and could cost the protagonist his life.
Somehow, the novel just didn't 'get there' for me. If anything, I felt as though Thomson was holding back dark aspects of character in case it made the protagonist unlikeable. I was also holding out for a scene featuring the Grand Duke with his commission that never took place.
Such a disappointing read when I was looking forward to it so much.
A sculptor of the macabre. A sorcerer of wax. A criminal. A runaway.
Set in Florence blighted by corruption and austerity, Secrecy is a tour de force of whispered pleasures and startling revelations. It is a scintillating, breathtaking read from a novelist at the height of his powers.
My thoughts
With a blurb like that, I was hanging out to read Secrecy by Rupert Thomson.
Such a magnificent premise: an artist working in wax in Florence in the 1690s, obsessed with the plague and making wax figurines depicting the suffering of the human race. His dark matter attracts the attention of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, who asks him to create a commission that is daring, never been done before and could cost the protagonist his life.
Somehow, the novel just didn't 'get there' for me. If anything, I felt as though Thomson was holding back dark aspects of character in case it made the protagonist unlikeable. I was also holding out for a scene featuring the Grand Duke with his commission that never took place.
Such a disappointing read when I was looking forward to it so much.
February 12, 2013
A fugitive with dark rumours in his past, Gaetano Zummo arrives in Florence in 1691 following an invitation from the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Renowned for his sculptures in wax, especially of macabre subjects, he is placed in danger when the Duke gives him a secret commission – to create a beautiful female nude. For Florence is a repressive society dominated by the austere Dominican order, where beheading, torture or brutal punishment is due to anyone found guilty of debauchery. It is also a treacherous to fall in love, as Zummo does with Faustina, a beautiful apothecary’s assistant, and a woman with secrets of her own. While Zummo becomes more obsessed with his sculpture, and trysts with Faustina, he fails to notice the ominous threats looming that threaten everyone he cares for... This is a vividly textured book, with descriptions that almost make you feel you are there and can touch, see and smell everything described. If you liked the richly realised world of Perfume or Wolf Hall, you'll love this!
June 12, 2014
i totally flipped for rupert thomson book about sci fi uk divided into 4 different colors Divided Kingdom so was maybe overexcited about this historical novel of 1699 florence and art, but while very well done, and lots of cool details, a nice illicit love interest, very interesting art talk, and evil priest slash sadist-murderer, it seemed hard to get into. a bit slow on all facets, the characters, the plot, the history. maybe really, and i'm not enamored with the whole new tread of making novels 400, 500, 600 pages now, this one at 377 pages could have been a lot longer to flesh out all the subplots and history and art.
about an wax artist who gets a commission from the rich leader of florence in 1699.
see leslie forbes for a similar idea, and although hers is much lighter and 'zany' it seemed at least to be more propulsive. Waking Raphael
about an wax artist who gets a commission from the rich leader of florence in 1699.
see leslie forbes for a similar idea, and although hers is much lighter and 'zany' it seemed at least to be more propulsive. Waking Raphael
April 9, 2015
This book is all about secrets and the people keeping them. Like the layers of an onion the story slowly unfolds to reveal who people really are and their secret pasts. Many questions are left unanswered at the end so there are still secrets that are kept. All the secrets are wrapped up in Renaissance Italy with a painter whose patron is the Grand Duke of Florence. I found the novel interesting, but frustrating. There are frequently times that Zummo lapses into daydreams of things he imagined happened, are happening, or will happen and it's not necessarily clearly defined when he begins doing this so sometimes the book is hard to follow. Many of the revelations throughout the book were obvious to me long before they were revealed. I still don't know why the sculptor had to be making the graphic art he was making since it never came to anything in the end. In the end, I think this just wasn't for me.
October 31, 2017
Plot: 3,75 stars
Characters : 2,5 stars
Writing : 3 stars
Plot twist : 1 star
Ending : 2,75 stars
Everything : 2,5 stars
Honestly,I did like this book at the start and I did not expect anything from it because I didn't really hear good/bad things about this book.It took me some time to get into the story and when I finally did get into it I got bored.Plot twist were stupid to me,I wanted more action,mistery,drama and tension but everything was flat,I didn't care for the characters whatsoever and I just..this is not a good thriller.Honestly.
The ending was the worst thing of this whole book,it was so stupid and it gave this book no meaning.I hated it.
So,that's why 2,5 stars.
Characters : 2,5 stars
Writing : 3 stars
Plot twist : 1 star
Ending : 2,75 stars
Everything : 2,5 stars
Honestly,I did like this book at the start and I did not expect anything from it because I didn't really hear good/bad things about this book.It took me some time to get into the story and when I finally did get into it I got bored.Plot twist were stupid to me,I wanted more action,mistery,drama and tension but everything was flat,I didn't care for the characters whatsoever and I just..this is not a good thriller.Honestly.
The ending was the worst thing of this whole book,it was so stupid and it gave this book no meaning.I hated it.
So,that's why 2,5 stars.
September 19, 2014
Reading this novel set in Florence whilst visiting the city is kind of eerie....maybe today it's not so dark and dangerous but there is still an undercurrent. The author is one of the best around and here he is in his element stringing together a tale of intrigue with secrets at its heart. Okay I did guess two of those secrets fairly easily but it's still a brilliant evocation of time and place that had me totally hooked.
Maybe it helps if you're already here though.
Maybe it helps if you're already here though.
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