I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Having read The Prince I was intrigued by this
Really enjoyed this

Alexander Lee has written a well rounded biography of one of the most influential philosophers & politicians in European history and a very detailed account of the political turmoils & cultural upheavals that shattered Europe's remaining links with the Medieval world and firmly established the Renaissance on the map.
But Machiavelli was first & foremost a born & bred Florentine, a keen observer of all the political shenanigans plaguing the Italian Peninsula at the dawn of the 16th century. He is the ubiquitous secretary present on all fronts in order to save his beloved city from the bustle of wars that raged all around Florence at the time. For Machiavelli, Florence was his "laboratory" and he was its most lucid theorician.

This is one of best Renaissance biographies written in English I have had the pleasure to read in a long time!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Picador for the opportunity to read this wonderful biography prior to its release date