Sarah Dunant - The Birth of Venus

In 15th-century Florence, a young woman named Alessandra welcomes an arranged marriage to a cultured man over 30 years her senior because he promises her the freedom to pursue her painting. But the deal is not quite what she imagined. As Florence falls increasingly under the sway of Savanarola, Alessandra begins an affair with another young artist--and the city's violence and chaos lead the characters to the brink of disaster. Minimize