In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant (2006, Hardcover)

Synopsis
The rich tapestry of Renaissance-era Venice serves as the backdrop for this historical novel by the author of THE BIRTH OF VENUS. After the rapacious army of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V invades Rome in 1527, the courtesan Fiammetta Bianchini loses most of her wealth and beauty. But she and her business partner (and the book's narrator), the dwarf Bucino Teodoldo, manage to make their way to Venice, where the skills of a mysterious healer and the duo's resilience restore Fiammetta's looks and her preeminent position in society.

Key Details
Author:	Sarah Dunant
Publisher:	Random House, Inc.
Format:	Hardcover
ISBN-10:	1400063817
ISBN-13:	9781400063819

Size
Length:	400 pages
Weight:	20.8 oz

Publisher's Note
In 1527, when the city of Rome is sacked and burned by an invading army, the famed courtesan Fiammetta Bianchini and her dwarf companion, Bucino Teodoldi, escape to the wealthy and powerful city of Venice in order to rebuild their business.

Industry Reviews
"[D]elicious.....Through Bucino's sharp-eyed, sharp-tongued narration, Dunant crafts a vivid vision of Venetian life....Dunant's characters...are irresistible throughout their shifting fortunes." (starred review)
Publishers Weekly (10/24/2005)

"Dunant has a penchant for the past and a taste for blood; much of her strength as a historical novelist comes from her ability to make readers taste and smell the world her characters inhabit."
(03/12/2006)

"COURTESAN finally emerges as something very rare, a celebration of the complicated and undersung affections that flourish between colleagues and friends. Through Bucino, the novel aligns itself not with glamorous aristocrats and virtuous maidens, but with everyone who pulls his or her own weight in a world that's very seldom romantic or sentimental."
(02/16/2006)

"Dunant uses language that feels antique without seeming ridiculous, and she treats the past as a real place rather than an amusement park. She never lets the reader forget that her Venice is a 16th-century city, offering just the right mix of raw sewage and gold-domed cathedrals, but she also makes it convincingly modern: truly cosmopolitan, ruled by commerce and gossip....Rich, rewarding and wonderfully well-crafted entertainment." (starred review)
Kirkus Reviews (11/15/2005)