Another historical novel from Maggie O'Farrell, who also wrote Hamnet that I reviewed about a year ago. This one is set in Italy during the renaissance period and is the story of a high born young girl, Lucrezia, whose family arranged for her to marry the Duke of Ferrara when she was only fifteen. The book was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2023, and focuses on the difficulties faced by women of noble birth. Although they are surrounded by luxury, wearing the finest clothes and eating the best available food, there is no freedom for these women. From the moment of birth they are in training to become the bride of a man from a similar lineage, and before marriage they obey the will of their father, and then must accept whatever befalls them when they go to live with their husbands. Lucrezia was an awkward child who spent her time painting and always had a great fascination for animals. If she was the eldest daughter, much of her behavio...