By that time, of course, I knew for certain that it was the
Borgia pearl that we were after.
For the star of Scandal, the Singing Detective and the
Borgias was the once the lead singer of an all-girl group called Cindy and the Saffrons.
The story of the lust and powercrazed
Borgias has been portrayed in two BBC TV series.
ILine of Duty writer/director + actors from Game of Thrones, Happy Valley and The
Borgias + controversial period novel = hit.
So writes Sarah Dunant in the afterword to her magnificent 2013 historical novel, "Blood and Beauty: The
Borgias."
She takes us through the ups and downs of the
Borgias and leaves us wanting more.
In a narrative relying on many historical sources, Dunant visually transposes the reader to the 15th-century household of the
Borgias. She gives a vivid insight on how the Spaniard outfoxed the strong Italian lobby and beat his strong rival Giuliano della Rovere to the papacy with silver and gold.
Did you know much about the
Borgias before the show?
It's called
Borgia (not to be confused with Showtime's The
Borgias), and it's a twistier, more political take on the Renaissance-era family that produced two popes.
THE
BORGIAS - THE SECOND SEASON (Cert 15, 552 mins) FAMILY ties are tested to the limit in this historical drama from the creators of The Tudors, which follows the eponymous clan during the Renaissance as Rodrigo
Borgia (Jeremy Irons) rises to power by any underhand means necessary.