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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
The timeline and characters in this book appealed to me. From Leonardo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Borgias, and others. I did enjoy it.
After reading and thoroughly enjoying [b:Raphael, Painter in Rome: A Novel|50526770|Raphael, Painter in Rome A Novel|Stephanie Storey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1579303266l/50526770._SY75_.jpg|71908642], I decided that I needed to go back and read this author's debut novel. It was an absolute delight from the first page to the last and I could not read it fast enough! I love this period of history and Renaissance Italian art in general, so I enjoyed spending time with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo in Florence from 1501 to 1505. During this brief time period, the two artists created two of their greatest masterpieces -- Mona Lisa and David. This novel imagines how their rivalry might have spurred them on to create these iconic works of art.
The amount of research and imagination that went into creating this novel were evident. I felt transported back in time to this richly imagined version of Florence and enjoyed every minute of my time with the two maestros. Their personalities shone through and felt true to what they must have been like during this time of their lives. I liked seeing how Michelangelo was portrayed at this point in his career, as I felt more empathy towards him. I also enjoyed the brief cameo appearance of my favorite artist at the end of the book immensely. After reading this novel and her superb novel about Raphael, I can't wait to read more from this masterful story-teller.
I selected this as my pick for the 2022 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge prompt "a different book by an author you read in 2021."
The amount of research and imagination that went into creating this novel were evident. I felt transported back in time to this richly imagined version of Florence and enjoyed every minute of my time with the two maestros. Their personalities shone through and felt true to what they must have been like during this time of their lives. I liked seeing how Michelangelo was portrayed at this point in his career, as I felt more empathy towards him. I also enjoyed the brief cameo appearance of my favorite artist at the end of the book immensely. After reading this novel and her superb novel about Raphael, I can't wait to read more from this masterful story-teller.
I selected this as my pick for the 2022 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge prompt "a different book by an author you read in 2021."
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A treasure for lovers of art history and the renaissance. A rich portrait of life during a fascinating and enlightened slice of time. A love letter to Florence, Italy.
A novel set around 1501 about the rivalry and lives of Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo. Was very intrigued when I found this book but my knowledge about them was very sparse. But I ended up absolutely gulping the story up, told in such a talented and vivid way that I wasn't ready for the book to end, (a rarity for me to feel on such a way).
Amazing! I wish I had read this before I went to Italy in highschool so I would have really cared about what I was seeing. The amount of character of each figure in the book is palpable and you can feel the passion of the author radiating out of each chapter.
I couldn’t keep going. I honored my boundaries by walking away rather than force finish what is a terribly-written story. I’m fascinated by the history of this rivalry but will satisfy my curiosity for details somewhere else.
