Lucrezia Borgia: The Sinful Saint

Even her name became a symbol of lust and vice. She was dubbed “LOLIТA OF THE RENAISSANCE” — from the age of 12 she was considered the first beauty in Europe, literally enchanting men and driving them mad. Legends were told about her love escapades, and her admirers were treated like suicides—an illegitimate daughter of the Pope and the sister of the bloodthirsty Cesare Borgia, who brought terror even to the Romans, accustomed to commissioned killings. Lucretia was not only the most desirable woman of her era, but also the most dangerous: her lovers died one after another, yet more and more madmen rushed to her nets at the first call—like moths to fire…

But are these accusations so fair? Was her grim reputation deserved? Does the image of a nymphomaniac, poisoner, and “blonde with one brain cell” match reality? If she were a mere “doll,” would her father entrust her with governing the Vatican in his absence? If she were truly a villain, would the residents of Ferrara every year hold a celebration in her honor, remembering her as a righteous person, almost a saint? How did she manage to combine the sacred and the sinful, being both a beauty and a monster, an angel and a demon—depending on the circumstances?

Read the first Russian novel about Lucretia Borgia, unraveling the fate of one of the most mysterious, desired, and “fatal” women in history!