I enjoyed Birth of Venus, also by Dunant, but this book was better by far. In the Company of the Courtesan has all of the lush period detail of Birth of Venus, but the story line and characters are better developed and more interesting. I loved the quirky main characters: a young girl raised as a courtesan who loses everything but her life during the sacking of Rome, a dwarf who is her companion, friend and business partner, and a blind and deformed healer whose story is a mystery. Setting and plot draw the reader into the adventures of these marvelous characters.

The characters of this novel and the setting will capture your imagination. Well written and engaging.