The Maiden of Florence, based on true events, follows orphan Giulia Albizzi who is pulled from the Pieta and taken into the care of the Medici Grand Duke for a larger scheme. Having been raised in the Pieta, Giulia is naive of the world and of men. Growing up an orphan with fleeting friendships in the Pieta, she also craves basic touch and affection which in turn aligns with her naive nature making her the “perfect” pliable young woman to be used in the political machinations of powerful men.
The scheme is for Giulia to be used as “testing ground,” as it were, for the Medici Prince to prove his virility before he enters into marriage. In a world where producing an heir was of the utmost importance in securing dynastic power, such matters were then treated very seriously. Be warned, this novel depicts scenes of SA in the form of multiple forced, invasive examinations Giulia must endure to ensure she is a virgin, during the act to prove the Prince’s “ability,” and after the act to prove it has been done. Vinta, the Medici minister in charge of facilitating this exploitative process, takes advantage of Giulia’s naivety and the power imbalance between them. He also carries a life long manipulative obsession with Giulia, as he hovers in the background of her life like a menacing specter.
In exchange for her part as a pawn in this scheme, she is promised a generous dowry and a husband selected by Vinta. Giulia’s marriage does in truth bring her happiness and peace with a respectful husband who is a court musician. Although he is a man of his time, he is also legitimately concerned with Giulia’s happiness and well being. His kindness is a breath of fresh air for Giulia, who has only ever known the cruelty of men.
The Maiden of Florence is an astute study of the exploitative nature of power dynamics, both in gender and socioeconomic status in the late 16th, early 17th century setting. The author does not sugar coat the brutality women faced being at the mercy of men’s whims and machinations. She also does not portray anyone as acting too modern, but rather living very much within the social customs and constraints of his or her time.
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