Linda reveals that she did not read The Marriage Portrait on her shore vacation and she also did not see the child trafficking movie. She prefers light entertainment, which this book is not! Nancy describes Maggie O’Farrell’s previous novel, Hamnet, which she read and enjoyed and therefore wanted to read The Marriage Portrait, set in 16th century Italy. The book opens with Lucrezia, isolated in a hunting lodge with her husband of one year, who she realizes plans to kill her. Linny and Nancy discuss that Lucrezia’s lack of a portrait as the youngest daughter is like modern families whose younger children have few photos. Linny liked the nanny and like that Lucrezia enter her marriage with hope and confidence. Nancy liked that Lucrezia was a good observer and judge of people. At first readers believe that Alfonso, Lucrezia’s husband, seems like a perfect match to her. Linny describes the cracks she first saw in his character. Nancy asks Linny whether she had been wrong in her first impressions of anyone. Linny says she doesn’t really draw conclusions about people when she meets them. Nancy thinks she is good judge of people and does draw conclusions about people. Nancy thinks she is more judge-y than Linny and that isn’t necessarily a good thing. Nancy did some research about the real Lucrezia who, at 13, married the 24 year old Alfonso and did die within a year of the marriage, with rumors that he had killed her. Knowing that Lucrezia died made it hard for Nancy to read this book, supposedly about Lucrezia being killed by her husband. Nancy started to realize the book may divert from history when Lucrezia is forced to cut her hair. Linny thought Lucrezia might escape when painter’s apprentice says he will help her. Linny liked the book and read it within just several days, not being able to put it down. She liked learning more about the time period. Nancy also enjoyed the book and that it led her to do research into the lives of the real-life people. Linny was interested that the point of view of the book is very limited, because it is Lucrezia’s. Nancy thought the viewpoint felt claustrophobic, but in a good way.