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The Shepardess of Siena a Novel of Renaissance Tuscany
Raised by her aunt and uncle amidst the rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside, young orphan Virginia Tacci has always harbored a deep love for horses—though she knows she may never have the chance to ride. As a shepherdess in sixteenth-century Italy, Virginia’s possibilities are doubly limited by her peasant class and her gender. Yet while she tends her flock, Virginia is captivated by the daring equestrian feats of the high-spirited Isabella de’ Medici, who rides with the strength and courage of any man, much to the horror of her brother, the tyrannical Gran Duca Francesco de’ Medici.
Inspired, the young shepherdess keeps one dream close to her heart: to race in Siena’s Palio. Twenty-six years after Florence captured Siena, Virginia’s defiance will rally the broken spirit of the Senese people and threaten the pernicious reign of the Gran Duca. Bringing alive the rich history of one of Tuscany’s most famed cities, this lush, captivating saga draws an illuminating portrait of one girl with an unbreakable spirit.
Inspired, the young shepherdess keeps one dream close to her heart: to race in Siena’s Palio. Twenty-six years after Florence captured Siena, Virginia’s defiance will rally the broken spirit of the Senese people and threaten the pernicious reign of the Gran Duca. Bringing alive the rich history of one of Tuscany’s most famed cities, this lush, captivating saga draws an illuminating portrait of one girl with an unbreakable spirit.
578 pages, ebook
First published March 31, 2015
397 people are currently reading
1738 people want to read
About the author
Linda Lafferty
9 books297 followersThe daughter of a naval commander, Linda Lafferty attended fourteen different schools growing up, ultimately graduating from the University of Colorado with a master's degree and a PhD in education. Her peripatetic childhood nourished a lifelong love of travel, and she studied abroad in England, France, Mexico, and Spain. Her uncle introduced her to the sport of polo when she was just ten years old, and she enjoys playing to this day. She also competed on the Lancaster University Riding Team in England in stadium jumping, cross country, and dressage. A veteran school educator, she is the author of The Bloodletter's Daughter and The Drowning Guard. She lives in Colorado.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
March 19, 2015
The Shepherdess of Siena: A Novel of Renaissance Tuscany is actually a saga of Renaissance Tuscany. This epic saga of nearly 600 pages recounts the popular and scandalizing stories linked to the de' Medici royal family, the Grand Dukes of Tuscany at the beginning of their royal-ness, and how they affect their subjects, with much about one particular subject, a young shepherdess from Siena, in Tuscany.
The de' Medici banking family was raised to royal status over the Tuscany Dutchy under military powerhouse Cosimo de' Medici in the 1500s. Fictionalized versions of his children are the focus of this book, along with their interactions with artists and subjects under their reign, most importantly with Virginia, a shepherdess with many hidden talents. Virginia is based on an historical figure, too. Her story in this book is half fact and half fiction, as the author admits in the Author's Notes.
The de' Medici have long been favorites of historical gossips, many of whom have put the salacious inventions linked to the family down in print, giving them an authority they do not always have in historical fact. The author makes use of these juicy stories for her novel. And much historical research has also gone into the development of the story, which will surely please fans of historical epic novels.
There are 102 chapters divided among seven parts in The Shepherdess of Siena:
A de' Medici Princess and the Little Shepherdess - 1569-1574
The Death of Cosimo de' Medici - 1574-1576
Murder in Tuscany - 1576-1578
The Heroine of Siena - 1579-1581
Ferrara - 1581-1582
The Art of Death 1582-1586
The Reign of Granduca Ferdinando - 1586-1591
This sweeping saga covers romance, politics, gossip, power, patronage, crime, religion, sports, patriotism, royals, adventure, pathos... The voice is sometimes first-person, and at other times third-person. The text is sprinkled with Italian words. The English is excellent and the editing expert. I received a review-copy.
This is one for historical novel fans, those who love to be immersed in another time and place. Italophiles with a love of Italian history should enjoy the time they can spend in Renaissance Tuscany, hobnobbing with the exciting de' Medici family.
Please visit my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews.
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
The de' Medici banking family was raised to royal status over the Tuscany Dutchy under military powerhouse Cosimo de' Medici in the 1500s. Fictionalized versions of his children are the focus of this book, along with their interactions with artists and subjects under their reign, most importantly with Virginia, a shepherdess with many hidden talents. Virginia is based on an historical figure, too. Her story in this book is half fact and half fiction, as the author admits in the Author's Notes.
The de' Medici have long been favorites of historical gossips, many of whom have put the salacious inventions linked to the family down in print, giving them an authority they do not always have in historical fact. The author makes use of these juicy stories for her novel. And much historical research has also gone into the development of the story, which will surely please fans of historical epic novels.
There are 102 chapters divided among seven parts in The Shepherdess of Siena:
A de' Medici Princess and the Little Shepherdess - 1569-1574
The Death of Cosimo de' Medici - 1574-1576
Murder in Tuscany - 1576-1578
The Heroine of Siena - 1579-1581
Ferrara - 1581-1582
The Art of Death 1582-1586
The Reign of Granduca Ferdinando - 1586-1591
This sweeping saga covers romance, politics, gossip, power, patronage, crime, religion, sports, patriotism, royals, adventure, pathos... The voice is sometimes first-person, and at other times third-person. The text is sprinkled with Italian words. The English is excellent and the editing expert. I received a review-copy.
This is one for historical novel fans, those who love to be immersed in another time and place. Italophiles with a love of Italian history should enjoy the time they can spend in Renaissance Tuscany, hobnobbing with the exciting de' Medici family.
Please visit my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews.
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
July 8, 2015
After reading the reviews—and with a 4.1 rating—I was eagerly anticipating reading this book. I have lived in Italy, am a scholar in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Italian history, and enthusiastically devour anything set in that time and locale. I expected there to be artistic license taken with the historical record for the sake of Lafferty’s fictional narrative. What I didn’t expect was to be so thoroughly bored by this novel.
The characters were one-dimensional and unappealing, which was pretty surprising. The Medici were some of the most fascinating actors in Italian religious, political, and diplomatic history, yet I found their scenes wearying and perplexing. Because of my research, I think I have a decent sense of the motivation for much of their behavior, but I got no inkling of it from reading the novel. The shepherdess who was ‘mad for horses’ and seemed to have a special affinity for them and they for her had such potential as a protagonist, but she came off mainly as self-absorbed, arrogant, and remarkably resistant to understanding anything outside of her own narrow aspiration.
The book was also rather torturous to read. The dialogue was shallow and took twice as long as needed to impart the emotional or narrative information it seemed designed to convey. I kept plugging, thinking that eventually, the author would start giving some justification for what was happening: explaining the reactions of the conservative peasantry towards Virginia as well as what she and her family and friends realistically hoped for her future (I was pretty amazed that the aunt, who had figured so prominently as the voice of narrow-mindedness and intolerance in Virginia’s first 10 years, never appeared during her training or her early rides!).
Finally, about halfway through, I had to call the time of death on this book. Maybe the author addresses some of these issues in the second half of the novel, but life is too short to continue reading a book that I knew I would pan.
ETA: Apparently, I should have read ALL of the reviews! I just read Erin’s Goodreads review of 7 January 2015 in which she said pretty much everything I’d said (even to pulling the plug on the book) Overall, though, I am rather surprised to see the high rating here at Goodreads, and decided to read on for another 30 or so pages. I stopped again, and I still feel the same.
I’m done.
The characters were one-dimensional and unappealing, which was pretty surprising. The Medici were some of the most fascinating actors in Italian religious, political, and diplomatic history, yet I found their scenes wearying and perplexing. Because of my research, I think I have a decent sense of the motivation for much of their behavior, but I got no inkling of it from reading the novel. The shepherdess who was ‘mad for horses’ and seemed to have a special affinity for them and they for her had such potential as a protagonist, but she came off mainly as self-absorbed, arrogant, and remarkably resistant to understanding anything outside of her own narrow aspiration.
The book was also rather torturous to read. The dialogue was shallow and took twice as long as needed to impart the emotional or narrative information it seemed designed to convey. I kept plugging, thinking that eventually, the author would start giving some justification for what was happening: explaining the reactions of the conservative peasantry towards Virginia as well as what she and her family and friends realistically hoped for her future (I was pretty amazed that the aunt, who had figured so prominently as the voice of narrow-mindedness and intolerance in Virginia’s first 10 years, never appeared during her training or her early rides!).
Finally, about halfway through, I had to call the time of death on this book. Maybe the author addresses some of these issues in the second half of the novel, but life is too short to continue reading a book that I knew I would pan.
ETA: Apparently, I should have read ALL of the reviews! I just read Erin’s Goodreads review of 7 January 2015 in which she said pretty much everything I’d said (even to pulling the plug on the book) Overall, though, I am rather surprised to see the high rating here at Goodreads, and decided to read on for another 30 or so pages. I stopped again, and I still feel the same.
I’m done.
April 16, 2015
Author Linda Lafferty propels readers into the Italian Renaissance in the Tuscany Region. It is an epic saga and adventure, a wonderfully rich and complex story with many layers and fascinating characters.
The story surrounds a young, innocent shepherdess who develops a strong fondness for horses and an uncanny ability to understand them. The tale sweeps us into the heart of Tuscany and allows readers to get to know the royals of the era along with members of the Medici family.
The author has done a great deal of research into the era, especially concerning the popular sport, the Palio. She gives us a glimpse into the competitivemess, the politics, the training, and the passion of this equestrians port that is still played today!
There are plenty of twists and turns, and even though there is no terribly strong romance, there is a love connection. From the hills of Tuscany, to the streets of Siena, to the hidden abbey's and convents scattered throughout the area, this is one story that kept me spell bound to the very end. Betrayal, murder, kidnapping, love, and much, much more, fill every page. Definitely a tale for the horse lover in all of us
The story surrounds a young, innocent shepherdess who develops a strong fondness for horses and an uncanny ability to understand them. The tale sweeps us into the heart of Tuscany and allows readers to get to know the royals of the era along with members of the Medici family.
The author has done a great deal of research into the era, especially concerning the popular sport, the Palio. She gives us a glimpse into the competitivemess, the politics, the training, and the passion of this equestrians port that is still played today!
There are plenty of twists and turns, and even though there is no terribly strong romance, there is a love connection. From the hills of Tuscany, to the streets of Siena, to the hidden abbey's and convents scattered throughout the area, this is one story that kept me spell bound to the very end. Betrayal, murder, kidnapping, love, and much, much more, fill every page. Definitely a tale for the horse lover in all of us
July 13, 2016
I visited Siena several years ago, and I fell in love with the city and the Palio, so I keep an eye out for books on Tuscany. This is the second book I have read by Linda Lafferty and I love her historical fiction. Virginia Tacci was an orphan being brought up by relatives. She has special bond with horses and begged to learn how to ride.
May 18, 2018
Review 4.3 stars
A Historical novel with horses and set primarily in Tuscany was a Must Read, and it proved enjoyable.
Virginia Tacci is the young shepherdess that loves horses and wants to ride – something that few women in the sixteenth-century can do on an even playing field with men. Even those from the nobility like Isabella de’ Medici that can attempt to ignore social expectations, are prey to their male superiors – or those that believe in their right to manipulate and persecute.
This is a world of rules and rulers, and Linda Lafferty paints the period and the setting vividly, demonstrating her painstaking research. This is a realistic medieval world from attitudes to architecture, from struggling peasants to scheming nobility. Many of the characters are historical, yet the author gives them distinct personalities – at times needing to build on limited documentary evidence from the period. (The author’s notes at the end make the extent of the research clear.)
The novel is strongest when focused on the horses and on Virginia. It is their story that kept me reading from the birth of a key foal, through the event that makes Virginia the centre of a thread of plots. The equestrian elements were meticulous in their detail as well as vibrant. The choice of having the protagonist tell their own first-person story also worked and enhanced this central thread.
However, with multiple plotlines there was a need for some of the other viewpoints used. All these were third person, and, in most cases, these worked and gave the plotlines momentum. But, purely from this reader’s perspective, there were too many, and some characters suffered through too little ‘screen-time’. There were moments when I stopped and wondered if some of these POVs could have been amalgamated – perhaps giving one observer more chapters to record events as they experience them.
This applied to the probably accurate de Medici scenes which led me to comment, mid-reading, "Whose story is this?" At times, I wanted to get back to Virginia and the horses as those scenes had a momentum that never tailed off. Of course, to me ‘Mares rule’ – except I will always find room for a great stallion.
Virginia’s ride is not always easy and not just because of her gender, although that prejudice never lets up. The ending is unexpected, but many have argued that it is right given the era. One question was uppermost as the threads converged together: "How would the antagonists atone for their sins?"
How can a historical novel ever have a neat ending? Reality is never what we expect or desire. And life goes on beyond the end of a novel. If characters evolve, as they do here, then that is the truth.
Although this novel rates 4.3 stars adjusted to 4 stars, I would recommend this to fans of historical fiction especially if they love horses.
Story – four stars
Setting/World-building – five stars
Authenticity – five stars
Characters – four stars
Structure – four stars
Readability – four stars
Editing – four stars
A Historical novel with horses and set primarily in Tuscany was a Must Read, and it proved enjoyable.
Virginia Tacci is the young shepherdess that loves horses and wants to ride – something that few women in the sixteenth-century can do on an even playing field with men. Even those from the nobility like Isabella de’ Medici that can attempt to ignore social expectations, are prey to their male superiors – or those that believe in their right to manipulate and persecute.
This is a world of rules and rulers, and Linda Lafferty paints the period and the setting vividly, demonstrating her painstaking research. This is a realistic medieval world from attitudes to architecture, from struggling peasants to scheming nobility. Many of the characters are historical, yet the author gives them distinct personalities – at times needing to build on limited documentary evidence from the period. (The author’s notes at the end make the extent of the research clear.)
The novel is strongest when focused on the horses and on Virginia. It is their story that kept me reading from the birth of a key foal, through the event that makes Virginia the centre of a thread of plots. The equestrian elements were meticulous in their detail as well as vibrant. The choice of having the protagonist tell their own first-person story also worked and enhanced this central thread.
However, with multiple plotlines there was a need for some of the other viewpoints used. All these were third person, and, in most cases, these worked and gave the plotlines momentum. But, purely from this reader’s perspective, there were too many, and some characters suffered through too little ‘screen-time’. There were moments when I stopped and wondered if some of these POVs could have been amalgamated – perhaps giving one observer more chapters to record events as they experience them.
This applied to the probably accurate de Medici scenes which led me to comment, mid-reading, "Whose story is this?" At times, I wanted to get back to Virginia and the horses as those scenes had a momentum that never tailed off. Of course, to me ‘Mares rule’ – except I will always find room for a great stallion.
Virginia’s ride is not always easy and not just because of her gender, although that prejudice never lets up. The ending is unexpected, but many have argued that it is right given the era. One question was uppermost as the threads converged together: "How would the antagonists atone for their sins?"
How can a historical novel ever have a neat ending? Reality is never what we expect or desire. And life goes on beyond the end of a novel. If characters evolve, as they do here, then that is the truth.
Although this novel rates 4.3 stars adjusted to 4 stars, I would recommend this to fans of historical fiction especially if they love horses.
Story – four stars
Setting/World-building – five stars
Authenticity – five stars
Characters – four stars
Structure – four stars
Readability – four stars
Editing – four stars
November 25, 2018
I picked this book solely because I have a granddaughter named Siena. I ended up really liking it and read 5 of her books in a row. If you like historical fiction, and are maybe just a little sick of WWII books, here's your author. This book takes place in Tuscany in the 1500's when the Medici family ruled. It is about a girl who was ahead of her time and wanted to race horses. More than that, the book is about that time period and the class structure the people struggled with. By the way, the facts checked out...even the horse riding girl.
November 2, 2023
Well researched and engaging historical novel.
March 2, 2015
(thank you NetFGalley for an early release copy)
This is Linda Lafferty's best book yet! I rarely give a five star review, but I loved this book!
The Shepherdess of Siena is the story of Virginia Tacci, the first woman (actually girl, she was 14 at the time) to compete in the famous Palio of Siena. This was unheard of in 16th century Tuscany, and she most likely would have won if it weren't for political and sexist treachery....but I digress.
Linda Lafferty has a knack for finding women no one has heard of who had interesting and/or impactful lives, and creating great historical fiction around them. The Shepherdess of Siena teaches us about one of these women. Virginia Tacci was a shepherdess. When her parents die, she goes to live with her benevolent uncle and his nasty wife, herding sheep. A chance meeting with a de'Medici brings her in contact with a beautiful horse, and the love that will last a lifetime is born. By day a shepherdess, by night an apprentice jockey on some of the most beautiful horses in the world, Virginia has a special bond that will lead her to compete in the Palio.
Lafferty's characters come to life on the page. I had a hard time putting the book down, especially towards the end. Lafferty takes us through the political machinations of the de' Medici's, the ruling family as a result of conquering most of the other nearby cities. At this point in history, the Grand Duke of Florence essentially "owns" Siena and the other local cities/states. As the novel begins, granduca Cosimo, who has ruled with some level of benevolence, dies, and his crazy, vicious son Fernando becomes granduca. His brother Pietro is not much better. Their taste in women, their treatment of women in general but particularly those of their family (who'd intelligence and character far exceeds theirs!) is appalling. But I will say no more, so as not to be a spoiler.
I have read many books of this period and of the de' Medici's, but had never heard of Virginia Tacci. Brava to Linda Laffery for finding her and bringing her to life for us!
This is Linda Lafferty's best book yet! I rarely give a five star review, but I loved this book!
The Shepherdess of Siena is the story of Virginia Tacci, the first woman (actually girl, she was 14 at the time) to compete in the famous Palio of Siena. This was unheard of in 16th century Tuscany, and she most likely would have won if it weren't for political and sexist treachery....but I digress.
Linda Lafferty has a knack for finding women no one has heard of who had interesting and/or impactful lives, and creating great historical fiction around them. The Shepherdess of Siena teaches us about one of these women. Virginia Tacci was a shepherdess. When her parents die, she goes to live with her benevolent uncle and his nasty wife, herding sheep. A chance meeting with a de'Medici brings her in contact with a beautiful horse, and the love that will last a lifetime is born. By day a shepherdess, by night an apprentice jockey on some of the most beautiful horses in the world, Virginia has a special bond that will lead her to compete in the Palio.
Lafferty's characters come to life on the page. I had a hard time putting the book down, especially towards the end. Lafferty takes us through the political machinations of the de' Medici's, the ruling family as a result of conquering most of the other nearby cities. At this point in history, the Grand Duke of Florence essentially "owns" Siena and the other local cities/states. As the novel begins, granduca Cosimo, who has ruled with some level of benevolence, dies, and his crazy, vicious son Fernando becomes granduca. His brother Pietro is not much better. Their taste in women, their treatment of women in general but particularly those of their family (who'd intelligence and character far exceeds theirs!) is appalling. But I will say no more, so as not to be a spoiler.
I have read many books of this period and of the de' Medici's, but had never heard of Virginia Tacci. Brava to Linda Laffery for finding her and bringing her to life for us!
February 9, 2016
The premise of this book fascinated me. In medieval Italy, a young Senese girl named Virginia Tacci develops a special bond with horses and aspires to compete in the Palio (a Tuscan horse race). I found her desire to bend traditional gender roles rather anachronistic, until I read in the author's acknowledgements that Virginia Tacci was a real figure in Italian history (if little-known and mysterious).
I was horse-crazy growing up (I was always that kid begging my parents for a pony) and so I related on a somewhat personal level to Virginia's intense desire to ride and compete and her love of horses. The scenes in the book where she learns to ride and were easily my favorite parts of the novel. However, my main complaint is that for a novel about horse racing, there weren't exactly a lot of these scenes.
Instead, there's another storyline that incorporates the dramas and intrigues of the ruling de' Medici family. I could have easily done without these scenes, as I felt like they didn't really add anything to Virginia's storyline. Sure, the de' Medici family has provided ample fodder for writers of historical fiction. However, their story was very weakly tied into Virginia's and just felt unnecessary. There were also several scenes featuring a young artist Giorgio Brunelli, and again, these scenes felt superfluous. I was impatient reading them, eager to get back to Virginia's storyline.
Thus, in the end, I can't rate this book higher even though I did enjoy it. The subject matter was interesting and it was well-written (I particularly enjoyed the skillful usage of Italian words and interjections). However, I think the book could have easily been cut down by at least two hundred pages. I wish it would have actually focused more on Virginia Tacci and less on de' Medici drama and Florentine art.
I was horse-crazy growing up (I was always that kid begging my parents for a pony) and so I related on a somewhat personal level to Virginia's intense desire to ride and compete and her love of horses. The scenes in the book where she learns to ride and were easily my favorite parts of the novel. However, my main complaint is that for a novel about horse racing, there weren't exactly a lot of these scenes.
Instead, there's another storyline that incorporates the dramas and intrigues of the ruling de' Medici family. I could have easily done without these scenes, as I felt like they didn't really add anything to Virginia's storyline. Sure, the de' Medici family has provided ample fodder for writers of historical fiction. However, their story was very weakly tied into Virginia's and just felt unnecessary. There were also several scenes featuring a young artist Giorgio Brunelli, and again, these scenes felt superfluous. I was impatient reading them, eager to get back to Virginia's storyline.
Thus, in the end, I can't rate this book higher even though I did enjoy it. The subject matter was interesting and it was well-written (I particularly enjoyed the skillful usage of Italian words and interjections). However, I think the book could have easily been cut down by at least two hundred pages. I wish it would have actually focused more on Virginia Tacci and less on de' Medici drama and Florentine art.
November 13, 2015
The saga covers the later part of the 16th century when the de' Medici reigned. Here you'll find romance, politics, gossip, power, patronage, crime, religion, sports, patriotism, royals, adventure, pathos, and passion. A believable timeline of a what-could-have-happened story for a true legend.
Italian words make appearances with non intrusive translations i.e., "He had painted her from a distance for a year now, the pastorella - the shepherdess - and her woolly charges."
Lafferty's writing remains consistent throughout her novels (I've yet to read the Bloodletter's Daughter). You'll either like her style or not. Of her novels I've read this has been my favorite because Renaissance Tuscany is a favorite subject of mine. I like that her characters are based on historically accurate people. The 3 novels I've read have actually been narrated so maybe that's why I found it faster paced and with more character development than some.
The cover painting appears to be Young Shepherdess Standing by William Adolphe Bouguereau. I wish I could have seen Giorgio Brunelli's 'Flight of Clelia and the Roman Virgins' because I agree about the stiffness of Beccafumi's.
Italian words make appearances with non intrusive translations i.e., "He had painted her from a distance for a year now, the pastorella - the shepherdess - and her woolly charges."
Lafferty's writing remains consistent throughout her novels (I've yet to read the Bloodletter's Daughter). You'll either like her style or not. Of her novels I've read this has been my favorite because Renaissance Tuscany is a favorite subject of mine. I like that her characters are based on historically accurate people. The 3 novels I've read have actually been narrated so maybe that's why I found it faster paced and with more character development than some.
The cover painting appears to be Young Shepherdess Standing by William Adolphe Bouguereau. I wish I could have seen Giorgio Brunelli's 'Flight of Clelia and the Roman Virgins' because I agree about the stiffness of Beccafumi's.
August 16, 2015
When the history is written about a place or an era the lives and accomplishments of women and racial/religious/class minorities are often omitted. Ms. Lafferty shines a spotlight on the fate of women (rich and poor) in renaissance Tuscany -- forced marriage, banishment to a convent, prostitution, poor girls sold into servitude, and even murder.
Virginia Tacci, a poor orphan and shepherdess, dreams of horses. Encouraged by her godfather (Cesare Brunelli) a respected horse trainer and nurtured by watching Isabella de Medici ride, the young girl defies societal norms and follows her impossible dream to race horses.
The book is a delight: well-researched, filled with strong female characters, and the cruel sons of Cosimo de Medici.
No graphic sex or violence
Virginia Tacci, a poor orphan and shepherdess, dreams of horses. Encouraged by her godfather (Cesare Brunelli) a respected horse trainer and nurtured by watching Isabella de Medici ride, the young girl defies societal norms and follows her impossible dream to race horses.
The book is a delight: well-researched, filled with strong female characters, and the cruel sons of Cosimo de Medici.
No graphic sex or violence
Read
June 2, 2015DNF. So boring. I'm not going to rate it though. That wouldn't be fair.
January 9, 2016
5*s! 5*s! 5*s!
If you love historical fiction, I highly recommend Linda Lafferty's books.
This one was Awesome!
If you love historical fiction, I highly recommend Linda Lafferty's books.
This one was Awesome!
October 2, 2017
It took me quite awhile to read this novel, it appeared less interesting that Lafferty's other works; The Shepherdess of Siena proves that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, or it's summary. Although it had a tendency to drag on, I found myself being enthralled and pulled back in again just as I was preparing to set it down.
Virginia's plight to ride the Palio despite being a woman in 15th century Italy was inspiring. However I found myself, as I'm sure anyone would, more drawn to the dramas of the Medici family. I'd want Virginia to stop carrying on about her passion for horses so we could get back to the royal intrigue. The connection between Virginia and the family takes the majority of the novel to become clear. Once it all falls into place it becomes obvious why Lafferty focused so much time on the Medici family. It is actually much more a historical fiction based on the life of the Medicis rather than little horse obsessed Virginia, she just being the conduit to keep everything connected.
Virginia learns to ride horses in secret under the tyranny of the Medici family. Once the patriarch, Cosimo, dies his psychotic son, Francesco gains control of the family. Although a very fictional representation of the Medicis, Francesco is truly terrifying. After having his sister and cousin killed, he has Virginia kidnapped and sent to a convent so she cannot inspire the people and because she's obviously an uppity woman.
Revenge is served by Virginia's cousin by a poisoned painting, but it takes years and kills him in the end as well. After 10 years, Virginia is finally freed and rejoins her beloved horse except that all her family is dead (after yearning to see her all this time) and she cannot return home. The End. The poisoned painting was an excellent and unique plot point. Georgio (the cousin) and Stella (the horse who started it all) end it quickly riding into the night. The reader had been plagued by the two deteriorating so it was a great way to end their beautiful lives.
The amount of Italian in the novel was impressive and didn't leave much question as to the content. A time or two I was left wishing I knew the translation. It added to the beauty and scenery of the novel, especially since much of the plot revolved around nationalism. Lafferty wrote a beautiful underdog story with dramatic plot lines and very lovable and despicable characters.
Virginia's plight to ride the Palio despite being a woman in 15th century Italy was inspiring. However I found myself, as I'm sure anyone would, more drawn to the dramas of the Medici family. I'd want Virginia to stop carrying on about her passion for horses so we could get back to the royal intrigue. The connection between Virginia and the family takes the majority of the novel to become clear. Once it all falls into place it becomes obvious why Lafferty focused so much time on the Medici family. It is actually much more a historical fiction based on the life of the Medicis rather than little horse obsessed Virginia, she just being the conduit to keep everything connected.
Virginia learns to ride horses in secret under the tyranny of the Medici family. Once the patriarch, Cosimo, dies his psychotic son, Francesco gains control of the family. Although a very fictional representation of the Medicis, Francesco is truly terrifying. After having his sister and cousin killed, he has Virginia kidnapped and sent to a convent so she cannot inspire the people and because she's obviously an uppity woman.
Revenge is served by Virginia's cousin by a poisoned painting, but it takes years and kills him in the end as well. After 10 years, Virginia is finally freed and rejoins her beloved horse except that all her family is dead (after yearning to see her all this time) and she cannot return home. The End. The poisoned painting was an excellent and unique plot point. Georgio (the cousin) and Stella (the horse who started it all) end it quickly riding into the night. The reader had been plagued by the two deteriorating so it was a great way to end their beautiful lives.
The amount of Italian in the novel was impressive and didn't leave much question as to the content. A time or two I was left wishing I knew the translation. It added to the beauty and scenery of the novel, especially since much of the plot revolved around nationalism. Lafferty wrote a beautiful underdog story with dramatic plot lines and very lovable and despicable characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2024
The Shepherdess of Siena by Linda Lafferty
578 Pages
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Fiction (Adult), General Fiction (Adult), Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction, Italian, Tuscany, Horses, Orphan, Convent, de Medici family
Virginia Tacci is 6 years old. Her parents died from an epidemic and she lives with her aunt and uncle and tends their sheep. She dreams of horses and wants to complete in the famous Siena’s Palio horse race. She gets secret riding lessons by moonlight. It is hard to imagine how a young girl could be such a threat to a powerful man as the Gran Duca Francesco de Medici. She was gaining the love of the people. In his eyes, she had to go.
The story had a steady pace, the characters were well developed, and it was written in the third person point of view. I enjoy reading books about the de Medici family since they were an interesting and powerful family. My only disbelief with the book was how young Virginia was supposed to be. She certainly appeared to be older than her years. If you like historical fiction with family murder plots and a few horses, you will enjoy reading this book.
578 Pages
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Fiction (Adult), General Fiction (Adult), Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction, Italian, Tuscany, Horses, Orphan, Convent, de Medici family
Virginia Tacci is 6 years old. Her parents died from an epidemic and she lives with her aunt and uncle and tends their sheep. She dreams of horses and wants to complete in the famous Siena’s Palio horse race. She gets secret riding lessons by moonlight. It is hard to imagine how a young girl could be such a threat to a powerful man as the Gran Duca Francesco de Medici. She was gaining the love of the people. In his eyes, she had to go.
The story had a steady pace, the characters were well developed, and it was written in the third person point of view. I enjoy reading books about the de Medici family since they were an interesting and powerful family. My only disbelief with the book was how young Virginia was supposed to be. She certainly appeared to be older than her years. If you like historical fiction with family murder plots and a few horses, you will enjoy reading this book.
July 13, 2017
With this book, I am caught between 3 and 4 stars. I chose 3 for a few reasons.
Reason 1: Four stars would express for me that I enjoyed this thoroughly. But, I did not.
Reason 2: To avoid spoilers, I'll be vague. The character that went to "candyland" with the other character and then later went to "groundsville" because of stupidity, well, I wasn't too fond of all that.
Reason 3: Don't judge my reason number 2. You don't know me.
Reason 4: Does the smell of coffee mean anything to you?
Now that I've been very descriptive about my reasoning, I will say this,
The Shepherdess of Siena pulled me in from the beginning. The writing was good enough for me to choose another book by the same author. I enjoy reading stories about strong characters who overcome odds that are almost impossible and for some, debilitating. But these characters, they pull through. They beat the odds to a pulp, put them in a shredder and sell them for several pence and become rich off the entire ordeal. Good story, good writing, GREAT main character.
Reason 1: Four stars would express for me that I enjoyed this thoroughly. But, I did not.
Reason 2: To avoid spoilers, I'll be vague. The character that went to "candyland" with the other character and then later went to "groundsville" because of stupidity, well, I wasn't too fond of all that.
Reason 3: Don't judge my reason number 2. You don't know me.
Reason 4: Does the smell of coffee mean anything to you?
Now that I've been very descriptive about my reasoning, I will say this,
The Shepherdess of Siena pulled me in from the beginning. The writing was good enough for me to choose another book by the same author. I enjoy reading stories about strong characters who overcome odds that are almost impossible and for some, debilitating. But these characters, they pull through. They beat the odds to a pulp, put them in a shredder and sell them for several pence and become rich off the entire ordeal. Good story, good writing, GREAT main character.
May 27, 2017
This is another amazingly researched and written book by Linda Lafferty. I cannot think of a book I have liked better than The Shepherdess of Siena. The Audible version helped me to hear the language and accents of the people of Siena, Tuscany.
When Virginia is orphaned she lives with her aunt and uncle. While the uncle is kind and understanding the aunt is angry and mean. Virginia, who herds her Uncle's sheep dreams of a different life, one like the free-spirited, horse riding women of Medici. No one's life is what Virginia imagines and her life takes twists and turns she never anticipated.
A detailed account of the politics and lifestyles of the nobility in Rennasaince Italy.
I've decided to pick this for our book club in 2018. I can't imagine the women I know missing this book.
When Virginia is orphaned she lives with her aunt and uncle. While the uncle is kind and understanding the aunt is angry and mean. Virginia, who herds her Uncle's sheep dreams of a different life, one like the free-spirited, horse riding women of Medici. No one's life is what Virginia imagines and her life takes twists and turns she never anticipated.
A detailed account of the politics and lifestyles of the nobility in Rennasaince Italy.
I've decided to pick this for our book club in 2018. I can't imagine the women I know missing this book.
February 2, 2017
I love reading about Tuscany and the Renaissance and enjoyed this book about Virginia Tacci, the Palio and Florence. And throw in the very nasty de Medici bunch and it is an intriguing story that held my interest. While the book is fiction, many of the players in the story are part of the history of Italy. I knew very little about the Palio but as a former horse crazy adolescent I loved reading about Virginia, a Senese shepherdess who learns to ride with the intent to ride in the Palio of Siena. The Gran Duca Francesco de' Medici figures prominently in the tale and he became the character that one "loves to hate." All in all a good read for me prior to my visit to Italy in a few short weeks.
April 18, 2021
I feel bad not giving this book a higher rating, because throughout the novel, the author's passion for the subject and research on the time period is evident. But... I found this book less interesting than I should have - there were murdering Medicis and dramatic horse races, but I still found myself a bit bored and hoping for it all to be over. The Medicis were hard to keep straight (and I kinda hoped they would all ended murdering each other) and I suspect this book could have been much better if an editor had shortened it down. Overall, this wasn't a bad book and I do want to investigate some of the historical sources the author mentioned at the end of the book, but I'm also a bit disappointed in it.
April 2, 2020
Excellent story about an orphan shepherdess taken in her aunt & uncle in a home poisoned by the aunt's meanness. She is sent out to stay with the sheep in the fields, malnourished and cold. A chance encounter with Isabella deMedici in the mid 1500s inspires her interest in horses, even though the closest she has ever come to a horse has been to occasionally watch her godfather train horses.
There are plenty of machinations and poisonings that you would expect from the deMedici family, kidnapping, imprisonment in a convent and eventual salvation.
Greatly enjoyed the story but I also appreciated the details of Sienna since visiting there and seeing where the great races took place.
There are plenty of machinations and poisonings that you would expect from the deMedici family, kidnapping, imprisonment in a convent and eventual salvation.
Greatly enjoyed the story but I also appreciated the details of Sienna since visiting there and seeing where the great races took place.
June 3, 2024
A beautifully written historical fiction about a young shepherdess, Virginia Tacci, who lived in 16th century Siena - under the Medici rule at the time. It is about Virginia’s love for horses, her dedication, her restless strife to train her favorite wild colt, and later race with him the famous horse race - Palio di Siena. A strong character with an iron will, stubborn, yet gentle with horses and the curse of being a horsewoman at a time of ignorance and unforgiving religious beliefs - treachery, and intrigue. The story is based on true historical facts and is a pleasure to read.
May 5, 2018
Couldn't finish this book. The writing was choppy and unfinished and I couldn't get beyond that. There was nothing redeeming about this book. Everything was predictable and the descriptions were way overdone. Worst though was the author's tendency to dart from item to item without any sort of a transition. I haven't read something this poorly written in a while and I am amazed by the high reviews on here. Not impressed. 1/5 stars.
July 8, 2019
I ultimately enjoyed this book but the story jumped around around and had so many characters that it was difficult to follow at times. The fact that there were many italian words incorporated added to this difficulty. The second half of the book kind of redeemed the first half, but were I the kind of person who puts down a book that isn't working for me, I never would have finished this. But I enjoyed the premise of the book.
January 15, 2020
There are just those books that stick with you, make you think, come to mind often. This is one of those books. Set in the 1570’s to 1590’s, during the reign of the mostly cruel and treacherous de Medici family, this story is about the making of a legend. Animal lovers, and especially those with a fondness for horses, will enjoy this book. I plan to recommend this one to my book club at the winery. 5⭐️s!
May 30, 2020
National Velvet meets the Borgias!!!! a very miserable book, fantasy and history mixed together but did not work for me. It may help if your second language is Italian and you can follow the nick names and long titles of the characters. The author did not appear to know that to do with Virginia so she gave her to the nuns for ten years. I completed the book as I had paid for it. There must have been someone in 16th century Italy that had happy life. Not one in this book.
August 22, 2020
Borrowed this book through Kindle. What a bore and torture, I returned it before I finished it. I rarely leave a book before I finish it, but I realised I don’t want to spend time on a boring read when there are so many quality books that are waiting their time to be read. I actually got annoyed reading this book, nothing really caught my interest even a bit. Maybe if one likes horses would understand the idea of this book, I couldn't find the patience.
August 8, 2019
For an un-horsey person there was a little too much detail on how Virginia felt the horse under her as she rode, how she guided him, etc.
Too much description of the obstacles on the Palio race route.
What poison in paint could kill?
The story picked up after she was imprisoned in the convent.
Too much description of the obstacles on the Palio race route.
What poison in paint could kill?
The story picked up after she was imprisoned in the convent.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2020
Another delicious Lafferty boom to devour!
With her magical ability to write her characters directly into your heart, Linda has managed once again to create a world that draws you in, centuries in the past, but alive now.
Become endeared to the shepherdess who gives hope to a republic and loses herself. Her tragedy is real, brought to life for us to live and remember.
With her magical ability to write her characters directly into your heart, Linda has managed once again to create a world that draws you in, centuries in the past, but alive now.
Become endeared to the shepherdess who gives hope to a republic and loses herself. Her tragedy is real, brought to life for us to live and remember.
December 1, 2022
This book did not have me hanging onto every scene. Halfway through the book, I decided this was not a historical "National Velvet" because it changed direction through intrigue and murder. Not what I was expecting. I gave this 4 stars because, as a horsewoman, many of the horse scenes struck me as very realistic. Overall, I should have given it 3 stars but I didn't.
March 2, 2024
This book should be made into a movie. It was 565 pages to read- but could be told in a 90 minute entertaining movie. The action, turmoil, angst, mild romance was good, but as you can see it took me 4months to read it since it wasn’t a total page turner for me. It’s historical fiction and I liked that it took place in Tuscany and mentions some places I visited while on vacation there.
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