Book Review: Leonardo the Florentine by Catherine McGrew Jaime

Posted July 28, 2017 by lomeraniel in Audiobooks, Fiction, Historical, Review / 0 Comments

Book Review: Leonardo the Florentine by Catherine McGrew JaimeLeonardo the Florentine by Catherine McGrew Jaime
Narrator: David Winograd
Series: The Life and Travels of Da Vinci #1
Published by Catherine McGrew Jaime on May 3rd 2017
Genres: Fiction, Historical
Length: 2 hrs and 55 mins
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon/Audible
Goodreads
Overal Rating: three-half-stars

Listening Length: 2 hours and 55 minutes

Who are the Medici brothers? And who is trying to assassinate them? Why was the Pitti Palace never completed? And what part does Leonardo play in all of this?

Leonardo da Vinci is remembered as an artist and inventor. But who was he before anyone knew his name? This family-friendly novel explores the history and legends of his early years in Florence. It also weaves a mystery of politics and power.

Early reviews of the story: "What a fascinating story! It drew me in right away."

The book is a novelization of the eighteen years Leonardo da Vinci t spent in Florence, learning from his master Verrocchio. It does not go much into depth and it merely follows the historical information we have about Leonardo.

Do not expect to find a long and fictionalized novella with very well developed characters. This book is intended as a way to show young students and any with a curious mind, how Leonardo da Vinci’s first years as an apprentice and an artist were.

I did not fully enjoy David Winograd’s narration. I have to say that his patronizing tone was adequate to the text but the fact that he read the book like he was doing it for children did not completely convince me, since I think this book could also be enjoyed by adults with a curious mind.

I think this book serves its purpose quite well, since it is quite clear and concise. If you want to know more about how Leonardo started, this book is for you. If you want a longer story with more developed characters and fictionalized facts, you may want to check a different book.

I received a copy of this book in audio format from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Story (Plot)
four-stars
Narration
three-stars
Overall: three-half-stars