Much in little
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As papal politics swirl around Rome in the sweltering summer of 1650, three lives intersect: Donna Olimpia, sister-in-law to the faltering Pope Innocent X; Sister Orsola, making her own penance by finding a new religious house for Sister Serafina, a mystic; and Juan de Pareja, enslaved Moresco and assistant to Diego Velázquez, the pair of them in Italy to enliven the collection of the Spanish king. As Donna Olimpia’s plots to strengthen the Pope’s (and her family’s) temporal power run into stiff opposition, Orsola and Serafina, and Juan and Don Diego, become pawns in the life or death struggle between the incumbent Pope’s former supporters and a new cadre supported by the Spanish crown. No-one knows who to trust, and allies are not for the long-haul; who will end up on top at the end of summer, and who will lose all?

With three threads of narrative, you would have thought that would be enough, but there is no point where they all meet, so the multiple schemes and counter-schemes, the enormous cast of characters who bubble up then fade like sea-foam, the historical context and the real life figures portrayed, all seem to be given short shrift, in scenes of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it with narrative importance but not enough to signal how important they are. Based on real events but conflating years of history into a short, hot summer, the book feels rushed, the scheming too short to bear fruit, the consequences too huge to have built to the ensuing fervour. At first, Donna Olimpia is well-written but becomes a cypher as the book progresses; Juan de Pareja is fascinating but the way he is so easily accepted in Rome feels disingenuous; and the two nuns are under-written from the start, great wodges of exposition inserted later on to show why they are where they are. This is a competent novel but feels like a bowdlerised version of the book the author could have written, an Agony And The Ecstasy, or a Pillars Of The Earth.

Pope Innocent is being manipulated on all sides. His sister-in-law has long held sway but now his advisors are taking more responsibility and pushing her aside. Donna Olympia is not going to take this lightly. Arriving in Roma are Sister Serafina and her protector, Orsola. They have escaped from tragedy and Serafina preaches and has visions. She is discovered by her long-lost sister. Fiamina is at the heart of a conspiracy involving the Spanish in the form of artist Don Diego which could bring down the papacy. Across a hot Roman summer the wheel of fortune will turn.
This is a complex novel with many different storylines so following the nuances is quite difficult. However, it pays the investment back! There is plotting, murder, cruelty and redemption for some. It was good to see the poorer characters developed rather than place emphasis on the known and the art becomes central.

I’ve only read one Matthew Plampin book – Mrs Whistler, about the life of Maud Franklin, the model and muse of the artist James McNeill Whistler – so I was intrigued by the description of his new one, which is set in an entirely different time and place. These Wicked Devices takes us to Rome in the spring of 1650 and introduces us to three separate characters whose stories become entwined in various ways.

First, we meet Sister Orsola, a Benedictine nun who has fled to Rome after the city of Castro, including the convent that was her home, was razed to the ground on the Pope’s orders. Orsola is accompanied by Sister Serafina, a choir nun who goes into trance-like states where she endlessly recites the lives of the saints. In the final hours before Castro’s destruction, the Mother Abbess had asked Orsola to protect Serafina and help her find another convent where she can live in safety. Orsola agreed, hoping that performing this task would help her to atone for the sin of giving birth to a child who died unbaptised.

Another thread of the novel follows Donna Olimpia Maidalchini, the most important woman in Rome. As the sister-in-law of Pope Innocent X, she is regarded as the real power behind the papal throne, involving herself in politics and the appointment of positions within the church. At the beginning of the novel, Donna Olimpia is negotiating with France to help a French invasion force seize the Kingdom of Naples from Spain.

Finally, we meet Juan de Pareja , newly arrived in Rome from Spain. Juan is an assistant and slave of the Spanish artist, Diego Velázquez, who hopes to paint a portrait of the Pope. When Juan discovers some secret papers hidden inside a metal statue, however, he suspects that there’s also another reason for their presence in Rome.

These three storylines alternate throughout the book, clearly marked with the Latin headings Sorores (sisters), Domina (mistress) and Servus (servant), to indicate whose perspective we’ll be reading from next. The three do merge together a lot, but I did find myself preferring one over the others – the one about Sisters Orsola and Serafina. There’s a real sense of danger as they are suspected of being heretics due to their connection with Castro and Orsola isn’t sure who can and can’t be trusted as she tries to carry out her promise to the Abbess. There was a lot to interest me in Juan de Pareja’s story as well – his relationship with his master, Diego Velázquez, his own ambitions of becoming an artist and his desire to live his life as a free man – but I found Donna Olimpia’s sections less engaging, maybe because she herself is much less likeable as a person.

Plampin creates a strong sense of time and place, with vivid descriptions of piazzas, fountains, palazzos and churches as Rome bakes in a late spring heatwave. I found the writing style quite dry, though, so for me this was an interesting read rather than an entertaining one. Still, it was good to add to my knowledge of a period in Rome’s history that I knew very little about.

These Wicked Devices by Matthew Plampin plunges readers into the bustling, sun-drenched streets of Rome in 1650, a city on the edge of chaos during the Holy Jubilee. Behind the grandeur of the Vatican, power struggles erupt, with Donna Olimpia Maidalchini fiercely controlling Pope Innocent X, even as enemies gather around her.

The story weaves together the fates of two desperate nuns fleeing destruction, and the assistant to the renowned artist Diego Velázquez, who becomes entangled in a deadly conspiracy threatening to bring Italy to ruin. Against a backdrop of heat, danger and shifting loyalties, survival is the only certainty in a world where saints rarely endure.

This richly atmospheric book masterfully combines history, intrigue and ambition, drawing readers into a gripping tale of power and peril.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

This book is chef’s kiss historical fiction—Rome in 1650 is a powder keg of corruption, and Plampin lights the fuse with style. Between Donna Olimpia’s ruthless scheming, Velázquez’s artist drama, and two runaway nuns with deadly secrets, it’s a masterclass in tension. The writing’s so vivid you can smell the sweat and incense.

Dark, addictive, and packed with betrayals—I couldn’t put it down. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Excellent! A very impressive novel, cleverly written. Rome around 1650 was a world not only reeking of intrigues but also full of loneliness. Yes, loneliness: even though noone was ever alone, rich or poor in those Jubelee celebrations, loneliness seemed to prevail. Indeed, they were only looking out for themselves: either wanting even more money and power, or looking for means of surviving. Very sad and very dangerous! Cruelty, betrayal at all levels! Only one person ended up being herself.....
Based on real characters, such as Velasquez, Pope Innocent X and the machiavellic Donna Olimpia, this novel shows a malefic world within the Church. I am always amazed to read the corruption which seemed inane to those times in Rome. Fascinating! I highly recommend this novel for its richness of artistic detail thanks to Velasquez's genius and naturally thanks to the author's picturesque descriptions.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.