Ioffredo breathes new life into this long-overlooked historical figure through multiple perspectives in this debut, including Padre Castani, Luini’s childhood priest and first patron, and Caterina, the daughter of a Serono stonemason, as well as numerous side characters such as da Vinci’s father and the Milanese artist Argento. This dizzying cast at times may overwhelm readers interested in the mystery of just who Luini might have been, though their perspectives offer a richly illuminated sense of issues of class and gender—plus spiritual concerns—in fifteenth-century Italy. Perhaps to aid audiences not already steeped in the milieu, Ioffredo invents scenarios and conversations that seem out of place for the era (use of “okay,” for example), but the world he crafts is compelling and thoroughly imagined.

Ioffredo pulls no punches in challenging the pervasive cultural myths surrounding major figures of the Italian Renaissance: his Leonardo da Vinci is equal parts calculating, selfish, ambitious, and brilliant. Set against the backdrop of war between the city-states of Italy and the nation of France, Luini’s journey from Varesan youth to Milanese master involves the political machinations of the ruling Northern Italian Sforza family, tensions between Italian nobles, an epic love story, and offbeat anecdotes. While Ioffredo’s narrative of course must be speculative, his reimagining of Renaissance Italy is sure to entertain history and art buffs.

Takeaway: An entertaining summer read that brings life to Renaissance Italy, with star-crossed romance and artistic intrigue.

Great for fans of: Ross King’s Brunelleschi's Dome, Stephanie Storey’s Oil and Marble.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: B+
Editing: B-
Marketing copy: B-