I recently finished my NetGalley copy of Alison Weir's fabulous new novel JANE SEYMOUR: THE HAUNTED QUEEN. Wow, what a fantastic story. I've always thought of Jane Seymour as a mousy, quiet woman. A woman who was the antithesis of Anne Boleyn. The calm after the storm. Well, this book throws all my preconceived ideas out the window. I have no doubt she was the calm after the storm that was Anne Boleyn, but she was no shrinking violet, either. The Jane Seymour portrayed by Alison Weir (one of THE BEST historical novelist I've ever read), is a calm, but highly intelligent young woman. One who happened to catch the eye of Henry. The only woman who was able to give him the son and heir he required and craved. She was full of life and joy, but the title tells it all. She was haunted. There is an element of the supernatural in this book. She is haunted by a dark figure; she feels partly responsible for the death of ...
about the book:
Paperback, 304 pages
Published August 1st 2012 by Granta Books (first published January 1st 2011)
ISBN
1847083595 (ISBN13: 9781847083593)
Edition Language
English
A solitary child, Leonardo's only intimate is Lisa Gherardini, the girl who spies on him in his workshop. Spurned by his tutor, he is sent by his despairing father to Florence as an apprentice. Under the guiding hand of Verrocchio, the master sculptor, he begins to make his name. But success requires sacrifice; Florence demands a level of conformity impossible for him. Forced to leave, Leonardo places himself at the service of the charismatic, power-thirsty Duke of Milan. His journey leads him back to Lisa and the portrait he has waited so long to paint, the culmination of his life's work.
From the glittering court of the Medici to the mortuaries of Milan and the battlefields of the Po valley, Lucille Turner's powerful novel vividly imagines Leonardo's lonely struggle to convince others of his vision of the world.
From the glittering court of the Medici to the mortuaries of Milan and the battlefields of the Po valley, Lucille Turner's powerful novel vividly imagines Leonardo's lonely struggle to convince others of his vision of the world.
my thoughts:
An interesting book. Very well written. We get into the mind of Leonardo da Vinci. I realize this is historical fiction, but it reads like a biography. A man full of ideas and ambitions. I expected a bit more from Leonardo's time in Milan.
The main story focuses on the relationship/friendship between Leonardo and Lisa (Mona Lisa), throughout his life and his quest for knowledge. I was intrigued with the explanations of his human dissections, particularly interesting was the dissection involving a young, pregnant woman. He treated the bodies he dissected with reverence and care, while learning all he could about human anatomy for the advancement of knowledge.
Leonardo's interest in medicine, weaponry and science are all explained in this book. The one thing left out, was the sodomy incident in Florence that clouded his early years. He wasn't convicted but it is still worth mentioning in any book featuring Leonardo.
I would like to personally thank Lucille Turner for allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed the story and look forward to more books by her.
I enjoyed reading this book and give it 4/5 stars
The main story focuses on the relationship/friendship between Leonardo and Lisa (Mona Lisa), throughout his life and his quest for knowledge. I was intrigued with the explanations of his human dissections, particularly interesting was the dissection involving a young, pregnant woman. He treated the bodies he dissected with reverence and care, while learning all he could about human anatomy for the advancement of knowledge.
Leonardo's interest in medicine, weaponry and science are all explained in this book. The one thing left out, was the sodomy incident in Florence that clouded his early years. He wasn't convicted but it is still worth mentioning in any book featuring Leonardo.
I would like to personally thank Lucille Turner for allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed the story and look forward to more books by her.
I enjoyed reading this book and give it 4/5 stars
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