Thank God for historical romance novels that neatly coincide with my Art History course so I can feel simultaneously erudite and smutty.
That being said, I truly enjoyed this book. Admittedly, the first third failed to peak a page-turning fervor, but I was quick to forget the author's failure to quickly draw me in once the plot further blossomed. Because, once I was hooked, I was hook. After all, the slow beginning aside, what was there to dislike about the plot? Sodomy, adultery, betrayal, death, torture, court intrigue... I could expound, but I think you get the picture.
Oh, and the art. Oh my, the art. While some have (understandably) commented that the artistic references weighed down the plot, I just happen to be fresh from 1) completing my Intro to Art History course, thus rendering familiar names like Botticelli and Brunelleschi and 2) watching a four-part documentary on the Medici dynasty, a project of which dedicated an entire hour to the purging of Florence under the reign of the crazy, quasi-prophetic Savonarola.
Now, if I had read this book even two months earlier, I would likely be reporting a different reaction, but the fates seemed to align in order to allow me maximum enjoyment from the book.
That being said, my overall rating is 3.5: I just couldn't quite overcome the effort required to trudge through the first third of the book.