Disobedient

Critics Review

• Magical, thrilling, wonderful, excellent. Heartpoundingly tense and absolutely engrossing. Clever, amazing and inspiring

  Daily Mail

• 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

• Vivid, unflinching, justly furious. Fremantle’s best work

  The Times, Historical Fiction of the Month

• Dazzling. Taut, fast-paced, powerful and painterly as Artemisia’s canvases

  Mail on Sunday

• 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

• A searing, gripping account of the early life of baroque prodigy Artemisia Gentileschi

  Daily Mail

• A WONDERFUL HERO: creative, passionate and true to herself

  GOOD HOUSEKEEPING SUMMER READING

• 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

• You’ll be gripped by this fictionalised account of the life of the remarkable Italian Renaissance painter Artemisia Gentileschi. The author brings 17th-century Italy to life

  Woman & Home

• 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

• You’ll be gripped

  Woman's Weekly

• 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

• Absolutely stunning…Exquisitely written, powerful, gripping, devastating, and timely. I loved it so much. Everyone should read it

  DINAH JEFFERIES

• Praise for Elizabeth Fremantle

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• 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