Elizabeth Fremantle is an author I’ve been following since her first book, Queen’s Gambit, was published in 2013. I’ve enjoyed all of her novels, to varying degrees, but I think her latest one, Sinners, is the best so far. It’s the story of the Italian noblewoman, Beatrice Cenci, and is a very dark and powerful read.
The book begins in Rome in 1598 with Beatrice discovering the dead body of her brother Rocco, a victim of one of her father’s long-running feuds. To avoid any further retaliations, the family flee to La Rocca, a hunting lodge in the mountains, but this proves not to be a place of safety for Beatrice as her father, Francesco Cenci, becomes increasingly cruel and unpredictable, abusing her physically, verbally and sexually. Her stepmother, Lucrezia, and younger half-brother, Bernardo, are also targets for his brutal violence and abuse, while her other brother, Giacomo, who is gay, remains estranged from the family, forced to communicate with Beatrice in secret.
As life behind the walls of La Rocca becomes more and more unbearable, Beatrice finds some solace in her growing friendship with Olimpio Calvetti, one of her father’s servants. When she becomes pregnant with Olimpio’s child, Beatrice fears for their lives if her father learns the truth – especially if he also learns that Beatrice has been reporting him to the authorities for his abusive behaviour! And so Beatrice comes up with a plan which, if it works, could set them all free, but if it fails could leave them in even more danger than before.
As you’ll be able to tell, Sinners is not an easy or comfortable book to read. Francesco Cenci is one of the most wicked, depraved characters you’re likely to come across in fiction and the way he treats his wife and children is unimaginably cruel. Knowing that he was a real person and that his family really did suffer at his hands makes it even more horrible to read about. It also makes it easy for the reader to have sympathy for Beatrice when she decides to take action, although Fremantle explains in her author’s note that her intention in writing the book was to portray Beatrice as a complex woman who is both innocent and guilty, saint and sinner, something which I think she achieves.
Fremantle also uses her author’s note to clarify where the book sticks to historical fact and where she uses her imagination to produce a compelling work of fiction. I found it particularly fascinating to read about the famous portrait of Beatrice Cenci, attributed to Guido Reni, which is now thought to be by Ginevra Cantofoli and maybe not even a portrait of Beatrice at all. Fremantle works the painting of the portrait into the plot in an interesting way, showing how it was used to evoke sympathy for Beatrice from the public.
I love the way Fremantle recreates the feel of late-16th century Italy and although it’s set a decade or two earlier, Sinners makes a good companion novel to Disobedient, her book about Artemisia Gentileschi. Artemisia’s story even overlaps with Beatrice’s in the first chapter. I’m looking forward to seeing who and what Fremantle decides to write about next!
Thanks to Michael Joseph for providing a copy of this book for review via NetGalley.
Book 13/20 for 20 Books of Summer 2025.
She Reads Novels 
Oooooh… Sounds EXCELLENT and certainly something I’d ‘enjoy’. I’ll look at her back catalogue too. I DO so enjoy complex characters…. [grin]
Yes, ‘enjoy’ isn’t quite the right word, but I know what you mean! All of her books are interesting – I can recommend any of them!
Your introduction to this one instantly caught my interest although I was horrified to hear of the manner of darkness later on in your review. It sounds like a good read to check out though and I’m especially interested in seeing how the saint/sinner balance of the MC works for me.
It was much darker than I was prepared for as I knew nothing about Beatrice Cenci before I started and was shocked by what she and her family went through. It’s a great book, though, and I hope you have a chance to read it.
I hope to buy this one when I’m in England next month, it sounds great, I enjoy historical fiction set in Italy and I loved her book on Artemisia. I’m currently reading watch the lady, the last of her older novels that I hasd’t read.
I love historical fiction set in Italy too and I thought this book was even better than the one about Artemisia. I hope you’re enjoying Watch the Lady.
This sounds intriguing!
Thanks for sharing this review with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
I don’t know about this. Did people actually report their fathers for abuse back then? Was it even illegal? Would anyone do anything about it? Seems to me the attitude back then was that children and wives belonged to their fathers and husbands, and short of killing them, they could do what they want.
According to Wikipedia, the real Beatrice Cenci did try to report her father and he punished her for it when he found out. Nothing was actually done about it, though, and nobody tried to help her!
Not surprising to me.
Hello Helen, I am glad to hear you found this one of Elizabeth Fremantle’s novels. I have previously read a couple of her books, and like had a mix reaction to them. When I saw this I ummed and ahhed over reading it, as I thought it might be a little too dark for my sensitive soul. From your review sounds like I might have been right! 😅
Blessings, Jessica 💌
I liked it, but yes, it’s very dark so probably one for you to avoid!
Early modern Italy again! Not sure why, when I generally struggle with histfic, I’m so drawn to this period and setting, but I am!
It’s one of my favourite settings as well and Elizabeth Fremantle brings it to life so perfectly in this book!
I love reading about Italy, fiction and nonfiction, but this seems a bit too dark for me. I am intrigued by the timeframe and setting. I wonder if Disobedient might be a shade lighter?
There were some dark moments in Disobedient too, but overall I think it was definitely lighter than this one.