I love reading about strong women.
When reader Anne Becker gave me The Tigress of Forli, I knew I’d love it. The book is about one of Italy’s strongest women, Caterina Riario Sforza de’ Medici.
I’d never heard of Caterina, but unbeknownst to me, I’d already walked in her footsteps and gazed on her image. She’s depicted in the Botticelli painting that faces the altar of the Sistine Chapel. She grew up in Milan’s formidable Castello. When her father agreed to her marriage contract, he let her future husband deflower her at the age of 10. Some guy, huh?
My visits to the Castello and the Sistine Chapel weren’t my only connections to Caterina.
In her youth, she ruled the streets of Rome and forged alliances with Florence. She stopped in Mantua, a city I love, on the ride to her dominions of Imola and Forli. She met Leonardo and witnessed the installation of Michelangelo’s David. Some art historians even assert that Caterina was the model for Leonardo’s Mona Lisa.
I didn’t bond with her because of her wealth and refinery.
No, I adored Caterina because she was a badass.
She stood up to every man who tried to steal her children’s birthright. Clothed in armor, she fought multiple invasions of her lands, wielding a sword with more deadly accuracy than trained men. She refused to surrender her city even when she was surrounded. A cowardly man gave her up to her tormenters.
Cesare Borgia dragged her off to Rome. Though he raped her repeatedly and threw her in a dungeon, she still refused to sign away her property. The more he tortured her, the more fighting men everywhere respected her. Eventually, a French soldier secured her freedom.
Like all strong women, she was branded a whore, indecent, and unstable by the men she intimidated and the women who enabled them. Some things never change. Strong women continue to be pilloried by jealous weaklings today.
So do yourself a favor. Celebrate a strong woman. Read The Tigress of Forli by Elizabeth Lev. In many ways, she was the personification of the person I aspire to be.
Tell me about a woman you admire.
Support a strong woman who’s trying to make a difference. Get my books HERE.
14 Comments
Sounds excellent. I’ll get a copy for my daughter – who was raised to stand up for herself and kick ass.
I hope she enjoys it as much as I did.
I read your review and ordered it before I told you I read your review.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Thank you Andra, me too. Thank you for the recommendation.
Ive added it to my never ending tbr list
It’s worth a promotion to higher on the list. 🙂
A woman I admire? Boy, that’s a long list. Historically speaking, I’d have to say Rosa Parks, courage personified.
Excellent choice.
Sounds like a great read. I just saw a movie with a very strong woman. It’s called “Unsane,” and it’s about a woman locked up in a psychiatric unit against her wishes. She’s tough and ballsy and not even all that likable, but you root for her because she’s the victim of a stalker, and she’s hellbent on being anything but a victim.
I’ll have to look it up and watch. I love stories like this, where the women are gritty and real. I don’t expect to “like” a heroine. I want to relate to her or admire her or call her ballsy.
It’s in theaters now. I didn’t know anything about it, but my future filmmaker son wanted to see it, and I was happy to tag along.
I have great regard and admiration for Rachel Carson. She stands as a woman of courage who wouldn’t back down when confronted by vicious opposition from the chemical companies. We owe her a tremendous debt, but she paid dearly for it. I would also enjoy getting to know “The Tigress of Forlì.” I enjoy your reviews!
She did. You’re so right.
Comments are closed.