Village Books & The MCT present

An Evening with Maggie O’Farrell

Maggie O’Farrell is a bestselling and award winning author. She has written eight novels and in 2020 her novel Hamnet won the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Maggie will be discussing her latest novel The Marriage Portrait with journalist Hannah Beckerman.

The Marriage Portrait brings to life Florence in the 1560s as Maggie tells the tale of Lucrezia, third daughter of Cosimo de’ Medici. When Lucrezia’s sister dies on the eve of marriage to Alfonso d’Este, ruler of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio, Lucrezia is thrust into the limelight. Alfonso quickly asks for her hand in marriage and Lucrezia faces court life for the first time.

As Lucrezia sits in uncomfortable finery for the painting which is to preserve her image for centuries to come, one thing becomes worryingly clear. In the court’s eyes, she has one duty: to provide the heir who will shore up the future of the Ferrarese dynasty. Until then, for all of her rank and nobility, the new duchess’s future hangs entirely in the balance.

With the drama which she illuminated Shakespeare’s world, Maggie brings Renaissance Italy to life and offers an unforgettable portrait of a resilient young woman’s battle for her survival.

Maggie O’Farrell’s novels include The Hand That First Held Mine, Instructions For A Heatwave, and The Distance Between Us.

Tickets:
Book & Ticket £35 (includes a copy of The Marriage Portrait. Book RRP £25)
Standard £20
Under 18s £15