Full disclosure: I was given an ARC of this book from SparkPoint Studio in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve mentioned on this website before that I love historical fiction. I especially enjoy ones that bring overlooked women to life like Saving Vincent by Joan Fernandez. I also adore ones that have a dual timeline, which makes the story more interesting as they discover the forgotten person in “real time.” Recently, I read The Secret Courtesan by Kerry Chaput that scratches both itches. It’s a good book with a fascinating titular character even if how she was discovered was a bit far-fetched.
The Secret Courtesan is a dual timeline story that explores how a historian risks everything to discover the truth about a female Renaissance sculptor unfairly erased by history. Art historian Mia Harding is running out of time to prove her theory that a famous erotic statue was sculpted by a courtesan and that she was erased from history. This is a scandal that no one will believe. Chasing through Venice, she tracks down details on Sofia, a powerful courtesan who seems to have left behind a handful of sex-fueled art throughout the city, but she’s being followed, and her boss is in on the lie. Meanwhile, in 1609, Sofia Rossi defies Venice’s unfair laws to create illicit art that could destroy her future. Her dreams of becoming a great artist go up in flames when her patron’s wife steals her work and threatens her lover. Four hundred years later, it’s up to Mia to discover the truth, yet she now has uncovered a world of art theft that could leave her ousted, or worse, in the crosshairs of the most powerful crime family in Italy. They will stop at nothing to force her to authenticate the statue. Mia’s only hope is to prove Sofia’s existence before everyone silences them forever.
The story’s dual timeline reminded me of the historical fiction novels written by Lisa Wingate. Wingate is best known for her books Before We Were Yours and The Book of Lost Friends. Those titles mainly focused on the past with scenes from the present that uncovered what happened. The Secret Courtesan emphasizes more of the current day, but the structure remains the same. Another thing that the Lis Wingate novels and The Secret Courtesan have in common is that the past is more interesting.
Those scenes are the best parts of the book, and that’s due to Sofia. Sofia is a courtesan who wants to be a sculptor. Her patrons are involved in the arts, but most of them don’t give her the resources and tools to showcase her craft. On top of that Renaissance Venice frowned upon women creating art. All of these are why she has to stay on her guard and is determined more than ever to succeed. I wanted her to have the opportunities to sculpt, get noticed for her work, and to be together with a man who truly loves her. I was invested in every step of the way.
Meanwhile, the scenes in the present are good, but there were some things that I had issues with. Let me start off with the better aspects. I like Mia and her conflict. She feels frustrated because her male colleagues don’t appreciate her. Hence, she, along with fellow colleague Noah, goes to Venice to find evidence that solidifies her claim. I also like her relationship with Noah. They are very cute with each other, and I love how Noah is one of the few men who actually believes that the sculpture was made by a courtesan and wants to help her prove it.
On the other hand, there were certain aspects that I didn’t find plausible. Throughout the novel, Mia senses history whenever she’s in a room. However, I had to raise my eyebrow when she came up with her conclusions because they were too specific. I’m an archivist by day, and I can sense the relationships of dead people based on the locations and the evidence found. I don’t try to assume too much, but I feel Mia is doing the opposite. In addition, the whole conflict with the mafia was contrived. I know that the scenes set in contemporary day are trying to evoke The Da Vinci Code, yet the situation with the crime family felt like it was only added to raise the stakes. It was too much.
The Secret Courtesan by Kerry Chaput is a good dual timeline historical fiction novel. I love how it unearthed a story about a Renaissance-era courtesan who made wonderful sculptures. It also helps that Sofia is a great character, and I was rooting for her all the way. On the other hand, while I liked the scenes in the present day, some of it felt contrived and not plausible. I would still recommend it to those who love stories about forgotten women in history, art, and The Da Vinci Code. The Secret Courtesan is out tomorrow, February 10, so grab it whenever you get your books.
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Book Reviews by a Chick Who Reads Everything 