THE SERPENT AND THE PEARL Borgias, Book 1

Quinn's engaging historical fiction follows the infamous Borgias, the family of Pope Alexander VI, including the mistress he took just before his election to the papacy. The engaging story is told by three main characters. Each character's sections are read by a different narrator; Leila Birch and Ronan Vibert give strong performances, immersing the listener in their respective characters. The sections from the point of view of the pope's mistress are voiced by Maria Elena Infantino, whose performance is somewhat lackluster. Infantino sounds as if she is reading the words for the first time, with no real attention to the pacing or emotions of Quinn's words. These choices counteract the good work done by Vibert and Birch, making this a disappointing listen overall. J.L.K. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2013]