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fireth's review against another edition
4.0
I have not been reading since mid-March and once I started to read this, I can't stop. Mona Lisa is a short read, yet a very addictive one. Started it on my Monday commute to work and finished it on the way back the same evening.
This book was written in German by Alexander Lernet-Holenia in 1937. I'm honestly surprised it took so long for it to be translated and published in English. It's a short story on the famous painting Mona Lisa, and how a man (Philippe de Bougainville) while on a campaign for Louis XII, fell in love with an unfinished painting of Mona Lisa.
Bougainville was so infatuated with the smiling Mona Lisa that it led to his ruins. I wondered whether while Leonardo finished the painting, it took away some of the mystical powers of the smiles which made Bougainville crazy, just to prevent other men from falling into the same time end.
Special thanks to NetGalley, for providing a free e-copy from the publisher, in return for an honest review.
This book was written in German by Alexander Lernet-Holenia in 1937. I'm honestly surprised it took so long for it to be translated and published in English. It's a short story on the famous painting Mona Lisa, and how a man (Philippe de Bougainville) while on a campaign for Louis XII, fell in love with an unfinished painting of Mona Lisa.
Bougainville was so infatuated with the smiling Mona Lisa that it led to his ruins. I wondered whether while Leonardo finished the painting, it took away some of the mystical powers of the smiles which made Bougainville crazy, just to prevent other men from falling into the same time end.
Special thanks to NetGalley, for providing a free e-copy from the publisher, in return for an honest review.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
RATING: 4 STARS
1937 (reissued 2016); Pushkin Collection/Steerforth Press
This thin volume of 96 pages packs a lot of punch. I have always liked Leonardo Da Vinci and been fascinated with his artwork and mind. In fact, my mom says the first book I picked out all by myself was a big Da Vinci art book. This story was first written in German, 1937. Pushkin has released it this month translated into English. The story is of a man who sees Da Vinci's Mona Lisa and falls for the women. He is so infatuated he digs up a woman's grave to see if his dream woman is real and alive. I really enjoyed this novella! I would recommend this one to those who love classics.
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***
1937 (reissued 2016); Pushkin Collection/Steerforth Press
This thin volume of 96 pages packs a lot of punch. I have always liked Leonardo Da Vinci and been fascinated with his artwork and mind. In fact, my mom says the first book I picked out all by myself was a big Da Vinci art book. This story was first written in German, 1937. Pushkin has released it this month translated into English. The story is of a man who sees Da Vinci's Mona Lisa and falls for the women. He is so infatuated he digs up a woman's grave to see if his dream woman is real and alive. I really enjoyed this novella! I would recommend this one to those who love classics.
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***
gingernut_reads's review against another edition
3.75
Classic case of creepy men, funny and insightful
anushar's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
this was such a silly little book and i enjoyed it thoroughly—i think everyone should read it because it is actually absurd and therefore enjoyable.
4.5/5 stars
4.5/5 stars
eclectictales's review against another edition
5.0
I was approved an ARC of this book by the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This review was originally posted at eclectictales.com: http://www.eclectictales.com/blog/2016/06/13/review-mona-lisa/
Wow, I was absolutely stunned by this novella. Spanning about 88 pages long (in the eARC at least), the storytelling was tight as it focused on the young Bougainville and his quest to first uncover the identity of Leonardo da Vinci’s elusive portrait and then to save her. I really felt for Bougainville, he really was certain of his own feelings and went through great lengths to find her and to keep her safe. Unfortunately things come to head as reality and conviction end up clashing in quite a climax. I should note that whilst the story was very much about Bougainville’s quest, the historical backdrop in which the story is set it was quite fleshed out, you could feel the precarious political situation that these characters were living at the time.
Interwoven throughout Bougainville’s quest are thoughtful ponderings of love and ideas surroundingly courtly love and the Renaissance attitudes towards women, deeper ponderings about smiling (who would’ve thought?) and the images we form about other people (who they are, their backstories, how we perceive them, etc.). I was quite moved by Bougainville’s reflection on love towards the end of the novella. While thoughtful and sad at some parts, the story was also pretty hilarious at some parts (Leonardo da Vinci’s ponderings early in the novella was quite the amble) and the author’s own wittiness also makes an appearance here (the footnote he added about men’s trousers in this period greatly amused me).
I don’t know what else I can say about this novella except that it’s fantastic, it was short but I found it to be quite a powerful piece; I could not put it down once I started reading it. I can definitely see why this book was described as “Quixotic” on the book blurb. I highly recommend this book if you’re into translated literature, classic turn-of-the-century literature, novellas, or just looking for a new literary title to read :)
p.s. The illustrations by Neil Gower peppered throughout were absolutely wonderful too! I thought they added to the story in their own way :)
Wow, I was absolutely stunned by this novella. Spanning about 88 pages long (in the eARC at least), the storytelling was tight as it focused on the young Bougainville and his quest to first uncover the identity of Leonardo da Vinci’s elusive portrait and then to save her. I really felt for Bougainville, he really was certain of his own feelings and went through great lengths to find her and to keep her safe. Unfortunately things come to head as reality and conviction end up clashing in quite a climax. I should note that whilst the story was very much about Bougainville’s quest, the historical backdrop in which the story is set it was quite fleshed out, you could feel the precarious political situation that these characters were living at the time.
Interwoven throughout Bougainville’s quest are thoughtful ponderings of love and ideas surroundingly courtly love and the Renaissance attitudes towards women, deeper ponderings about smiling (who would’ve thought?) and the images we form about other people (who they are, their backstories, how we perceive them, etc.). I was quite moved by Bougainville’s reflection on love towards the end of the novella. While thoughtful and sad at some parts, the story was also pretty hilarious at some parts (Leonardo da Vinci’s ponderings early in the novella was quite the amble) and the author’s own wittiness also makes an appearance here (the footnote he added about men’s trousers in this period greatly amused me).
I don’t know what else I can say about this novella except that it’s fantastic, it was short but I found it to be quite a powerful piece; I could not put it down once I started reading it. I can definitely see why this book was described as “Quixotic” on the book blurb. I highly recommend this book if you’re into translated literature, classic turn-of-the-century literature, novellas, or just looking for a new literary title to read :)
p.s. The illustrations by Neil Gower peppered throughout were absolutely wonderful too! I thought they added to the story in their own way :)
jasonfurman's review against another edition
4.0
This slim novella is about a French nobleman who meets Leonardo Da Vinci, becomes obsessed with the real woman behind The Mona Lisa, and persists in pursuing her well beyond the bounds of rationality. The book is compellingly written, feels like a tiny slice of real renaissance life, while having a plot that is more than interesting enough to sustain a book this length.
pierreikonnikov's review against another edition
5.0
An outstanding short story about the limits of perception and the role of the sublime that art plays in the mundane. The gap between the two cannot be bridged from our end, as Bougainville finds out: but it can offer a glimpse, the crack in everything that lets the light in.
nicollemk's review against another edition
3.0
I lost count of how many times I rolled my eyes at the sheer male arrogance and dramatics of Bougainville.
From a single glance at a painting he managed to "fall in love" and invent an entire story of his "beloved" being a damsel in distress and needing his help.
From a single glance at a painting he managed to "fall in love" and invent an entire story of his "beloved" being a damsel in distress and needing his help.
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