Product Description
My lady, Fiammetta Bianchini, was plucking her eyebrows and biting color into her lips when the unthinkable happened and the Holy Roman Emperor’s army blew a hole in the wall of God’s eternal city, letting in a flood of half-starved, half-crazed troops bent on pillage and punishment.Thus begins In the Company of the Courtesan, Sarah Dunant’s epic novel of life in Renaissance Italy. Escaping the sack of Rome in 1527, with their stomachs churning on the jewels they have swallowed, the courtesan Fiammetta and her dwarf companion, Bucino, head for Venice, the shimmering city born out of water to become a miracle of east-west trade: rich and rancid, pious and profitable, beautiful and squalid. With a mix of courage and cunning they infiltrate Venetian society. Together they make the perfect partnership: the sharp-tongued, sharp-witted dwarf, and his vibrant mistress, trained from birth to charm, entertain, and satisfy men who have the money to support her. Yet as their fortunes rise, this perfect partnership comes under threat, from the searing passion of a lover who wants more than his allotted nights to the attentions of an admiring Turk in search of human novelties for his sultan’s court. But Fiammetta and Bucino’s greatest challenge comes from a young crippled woman, a blind healer who insinuates herself into their lives and hearts with devastating consequences for them all.A story of desire and deception, sin and religion, loyalty and friendship, In the Company of the Courtesan paints a portrait of one of the world’s greatest cities at its most potent moment in history: It is a picture that remains vivid long after the final page.From the Hardcover edition.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 109 reviews)

A courtesan in Venice... by Lucy's Reviews- Enchanted By Josephine (Montreal, Canada)

4 Stars
October 22, 2009
Anyone who is fascinated by Venice (and who isn't?) will absolutely love In The Company of The Courtesan. Obviously, that's not all that the book's about (I'll get to that in a moment...), yet; this important aspect cannot be mentioned lightly. The vivid details of the setting naturally propel you right into the moment. Depictions of the world as it was then, with Venice at its center; the glory, the fame, the beauty and all that was decadent as well- set the stage for an incredibly absorbing read...just the right setting for the story of a wondrous courtesan... The story begins with Fiammetta Bianchini, a courtesan of the highest rank, servicing in the papal courts of Rome, having to flee when the city becomes invaded, and later destroyed, by Spaniard barbarians and German Lutherans. Barely surviving the barbaric scalpel and in order to avoid a torturous death, Faimmetta feigns a religious conversion in order to appease and distract the zealous fanatics. Together with her companion and business partner, a dwarf named Bucino, Fiammetta manages to escape and make way to her native Venice to start up her career fresh from scratch- Not an easy task... A disheveled Fiammetta arrives in Venice looking scraggly, beaten, unfed, and besides being poor, famished and sick; she is an `unknown.' How can she ever reclaim her notoriety as the most beautiful, learned, sensual and classiest courtesan in town? Both Fiammetta and her side-kick/manager/entertainer and man-à tout faire, Bucino, have a lot of work to do. The story, told by Bucino, magically unravels as it takes you from one strange character to another; one more flamboyant than the next. A mysterious woman, with a strange deformity and extraordinary healing powers, named La Draga, enraptures both Fiammetta and Bucino into a web of intricacies that lead to fascinating consequences. There is definitely an element of mystery mixed with a clear sense of curiosity that keeps you edging on for more. I absolutely loved reading about these colourful characters and their different lifestyles- and couldn't help but totally adore Fiammetta. Bucino too, this engaging, sharp little man who stopped at nothing to ensure the best for `his Lady' while taking care of business as a priority, was endearing to no end. Everything seemed so real. For all I know, this story could have actually happened. After all, Sarah Dunant includes real historical figures such as the famous painter Titian; Arletino the `reporter' of the time- and, La Draga was an actual person as well. As for Fiammetta, in this novel she was also Titian's preferred goddess to paint, perfectly insinuating his authentic painting of The Venus of Urbino...where the model was said to be indeed a courtesan. Although she is but a fictional character, In The Company of The Courtesan will leave you wishing that Fiammetta really did exist... knack for business, flamboyance, joviality, free spirit, and all. A truly delightful read. Loved it!

The Life and Times of a Dwarf in Renaissance Venice by M.M. Oliver (B'ham, AL)

3 Stars
September 19, 2009
Chose this book for the setting. I love to read historical fiction set in Italy, especially in La Serenissima. I gave this book 3 stars rather than 2 because it did actually inspire me to get out an old Italy guide book to look at a Venice map a time or two, otherwise it was a well written though boring tale of a dwarf in Renaissance times. Wasted some valuable reading time on this. Maybe I'd not have been so disappointed if I'd not just finished Mark Helprin's Soldier of the Great War a couple of weeks earlier. You love Venice? Why don't you read Erica Jong's Serenissima? I'd love to see somebody's list of great books set in Venice. Maybe I'll be able to make one someday.

more of the same by e.seymour (scottsdale, az United States)

2 Stars
September 04, 2009
I must admit that I didn't finish this book. It was just more of the Birth of Venus formula..corrupt men, corrupt church and enough erotica to titillate.For all her research , these novels are pure fantasy.

Great Historical Fiction by Rather Be Reading (The O.C.)

4 Stars
August 31, 2009
This is a story about relationships. I felt that the plot was secondary to the relationships. I didn't know this going in and I wish I had. The relationships are wonderfully written. While the relationship between Bucino the dwarf and Fiammetta is the main story of the book, it's really the relationship between Bucino and La Draga that is the most compelling. The story begins in Rome where Fiammetta the courtesan must flee for her life. She takes Bucino and a few precious stones to Venice where they work extremely hard to re-establish themselves and regain the success they had known in Rome. La Draga enters the picture in Venice and although she is not in the story much, her character is pivotal. A wonderful read. You really feel as if you are there walking through Venice right along with Bucino, seeing the sights as he sees them. Wonderful historical fiction.

Bask in the wonder and exoticism of 16th-century Venice by Sarah Bruce Kelly

5 Stars
August 03, 2009
What an unlikely pair--a beautiful courtesan and a homely dwarf. Yet the love and unwavering devotion that exist between them will touch your heart. With outrageous spunk these two, Fiammetta and Bucino, take on Venice after the sack of Rome drives them from their native city. The harrowing adventure in store for them is a real treat for both the senses and the imagination. From its hair-raising opening to its poignant ending, "In the Company of the Courtesan" takes the reader on a journey that will keep you enthralled on every page. Lovers of Venetian history will not want to miss this. Sarah Bruce Kelly Author of THE RED PRIEST'S ANNINA

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