The Marchesa - by Simonetta Agnello Hornby (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

From the award-winning and internationally acclaimed author of The Almond Picker comes this sumptuous family saga set in nineteenth-century Sicily. Costanza Safamita is the beloved daughter of the Baron Domenico Safamita: Red-haired, gawky, and shy, she is considered an outsider by many on her family's estate. But when her adoring father makes her the sole heir to the Safamita fortune, she finds herself plunged into the glittering world of Palermo society, and into the arms of a depraved husband. As Costanza endures the travails of her marriage, she must also fight to preserve the family's household and way of life against the tide of revolution and change. Set against the fall of the Bourbon monarchy, and the rise of the mafia, The Marchesa is a scintillating family drama, and a masterly fresco of a now vanished world.

Review Quotes

"Charming and engaging, this novel will please readers of family sagas as well as fans of Hornby's first book." --Booklist

"In this wonderful follow-up to her acclaimed novel The Almond Picker, Hornby again delves into the lives of an Italian family. . . . An engrossing tale of one young woman's perspective on a dramatic time in Italian history. Highly recommended." --Library Journal

"A voluptuously enjoyable historical novel . . . [its] luscious imagery, emphasis on family mythology and constantly conflicting passions all make for an entertaining read." --The Guardian (UK)

About the Author

SIMONETTA AGNELLO HORNBY was born in Palermo and studied law in England, where she now lives. She is also the author of The Almond Picker.