The Marriage Portrait

As O'Farrell's previous masterpiece, this novel shares the same lyrical prose and immersive historical atmosphere. It explores the domestic life of Shakespeare's family with a similar focus on grief, motherhood, and the sensory details of the past.

Fans of the political tension and high-stakes court life in Renaissance Italy will appreciate Mantel's deep dive into the Tudor court. Both books feature protagonists navigating the dangerous whims of powerful men in meticulously researched historical settings.

Like Lucrezia, Circe is a woman confined by the expectations of her powerful family who must find her own agency. The novel uses lush, descriptive language to explore themes of isolation, power, and female resilience.

Set in 17th-century Amsterdam, this novel captures the same sense of 'gilded cage' claustrophobia found in Lucrezia's story. It focuses on a young bride entering a mysterious household where secrets are hidden behind every door.

This novel is also set in Renaissance Italy and follows a young woman with a passion for art who is forced into a strategic marriage. It mirrors the sensory richness and the exploration of a woman's place in a male-dominated artistic world.

Groff’s prose is as vivid and visceral as O'Farrell's, focusing on Marie de France’s life in a 12th-century abbey. It shares the theme of a woman carving out a space for herself within a rigid, restrictive social hierarchy.

This book offers a similar psychological depth and a focus on a female protagonist whose fate is determined by the stories men tell about her. It shares the dark, suspenseful tone and the 'is she or isn't she' ambiguity regarding her survival and innocence.

A gothic historical novel that explores themes of power, ownership, and the female voice. Like Lucrezia, Frannie is a woman trapped in a dangerous household, fighting to tell her own story against a backdrop of institutional oppression.

This classic of historical fiction shares the artistic focus and the quiet, observational intensity of The Marriage Portrait. It explores the relationship between the artist and the subject, highlighting the vulnerability of women in history.

While set in a later period, this novel shares the themes of women being silenced or controlled by the men in their lives. It features a dual narrative that mirrors the suspenseful, ticking-clock feeling of Lucrezia's journey toward her fate.