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ONE OF THE 12 BEST HISTORICAL FICTIONS OF 2023 ACCORDING TO THE SUNDAY TIMES

‘MAGICAL, THRILLING, WONDERFUL, EXCELLENT. HEARTPOUNDINGLY TENSE AND ABSOLUTELY ENGROSSING. CLEVER, AMAZING AND INSPIRING’ DAILY MAIL

‘Artemisia’s life was extraordinary, and so is this book. I was swept away by lush, evocative prose. An unforgettable, moving and important story told with great skill and care’ JENNIFER SAINT

‘An unputdownable story of revenge, ambition, and how women overcome adversity. A heartbreaking and empowering read that places Artemisia as one of the greatest painters in history’ COSTANZA CASATI, author of Clytemnestra

‘You’ll be gripped. The author brings 17th-century Italy to life’ WOMAN & HOME

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Rome 1611.

A jewel-bright place of change, with sumptuous new palaces and lavish wealth on display. A city where women are seen but not heard.

Artemisia Gentileschi dreams of becoming a great artist. Motherless, she grows up among a family of painters – men and boys. She knows she is more talented than her brothers, but she cannot choose her own future. She wants to experience the world, but she belongs to her father and will belong to a husband.

As Artemisia patiently goes from lesson to lesson, perfecting her craft, she also paints in private, recreating the women who inspire her, away from her father’s eyes.

Until a mysterious tutor enters her life. Tassi is a dashing figure, handsome and worldly, and for a moment he represents everything that a life of freedom might offer. But then the unthinkable happens.

In the eyes of her family, Artemisia should accept her fate. In the eyes of the law, she is the villain.

But Artemisia is a survivor. And this is her story to tell.

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‘An exhilarating read. Through effervescent prose, Elizabeth Fremantle brings the story of artist Artemisia Gentileschi to life. Gripping, captivating, and consistently enlightening, Disobedient firmly places Gentileschi as one of the greatest female heroines in history’ KATY HESSEL

‘An unforgettable book – visceral and lush and fierce. The last few pages left me gasping. An absolute triumph’ EVE CHASE

‘Outstanding. A powerful novel about women who are shamed and silenced, and how they learn to survive. A literary knockout’ ANNA MAZZOLA, author of The Clockwork Girl

‘A great female artist struggling for her voice and for justice is brought to powerful life. Brilliantly researched, rich in detail, grippingly written, Disobedient is the novel Elizabeth Fremantle was born to write’ ELIZABETH BUCHAN

‘I could not put this book down. Every woman – and man – should read it. Shocking, gripping, Fremantle has crafted a tale that vividly evokes Baroque Italy by portraying a strong, assertive women. Splendid!’ ALISON WEIR

‘If you don’t already know the story of 17th-century artist Artemisia Gentilleschi, I urge you not to google it but let this phenomenal novel describe her for you. Elizabeth is a writer at the top of her game, and this is historical fiction at its absolute best’ GILL PAUL, author of The Secret Wife

‘The colourful, brutal world of Baroque Italy is superbly evoked in this gripping novel. The challenges faced by a dauntless woman in this man’s world leave a deep impression on the reader’ LINDA PORTER

Publisher Review

I could not put this book down. Every woman – and man – should read it.
Shocking, gripping, Fremantle has crafted a tale that vividly evokes Baroque Italy
by portraying a strong, assertive women. Splendid! — ALISON WEIR A great female artist struggling for her voiceand for justice is brought to powerful life. Brilliantly researched, rich in detail, grippingly written, Disobedient is the novel Elizabeth Fremantle was born to write — ELIZABETH BUCHAN An exhilarating read. Through effervescent prose, Elizabeth Fremantle brings the story of artist Artemisia Gentieschi to life. Gripping, captivating, and consistently enlightening, Disobedient firmly places Gentileschi as one of the greatest female heroines in history — KATY HESSEL Artemisia’s life was extraordinary, and so is this book. I was swept away
by lush, evocative prose that transported me to a painter’s studio in Rome in the 1600s.
Through the eyes of a defiant and determined young woman, Fremantle weaves
Artemisia’s paintings into events, endowing Artemisia with the dignity, courage and honour she deserves. An unforgettable, moving and important story told with great skill and care — JENNIFER SAINT Outstanding. A powerful novel about women who are shamed and silenced, and how they learn to survive. A literary knockout — ANNA MAZZOLA An unforgettable book – visceral and lushand fierce. You root for Artemisia. Hurt with her. Roar with her. And you simply cannot look away. The last few pages left me gasping. An absolute triumph — EVE CHASE The colourful, brutal world of Baroque Italy is superbly evoked in this gripping novel of Artemisia Gentileschi, one of the era’s greatest artists. The challenges faced by a dauntless woman in this man’s world leave a deep impression on the reader — LINDA PORTER If you don’t already know the story of 17th-century artist Artemisia Gentilleschi, I urge you not to google it but let this phenomenal novel describe her for you. If you already know what happened, let yourself be immersed in 17th-century Rome as the action unfolds in the hands of a master storyteller. The characters are nuanced and relatable; the writing is colourful and moreish; the pace and plotting are pitch perfect. She is a writer at the top of her game, and this is historical fiction at its absolute best. — GILL PAUL, author of THE SECRET WIFE Just finished reading this gem – an unputdownable story of revenge, ambition, and how women overcome adversity. A heartbreaking and empowering read that places Artemisia as one of the greatest painters in history — COSTANZA CASATI, author of CLYTEMNESTRA To produce the best work a writer must “dig deep”‘ In Disobedient, Elizabeth Fremantle pierces the reader’s soul, drawing tears, blood, and rage for the injustices and pain inflicted on the painter, Artemisia Gentileschi ~ until she rises through the force of her character and art. Through vivid depictions of the paintings in the story, and the art of her own writing, Liz has bared her soul and produced this stunning portrait of a courageous genius who refuses to accept the abuse or petty jealousies of men who would oppress her. Brava Artemisa . . . and Liz! — ESSIE FOX, author of THE SOMNAMBULIST Praise for Elizabeth Fremantle * : * A twisting psychological thriller based on a real Jacobean murder. Unputdownable * The Times * Filled with dense, dark political and social intrigue, this is five-star historical fiction * Daily Mail * A top-notch literary thriller * Daily Telegraph * Pacey, immersive, and beautifully written. Takes women at the margins of history and makes us care about their stories * Sarah Vaughn * A lush, thrilling page-turner humming with its own exquisite dark beauty — Eve Chase Gripping and fascinating. Fremantle is a master — Santa Montefiore Engaging, vivid and cleverly constructed — Sarah Perry A riveting tale. I cannot recommend this highly enough — Alison Weir Historical fiction with the pull of a psychological thriller — Anna Mazzola