In the Company of the Courtesan

In the Company of the Courtesan, by Sarah Dunant

As Dunant states in her Author's Note, "the Venice of this novel is deeply rooted in research". She has done a masterful job of recreating 16th Century Venice and has given the reader a terrifically interesting and enjoyable reading experience. At the center of the story are two great characters, Fiammetta Bianchini and her dwarf companion Bucino. After Germanic tribes invade Rome, they flee that city for Venice, determined to set up a thriving business similar to the one the had built in Rome based on Fiammetta's skills as a much-sought-after Roman courtesan. As their adventure in Venice unfolds, so many interesting characters become a part of the story. Dunant features some based on real people, such as the painter Titian. Her writing of the Venetian setting is terrific, especially the vivid descriptions of the canals, churches, and other buildings. Venice becomes as much a part of the story as her characters and the reader can be richly rewarded by reading this terrific book.
-Roy