The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence: A Story of Botticelli

by Alyssa Palombo

A girl as beautiful as Simonetta Cattaneo never wants for marriage proposals in 15th Century Italy, but she jumps at the chance to marry Marco Vespucci. Marco is young, handsome and well-educated. Not to mention he is one of the powerful Medici family’s favored circle.

Even before her marriage with Marco is set, Simonetta is swept up into Lorenzo and Giuliano de’ Medici’s glittering circle of politicians, poets, artists, and philosophers. The men of Florence―most notably the rakish Giuliano de’ Medici―become enthralled with her beauty. That she is educated and an ardent reader of poetry makes her more desirable and fashionable still. But it is her acquaintance with a young painter, Sandro Botticelli, which strikes her heart most. Botticelli immediately invites Simonetta, newly proclaimed the most beautiful woman in Florence, to pose for him. As Simonetta learns to navigate her marriage, her place in Florentine society, and the politics of beauty and desire, she and Botticelli develop a passionate intimacy, one that leads to her immortalization in his masterpiece, The Birth of Venus.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Italy, Romance, Fiction, Historical, Art, Renaissance

309 pages, Paperback

First published April 25, 2017

About the author

My name is Alyssa Palombo, and I am a writer living and working in Buffalo, NY. I attended Canisius College in Buffalo, where I majored in English and creative writing with a minor in music. I’m a classically trained mezzo-soprano who also dabbles in playing piano. When not writing, I can usually be found reading, hanging out and laughing way too hard at nonsensical inside jokes with friends, traveling (or dreaming of my next travel destination), at a concert, or planning for next Halloween. I’m a metalhead and a self-proclaimed French fry connoisseur. I also own way too many hoodies, pairs of sunglasses, and pajamas, but never enough books.

I am the author of four historical novels, The Violinist of Venice, The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence, The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel, and The Borgia Confessions, all from St. Martin’s Griffin, as well as the contemporary novel Heavy Metal Symphony under the name A.K. Palombo. My next novel, The Assassin of Venice, is forthcoming in 2024 from Crooked Lane Books. I am represented by Sam Farkas of Jill Grinberg Literary Management.

You can find me on Twitter and Instagram at @AlyssInWnderlnd.

Reviews

[Alyssa Palombo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second novel, about real-life historical figure Simonetta Vespucci and how she inspired the artist Sandro Botticelli. I can't wait for everyone to read it! :)

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book hits stores on 25/04/17!

Reading this book was as enjoyable as sipping an Italian wine while admiring art. Gosh, I just loved this story and all the characters. It makes me wish that I could just hope on a plane and head for Florence this minute! Alyssa Palombo is a new author to me, but her writing kept me glued to my seat and my heart swelled as she brought Simonetta Vespucci's story to life. In her author's note, Palombo explains that as an author she did have to flesh out Simonetta's story because there was little more than a footnote of information available. Even if Botticelli and Simonetta were never lovers,I just couldn't get enough of Alyssa Palombos version of the story.

If you enjoyed " The Birth of Venus" by Sarah Dunant, I highly recommend this book to you.

Thanks to NetGalley for an uncorrected digital galley of this story in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant is about all I can say about this new novel, The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence expertly written by Alyssa Palombo.

Set in 15th Century Italy we learn all about Simonetta Castaneo, the most beautiful woman in Florence, her life and tribulations, loves and losses and her life with her husband, Marco and what happens when she meets Sandro Botticelli a young painter who captures her heart and inner most desires.

We learn what it would be like to be the most beautiful woman in Florence, to be worshipped by all men who come across us and be struck by our beauty. How we wish!

Can our beauty be captured forever?

Read this outstanding new novel, The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence by Alyssa Palombo and find out.

It never ceases to amaze me how this writer, Alyssa Palombo can recreate scenes from the past so we can picture moments in her books which capture our hearts and live on forever in her writing. Every scene is written with imagination and beauty.

If you haven't read The Violinist of Venice, I suggest you do. Another masterpiece by Alyssa Palombo. Perhaps, you could combine the two and buy as a package.

Thank you, Alyssa Palombo, Writer for another outstanding novel in the writing of The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence.

You captured my heart once again!

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Florence during the time of the greatest patron of Renaissance artists, Lorenzo de Medici, (de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic), second part of the 15th century. Simonetta Cattaneo of Genoa and noble family marries Marco Vespucci of Florence (the cousin-in-law of Amerigo Vespucci – explorer) at the age of 16. She is not an ordinary woman. She craves knowledge, which is claimed not necessary for girls as “No man wants a wife as well learned as he is.” But the enlightened city of Florence gives her the opportunity she’s been longing for. Once in Florence, at Medici’s palace she meets a newly discovered artist by Lorenzo, Sandro Botticelli. At their first encounter, he asks her to pose for him. Once her portrait is revealed, she becomes both the icon of fashion and beauty instantly. Soon after Botticelli asks her to pose for him again, but now as Venus, meaning nude.

The story starts very strong, engrossing, but once she gets married, too many love making scenes present, finishing chapters as the end of each chapter meant night. In this self-absorbed discovery, historical background and her eagerness for knowledge are lost. It’s all about personal feelings.

Little is known about Simonetta. She is just a footnote in history. This gives authors a lot of freedom in using their imagination, which isn't strong in this story. Her eagerness for knowledge is short lived in this story. It’s more of a mention than showing it in action. The history and the richness of the Renaissance Florence is hardly felt in this story, which is a shame, since this is a story of the greatest artistic period with one of the greatest artists and beauty of Florence.

Instead highly recommend: The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant and Signora da Vinci by Robin Maxwell.

@FB: Best Historical Fiction

[Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede · Rating 4 out of 5]

The gorgeous cover of THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN FLORANCE caught my eyes a couple of months ago and the book's description about the muse of Botticelli who inspired him to paint The Birth of Venus sounded very intriguing. I love reading historical fiction about real people and I was very happy when I got the chance to read this book. The Birth of Venus is a very famous painting, but I have to admit that Sandro Botticelli's life is not something that I had any knowledge about. However, that made the book even more intriguing to read since through this book did I get a fictional glimpse into the painter's life which made me yearn to learn more about him.

READ TEH REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

[Theresa Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence is a splendid novel of historical fiction, its story richly draped in the culture of the Renaissance and woven tightly with threads of passion and indulgence. It’s a most perfect study of life at the top in a changing social order, the constraints of being a woman of noble birth, and the curse that comes with possessing beauty that is revered by all.

Simonetta Cattaneo Vespucci was a real woman in history. During her tragically short life she was regarded, in actual fact, as the most beautiful woman in Florence. So beautiful, that upon her death, thousands followed her funeral procession through the streets of Florence, her coffin left open so that all could gaze upon her famed beauty one last time. I agree with the author’s views on the morbidity of this. Yet this fanfare attached to her burial is reminiscent of the fanfare attached to her living days. She lived her life like a celebrity, known all through Florence, men crowding in front of her house in the hopes for a glimpse of her, people picking up her dropped gloves or hankies to keep as a favour, women copying her hairstyles and dresses; gossip about her was virulent. She moved to Florence when she was sixteen, to marry Marco Vespucci, a handsome young noble who promised her a culture infused existence in Florence, and she died there at around the age of twenty-two from consumption, a condition she had suffered from for years.

The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence is a work of fiction based upon a real woman and a handful of facts known about her. I really enjoyed the author’s interpretation of Simonetta’s life and there are several events and circumstances included in this story that are grounded in fact, as per the author’s notes at the end of the novel. I absolutely love novels based upon the history of art and literature, particularly those that orbit around a real person whose work we still revere in the modern day, along with stories about the people that inspired these artists. They have become in recent times a favourite topic for me within the very large genre that is historical fiction. Alyssa Palombo writes so well, her descriptions of art so vivid and placed so authentically within their setting. I could see, in my mind, so clearly some of the artworks she described, and a quick search on Google confirmed just how close my imagination was in each instance. What a skill, to bring what is pictured to life so beautifully in words. The emotion infused into this story was divine, and I spent much of this novel reading it while on the verge of tears. There were just so many scenes of beauty and deep meaning. I really loved this story and I have already downloaded Alyssa’s first novel, as it sounds equally as wonderful as what this one turned out to be.

Simonetta certainly lived a life of luxury and cultural decadence. Her husband was wealthy and well respected, despite his young age, and handsome too. In the early years of their marriage, the two were quite in love, but sadly, not that much in love to withstand the trials of outside forces. Marco was more in love with Simonetta’s beauty and the doors that it opened for him, particularly the ones at the de Medici villa. As well as beautiful, Simonetta was educated and intelligent, so she fit right into the Florentine scene of poets, artists and philosophers. She was highly appreciated by Lorenzo de Medici, a man known through history as Lorenzo the Magnificent. He was a political genius who reigned as the de facto ruler of republican Florence, and was a true patron of the arts and of learning, cultivating the careers of many well known artists and writers. His younger brother, Giuliano, was obsessed with Simonetta from their first meeting. Despite being engaged, and later married, to his best friend, Giuliano openly flirted with and propositioned Simonetta endlessly, even going so far as to have a banner painted in her image by Botticelli for his jousting ceremony, where he openly declared his love for her in front of her husband and all of Florence by requesting her favour. The pressure this placed on the already strained marriage between Simonetta and Marco was profound.

To view beauty as a curse seems ironic, but Alyssa Palombo demonstrates this with such authenticity throughout Simonetta’s story. She is a young woman who has been objectified for her entire life.

“What is it about beauty, I wondered one day, squinting at a bit of embroidery, which makes men think they have the right to desire you? That beauty means you automatically agree, somehow, to be coveted, to be desired? That your beauty belongs to everyone?”

While Simonetta makes this reflection quite late in the novel, it’s a theme that recurs throughout. It’s no wonder she fell so deeply in love with Sandro Botticelli. I love this observation Simonetta makes upon their first meeting:

“He paused as he continued to contemplate my face, yet not with the avaricious desire with which men usually studied it; nor with the envious, calculating gaze of most women. Rather, he considered my face as though he would unlock its secrets; as though he would solve the puzzle of how I was so beautiful. ‘I should like to paint you,’ he said finally.”

Much later, when the two profess their love, Botticelli refutes Simonetta’s suggestion that he fell in love with her the moment he first saw her face.

“I could see that you are beautiful. But I did not love you until that day when I first asked you to pose for me, when we spoke of philosophy and the Church and learning.”

Theirs was a love of restraint, spread over many years, separated by class and circumstances out of their own control. A love, in truth, that was never meant to be. And yet it was, it prevailed, and it lasted well beyond Simonetta’s death. Two facts: Botticelli painted two incredible works with, it is widely believed, Simonetta as the subject — Portrait of a Lady and The Birth of Venus — after her death. Upon his own death, he was buried at her feet. His grave is open to the public, situated at the base of Simonetta’s grave. Muse or great love? To my mind, great love. In the 15th and 16th century, people were still deeply superstitious about the afterlife, and despite being educated and philosophical people, they were still Catholic, and when faced with death, that would have weighed in. To be buried together indicates to me a wish to be together in the afterlife, and Botticelli’s request that he lay prostrate at Simonetta’s feet, tells me that he loved her more than anything, a reverent love that endured their early parting and remained with him for the rest of his life. That’s my take on it anyway.

So clearly, I really loved this novel and have given it a lot of thought. The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence is such a fine historical novel, rich in atmosphere and passionately involving, it contains everything I want from an historical and more. I really can’t recommend it highly enough.

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence" is pretty clearly influenced by Phillipa Gregory and other similar recent female-centric historical fiction and not in a good way. As with Gregory, the setting feels more like a Ren Faire than the past, most of the secondary female characters are cardboard illustrations of how not to behave, and for all that the book wants to comment on misogyny, the protagonist seems to have very little inner life that doesn't relate back to men.

I don't like to nitpick historical fiction too much on the basis of accuracy, because I understand and appreciate the need for dramatic license, but Palombo doesn't really seem to have done her research at all. Most of the facts of Simonetta Vespucci's life aren't present. Her family's expulsion from Genoa, her resettlement in Piombino and her father in law's espionage in service of Lorenzo are all compelling details that could have served the story but none of it's here. And Palombo says in her afterword that almost nothing is known of Simonetta, which makes me wonder if she was even aware of these facts when writing. There's admittedly not a LOT known about Simonetta Vespucci compared to contemporaries such as Lucrezia Borgia or Caterina Sforza but if anything, that makes leaving out some of the most compelling facts that we do know pretty incomprehensible as a creative decision.

None of the characters come off particularly complex. Simonetta is a pretty generic 'strong female lead' and I'm not really sure what's supposed to mark her out as a character besides her looks and her feelings of superiority towards other women. Botticelli is basically a pale imitation of Christian from Moulin Rouge, and the only man in Florence who seems to be totally free of misogyny (an.... interesting choice for a man who later became a devotee of Savonarola). Clarice is the supportive best friend with little personality of her own besides her frustrations with her husband, Lucrezia Donati is essentially there to be used as an example of how women should not behave and Marco and Giuliano are one-note misogynists at best. And for a book that seems to have so much to say about misogyny, it's pretty shocking that Lorenzo de Medici (whose army was responsible for the rape of countless women in Volterra) and Filippo Lippi (who kidnapped and raped a nun, though this is described as "romantic") are portrayed so positively.

"Most Beautiful Woman" seems to fall into a trap that's unfortunately much too common in historical fiction: for all that Palombo decries the misogyny of the past, she seems to have little to no sympathy for most of its victims. Simonetta's mother constantly admonishes her about what "ladies don't" do, Simonetta's nameless mother in law is quickly dismissed as insufficiently assertive, and Lucrezia Donati's page time is pretty much entirely devoted to shaming her for sleeping with a married man (which just doesn't stand out as that compelling of a flaw in a book whose central male characters include religious extremists and war criminals). Simonetta's characterization, too, seems to go by the wayside in favor of constantly proving to the reader that she's a worthy woman. The subtext? She's not what you THINK a beautiful, famous blonde would be. It seems unless you're snarky, Latin-fluent and keep your legs closed for everyone but your True Love, you're just another girl on the trash heap of history.

The pacing is decent, the prose is neither awful nor impressive and if nothing else, it's a quick read. But if you're interested in any nuanced exploration of art, beauty and sexism in history, I'd recommend Sarah Dunant, Megan Chance or Alexander Chee's Queen of the Night.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an intriguing interpretation about the life of Simonetta Cattaneo, a young, intelligent girl who became known as the "Most Beautiful Woman of Florence" and who developed a close, intimate relationship with the famous Renaissance painter, Sandro Botticelli.

It is a story about familial responsibilities, duty, strength, coming-of-age, friendship, art, passion, desire, loss and love.

Simonetta was a feminist ahead of her time who understood quickly that her beauty was both a gift and a curse, and who ultimately longed and strived in her regrettably short life to be known and loved for her knowledge and mind instead.

The prose is smooth and fluid, and the storyline takes us back to the mid-to-late 1400s to the city of Florence when politics, learning and the liberal arts were revered and who you knew was certainly more important than what you knew.

This certainly is a well written, vivid, rich story, and even though there is not much known about Simonetta's life and the events that led up to Botticelli's immortalization of her in his famous painting, Palombo has done a remarkable job of taking those historical facts and surrounding them with fiction that is passionate, alluring and incredibly captivating.

Thank you to NetGalley, especially St. Martin's Press, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com

[The Lit Bitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year I had the pleasure of being introduced to Alyssa Palombo’s debut novel, The Violinist of Venice, a love story about Antonio Vivaldi. I love how Palombo takes relatively well known and passionate artists (musicians and painters) and crafts a historical fiction novel.

People like Antonio Vivaldi and in this book, Sandro Botticelli, aren’t characters that I would think of in history and decide to write a romantic novel about them which is what makes these books so unique to me.

Botticelli was a famous Renaissance painter and it goes without saying that he was probably a very passionate person in order to create such stunning paintings. There is something about composers and painters that just screams ‘passion’ and romanticism so seeing Botticelli as a romantic individual was easy in this book. While I am not personally interested in Renaissance art, the romanticism surrounding the period and painter worked well in this book and made me enjoy reading it!

Simonetta is a very powerful character. At times she was clearly nieve about life but she as smart and I thought the author did the character justice and created a balanced innocent but yet intelligent character. I also loved how the sexual tension and attraction built between Simonetta and Botticelli. It wasn’t like this all consuming attraction but something that steadily grew into something beautiful and I thought the author did a great job with that.

One thing that stood out to me was how much I wanted to know more about Botticelli. I found myself Googling and researching his works and his life. I thought Palombo did a wonderful job creating a believable and plausible story for the characters.

I felt like this book was a fairly fast read, but what took me so long to finish it was my research. I kept getting distracted by things I was reading about the characters on the internet. I thought Palombo did a fantastic job creating a realistic world and realistic characters who were interesting and genuine. I was so absorbed in learning more about the characters in real life which I felt like enriched the novel for me.

The other thing I wanted to comment on was how beautiful the cover of this novel was. It hints at romanticism (which this book has in spades) and mystery. It’s eye catching with the vibrant colors and I immediately wanted to read it because it stood out. The cover did the story justice. It was a lyrical story that brought obscure historical figured to life in a colorful and illuminating way. I would highly encourage readers to check out the author’s historical notes at the end of the book as well….looks of wonderful info to be had there!

See my full review here

[Bethany Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot express how much Alyssa Palombo's books mean to me. The Violinist of Venice will always be my absolute favourite book ever written, but The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence is right up there with it. I am embarrassed at how long it took me to read this, but it is just because it is so good that I never wanted it to end. I can't stand waiting for another one of these books! The writing in this book and The Violinist is so incredibly beautiful and it draws you in and flows so smoothly. I hardly ever cry during books but these books hit me right in the heart. Simonetta is so strong and she goes for what she wants and is so caring and just a wonderful character. I can't believe this book is over!!!! I'm so sad! I will forever be Alyssa Palombo's biggest fan and I will continue to promote her books as long as I live. Thank you so so so much, Alyssa, for giving me these books to read. They break my heart but in a good way. Thank you with all my heart to the incredible Staci Burt and Jordan Hanley at St. Martin's for sending me an advanced copy and a sweet note ❤ I will forever recommend these books to anyone I come across.

[Crystal King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved the works of Botticelli, and have seen the famous painting of the Birth of Venus in the Uffizi. I was not prepared, however, for the way that Alyssa yanked me into her story and kept me there, so smitten was I that I stayed up far too late in the night to find out what happened to the beautiful Simonetta and her love, Sandro. I will never again be able to look at a Botticelli and not think of this novel. The characters are masterfully wrought, the setting of Florence bright and visual, and the love story is one that will warm your heart.

[Jenny Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. Simonetta Cattaneo is a beautiful young woman, raised in Genoa with a sheltered childhood, allowed to learn the basics of reading and writing, but not allowed to further her education beyond that, though she yearns to study the great masters of literature and art. So when a handsome young Florentine man comes calling with poetry and promises of a grand life in Florence, a city alive with new ideas and overflowing with art and literature, Simonetta gladly accepts his offer.

Simonetta marries Marco Vespucci, who is friends with the man behind the Florentine Renaissance, Lorenzo de' Medici, Il Magnifico. Simonetta instantly becomes the star of the de' Medicis' social circle, and soon all of Florence is caught up in the idea of her--emulating her fashion, fighting for a glimpse of her, and gifting her with the title of the most beautiful woman in Florence. She also catches the eye of young Sandro Botticelli and sits for him for a portrait. Moved by her beauty, both inside and out, her likeness begins to appear in more of his works. Simonetta is in heaven, free to read all she wants and to discuss the new and somewhat heretical ideas sweeping through the country with other intellectuals. But not everyone is happy with her esteemed status, and as her star eclipses her husband's, and as so many men vie for her attention, jealousy and thwarted ambition lead to problems in their marriage. Somewhat disillusioned and suffering from bouts of ill health, Simonetta seizes the chance to sit for Botticelli again, this time to be immortalized in his famous masterpiece, The Birth of Venus. Over the course of many months, the relationship between the artist and his muse becomes tangled, and a forbidden passion erupts, though fate will soon intervene with tragic consequences.

Having enjoyed Alyssa Palombo's first novel, and always up for a story that pays homage to a woman forgotten by history, I was super excited to read this book. And I did enjoy it. But there are two things that keep me from rating this book higher. The first is that the plot is incredibly slow-moving. It starts off well, but once Simonetta is married, it falls into a pattern of parties and intellectual discussions. In fact, there is essentially no conflict in the story whatsoever until about page 185 in a story that's 289 pages long. The second thing is that I have the same complaint I had with the author's first novel, The Violinist of Venice: A Story of Vivaldi, and that is that, like Vivaldi in that book, we don't really get to know Botticelli at all. We don't learn where he was born, who his family was and if they had a good relationship, we don't learn anything about his art training and education, we don't even know how old he is during this story. So that was a little frustrating for a novel subtitled "A Story of Botticelli."

But once conflict finally does kick the plot into gear, I couldn't put it down. It's emotional tension that drives this story, and though Simonetta is the most beautiful woman in Florence, that does not mean that the things that are most important in life come easily for her. This truly is Simonetta's story, and she's an easy character to love. I cried at the end. You would think the woman who inspired one of the most famous paintings of all time would be better remembered by history, and I'm glad Alyssa Palombo gave her a voice and a stage on which to shine. And I very much appreciated the author's note, in which she elaborates on some known facts and explains some creative decisions she made. Some scholars dismiss the notion, but I found Palombo's depiction of the relationship between Boticelli and his muse to be very plausible. Despite my quibbles, I can recommend The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence as a good choice for any fiction reader with a love of art history and an interest in the Italian Renaissance.

[Jessie Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was fantastic. So much atmosphere in the city of Florence and so much emotion from Simonetta's tragic story. Lovelovelooooove how this author interpreted the known parts of her history with invention & how she tied Boticelli to Simonetta.

This was so good it made me immediately go buy the author's debut novel about Vivaldi, The Violinst of Venice.

RTC.

[Alejandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating it 5 stars months after finishing it because i realised I haven't stopped thinking about it since I finished it.

[Rebecca Bowyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gorgeously written story of a beautiful young woman’s discovery of love, art and poetry in Renaissance Florence.

Full confession: I was already a huge fan of Alyssa Palombo’s beautifully lyrical writing and ability to capture music in words after reading her first novel, The Violinist of Venice.

She has turned her poetic pen to distilling art into words in The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence and does not disappoint. The rich artistic landscape of Renaissance Florence comes alive through the eyes of Simonetta.

Under the rule of Lorenzo de Medici, Florence became a mecca of art and poetry. The Medicis had a very specific influence on the creation of art through their patronage. Personally commissioning dozens of paintings, frescoes and sculptures, they also encouraged other wealthy families to do the same.

Palombo tells Simonetta’s story while simultaneously giving the reader a vibrant tour through the political and social landscape of Florence. Religious and classical artwork both contained images of powerful political figures to display wealth and garner respect. Art was rarely created simply for beauty, though this was often professed publicly to be a primary motivator – that plus divine worship.

Favourite quotes
I loved the way literature was insisted upon as part of the definition of art. Simonetta’s personal passion is for poetry, not for paintings. In a time when books were expensive and rare, she describes her joy upon gaining access to Leonardo de Medici’s vast library:

"Walking behind them, I took a moment just to enjoy the feel of the book in my hands. It was bound in coarse leather, and the paper was thin; it was not as fine as some of the volumes I had glimpsed on the shelves. Yet it mattered not at all. To hold a book, any book, in one’s hands, to smell the leather and the paper and feel the smooth pages beneath ones’ fingers, to anticipate the pleasures contained within, was a gift and a blessing."

Throughout the book Palombo runs a subtle commentary on the politics of beauty. Simonetta is a reluctant belle of the Florentine ball, preferring to engage in intelligent discussion than stand back and be admired. When told by her maidservant of the widespread adoration of the Florentines, Simonetta responds:

"I snorted. “Indeed. Have you ever noticed, Chiara, that whenever a man loves a beautiful woman, it is considered some great fairy tale of love? No one ever pays attention to how the woman feels. If she is worthy of being loved by a great or handsome man, why then, what could she do but return his love? How is anything else possible?”"

This frustration of the objectification of women certainly still resonates in the 21st century. And so Palombo continues an excellent tradition of using historical fiction to highlight contemporary issues.

Read it at whatever level you wish – sweeping love story, historical travel novel or political tract – but do read The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence. It’s a beautiful experience.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars .. This cover ... stunning! So beautiful and fully evocative of what life in Florence during the Renaissance is about .. youth, beauty, a bit of mystery, desire.

This is Ms. Palombo's second book and it's a brilliant effort. My only wish would be for it to be longer! I fully immersed myself in the life of Simonetta and truly did not want to leave. Everything from life among the Medici family to the true over-indulgences of the time are all here on the pages. It's a life of excess with every wish brought to fruition. AP captured that well between descriptions of clothing, the parties, the hair styles, the daily life, and the works of art and the literature.

Be sure to read the Author's Notes at the end. Based on this alone you will know just a glimpse of the research, time and effort put into making this book come to life. ... I'm now off to Google Botticelli, the Medici, Florence, The Birth of Venus and so much more!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.

[Stephanie (Bookfever) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This story was something very special. Botticelli is one of my favorite artists so I just had to read this. It really reawakened my love for books set in the Renaissance and Italy. Both have always been favorite topics of mine to read about, especially Florence. I devoured this book in less than two days, which I didn't think I'd be able to but I just couldn't put the book down.

This book tells the story about Simonetta Cattaneo who was declared the most beautiful woman in Florence. After getting married to Marco Vespucci and moving away from her parents' home in Genoa, she fully embraced her new life in the midsts of Florence's most acclaimed politicians like Lorenzo de' Medici, artists like Sandro Botticelli and many others. When Botticilli asks Simonetta to pose for him, they grow very close and eventually she becomes his muse for his masterpiece, The Birth of Venus.

The story is very character driven. I didn't always like most of the characters all the time but I felt really invested in them. Especially when it came to Simonetta and Botticelli. I knew this book would probably end in tragedy but I still wasn't prepared for that rather sad ending. Still, I think it was written in a rather remarkable way. And the writing was just so stunning. I absolutely loved it.

The book features obviously a lot of historical figures who have actually excisted. Those are my favorite kind of historical fiction novels. Simonetta was unknown to me before I read this book so I'm glad the author wrote about her and Botticelli even though we won't know for sure how and if they truly had some sort of relationship. But it seems very likely to me. Also, I would highly recommend for any readers of this book to read the author's note. It was really interesting to me.

[Ashley Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic historical fiction read from Alyssa Palombo! I adored this one and loved how she made the characters come to life while staying true to the history!

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence" is the story of Simonetta, a woman who men fawn after whenever she walks by. At first she believes she is living a charmed life with a husband who actually adores and loves her and artists like Sandro Botticelli who want to paint her likeness. Looks can be deceiving though as we see in this latest historical fiction offering from Alyssa Palombo.

You've probably seen pictures of Simonetta. She is the muse for some of Botticelli's most famous paintings. I know I had seen her before but her story as a muse is largely glossed over by Botticelli's talent and renown. I loved how the author was able to take the story of a women who many have seen but few know details about and create a story to introduce us to the person behind the painting. The story does really focus on Simonetta (it is told from her perspective) and not Botticelli. This is one of the great things about historical fiction to me is that it can introduce you to those "behind the scenes."

The writing of the book was good! I loved Palombo's previous book about the famous composer Vivaldi. I didn't like this book quite as much but it is still a very good read. Simonetta has a very real feeling voice and I thought that getting to see the events of the book directly through her eyes was a very effective tool in getting me engaged with the book from the very beginning. This reader can't wait to see what Palombo does next!

[Desislava Filipova · Rating 3 out of 5]

След Марина Фиорато не съм чела в този жанр, художественият поглед към исторически личности и събития позволява свобода в изграждането на сюжета и героите, но исках да видя Симонета Веспучи, картините на Сандро Ботичели и братята Медичи от една различна гледна точка и взех "Най-красивата жена във Флоренция" на Алиса Паломбо, една типична за жанра история, която ще се хареса на романтично настроените читатели, но аз търсех в сюжета много други неща, исках да видя героите на Паломбо, след като изгледах двата сезона на Медичите и попрегледах някои части от "Медичите: Кръстниците на Ренесанса" от Пол Стратърн вече имах изградена собствена представа за действителните личности.
Симонета е едва шестнадесет годишна, когато е омъжена за Марко Веспучи, честно казано в епохата, в която се развива действието е твърде странно да се говори за любов, романтичните увлечение се изразяват чрез поезия и рицарски жестове, а извънбрачните връзки често са просто страст, докато бракът е дълг и стремеж към създаване на наследници, така че наистина не мога да си представя дали Симонета е имала по-дълбоки чувства към съпруга си. Тя е красавица и се предполага, че нейният образ е запечатан от Ботичели в картините "Пролет", "Раждането на Венера" и още доста други творби на няколко художници, но дори и сега няма категорично потвърждение.
Картините на Ботичели са изумителни, особено "Раждането на Венера", за връзката му със Симонета има много теории, но аз предпочитам да мисля, че нейната красота е била вдъхновение, още повече, че той е бил много отдадена на изкуството.
Медичите са покровители на изкуството и в привличат в своя кръг редица знаменити творци, докато Лоренцо остава в историята като влиятелен управник на Флоренция и покровител на изкуствата, брат му Джулиано е малко встрани от политически живот, но е привлекателен за жените.
Сименота е смятана за любима на Джулиано, не остава неясно дали действително е била негова любовница.
Паломбо е разказала своята гледна точка за събитията и е очертала фактите, с които разполага в обяснителните бележки.

[Carla Catalano · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS for The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence: A Story of Botticelli by Alyssa Palombo! 15th Century Italy is where we meet the beautiful Simonetta Cattaneo. She has numerous admirers, but is courted by Marco Vespucci and swiftly married in Florence. Beauty becomes a major theme running throughout this captivating novel. We know that Simonetta is not just a pretty face even though all the men, including Guiliano Medici, swoon at her feet. As the novel builds to a climax, Simonetta has cause to question what beauty truly means as she seeks to understand its meaning. Complications and emotions erupt whenever Sandro Botticelli and Simonetta share the same space. Botticelli boldly seeks to paint Simonetta for her first portrait, but makes her truly immortal when he paints Simonetta as Venus. This book as been on my list ever since I finished The Violinist of Venice and had the pleasure of listening to Alyssa at a book talk. The circumstances with which this book fell into my hands were nothing less than remarkable! I entered a "give-away on Goodreads and won! I thought it was amazing to actually win, but to win a book by an author I actually listened to and met exceeded my expectations. Fans of HF - you must get this book in your hands right now and be swept away with Simonetta & Sandro, life as friends of Medici family, and 15th century Florence. Reading this book was a delightful way to spend the day!!

[Erna · Rating 4 out of 5]

no use in beating around the bush for this one: yes, this is literally botticelli and simonetta vespucci fanfiction. it is also the second time i've read it. aNd wHaT ABoUt iT?

in all seriousness though (at least, as serious as one can be talking about this), i read this for the first time waaay back in 2019. i may have even read some of it in florence. and for some fucking reason, despite the fact that i thought this was a silly book back then too, i have been thinking about it ever since. i literally randomly remember it very often. so now i thought, since i'm going back to florence again next week, why not read it again lol.

does it deserve the four stars i gave it? absolutely not. but i'm keeping them because of the "attachment" (if you could call it that) i have had for this book for all these years. now that i'm thinking about it, maybe i shouldn't have reread it because it definitely existed in my mind better than it is. but alas. hilarious stuff going on here. see, this is what art historians are reading in their post-master's degree recovery period.

[M.K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

2-3 stars ... In Alyssa Palombo’s first novel, The Violinist of Venice, she tells the story of the composer Antonio Vivaldi and his secret, wealthy mistress, Adriana d’Amato. Her second, The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence, examines a different kind of artist — painter Sandro Botticelli — and his beautiful but married muse for “The Birth of Venus,” Simonetta Vespucci.

Palombo is clearly enamored with not just Italy and the arts, but also with passion and forbidden love.

Rest of review can be found on Washington Independent Review of Books. http://www.washingtonindependentrevie...

[Caitie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a masterpiece. It brings to life the Birth of Venus in a way I never thought possible, uncovering a fictional (but totally believable and swoon-worthy) love story behind Boticelli's work. Thanks to Alyssa's development of Simonetta's character and voice, I loved Simonetta like a dear friend, following her through the foreign, artful, and sometimes scandalous streets of Florence. As the love story between Simonetta and Boticelli began to blossom, there was no doubt in my mind that this book could only end tragically, but still as beautifully as Simonetta herself.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since the subtitle is " A Story of Botticelli" I was hoping that the novel was more about Botticelli than it actually was. However, since I love good historical fiction about art, artists and their muses, I did enjoy learning about Simonetta Vespucci. Honestly, the best part of the book is the "Author's Note" at the end where Palombo writes about her research and about who and what in the book is real and what is fiction. I have been to the Uffizi and have attended a lecture series about Botticelli at the Museum of Fine Arts so I am quite intrigued by Botticelli and anything Florentine.

Two editorial notes:

1) I feel that Simonetta said "Indeed" far too often. Why don't editors catch this? English is a pretty robust language; I am sure she could have made quite a few other proclamations.

2) On page 145, it is written, "We paused along the riverbank, having just passed the Ponte Vecchio and its collection of shops and storefronts, selling mostly costly gold items." While that is true today, I am pretty sure that in the 15th century, the Ponte Vecchio shops were mostly butchers and meat sellers. And considering that at the time the story takes place, Florence and much of Europe was just starting to bounce back from the Plague -- even though the Medici's were rich, most likely commerce was more about food and textiles at that time, than about gold and jewelry.

[Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable enough. 15th century Florence, a young beauty marries and becomes the toast of the city, beguiling even the powerful Medicis. From here, she is introduced to aspiring artist, Sandro Botticelli who implores her to sit for him. From there, they develop a passionate but forbidden relationship, her becoming his muse. The story is based partially on fact with interesting background notes on the artworks she inspired. I found the characters somewhat unconvincing and did not warm to them or their situations. Very light.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this a simple book, but books that take liberties with real historical figures are not my particular style.

I found the characters shallow, the plot thin, and the ending rushed.
I received an advanced copy of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Cassi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably closer to 4.5 stars.

When I received an email from St. Martin's Press asking if I would be interested in reading an advance copy of this book, I of course said yes. Not only do I love historical fiction set in the Renaissance, especially if art is involved, but I also love the city of Florence. And this book was an absolute delight.

For one thing, the author does a great job establishing the historical setting. You can tell she did her research into the time period, and the historical figures. Renaissance Florence definitely comes alive in this book with the art, the politics, and the themes or religion and marriage. Fans of historical fiction will definitely appreciate the way the author explores the time period in an interesting and entertaining way.

But more than that, I appreciated the way that the author establishes the physical setting. I am a great admirer of the city of Florenece. It's beauty, it's history, it's culture, I love it there. In college I spent a semester abroad there and it has been so long ago now that I am desperately missing the city and want to go back. And while this book did nothing to assuage those feeling, that was kind of a good thing. I'm not sure if it was my wanderlust or the writing but the city definitely came alive for me. I could see the Duomo, the Arno, the churches, the narrow streets, and the red roofs. This book is definitely a love letter to Florence and I loved that.

As far as the plot of the book goes, it is definitely a character-driven story. It is about Simonetta and her interactions with the elite of Renaissance Florence. And that made for kind of a basic storyline that was made a little more interesting by exploring some deeper themes of the time. It was more about what it means to be a wife and a beautiful woman in the time than it was about art work or artists. It was interesting, but still kind of simple. I read the book in just a few days, which honestly is totally okay. After not finishing a book I was excited about, it was nice to read something simple and still engaging.

But that being said, I didn't really love the characterizations here. So much of the book needs to be carried by the main character of Simonetta. She is supposed to be the most beautiful and intelligent woman who is so sought after by all the men, but it felt like I was being told this as a justification for their actions instead of being shown it. But I did appreciate that she thought for herself and stood by her convictions. There were just times I get like the fawning over her was a bit over the top. And certain aspects of her relationships I definitely saw coming. She was an interesting and arguably complex character, I just didn't connect with her for some reason.

But I did really like the way the author took real life characters and expanded on their stories. This is the perfect example of historical fiction. I absolutely know who the Medici's are, and of course Botticelli but I feel like I learned much more about them in this book. And I have never heard of Simonetta Vespucci before this book but now I am definitely fascinated by her. She was indeed a real person and it was great learning about her and thinking of her as the inspiration behind some of Botticelli's most famous works. That is the best kind of historical fiction to me, the kind that takes real people and events and explores them in interesting and engaging ways.

On the whole this was a really good read. If you are a fan of historical fiction and are looking for something quick and engaging to read, especially if you are interested in Renaissance Florence, then read this book.

[BabyLunLun · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book nearly pull my heart out.

Its about real life historical figure Sandro Botticelli using Simonetta Vespucci as his model. Very little facts could be known about the relationship Sandro and Simonetta of course. Are they lovers??? Does Simonetta really model nude for Sandro??

Frankly I don't know what I am getting myself into. Of course we already know what happened as its based on a real historical event. Can a book still surprise you when u already know how it gonna end? Most probably not

But Alyssa Palombo did it. She manage to breath life into Simonetta Vespucci. She wasn't just another little known historical figure. I see her as a real woman. All seems well when she married Marco Vespucci and being thrust into the upper social circle of Florence. What could go wrong? She is the most beautiful women in Florence and Botticelli is gonna paint her. Marco seems to love her very much and has no objection to Simonetta posing for Botticelli.

As the saying goes, "a beautiful flower won't blossom forever", Simonetta's picture perfect life starts to show its cracks. She was force to question her beliefs, her role in society, her role as a wife to Marco and paved her own way. Alyssa Palombo's writing is exquisite and she capture the growth, loss, grief and angst of Simonetta Vespucci flawlessly.

[Sahuna Imran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book beginning with the cover, the setting, the characters and the story, even the authors note at the end of the book was interesting. Simonette the main protagonist is one the strongest female character that I have read about and to learn that she actually existed in our history and her proof of existence in Botticelli's paintings is too good to be put in words. The description of Botticelli's​ appearance, his character, his paintings and his wish to be buried near Simonetta's feet speaks a lot about him and his love for Simonetta. Not every person who has loved can show his love to the world except the artists like Dante in his poetries and Botticelli in his paintings.