Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
25th out of 305 books
—
485 voters
I, Mona Lisa
"My name is Lisa di Antonio Gherardini Giocondo, though to acquaintances, I am known simply as Madonna Lisa. My story begins not with my birth but a murder, committed the year before I was born…"
Florence, April 1478: The handsome Giuliano de' Medici is brutally assassinated in Florence's magnificent Duomo. The shock of the murder ripples throughout the great city, from th...more
Florence, April 1478: The handsome Giuliano de' Medici is brutally assassinated in Florence's magnificent Duomo. The shock of the murder ripples throughout the great city, from th...more
Paperback, 515 pages
Published
October 31st 2006
by St. Martin's Griffin
(first published May 2nd 2006)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
I,Mona Lisa takes the readers back in time in the 15th century Florence during the last years of rule of Lorenzo de' Medici and the raise of the Dominican monk and religious fanatic Girolamo Savonarola who preaches against any kind of display of art, even comfort, against the Medici and the pope.
We are introduced to this world through the eyes of young Lisa. Lisa is the daughter of a successful wool merchant and his mysterious aristocratic wife.
Historical note:
There seem to be some evidences whi...more
We are introduced to this world through the eyes of young Lisa. Lisa is the daughter of a successful wool merchant and his mysterious aristocratic wife.
Historical note:
There seem to be some evidences whi...more
Jun 07, 2008
Xysea
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
historical fiction fans, those who like suspenseful murder mysteries
I found this book surprisingly engrossing, albeit in a sort of way, but better.
The story centers around a murder - that of Giuliano de Medici in the late 15th century in Florence - and the subsequent solving of that murder.
(Another good book on this subject is also one I mailed out for bookmooch called April Blood, but that book was more dry and less entertaining that this one - though the fictional details closely resemble the actual ones)
The plot has a decent pace, the characters are effectiv...more
The story centers around a murder - that of Giuliano de Medici in the late 15th century in Florence - and the subsequent solving of that murder.
(Another good book on this subject is also one I mailed out for bookmooch called April Blood, but that book was more dry and less entertaining that this one - though the fictional details closely resemble the actual ones)
The plot has a decent pace, the characters are effectiv...more
I made it about halfway through this book before getting bored and wandering off. It isn't so much that it's bad as that there's just nothing particularly good about it. Life;s to short to finish boring books.
I, Mona Lisa is an extended example of why it is it is important to make the reader feel something rather than just describing those feelings. Kalogridis tells us things about her characters without ever really demonstrating them. Her protagonist tells us about her passions without ever gen...more
I, Mona Lisa is an extended example of why it is it is important to make the reader feel something rather than just describing those feelings. Kalogridis tells us things about her characters without ever really demonstrating them. Her protagonist tells us about her passions without ever gen...more
After reading her Diaries of the Family Dracul I decided to look into her historical fiction novel, The Borgia Bride and I loved every single word of it. I, Mona Lisa takes place in the same time frame of The Borgia Bride, has some more in depth scenes of characters that were only mentioned in the Borgia Bride and is every bit as good!
I really enjoy how Kalogridis writes historical fiction. She uses real events and people from history and 'fills in the blanks' as it were in regards to what she t...more
I really enjoy how Kalogridis writes historical fiction. She uses real events and people from history and 'fills in the blanks' as it were in regards to what she t...more
I, Mona Lisa takes you into the heart of Florence when the monk Savanarola, was preaching his messages of hell fire and brimstone against the Borgia pope's decadence and lust, the evilness of sodomy, and what was going to happen to the rich of Florence if they did not repent and change their ways; in the middle of all this you meet you Madonna Lisa, her sick Mother, her faithful yet beautiful slave, her deceitful Father and the hateful and demanding world which she is tossed into. From the first...more
In her follow-up to 2005's The Borgia Bride, Ms Kalogridis brings to life the woman behind the enigmatic smile of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous painting.
Lisa di Antonio Gheradini is born the daughter of a successful cloth merchant in 15th century Florence, a city dominated by the Medici and rife with dangerous intrigue and treachery since the assassination attempt known as the Pazzi Conspiracy, during which the Medici overlord, Lorenzo Il Magnifico, lost his brother and nearly his own life. L...more
Lisa di Antonio Gheradini is born the daughter of a successful cloth merchant in 15th century Florence, a city dominated by the Medici and rife with dangerous intrigue and treachery since the assassination attempt known as the Pazzi Conspiracy, during which the Medici overlord, Lorenzo Il Magnifico, lost his brother and nearly his own life. L...more
I, Mona Lisa is another breathtaking, fabulous historical novel by Jeanne Kalogridis. Bringing a keen eye for detail and a marvelous pen to Renaissance Italy, Kalogridis weaves a compelling tale of jealousy, passion, secrets, lies and power where she attempts to unravel the strange secrets behind Leondardo di Vinci's most famous piece of art.
I, Mona Lisa follows the life of Italian noblewoman Lisa, the subject of de Vinci's Mona Lisa through the tumultuous changes in Italy and the fall of the po...more
I, Mona Lisa follows the life of Italian noblewoman Lisa, the subject of de Vinci's Mona Lisa through the tumultuous changes in Italy and the fall of the po...more
Ho comprato questo romanzo, sinceramente, senza aspettarmi granchè. Mi incuriosiva solo perchè ambientato nel rinascimento fiorentino, ma ero convinta che una storia di Lisa Gherardini (la famosa Gioconda) inventata dall'autrice, sarebbe stata un pacco totale.
E invece, oh, una volta iniziato, non riuscivo più a smettere! Più di 500 pagine divorate in tre giorni!
C'è tutto: amore, mistero, avventura, intrighi, le vecchie lettere scritte con l'inchiostro simpatico e gli incontri segreti in cattedra...more
E invece, oh, una volta iniziato, non riuscivo più a smettere! Più di 500 pagine divorate in tre giorni!
C'è tutto: amore, mistero, avventura, intrighi, le vecchie lettere scritte con l'inchiostro simpatico e gli incontri segreti in cattedra...more
I started this book on Wednesday and it's now Saturday night and I just finished. I'm slightly embarrassed by how much time I devoted to reading this book. It truly was a fantastic read. The storyline was very captivating and held your interest literally until the last line of the Epilogue. There were only 2 things about it that kept me from giving it 5 stars. 1) There was a little bit of questionable language. It wasn't very much and it didn't even occur until almost 2/3 of the way through, but...more
1 like · like · see review
Lisa Gherardini is told her horoscope is forged in fire and she must finish what was started before her birth.Guiliano DeMedici, youngest brother of Lorenzo, The Magnificent, ruler of Florence had been assassinated before her birth.
Growing into womanhood Lisa falls in love with Lorenzo's youngest son, another Guiliano.
Florence is in turmoil, roiled up by the fanatic preacher, Savonarola. With the death of Lorenzo, civil war breaks out between the DeMedicis and the Pazzi family. The DeMedicis fle...more
Growing into womanhood Lisa falls in love with Lorenzo's youngest son, another Guiliano.
Florence is in turmoil, roiled up by the fanatic preacher, Savonarola. With the death of Lorenzo, civil war breaks out between the DeMedicis and the Pazzi family. The DeMedicis fle...more
I wanted to like this book more than I did, although -- in all fairness -- I think I might have expected too much from it. I had hoped for a historical novel that brought art history into conversation with Italian culture... and that only vaguely happened. Far too much of the book was devoted to the question of the main character's relationship with one of the most famous artists who has ever lived. The plot didn't resonate with me because I did not believe the premise upon which it was built --...more
Another book selected at random from the library shelves. It was entertaining, but the plot is a little far-fetched, and the writing was a bit stilted/formulaic for me. However, it was still interesting to get a glimpse into what life was like for Florentines during and after the reign of the Medici, and a lot of the historical material is based on actual events. (The main plot is completely invented, however.)
Also, I just couldn't buy into the concept that Mona Lisa is beautiful. The author in...more
Also, I just couldn't buy into the concept that Mona Lisa is beautiful. The author in...more
I liked this book once I got into the story. Certainly it is based on a creative imagination rather than within the framework of solid facts, but Kalogridis does not set out to do anything else other than to give us a good read. It is a speculative tale about the painting of the Mona Lisa, set against the background of the turbulent politics of Renaissance Florence, under the de facto rule of the Medici family. Kalogridis provides intrigue to the extent I felt compelled to keep turning the pages...more
Jul 26, 2010
Blodeuedd Finland
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
I picked up this book thinking to learn something more, and then I googled after having read for a little while and realized the story is total fiction. The people existed but she has re-invented history and put together this fictional story.
Young Lisa grows up in Florence where de Medici rule. Her father is a wool merchant and her mother is sickly. The de Medici family rules everyhting, even marriages and she is sent to be inspected so they can find her a husband. But she meets Giuliano de Medi...more
Young Lisa grows up in Florence where de Medici rule. Her father is a wool merchant and her mother is sickly. The de Medici family rules everyhting, even marriages and she is sent to be inspected so they can find her a husband. But she meets Giuliano de Medi...more
It is the late 15th century in Florence, Italy. Political forces, leading families and religious factions, are looking for control of the city. In the wake of murder and an attempted political coup, is the story of Monna Lisa. The face that would grace one of the most famous paintings in history is at the heart of this story of political intrigue. This fiction narative weaves her story between and around historical figures such as the de'Medici family, Michelangelo, and of course Leonardo de Vin...more
This book is kind of Philippa Gregory-ish for those who like ehr. I like getting really involved in a story & while this book has a great plotline with twists & turns throughout the novel, I wouldn't consider it a literary classic. However, it's a fun read and once you get into the heart of it, it's impossible to put down.
This book was brilliant.
Set in Italy at the time of the demise of the Midici reign, di Vinci meets a young girl who inspires the most famous painting in the world.
Lisa is a young girl whose life is taken over by the religious unrest in Florence and caught up in love with a young man whose veryfamily her father is against. Does she stay with her father or does she fallow her heart? Will she survive in a city where not even being in church will save you from being murdered.
This is the emotional,...more
Set in Italy at the time of the demise of the Midici reign, di Vinci meets a young girl who inspires the most famous painting in the world.
Lisa is a young girl whose life is taken over by the religious unrest in Florence and caught up in love with a young man whose veryfamily her father is against. Does she stay with her father or does she fallow her heart? Will she survive in a city where not even being in church will save you from being murdered.
This is the emotional,...more
I Mona Lisa takes place in Florence near the end of the Medici family's golden years. The novel begins with the murder of Guiliano de Medici and the attempted murder of his brother Lorenzo. The opening chapters were slightly confusing for me because this is the first HF novel I have read set in Italy during this time period. The second chapter explained a lot of Italian politics of the time period, but I felt overwhelmed with the names and information. I am glad that I continued reading this boo...more
Seeing Florence was one of the highlights of my life. As an art history major, visiting the Uffizi was like being inside the mothership.
This book made that place come alive for me again. Years ago, I read several of Will and Ariel Durant's History of Civilization series, including the one on The Renaissance.
I was fascinated to know how a complete madman like Savonarola was able to wrest power from the ruling family for as long as he did, and how he was able to keep Florentines under his sway....more
This book made that place come alive for me again. Years ago, I read several of Will and Ariel Durant's History of Civilization series, including the one on The Renaissance.
I was fascinated to know how a complete madman like Savonarola was able to wrest power from the ruling family for as long as he did, and how he was able to keep Florentines under his sway....more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
If you take into consideration that this book is based on the fact that in 2005 the Mona Lisa was definitively identified as being the main character is in this book, it makes it much more interesting. Kalogrodis has written a whole historical background for Lisa di Gherardina which encompasses the turbulent Florence in the 15th century. I will say that this author often confuses locations (one big one was her switching around the burial place of Cosimo de' Medici at least twice in the book-he i...more
The assassination of Giuiliano de Medici and the vengeance of his brother Lorenzo create the backdrop to the story of the young Lisa Gherardini. She is the daughter of a wool merchant and his beautiful but haunted wife. When her mother dies in tragic circumstances, Lisa is drawn into the life of the powerful Medici family and the artists they patronise.
When I picked this book up I expected it to be a historical romance based around the painting of the Mona Lisa...what I got was a very in depth h...more
When I picked this book up I expected it to be a historical romance based around the painting of the Mona Lisa...what I got was a very in depth h...more
Jun 21, 2007
Catherine
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
girls in search of a little light reading
a fun mystery set in florence in the time of da vinci. has a couple good twists, and a couple foreseeable ones. if i had a beach-reading shelf i'd put it on that too...
Wow! Having seen the "Mona Lisa" in Paris and visiting Florence, reading this book took those experiences to a wonderful new level. For me, the unequalled charm of France and Italy rests in the ever present history that is evident everywhere. It was so easy to envision those streets with the action of the story. Ms. Kalogridis did a masterful job weaving the environment, history and people together. Going back to the Louvre I will certainly look at the painting with different eyes. The question...more
Overdone, more detail than necessary. I had difficulty with all the character names. Waited in vain for the climax that never really came.
This was the first book I have read by Jeanne Kalogridas and it won't be the last. I really enjoyed this book, which tells the story of the woman behind Leonardo da Vinci's most famous painting. So little was known about Lisa Gherardini, Kalogridas was able to position her right in the heart of the intrigues, murders, and religious fanaticism of Florence in the days of Savaronola. I've read quite a few books set during this period, including Sarah Dunant's 'Birth of Venus' and Karen Essex's 'Leo...more
Sep 13, 2009
Deborah Drake
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everyone who loves Italy, history, art, politics
I am a big fan of historical fiction and love Cecelia Holland, Kate Horsley (please write more!) and was thankful to discover Jeanne Kalogridis. This is a read I devoured to get to the next gripping development. I will read anything this author writes. Her style is rich and her characters feel real and felt by the reader. A visually and emotionally satisfying read.
"Set against the drama of 15th Century Florence, I, Mona Lisa is painted in many layers of fact and fiction, with each intricately d...more
"Set against the drama of 15th Century Florence, I, Mona Lisa is painted in many layers of fact and fiction, with each intricately d...more
Good enough, but a bit far fetched even for a novel. Anyhow, it was interesting enough considering all the different Mona Lisa theories.
More like 4.5 stars I re-read the ending a few times after i finished it, VERY satisfying conclusion Ms. Kalogridis! One professional reviewer said that Jeanne Kalogridis does for Renaissance Italy what Phillipa Gregory did for Tudor England... an excellent comparison but for my money I'll take the Medicis over the Tudors any day! I love how she brought so many elements of Renaissance life and culture into play in her book, everything from religion, politics and of course ART into play. I especi...more
A really excellent read. I'd never read Jeanne Kalogridis before, but I adore her writing style. Fluid, engaging, descriptive, and so nice to read. In the first part of this story, we hear the tale of how Lisa's life events were set into motion. The Medici family, the most powerful family in Florence, was torn apart when youngest brother Giuliano was murdered in the Duomo by the conspiring Pazzi family. After this, Florence was thrust into turmoil - a new preacher came into popularity, hailed as...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Okay, here are the bare facts: I was born in Florida on December 17, 1954, and I've been interested in books ever since. My interest in language led me to earn a B.A. in Russian in 1976 (although my major was microbiology until my senior year).
That was soon followed by a two-year stint as a legal secretary. The good part about that was, I learned how to type, which comes in useful these days. Then...more
More about Jeanne Kalogridis...
That was soon followed by a two-year stint as a legal secretary. The good part about that was, I learned how to type, which comes in useful these days. Then...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
Apr 27, 2011 11:45am