The Ornatrix by Kate Howard

The Ornatrix by Kate Howard

'Dazzling.. a first novel of originality and, yes, beauty' The Times

'A richly drawn cast of twisted characters... lyrical... beguiling' Vogue

'Kate Howard's marvellous debut novel creates a seething, sensual idiom entirely its own. Exquisite, earthy, witty - this is a book of rare beauty, about beauty. In this intensely-imagined, elegant and erudite novel, the story of a 16th century Italian woman's quest for beauty springs vividly to life' Wendy Wallace, author of The Painted Bridge

'A historical novel in the old fashioned style... deliciously complex and intelligent' Essie Fox, author of The Goddess and the Thief

'Richly drawn historical novel' Sheerluxe, Summer Reads 2016

'Brilliant... kept me guessing until the end' Lisa Cox, Nudge

'Kate Howard s exceptional debut novel should be enjoyed in sips like fine wine, to better savor the lush, evocative prose all the way to the satisfying finish. It sent me immediately to my cosmetic shelf to decipher the real ingredients of all those miracle creams for which I have paid so dearly, even as I remembered that the more things change, the more they stay the same especially human nature' Brenda Rickman Vantrease, bestselling author of The Illuminator

'Vivid, dark and utterly compelling... a rich, lush novel and Kate Howard is a wonderful new voice in historical fiction' Imogen Robertson, author of Theft of Life

Kate Howard has lived and worked in Italy for many years, but now lives in Brighton. She works at the University of Sussex. The Ornatrix is her first novel.