It is 1527 and the Emperor’s army is at the gates of Rome, unpaid and eager for plunder. The Eternal City is about to be sacked and the Pope imprisoned, much to the dismay of Henry VIII of England. However, the plight of England’s king is the last thing on the mind of Bucino, the eyes through which we see this tale. He is a dwarf in the service of a courtesan.
After suffering the greed of the Spanish and the righteous cruelty of the Germans, Bucino and his mistress flee to her native city: Venice. Though Rome is sore beleaguered, Venice is the jewel of Italy, rising in cosmopolitan glory from the waters of the Adriatic. Compared to the overt sins of Rome, Venice preserves a veneer of luxurious austerity. And it is a veneer. Courtesans actually go to Mass in order to gain the attention of potential new clients!
Dunant brings Renaissance Venice to brilliant, vivid life. The isolation of the Ghetto, the mostly amicable relations with the Ottoman Empire, and the surprisingly lenient treatment of those charged with witchcraft. The squalor of the poor and the understated opulence of the rich.
One thing I found of particular interest was the ruby. In any other place in Europe, Bucino would have gotten almost as much as the woman.
I find that I liked In the Company of the Courtesan more than I did The Birth of Venus. It is an enjoyable escape into the glories of Renaissance Venice.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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