THE DIPLOMAT OF FLORENCE

Wildman’s historical novel charts the life of famed Italian Renaissance statesman Niccolò Machiavelli.

The story opens in 1494 with Machiavelli studying at a place called “the Studio” in Florence. It’s a time of great political unrest, and the young scholar witnesses the expulsion of the Medici family, who’d ruled Florence for over half a century. Machiavelli is already shrewdly in tune with Florence’s political murmurings (“I listen to everyone”), but he doesn’t possess the financial influence to be anything but a bystander. This changes when Florentine ambassador Ricciardo Becci suggests that he nominate himself for public office. The novel charts Machiavelli’s rise to power, beginning with his ascension as a secretary of the Republic. Wildman creatively imagines key moments in Machiavelli’s life in detail, such as his founding of a Florentine militia and his role in the city’s victory over Pisa in 1509. The novel also touches upon his later life in exile as he begins to write a political treatise that would become The Prince, but it’s not the tale’s prime focus. Wildman’s writing is strikingly accessible, considering his intimidating subject, and he takes care to gently impart information about the ever-shifting political backdrop: “the old Florentine families had always resented the Medici dominance of the government, even as they acquiesced in it, fawning on Lorenzo while they muttered insults behind his back.” Wildman also includes a glossary of Italian terms that will help English-speaking readers to better understand 16th-century life in Italy. The novel falls short, however, in that it doesn’t effectively transport the reader to the Florence of Machiavelli’s era, shying away from describing architecture and street life; indeed, the author’s vision of the city has an oddly contemporary feel, as does the dialogue: “I heard that there is a new tavern behind Santa Croce that serves ravioli in broth so good that they are queuing down the street for it.” For readers who are new to Machiavelli, this book will serve as an approachable and pleasant introduction, but those searching for immersive historical fiction will be disappointed.

An uncomplicated work that struggles to capture the ambiance of its setting.