Mona Lisa’s Daughter
In 16th-century Florence, Leonardo da Vinci meets Lisa del Giocondo, whose husband has commissioned a portrait of her. They begin a close relationship as Leonardo works on what will become possibly his greatest masterpiece. In 20th-century Florence, a nun, Valentina Amati, becomes the custodian of a box of letters written between Leonardo and Lisa. As the Nazis approach, Valentina tries to safeguard the precious letters, which her convent has protected for 400 years. But as she attempts to prepare for the Nazi threat, Valentina finds that she is also haunted by a relentless demon from her own past who will not stop until all she holds dear is destroyed. Also in 20th-century Italy, Meira and her parents, who are Jewish, are facing persecution from the Nazis.
This dual-timeline novel works on all levels. Both timelines support each other seamlessly, and the storylines and characters are balanced and make sense. The life of Leonardo da Vinci is well researched. The relationship between Leonardo and Lisa is fictional, but fascinating, and the author makes it utterly believable. The reader is also given an intriguing glimpse of the art world during the Florentine Renaissance, and we get to meet Michelangelo and see evidence of his difficult personality. The World War II Florence timeline is just as strong. Valentina is an incredibly brave and resilient woman, and her story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. Meira’s part in this book appears separate at first, but instead it is another layer that makes the complete work even more powerful. I felt transported to both periods of history and enjoyed the incredible stories in each one. Captivating, engrossing, and compelling. Highly recommended.
