The Daughter of Siena

When you think of Siena, Italy, you probably think of the medieval pagentry surrounding its famous horseraces every summer: the Palio.  The plot of Marina Fiorato's historical novel The Daughter of Siena (#120) revolves around fictional poltical intrigue surrounding the 1723 Palio races. 

Despite the fact that one of the last of that famous family, Duchess Violante Beatrix de' Medici, is the governess of Siena, the real political power in the city lies in the contrada, or neighborhoods of Siena.  The heads of certain contradas are willing to fix the outcome of the July and August races to regain power and oust the Duchess.  They will use any means necessary to achieve their aims - race fixing, bribery, murder and marriage.

Pia of the Tolomei has been raised as a marriage prize by her father, head of the Civetta, or Owl, contrada.  She is reputedly the most beautiful woman in Siena, but as her nineteenth birthday approaches, she is still unwed.  There are eligible candidates among the Civetta, but on the night before her birthday, her father announces that she will be married the next day to the heir of the Eagle contrada.  Vicenzo is infamous for his misdeeds, so all Pia can do the next day is pray that he is killed riding in the dangerous Palio.  When the scion of the Panther contrada carelessly whips Vicenzo during the race, he sets off a series of events that will have dire consequences for him, for Pia, the Duchess, and the handsome unknown rider of the Torre contrada who stops to help Vicenzo, indeed for the city of Siena itself.

Although the romance between Pia and Riccardo Bruni, the Torre horseman, is a large part of the story, the Machevellian manuevering for power centered on the horse race is really the heart of this book.  Ms. Fiorato does have a few surprises up her sleeve and she maintains the suspense right up to the end.  She also highlights the very real rivalries that exist in the running of the Palio to this day.  It is interesting that Ms. Fiorato reveals the influence that the real-life Duchess Violante exerted on the running of the Palio in her own lifetime and beyond in the Notes at the end of the book.

Ms. Fiorata has also included a list of recommended reading and a film documentary if you enjoyed The Daughter of Siena.  I will be following up on several of her recommendations, and will pass along her two previous novels also set in Italy as my own recommendations:  The Glassblower of Murano and The Botticelli Secret.