Virago Books, March 2, 2017.
Four Stars
In the Name of
the Family is Dunant’s follow up to her novel Blood and Beauty, published in 2013.
Both books explore the Borgia family dynasty, headed by Rodrigo Borgia who
became Pope Alexander VI – a corrupt womanizer who used papal funds and influence
to advance the positions of his children in Rome. The prologue of this novel also
introduces us to the character of Niccolo Machiavelli, who was at the time a Florentine
diplomat at an uncertain period in history. The Medici family has fallen, and
Savonarola has been publicly burned. In 1502, Machiavelli is attempting to work
with Cesare Borgia and his mercenary army to end the madness that has taken
over the Italian city-states.
The Borgia family is brutal and passionate, but they
are also in decline – Pope Alexander is aging, and his powerful son Cesare is
struggling with illness due to the pox. Daughter Lucrezia is sent to an
arranged marriage in distant Ferrara, meant to strengthen political ties with
another powerful family, the Estes. At age twenty-two, it will be Lucrezia’s
third marriage, and she is just now starting to understand her own power –
facing off against the Estes family, she is finally standing on her own,
outside of her father’s shadow.
Back in Rome, Cesare has lost the fear and respect he
had for his father – the Pope is aging rapidly and his power is weakening.
Cesare begins to act on his own, although still in his father’s name. Most
Italian city-states are frightened of Cesare and his renegade army – his moves
against other members of the nobility are clever and unpredictable. He must
travel undercover, but that doesn’t prevent him from making his way in disguise
to Lucrezia’s bedside when she falls ill, leading to some of the rumors about
their inappropriate relationship.
Cesare Borgia became a model for Machiavelli’s The Prince – a guidebook for ruling the
people which includes the famous line, “It is better to be feared than loved.” Cesare
and his family are great examples of the dark side of politics and power,
although Lucrezia is the most real and engaging character here. Instead of
disappearing into the shadows of womanhood, she uses her intelligence and sexuality
to control her surroundings in dramatic ways.
Dunant does an impressive job of humanizing these
historical figures, showing all the dark sides of love, grief and familial bonds.
This novel is backed up by an incredible amount of research, but it never feels
weighed down by facts. The dialogue is accessible and modern, with firsthand sources
such as letters woven into the text. The story of the Borgias is so bizarre
that it often seems stranger than fiction, and Dunant brings these intriguing
characters brilliantly to life.
I received this book from Virago Books and NetGalley in
exchange for an honest review.
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