Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks / Harper Audio
Published: September 8, 2020
Source: ARC Paperback via William Morrow / Audio via library
Summary:
An exciting, dual-timeline historical novel about the creation of one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous paintings, Portrait of a Lady with an Ermine, and the woman who fought to save it from Nazi destruction during World War II.
Milan, 1492: When a 16-year old beauty becomes the mistress of the Duke of Milan, she must fight for her place in the palace—and against those who want her out. Soon, she finds herself sitting before Leonardo da Vinci, who wants to ensure his own place in the ducal palace by painting his most ambitious portrait to date.
Munich, World War II: After a modest conservator unwittingly places a priceless Italian Renaissance portrait into the hands of a high-ranking Nazi leader, she risks her life to recover it, working with an American soldier, part of the famed Monuments Men team, to get it back.
Two women, separated by 500 years, are swept up in the tide of history as one painting stands at the center of their quests for their own destinies.
My thoughts:
This is the first book I’ve read by Laura Morelli but it certainly will not be the last. I may not read a ton of books set around the art world, but am always fascinated when I find them, especially when I am so captivated by the story as I was here.
This dual narrative is one that really intrigued me from the start. It alternates between Renaissance Italy and the 1940s Europe during the height of WWII. There are lots of moving parts to this story, and while it does take a bit to get used to the different perspectives, once you do, it becomes quite enjoyable and very enlightening. There is so much about the war that I just didn’t know and this whole scene about process about locating and securing the art that was confiscated from the Nazis is just fascinating. I loved how the author included not only the history of this but also the process.
This is the type of book that would appeal to both the historical fiction fan and art historian. There is just so much going for this book and it all really kept my attention throughout. The characters were all fully fleshed and I loved that I learned so much…this is why I read so much on this era and why I love historical fiction in general.
Audio thoughts:
I alternated between the print and audio with this book and I loved doing so. The audio was narrated by such a great cast and they really made the book come to life.
