Disobedient

I'll show you what a woman can do . . . 'I was swept away by lush, evocative prose. An unforgettable, moving and important story told with great skill and care' JENNIFER SAINT 'An exhilarating read. Gripping, captivating, and consistently enlightening' KATY HESSEL'Outstanding. A powerful novel about women who are shamed and silenced, and how they learn to survive. A literary knockout' ANNA MAZZOLA, author of The Clockwork Girl __________ Rome 1611. A jewel-bright place of change, with sumptuous new palaces and lavish wealth on display. A city where women are seen but not heard. Artemisia Gentileschi dreams of becoming a great artist. But her future is not her own - she belongs to her father and will belong to her husband. Until a mysterious tutor enters her life. Tassi is a dashing figure, handsome and worldly, and for a moment he represents everything that a life of freedom might offer. But then the unthinkable happens.In the eyes of her family, Artemisia should accept her fate. In the eyes of the law, she is the villain. But Artemisia is a survivor. And this is her story to tell. __________ 'An unputdownable story of revenge, ambition and how women overcome adversity. A heartbreaking and empowering read' COSTANZA CASATI, author of Clytemnestra 'An unforgettable book - visceral and lush and fierce. The last few pages left me gasping. An absolute triumph' EVE CHASE 'Brilliantly researched, rich in detail, grippingly written, Disobedient is the novel Elizabeth Fremantle was born to write' ELIZABETH BUCHAN 'I could not put this book down. Every woman - and man - should read it. Shocking, gripping, splendid!' ALISON WEIR 'Historical fiction at its absolute best' GILL PAUL, author of The Secret Wife 'The colourful, brutal world of Baroque Italy is superbly evoked in this gripping novel. The challenges faced by a dauntless woman in this man's world leave a deep impression on the reader' LINDA PORTER