Just beautiful!

What did you like most about The Serpent and the Pearl?

This story is just gorgeous - you close your eyes and you are back in 15th century Rome.

What did you like best about this story?

If you liked the recent TV series you will absolutely adore this book. The characters just spring to life.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

It was lovely to have the story told by 3 people - it made the book really interesting and the narrator's sounded exactly as you imagined Guilia, Carmelina and Leonello to be.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A different side to the Borgia story

Any additional comments?

If you love history you will love it, if you don't love history this book will spark your interest and you will probably end up loving history!

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2 people found this helpful

a drudge due to the performance

I disagree with the other reviews quite severely. I love medieval and other historical novels normally and really enjoyed the other Kate Quinn novels I have listened to. They were read very well by Saskia Maarlaveld. She caught the characters very well. But in this performance, one of the narrators really destroyed my enjoyment. I'm struggling to get through it. The performance is dull, morose and boring with very unusual pronunciation which is unnecessary and annoying. Where were the editors who should have checked this? Her performance has convinced me that there is no action in the book...about the Borgias!! I will not try the second book under any circumstances. I gave the performance 2 stars as the other two narrators were ok.

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An absolutely brilliant book

Whilst I'm still white hot with rage with whoever recorded 'The Alice Network', because the lead character is actually English, not American, rendering the book useless, this one is different. Okay, so one of the narrators is a little too precise, but the story is all there and I'm not going to give any spoilers, but it's the best novel on the infamous Borgias I have ever read. Each scent overwhelms you, each colour and texture wraps itself around you, If you're a fan on historical novels, then make this (and the sequel) your next choice. Kate's historical research is pretty good, even though she does bend time a little, but her characters are real live people and their stories draw you in like so many little tugs pulling out a great ocean liner

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1 person found this helpful

A good introduction to the Borgias

I really enjoyed this book, which covers an aspect of the history of this era that I have never read about before. I'm now looking forward to listening to the next book in the trilogy, which I have already downloaded!

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compelling

I have just finished listening to this book and loved it. The characters of the dwarf and the female cook have been described so well you feel as though you know them personally.
I cannot wait until the next book comes out........but I will have to.
Even though I knew a lot about the Borgias this shows them from a different angle.......the lives of those in his household and how they see the Pope, his children and most importantly his mistress!
This is a compelling book and will not disappoint!!!!

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3 people found this helpful

Destroyed by absolutely dreadful narration!

I love Kate Quinn and really wanted to try this genre as a change from the modern history ones of hers I’ve read.. I couldn’t bear to listen past chapter 13 as the narrator for Julia was so dreadful- really random intonation and phrasing which was so distracting I had to return the book! Gutted as potentially intriguing story. Don’t risk it! Read the paperback.

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