In The Company Of The Courtesan begins with the sack of Rome in 1527, where courtesan Fiammetta and her dwarf companion and business partner, Bucino (who narrates the story), flee the city after Fiametta's beautiful blond hair is hacked off. She returns to Venice, the city of her birth, and goes about restarting her business. With the help of La Draga, a blind healer, she's nursed back to health, and aided by a blond wig, she and Bucino get back to establishing a business. As she works her charm among the powerful men of the city, their fortunes grow, but so do new threats. From a Turk who wants to add human oddities to his collection, to those who would prefer to own Fiametta and the one with whom she falls in love, to La Draga herself, these two partners and friends forge a life together. Sarah Dunant (
The Birth of Venus) has fashioned a historical novel that brings Venice to life.
In The Company Of The Courtesan has received mostly positive reviews with USA Today saying, "After all, Courtesan is both a business thriller and a historical love story. That's an unusual and fascinating combination."
