“THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT” by Maggie O’Farrell is the book for discussion on November 19, 2023. This historical fiction novel presents Renaissance Italy in all its beauty, including the architecture, the clothes, and art.  It tells the story of noble woman Lucrezia di Cosimo de’Medici who at a young age was forced by her parents to marry older Alfonso II d’Este, Duke of Ferrara to merge two dynasties. At the new palace Lucrezia is subjected to totalitarian surveillance and kept largely to herself. She fights for her own survival by walking in the garden, riding her pony and painting. However, the exertion of power that is so important in daily life eventually proves fatal.

Availability: SCC Library, Library Connection, Local Libraries, Audio Book and E-book.