BERKLEY The Lion and the Rose

When I first reviewed a Kate Quinn book, I had some doubts. Her writing style emulated other authors I had read, but I felt relied a little too much on their work, which detracted from her own (maybe a coincidence, but I felt not). However, I did think she had a promising writing style which made me stick with it. I've now read all of her current books, ending with this one, and I have to say that I feel Kate Quinn has finally arrived as a polished and talented writer on her own account. The two Borgia books were humorous, dark in places, and thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. I loved the way the various characters' tales interwove, and her take on the Borgias was a delight - the archetypal amoral family. Really looking forward to her next offering

Ein lesenswerter historischer Roman über die Borgias von Kate Quinn.Zustand des Buches entsprach nicht des angegebenen; war eher mangelhaft

I really love this book. Following on from the Serpent and the Pearl (which is equally good) it tells the story of the Borgias as seen through the eyes of three characters - Giulia Farnese, Rodrigo Borgia's mistress, Carmelina the cook, and Leonello, a bad-tempered, sarcastic dwarf who is Giulia's bodyguard. Wonderful characters you can't help feeling for and caring about! There's mystery, murder and passion, beautifully written. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed both "The Lion and the Rose" and it's prequel "The Serpent and the Pearl." They tell the story of the Borgias - Rodrigo Borgia, later Pope Alexander VI, and his family. Most of it is based on real historical people and real events but told within a story framework. l learned much about these people and that era and also learned that not all I had heard about them previously was necessarily accurate. Kate Quinn tells the story through the lives of three main characters - Guilia (Julia) , concubine of Rodrigo, Leonello, a dwarf who is Guilia's bodyguard and, Carmelina, the cook in Guilia's household.

This book like "The Serpent and the Pearl", the prequel, is about the Borgia family and Guilia Farnese, the mistress of Rodrigo Borgia, and is narrated by three people: Guilia Farnese, her fictitious cook and bodyguard, Carmelina and Leonello. Both books are very entertaining and enjoyable since the story telling is so priceless leaving one unable to put the books down.Although the characters seem one dimensional in the first book, they gradually develop revealing other facets of their personalities including their secrets, flaws and dark sides as the story develops in this one helping one understand the personal dynamics between people. While the first book focuses on the appearances romanticizing seventeen year old Guilia's relationship with sixty year old Rodrigo Borgia (because it is from the view point of an inexperienced young girl) this book is written from a realistic view point based on historical facts exposing the Borgia family members for what they are as Guilia becomes a young woman.Although I had already known the story line since I had read two different books about the Borgias while waiting the release of this book, I still couldn't put this book down. One is engrossed in this book while reading caring about the characters and what is coming next. The book has historical facts, romance, adventure, suspense and the entertainment value. The ending of the book with historical facts as well as fiction just blew me away. The book deserves five stars over all but the last hundred or so pages are written exceptionally well. The author not only knows how to tell a story but how to end it. When I put the book down, the feeling was: Wow!!!