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Summary
Summary
For fans of rich and complex historical novels like Girl with a Pearl Earring or Code Name Verity, Laura Malone Elliott delivers the stunning tale of real-life Renaissance woman Ginevra de' Benci, the inspiration for one of Leonardo da Vinci's earliest masterpieces.
Young, beautiful, and witty, Ginevra longs to take part in the artistic ferment of Renaissance Florence. But as the daughter of a wealthy family in a society dictated by men, she is trapped in an arranged marriage, expected to limit her creativity to domestic duties.
When charismatic Bernardo Bembo arrives in Florence, he introduces Ginevra to a dazzling circle of patrons, artists, and philosophers--a world of thought and conversation she has yearned for. She is attracted to the handsome newcomer, yet Ginevra remains conflicted about his attentions. Choosing her as his Platonic muse, Bembo commissions a portrait by a young Leonardo da Vinci. Posing for the brilliant painter inspires an intimate connection between them--one Ginevra can only begin to understand. In a world of exquisite art, elaborate feats, and exhilarating jousts, she discovers romance, friendship, temptation, and a deadly battle between powerful families.
Author Notes
Laura Malone Elliott was a staff reporter for the Washingtonian Magazine and wrote two adult non-fiction books before turning to children's books. She writes historical novels under the name L. M. Elliott and writes picture books illustrated by Lynn Munsinger under her full name. Her books written as L. M. Elliott include A Troubled Peace, Across a War-Tossed Sea, Give Me Liberty, Flying South, and Da Vinci's Tiger. Under a War-Torn Sky won the Borders' Original Voices Award. Her picture books written as Laura Malone Elliott include Hunter's Best Friend at School, Hunter and Stripe and the Soccer Showdown, Hunter's Big Sister, A String of Hearts, and Thanksgiving Day Thanks.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
"I beg your pardon, I am a mountain tiger." This is the only surviving sentence from the poetry of Ginevra de' Benci, who posed for a portrait by Leonardo da Vinci in the late 1470s. The creation of this portrait is the subject of Elliott's (Flying South) delicately beautiful novel. Ginevra, a well-educated and intelligent young woman, seeks intellectual and romantic fulfillment in the aristocratic circles of Florence. Her arranged marriage, while friendly, is dull, and the ambassador from Venice, Bernardo Bembo, wants her to be his Platonic muse-a Renaissance form of romance in which a man idealizes a woman, declaring that he will meditate on her beauty, grace, and virtue to guide his soul to God. Bembo's love can give Ginevra access to the sparkling life of the court, but she finds the painter he hires for her portrait very distracting indeed. Elliott's novel is thoroughly researched, portraying three-dimensional characters in a lively atmosphere of love and art. Renaissance Florence breathes through this book, bringing readers to a fuller understanding of the portrait, the era, and an indomitable young woman. Ages 13-up. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Elliott's well-researched novel focuses on Ginevra de' Benci's late teenage years. Newly married to a disinterested older husband, tempted by a Venetian diplomat, and chosen to model for Leonardo da Vinci, Ginevra is immersed in Renaissance politics, philosophy, and art. The deliberately paced story of a real woman and expansive detailing of Florence at its height of influence will interest dedicated historical-fiction readers. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
The Italian Renaissance is at its peak, and Florence flourishes under the leadership of the Medici family. Lovely, educated, poetic Ginevra de' Benci longs to take part in this artistic revolution, but as a woman of status, the only avenue she's allowed is an arranged marriage with a distant husband. But when the charming Bernardo Bembo comes to Florence and names Ginevra his Platonic Muse, she finds herself sitting for a portrait with a young painter named Leonardo da Vinci. Through their sessions, Ginevra finds in Leonardo a kindred spirit, expressing her thoughts and passions for perhaps the first time. But elsewhere in the city, the Pazzi family seethes under Medici rule, and Ginevra must walk a thin line of political intrigue while maintaining her reputation in the eyes of her society. This is history-heavy and meticulously researched, though the details of fifteenth-century Florence often overshadow the plot. Still, the independent female narrator and the richly drawn portrait of Italian culture will attract history buffs and artists alike to this story behind da Vinci's first-known painting.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2015 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up-This atmospheric novel is set in the opulence and splendor of 15th-century Florence. Finding societal roles limiting, Ginevra de'Benci struggles to find her voice among the male poets and artists in the circle around the Medici family, who use their wealth to support culture and art. Ginevra is a progressive and intelligent young woman who is trapped in a loveless arranged marriage. However, her family's wealth and influence allow her to move among a well-educated, cosmopolitan crowd. She catches the eye of several artists who use her lovely and wise face on canvas and in sculpture. Leonardo da Vinci, apprenticed to Andrea del Verrocchio, forms a genuine friendship with Ginevra, appreciating her intelligence and grace. Commissioned by a powerful ambassador, who also seems to have amorous plans for Ginevra, da Vinci paints one of his best-known works featuring Ginevra and her intense gaze. While this novel will have limited appeal owing to its deliberately slow pace, it is abundant with day-to-day details of life during the Renaissance. Elizabeth Wiley's narration is not ideal; Ginevra's voice is frequently whiny or breathless, presenting her more as vapid than valiant. -VERDICT An additional selection. ["Add this gem to round out collections skewed toward 20th-century history": SLJ 10/15 review of the Katherine Tegen book.]--Suzanne Dix, The Seven Hills School, Cincinnati, OH © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
In politically turbulent Renaissance Florence, the admirer of a beautiful, married noblewoman changes her life when he commissions a young Leonardo da Vinci to paint her portrait. Ginevra de' Benci, 17, spends her dull marriage to an older wool merchant reading, writing poetry, and socializing. She benefits from her family's long-standing ties to the Medicis, especially Lorenzo, who introduces her to Bernardo Bembo, the handsome ambassador from Venice. Smitten, he commissions her portrait from rising artist Leonardo. Vows of platonic love notwithstanding, Ginevra finds Bernardo's lusty pursuit anything but abstract. It's Leonardo, who engages her as an equal, who attracts her, however. Readers will learn much about 15th-century Florence, but meticulous research does not make a novel. For that, characters are needed whose desires, fears, gifts, and foibles drive the story, whom readers can believe in and care about. In the confusing prologue, Ginevra addresses modern readers, explaining her portrait's significance in an art-historical prcis. Thereafter, brief spurts of dialogue are separated by long paragraphs of unleavened exposition as Ginevra steps out of character to offer historical analyses and tangential facts, such as how left-handedness has been treated over centuries. The book's second half may well engage readers willing to hang on that long. Not credible as fiction, but the bonanza of fascinating details about life in Renaissance Italy has appeal. (Historical fiction. 13-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
