The Daughter of Siena by Marina Fiorato

The Daughter of Siena Reviews

• 
  Erin

  I may be completely biased but no one has a handle on Italian historical fiction quite like Marina Fiorato. It's the 1720's in the Tuscan city of Siena and Pia Tolomei finds herself wed into a ruthless noble family that are part of a plot to replace a childless Medici widow. But when a mysterious green eyed rider comes to town and captures the young woman's attention, it's only a matter of time before the city is threatened by war.
  
  From the descriptions of the Palio( a most dangerous horse race) and the strong characters, I just couldn't get enough of this novel. Simply a wonderful reason as to why I enjoy historical fiction.
  
  Goodreads review 11/06/19
• 
  Misfit

  3.5/5 stars
  
  This is one of those too complicated to try to explain without giving the whole thing away kind of books, so I'm making this short and sweet. Pia Tolomei knows she must marry someone, but her father makes a most surprising and distasteful choice for her. Betrothed #1 takes a deadly fall during Siena's famous Palio horse race and she's then promptly wed to his younger and even more distasteful brother. Pia soon finds herself involved in plots and intrigue swirling around Siena's nine wards (Contrade), Violante de Medici (Siena's ruling governor) and a mysterious and oh-so-handsome penniless horseman Riccardo.
  
  This was a quick, easy read, light on the mystery (Riccardo's big secret is a bit too easy to guess), with a dollop of romance thrown in to round things out. The Siena settings were gorgeous and will probably send you off to the net to go researching them all, as will the descriptions of that very famous (and deadly) horse race - The Palio. A good book for the beach or a rainy day when you're in the mood for something on the *lite* side, and that's how I'm rating this one.
  
  Readers who had issues with the potty mouth of the female character in the author's last novel can rest easy - you won't see that here.
• 
  Tonkica

  Da mi je ovo bila njezina prva pročitana knjiga, nisam sigurna da bih čitala dalje. Drago mi je da to nije bio slučaj. Priča je u redu... i ništa više..
• 
  Jessica

  I thought this book could have been much better if the writer had more talent. I originally thought that maybe this was a translation, but after checking the title pages, it was not. The author's writing style was that stilted, though. I know that it was originally published in Europe, so perhaps some of the sayings and things didn't relate well to my American brain. Either way, the book was extremely heavy in prose with very little dialogue, making it difficult to read. It took me a very long time to get through this book, and the only thing that made me finish it was that I would have had to turn it back in to the library soon.
  
  The plot is basically about Siena in 1723 and a few of the key players that led to an almost-uprising and a change in the rules of the Palio. If you don't know very much about this part of Italian history, then I highly recommend that you google 1700-era Siena, contrade, and Violante de Beatrix before you read this. It will make everything easier to understand. Once I did that, the novel made a bit more sense to me. Still, it seemed that the author embellished the story line a lot as she follows Violante's attempt to stop the coup with Riccardo's help. Oh, and Pia is part of the story. Sort of. In that she's Riccardo's lover, and she also told him about the things she overhears. But other than that, I'm confused about why she was in the story at all. Wait! I forgot! Because the story parallels Morte d'Arthur (or whatever) and also Pia of Tolomei from Dante. Yawn. That really got on my nerves too. It seems that the author can't let the readers discover the connections for themselves. Instead, she had to highlight the likenesses every time they occurred.
  
  Anyways, I was unimpressed with this book.
• 
  Jenny Q

  4.5 Stars. This was a great read! The story follows three residents of Siena: Pia, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy family who finds herself betrothed to a monster from a rival family for the sake of a political alliance; Riccardo, the poor son of a farrier who is chosen to ride for his contrada in the Palio; and the duchess Violante, widow of Ferdinand de Medici and governess of Siena. Though strangers when the story begins, their lives become entwined in a dangerous mission to save their city from a covert takeover by the corrupt leaders of the Nine ruling families.
  
  The city of Siena lives for its annual horse race, the Palio, and it's run twice a year, in July and August. In this novel, the year is 1723, and an accident mars the first Palio, and sets in motion a tale of revenge, intrigue, duty, and love. Pia and Violante both see Riccardo for the first time, and this man of honor will become very important to both of them, and to the Nine, as he becomes a pawn in their plans to take over the city. I won't say much more about the plot, because it is very intricate and suspenseful, and it kept me guessing right up to the end, and the second Palio--that final climactic horse race--had me biting my nails on the edge of my seat! But it's very good. Suspenseful and exciting, and it's very romantic.
  
  The city of Siena is so much a part of this story that it really comes to life. I could feel the heat of the sun in a bright blue sky shining down on me and the warmth of the sun-baked cobblestones, hear the roar of the crowd, smell the horses and the hay, see the influence of the arts everywhere I looked. I really was transported to Siena and I enjoyed my time there. The characters are great, too; Pia and Riccardo are both brave and noble, suffering heroes, and though it took me a while to warm up to Violante, by the end I had new respect for her.
  
  The only complaint I have is the repeated descriptions of the Medici brothers' sexual exploits. I'm no prude, and in fact, I like racy reads, but I got the message that they were debauched perverts the first time, I didn't need to hear about it again and again, and I thought it cheapened what was otherwise a very eloquent novel. But that's it! I loved everything else! I've seen mixed reviews of her other novels, but I really enjoyed this one.
  
  P.S. - I forgot to say that a very special horse plays an important role, and made me cry, and themes from Dante's Purgatory and Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur enhance the story.
  
• 
  Malia

  Starting out, this book felt a bit aggravating to me. The women were just treated so badly and I know, I know, that's the way it was, but it was still upsetting. Moving along though, the book gained momentum quickly and I found myself quite absorbed in the story and invested in the characters. I especially liked Violante, though Pia and Riccardo were very likeable too. The story revolves around a sort of conspiracy about Siena and its politics. This is built around the Palio, the twice yearly horse race. I have been to Siena, which made reading about it rather fun and I could easily imagine where the characters walked around because it still looks quite Medieval and unchanged today.All in all, I was very satisfied wit the story and also with the history I learned about, as there is a great deal of Medici involvement, which I have long found fascinating. I can happily recommend this to fans of mystery and history alike.
  
  Find more reviews and bookish fun at
  http://www.princessandpen.com
• 
  Krystle

  The palio and romance and renaissance Italy? Hotness x1000! This book made a slow and gradual trek into my heart and I totally fell in love with it.
  
  At first, it took me a bit of time to get into the writing because I’m so used to the fast pace and easier to read prose of young adult books, because this author has quite the command over the English language. Meaning there are a lot of words and lengthy sentence constructions that you probably would rarely see in a young adult book. It’s very controlled, mature, and filled with nuances.
  
  I loved how there is a recurring theme of the past affecting the present. It shows up in great quantities in this story where an event that took place in the past, comes back to slap them in the face, or brings about a huge shocking twist. I for one was going, “Damn, son!” a lot of times. It makes for some excellent character backstory and underlying character motivation for a lot of the actions they take. Another thing that I thought was pretty nifty was how the second palio was almost a near replica of the one in the beginning, to show the progression of the plot and bring everything full circle. A neat tactic, I do say.
  
  The narrative structure in this book is very interesting. At the beginning of each chapter, we are given a flashback of a moment from a character’s life. It’s sort of a foreshadowing on what’s going to happen next while also giving our characters more depth.
  
  The characters are all clearly defined. Pia is a soft spoken woman who is constantly over shadowed by the duty and obligations that are placed on her for a person in her position and her own internal conflicts regarding her feelings and what is right. Riccardo is brave, steadfast, and caught up in a whirlwind of political games that he tries to delicately straddle.
  
  Darkness is quite prevalent in here as many of the characters are cruel; using violence and underhanded tactics to get what they want. And then we see how clinging to an idolized memory of a person brings about terrible consequences. Even the good characters have their flaws.
  
  I loved the intricate details the author weaved into her story. The historical time period that this place in comes alive and I can imagine the beautiful spectacle the palio makes. It might help if you’re familiar with the race (as I am, because I love horses) but it doesn’t matter as the important details you need to know are all laid out clearly for you.
  
  The romance was a bit quick but unlike some of the poorer young adult novels, this is done with great skill. The romance is not the forefront of the story and it doesn’t take over the main plot. Neither does either character spend pages upon pages moping about the other. And the problems beset with their relationship are a lot more complex than “I can’t be with you because I’m bad for you.” No, no, no.
  
  Ah, this was a great read. A steadily paced book that latched its claws deeper and deeper into me with each passing chapter.
  
  Definitely recommended for those who love historical fiction, Italy, and horses.
  
  Btw, here's a video showing the beauty and gala that is the palio:
  
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM0YqF...
• 
  Alison

  What a book! I loved every second of it. This is what a can call the ideal book for me. It's brimming with mystery, intrigue, romance and to top it all, it is full of historical facts which made it all the more interesting, since I did not know that much on eighteenth century Siena. I really wish to visit someday. Fiorato's diction and description makes the novel looks like a movie. The book would definitely make a good movie, but that's just a thought. Halfway through the book, I ordered another Marina Fiorato's book - The Glassblower of Murano. I've now become an avid fan of Siena, Tuscany in general and Marina Fiorato, of course :) Fans of historical fiction, Italy and horses,do yourself a favour and read this one.
  
  Update in 2016: I have just finished reading it for the second time. I rarely read the same book twice (so many books, so little time) but this is certainly one of my very favourite books and I had the opportunity to visit Siena quite recently and it is breathtaking and wonderful as it is described in the novel - I was super excited to see the contrade signs on the city walls and Piazza di Tolomei, Camollia Gate and of course the beautiful Il Campo and the Torre della Mangia :)
• 
  Kejsi

  Одлична и занимљива идеја, која је лоше спроведена.
  
  Веров��тно овај роман спада у просечне љубавне романе са историјском позадином, који можда заслужује и три звездице, али мој укупан доживљај је ипак нешто лошији.
  
  У недостатку дијалога, очекивала сам да нарација буде бар на неком вишем нивоу, али то није био случај. Незанимљив начин и стил приповедања, одуговлачење, непотребни описи, гомилање непотребних речи и појашњења у реченици. Споро одвијање радње, иако је роман имао предиспозиције да буде динамичан. Сам расплет и ток сам у потпуности предвидела, тако да је и ефекат изненађења изостао.
  
  Понављам одлична идеја за роман, која је са можда вештијим писцем могла да буде пун погодак, овако након свих сабраних утисака мислим да не заслужује више од 2 **.
• 
  Kristina

  I won this on First Reads. My review is based on an advance copy.
  
  Let me begin by saying I had somewhat low expectations for this book. I figured it would be just another historical fiction/chick lit. I'm glad I was wrong. Being very familiar with horses, I really enjoyed that the horse element played a large part in this book. I thought the storyline was interesting and there was a small surprise at the end. I finished it in a couple of days and I really enjoyed it. The ending, I'll admit was a little too perfect, but, hey, who cares. This was a fun read that was hard to put down.
• 
  ضحى الحداد

  ummm, well, I really don't know what to say about this book .. in a way it was full of action and adventure and in another way it was so dull and .. slow ? I don't know, the main thing that really pissed me off about this book was the language, it was so annoying and I was bored from the first chapter, yet the love story and the horse riding was fun .. I'm still confused about how to rate this book but I think three stars will do it justice
• 
  Mira Margitta

  Prva od Fiorato koja mi se baš dopala.
  Malo napetosti,malo ljubavi,sve ubačeno u prošlost-lijepa priča.
• 
  Matt

  Another solid 4 stars for this amazing historical tale.
  I always thought books with these kinds of covers felt "light and fluffy" (yes, I do still judge books that way, lol) and this is indeed historical romance, but the depth and descriptive horror parts of it left me unnerved. I love Marina. She is my literary piece of chocolate cake! I bet she'd be thrilled 😆
  
  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• 
  Margaret

  Marina Fiorato writes about Italy with so much passion that you feel like buying a ticket and flying there right away! In this book, the city of Siena comes to life with the famous horse race – The Palio.
  
  It is 1723 and Pia of the Tolomei is going to be married to a man she dislikes in order for her father to make an important alliance. Her fiancé dies during the Palio race, but Pia won´t be able to sigh with relief for his brother is eager to take the “trophy”. Violante de Medici, ruler of Siena, finds out that the leaders of the city’s most important families are uniting to overthrow her. With the help of Pia and Riccardo - whose family will not take part in the conspiracy -Violante fights against time to save a city from brutality and corruption.
  
  Besides the impeccable descriptions of the city and its peculiarities, this book deals with the hardships of women in the eighteenth century, who were considered little more than trading goods to be used at men’s will. The fragile situation of women in places of power is also an important topic and you wonder how certain ladies didn´t go mad with all the plotting and scheming behind their backs. Good setting, good pacing, good plot… All in all, a good read!
  
• 
  Meteori

  Iako po stilu možda liče jedni na druge, sviđa mi se što su romani gospođe Fiorato temom različiti, a opet toliko "živi" da se nađem na ulicama Rima, Firence, Sijene...
  Pohvale i ovaj put.
• 
  Isabella Gwin

  I'll never get those three hours of my life back...
• 
  Stephen

  Siena, take a bow.
  
  In Marina Fiorato's "The Daughter of Siena," the principal characters turn out bit players, and the Tuscan city, a star.
  
  Set in 17th century Italy, this is a tale of sanguinary political tribes, horseracing, love unrequited, and palace intrigue with a Sienese flavor.
  
  The novel charts the slow-forming alliance of the low-born Riccardo Bruni, a maiden groomed for sale via marriage, Pia Tolomei, an ineffective duchess, and a street urchin, in their battle against some treasonous nobles bent on sacking Siena for their own enrichment.
  
  "The Daughter of Siena" is as hermetically sealed as any self-respecting provincial European municipality.
  
  The author effectively weaves Siena's ever-present swallows, rival “contrade” or neighborhoods’ vibrant colors, and legendary "Palio" race -- the city's landmarks and identifying symbols -- into the stuff of the story.
  
  The dome, towers, scalloped central square, urban landscape, pageantry and peculiar ways of the provincial burg not only inform the story, but are the very stuff it is made of.
  
  The novel's tightly wound plot makes it difficult to do plot summary without giving the story away.
  
  Perhaps it is enough to say that the cast are introduced, en masse, in the first Palio of summer, and the city's fate, which all will enlist to influence, is tied to the outcome of a second run in August.
  
  "It is a little risky," says Pia. "To bet a city on a horse race."
  
  Arrayed against the motley, but loveable, crew recruited to save the rein of the de Medici clan in town are some sinister city fathers with bloody predilections and a difficult-to-crack plan for seizing power from the Duchess Violante de Medici, of whom the omniscient narrator comments:
  
  "She was aware off the new thinking, the new sciences, the enlightenment of the would, but she devoured instead legends and tales of old, because she herself was preserved in the amber of a bygone era."
  
  As are the literary passions of Ms. Fiorato.
  
  When Riccardo apprises Pia of so much that has occurred while she fought off death at the hands of evil-doers she observes, "He might have been telling her fairy tale by the fire, so incredible did it sound to her ears."
  
  A fairy tale for adults, wherein the history and culture of a unique location are skillfully strung in narrative threads the writer successfully resolves, without the facts about Siena and its history ever appearing inorganic or forced.
  
  The narration is rendered in a straight-up grammatical English and the whole well-polished.
  
  Subjectively speaking, highwayscribery prefers things a little raggedy, whereas this story ties up all lose ends through sensible set-ups that can, at times, maybe, appear obvious. The resolutions comes across as neat and pat.
  
  But that is mostly a matter of taste, not the skill so amply on display in this story of characters trying to adjust to the weight of Siena, and it's history, on their efforts to hack individual paths through Renaissance life.
  
• 
  Elena

  The Daughter of Siena has many of the elements The Botticelli Secret, by the same author, had: a secret conspiracy, literary enigmas and a couple (a trio in this one) who tries to discover the plot without getting killed. Apart from these, however, the stories turn out to be quite different; and sadly, I think The Daughter of Siena is way weaker compared to The Botticelli Secret, even if still a pleasant read.
  
  The best aspect of the novel is its gorgeous setting. The story is set in the city of Siena, which is famous for hosting the traditional Palio, a horse-race. Not only the locations, but also the race, the horses and the rivalries between the wards are beautifully portrayed. It truly felt like I was in Siena too.
  
  The three main characters, Pia, Riccardo and Violante, are all nice but not very original nor remarkable. I liked Violante, governor of Siena, the most: I felt truly sorry for her dreadful past and admired her inner strenght. Riccardo, a humble horseman, was a little too perfect for me, and I guessed very soon he was Violante's son. Lastly, Pia, daughter of a wealthy family, seemed a little useless to me. I'm sorry to say that, because she is supposed to be the protagonist – but she really did not do much! I still felt for her because of the awful situations she had to endure, but I could not get overly invested in her story.
  
  The story is light on the mystery and focuses more on the relationships between the main characters. Maybe that's why I enjoyed the book less. Given the intricate plot of The Botticelli Secret, I was expecting more; and yet there are not many enigmas, nor real twists. Way more time is spent on Pia and Riccardo's relationship, which did not fully convince me, and Riccardo and Violante's, who was slightly better but not enough well developed, especially in the end.
  
  I would definitely recommend the book if you like historical novels set in Italy. However, if it's the first time you try Marina Fiorato's books, and if you enjoy surprising and complex plots, you should probably read The Botticelli Secret first.
• 
  Romina

  La gemma di siena
  
  
  La gemma di Siena mi è stato regalato dai tre uomini di casa, solo per questo avrei dovuto apprezzarlo ed amarlo, ammetto però che non è stato subito così. Scettica e molto perplessa, pensavo di trovarmi di fronte ad un romanzo «rosa», noioso e pesante.. Insomma non proprio adatto a me!
  Nonostante tutto, dopo varie insistenze da parte dei miei bambini ho deciso di accontentarli quindi di leggerlo. Mai avrei pensato, che arrivata alla fine potessi dire che è stato una scoperta....una piacevole scoperta e li ringrazio per aver pensato e scelto questo romanzo per me!
  La scrittura è stata splendida...splendida la prosa ricca di particolari.
  Brava la scrittrice per la sua grande capacità narrativa a rendere partecipe e interessato il lettore, peccato solo per i primi capitoli....un pochino lenti.
  
  Ho trovato splendido l'intreccio creato tra contrade rivali, simboli di animali che rappresentavano le famiglie, lo storico Palio,( tutto gira intorno ad esso), quartieri storici, chiese, cattedrali, la torre del Mangia, fantini ecc....ma soprattutto i personaggi, la storica famiglia de Medici..e della duchessa Violante, che deve salvarsi e salvare Siena dai nuovi Nove, in quanto vogliono conquistare la città e spodestarla se non ucciderla.
  
  Meraviglioso è stato entrare a far parte di loro, a far parte del rinascimento italiano del '700, a far parte di Siena. Come fossi una vera senese, pagina dopo pagina sentivo il calore del sole, vedevo il blu del cielo, il verde della Maremma, il trotto dei cavalli, l'odore del fieno giallo e le grida della folla....e la luce del crepuscolo che tingeva d'oro e onice il marmo bianco della maestosa cattedrale....
  
  Ho apprezzato questo libro per la sua particolarità, per la fiabesca storia d'amore tra Pia e Riccardo e per gli splendidi quadri che la Fiorato è riuscita a dipingere di Siena e del Palio...
  Quattro stelline piene!!!
  Grazie ai miei tesori sono stati proprio bravi!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  Violet Yates

  In 1723, Pia of the Tolomei was to be given a husband on the night before the Palio, a famous horse race that is of great import to the city of Siena. Her betrothed, an evil man, loses his life in the race. An unknown horseman, Riccardo Bruni, tries to save him but fails. Pia is ridden with guilt because she had prayed for her betrothed’s death, and also relief, until she discovers she is still a pawn in the game of matrimony- she is to wed her dead husband’s brother, Nello, who is equally evil.
  There are two levels to this plot; the conflict between Nello’s family, of the Eagle Contrada, and the behind the scenes plotting against the Governess of Siena, Violante de’ Medici, who is considered an outsider and is unwelcome by the city folk who have governed themselves for centuries. There are warring factions within the city that create chaos and even murder, which was quite disturbing. One finds oneself hoping that Violante can remain and change the laws to dampen the conflicts between the contradas.
  This book drew me in and held my focus. The characters are well crafted and endear the reader to their plight. The plot is knit together very well. I found myself on the edge of my seat, rooting for Pia and Riccardo, and hoping she would rescued from her fate and be able to find happiness with him.
  The author, Marina Fiorato, did a wonderful job of pulling this complicated plot together. It is rich in detail. I enjoyed learning about the Palio and the different contradas, and I appreciated the knowledge of horsemanship that I did not know. The author was able to explain these details without bogging down the plot. I really enjoyed this book.
  
• 
  Amy

  I loved reading this book that I won and received for free on Goodreads First Reads! This book was a wonderful, exciting read! From the first page, the reader is given clues and connections of the events and characters that will connect and follow through the entire story. The setting is the town of Siena, 1723. The characters, at first strangers, then intimately connected, come alive with depth and color throughout the novel. Pia, Riccardo, Violante, and Zebra become memorable characers that pull at the heart of the reader. The events of the story flow together and are well-organized. There is action, mystery, adventure, romance, and history all mingled into one really breathtaking novel. The first chapters took a while to read as I took in the historical references. After that, the novel became a true page turner. And, I think that I have found a new favorite heroine in Pia of the Tolomei! Although I have finished the novel, I cannot stop thinking about Pia and wondering about her plight. Fiorato does an excellent job of producing characters who live and breathe - even after the last page has been turned! I am looking for the Pia and Riccardo in the people around me today.
• 
  Gail

  Marina Fiorato has written a oompelling novel bringing her characters to life against the backdrop of Renaissance Italy. The power struggle plays out in a 70 second horse race as Sienna's palio of 1723 holds the fate of our hero, Riccardo Bruni and the Medici duchy. We hear the thundering hooves and sense the danger as the dust catches in our throats and a rider falls to his death.
  
  Pia and the reader have foreshadowing and hope as we catch our first glimpse of Riccardo - "a lone horseman walking his mount slowly.....the arch of the city gate framing him like a painted angel.....his features marble perfection.....he seemed noble."
  
  Pia Tolomei of the Owl contrada is married off as a bargaining tool to the vicious son of the 'ruling' noble family of the Eagle contrada. Wealthy or not, women at that time had no rights and were the pons and possessions of their fathers.
  
  Crime families originated in waring city states and each contrada was its own state.
  
  Fiorato's stunning visuals, political intrigues and passionate love story would make a great film.
  
  The women are strong but powerless except for their wits. As the characters emerge the reader is pulled into the fray hoping goodness and humanity will prevail.
• 
  Lynne

  Being an avid reader of historical fiction I was pleased to receive this book for review and was not disappointed. Though at first glance it may appear to be just another historical romance, Ms. Fiorato brings much more depth to the novel. The 18th century life in Siena is vividly recreated with careful attention to historical accuracy and detail. I so enjoy being educated in the history and culture of the time and this book enlightened me immensely. I had no prior knowledge of this time and place and now I am intrigued by the history and hope to learn more from this author. The characters are richly drawn and believable. She skillfully moves through the active plot leading the reader into the world of the Siena of 1723 full of the culture of class distinction and family pride. I highly recommend this as an excellent example of very readable historical fiction and look forward to reading more by this author.
• 
  Kate Forsyth

  Filled with romance and suspense, this lush historical novel set in 18th century Siena is a fabulous read, with a perfect blend of action, mystery and love. The primary character if the 19 year old Pia Tolomei, who is married against her will to a cruel and vengeful man who is involved in a plot to overthrow the Duchess of Siena, Violante de’ Medici. Pia, however, is in love with a handsome but poor horseman, Riccardo, who sets out to tame a battle-maddened stallion to ride in the Palio, Siena’s famously dangerous horse race. This is the third book by Marina Fiorata that I’ve read, and each has been even better than the one before. I think she’s made the leap to one of my favourite authors.
• 
  Marija Andreeva

  I wanted to give it 2 stars, but I decided to be generous.
  Because, when I finished the book, my first thought was: it was OK. Which is the description of the two star rating. But, I decided to give it 3, because the style of writing is nice, you can feel that the writer put a lot of effort into the book, with a lot of details and explanations and I gained some interesting historic information as well. I love history, especially Italian history and the Medici family have always intrigued me. And it is a book you can read in one day. A great book for the beach.
• 
  Katherine Bridges

  STOP CALLING IT A RENAISSANCE NOVEL
  
  Most of the reviews about this book say it is set during the Italian Renaissance. Yes it is set it Italy but the era of the European Renaissance died well over a hundred years before Pia was born. This book is set in the 1700's. The 18th Century. Please, if you care about the history included in historical novels do a wiki search.