In October 1502 the powerful Cesare Borgia was preparing to invade the Florentine Republic. Niccolo Machiavelli, an official of the Republic, is sent to Borgia's court to spy on him. 33 years old, he has a nice pen, but he's not famous. He cheats on his wife avidly, and he's deep into debts. He's seen as trusted and useful, but he's kept on the sidelines.

A complex relationship is created between Machiavelli and Borgia. The Duke needs someone to write a biography to respond to the many "slanders" circulating about him and he chooses Niccolo to do it. And so Machiavelli not only gains wider access to Borgia's secrets, but also those of Dianora Mambelli, a young woman forced by the Borgias to stay by his side. Attending to both executioner and victim, listening to the Duke's reflections and discovering the hidden truths that Dianora reveals to him, transform Machiavelli and give him the insight that will allow him to become a great writer. And put his own life at risk.

The Prince, written years later, was published posthumously. Thanks to it, the writer they all thought mediocre will prove to be a genius, and Cesare Borgia will survive forever, just as he wanted.

About the Author
Franco Bernini is a scriptwriter, director, and writer. The Throne is his third novel. Oonagh Stransky has been a translator of Italian literature for over 20 years. Some of the writers whose work she has brought into English include Pier Paolo Pasolini, Carlo Lucarelli, Giuseppe Pontiggia, and Roberto Saviano. Stransky started studying Italian at Middlebury Language Schools in 1986, got her BA in Comparative Literature from Mills College and UC Berkeley in 1989, and her MA in Italian from Columbia University in 2002. She currently lives in Italy.

Reviews
"The first in a planned trilogy, Bernini's engrossing historical novel follows Machiavelli's trajectory through the corridors of power in 16th-century Italy." * The Washington Post *
"[An] Italian historical novel for fans of Wolf Hall." * The Bookseller *
"The Throne is about the complicated relationship between a biographer and their subject, something kinda meta that historical fiction rarely delves into." * Cosmopolitan *
"Prose meets power in a tale of Machiavelli and Borgia. An engrossing and humane novel." * Kirkus - STARRED REVIEW *
"Well researched with wonderfully vivid details, Bernini presents Machiavelli in all the complications of a life spent navigating political waters, learning to say the right thing or nothing at all, and more importantly, learning how to write about it all." * New York Journal of Books *
"If you loved Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall, dive into The Throne, an Italian historical novel with the same verve of a thriller while bringing the past to life." * Parade *
"Machiavelli as you've never read him." * Elle (Italy) *



Book Information
ISBN 9781787704992
Author Franco Bernini
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint Europa Editions (UK) Ltd
Publisher Europa Editions (UK) Ltd