I, Mona Lisa

Still on a good pace, I think, during this crazy summer we all have been having, I have another book that was put off talking about. We all know the painting, but there is a novel on the woman behind it. I, Mona Lisa gives you semi-realistic snapshot of her life leading to her time being da Vinci’s muse.

Taking place during the Renaissance, Lisa is the daughter of a well-off cloth merchant; she has a strong relationship with her mother, who in today’s medical terms would probably be considered epileptic, but in Renaissance terms she is possessed by demons. There is great controversy when the great Savonarola begins preaching of the end times and for all the people to come back to God before the end comes, smearing hate on the luxuries of the rich because they do not help the poor. Lisa, on the other hand, loves the arts, and through her father’s great reluctance, becomes close with Lorenzo de’ Medici. Through Lorenzo, she meets Leonardo da Vinci, and that is the rough storyline without going into spoilers.

Even though it was earlier this year that I read I, Mona Lisa, I have a little bit of struggle with remembering how I felt from reading it. I know that it was a little bit slow to get through. The storyline was engaging, bringing in so many betrayals and political conflicts that affected… I think of the word “mission” or “goals” perhaps… but the direction of Lisa’s life. Everything that Lisa knew as a child and growing into womanhood as she falls in love is continually called into question, and as a result has to develop new people to communicate with and trust. She is very heart-driven, and you get a good picture of a woman who knows what she wants and will fight tooth and nail for it.

I thought that there were times when I, Mona Lisa seemed a little campy, like her falling in love with the younger Guilano with proper courtship even though, realistically,  someone of her class still did not qualify her to marry a Medici, the happy ending, and her getting everything she wanted with all the riches included. She just seemed more like a spoiled snob who just happens to be at the right place at the right time.

I remember this huge inner conflict about her identity having to do with the relationship she has with her father, which ends up becoming her obsession that she will pull from the bookshelf of her mind increasingly so as the book goes on. In the end, it seems a little bit much for me, especially when you have all of this other outside political and religious strife happening as I mentioned earlier.

I ran out of steam for this review, and from what I have skimmed of other people on Goodreads, so did they. I, Mona Lisa is another hit or miss book. I do not plan on reading it again. If you want to try it anyways, who knows maybe you will enjoy it, it will be found here.

6/10