'Niccolo Rising' by Dorothy Dunnett is a richly detailed historical fiction novel set in the 15th century, following the journey of Claes, a dye yard apprentice with ties to a noble family. The plot intricately weaves together political intrigue, merchant life in Bruges, and the interconnected relationships across Europe, creating a complex narrative that unfolds over multiple pages. Despite the initial struggle some readers faced with the dense writing style and vast array of characters, those who persevered found the book to be rewarding as it delves into the evolution of Claes into a successful businessman known as Nicholas or Niccolo.
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Has Romance?
Romance is present in Niccolo Rising, though it is interwoven with broader themes of intrigue and character development.
From The Publisher:
In this first book of The House of Niccolò series, the author of the Lymond Chronicles introduces a new hero, Nicholas vander Poele of Bruges, the good-natured dyer's apprentice who schemes and swashbuckles his way to the helm of a mercantile empire.
With the bravura storytelling and pungent authenticity of detail she brought to her acclaimed Lymond Chronicles, Dorothy Dunnett, grande dame of the historical novel, presents The House of Niccolò series. The time is the 15th century, when intrepid merchants became the new knighthood of Europe. Among them, none is bolder or more cunning than Nicholas vander Poele of Bruges.
Niccolò Rising, Book One of the series, finds us in Bruges, 1460. Jousting is the genteel pastime, and successful merchants are, of necessity, polyglot. Street smart, brilliant at figures, adept at the subtleties of diplomacy and the well-timed untruth, Dunnett's hero rises from wastrel to prodigy in a breathless adventure that wins him the hand of the strongest woman in Bruges and the hatred of two powerful enemies. From a riotous and potentially murderous carnival in Flanders, to an avalanche in the Alps and a pitched battle on the outskirts of Naples, Niccolò Rising combines history, adventure, and high romance in the tradition stretching from Alexandre Dumas to Mary Renault.
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1 comment(s)
The complexity of the plot and uncertainty about the hero. Was he good or was he an evil mastermind?
What can you read after
Niccolo Rising?
About the Author:
Dorothy Dunnett was born in Dunfermline, Scotland. She is the author of the Lymond Chronicles; the House of Niccolò novels; seven mysteries; King Hereafter, an epic novel about Macbeth; and the text of The Scottish Highlands, a book of photographs by David Paterson,…
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