Many of us will, on a trip to Paris, have stood in the Louvre in front of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. We may also know some of the details of the painting’s history – its creation in Renaissance Italy, its theft from the Louvre in 1911. However, this new novel by Natasha Solomons adds a whole new dimension to the Mona Lisa story, taking us inside the mind of the painting itself and showing us the world through the eyes that look out from the portrait. Whether or not you enjoy this book will probably depend on whether you can accept that a painting is narrating the story. If you’re happy with that idea, then I think you’ll find I, Mona Lisa an interesting and entertaining read.

Most of the novel is set in 16th century Florence, during the period when Leonardo is working on his most famous masterpiece. From the painting’s own perspective, we get to know some real historical figures such as Lisa del Giocondo, the noblewoman who sits for the portrait; Michelangelo and Raphael, da Vinci’s rivals; Niccolò Machiavelli, who approaches da Vinci with a scheme to divert the Arno River; and Salaì, a student in Leonardo’s workshop who is jealous of his master’s relationship with Mona Lisa. Although Mona is an inanimate object, she is portrayed in the novel as having the thoughts and feelings of a real woman, with an emotional attachment to her creator Leonardo.

When Leonardo eventually dies, leaving her vulnerable and unprotected, Mona embarks on the journey that will lead her to France. As the centuries go by, she spends time at the court of the Sun King in Fontainebleau and then at Versailles during the French Revolution, before finding her way to the Louvre where, as the 20th century dawns, she forms a new friendship with another great artist.

I, Mona Lisa is an unusual novel and a unique way of exploring some key moments in history. However, because so much time is spent in Renaissance Italy, the parts of the novel set in France feel more rushed and the characters less well developed. This was maybe the author’s intention, as Mona finds it difficult to bond with the people she meets after Leonardo’s death and makes it clear that her heart will always be in Florence, but it also meant that I felt less engaged with these sections of the book.

I do think that if you’re going to write a book about a painting with human emotions, the Mona Lisa is a perfect choice as it’s such a realistic and iconic portrait. The Mona of the novel is obviously very limited in what she can see and experience (and with whom she can communicate – just Leonardo and a handful of other painters and paintings), but Natasha Solomons does a great job of bringing Mona and her world to life. This is the third of her books I’ve read – the others are The Novel in the Viola and House of Gold. Three very different books, but I would recommend any or all of them.

I, Mona Lisa is a really gripping and enjoyable read. Full of the most sumptuous detail and description, it is afascinating account of the character behind the world's most famous painting, reimagined and given a voice. A really unique read. Thank you to the publishers, to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to review this ARC. It deserves to be huge.

I love books about art and this is a really wonderful find, as there’s so much visceral detail on the process of painting here. The concept initially might sound gimmicky: Mona Lisa speaks and tells us her own story, in her words, opinions and emotions - but this is really made to work here. Paintings do have the power to evoke strong emotion, to inspire, and so it seems kind of right that Mona is gifted with the power of life enough to tell her own tale. Beautifully wrought, and the perspective actually allows for a lot of emotion - Mona is so reliant on her eyes and the few people that can hear her that she is distraught when she can’t fight back against circumstances. Leonardo Da Vinci features prominently as her creator but the novel also follows Mona Lisa on her journey through the centuries, as far as the Louvre, where she meets young new artists such as Picasso.

My thanks to #NetGalley and Random House UK for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I visited Paris on a school trip when I was eleven in 1965 and saw Mona Lisa. It is something I hav enever forgotten. This book brings her to life throughout her long history and is just such a wonderful read. I engaged with all of the characters and was just blown away by Solomons's writing style. I am so grateful for the e-ARC of this title courtesy of the publishers, the author and NetGalley.

This is a fascinating, inventive ride through history, as seen through the eyes of Da Vinci's enigmatic portrait. This is beautifully written, and evocative - the writing totally immerses you in each time period. A glorious read.

"I, Mona Lisa"is an interesting historical novel told from the viewpoint of the famous painting. Most of the action is set in the 16th century, when Leonardo da Vinci is still alive. This book is difficult to review without giving too much away, so reading it yourself is recommended. There is plenty about the rivalries between different artists at the time, especially Michaelangelo and Raphael in addition to da Vinci. And of course, any story set in this time period has a few Medicis, plus Machiavelli for good measure. Great historical hocum (not sure how much is based on fact).

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

The Mona Lisa must be the most recognisable painting in the world, with the majority of the Louvre’s 10 million visitors every year attracted by this masterpiece. But who is the real person behind the painted woman with the enigmatic smile?
In this, her latest novel, Natasha Solomons gives a voice to Lisa del Giocondo, who sat for Leonardo da Vinci. In beautiful, sparkling prose, Solomons enables La Gioconda to tell us about her enduring life, starting in Da Vinci’s studio and carrying on all the way to the twentieth century. This is a highly unusual and vibrant novel, not to be missed! I am very grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me the ARC that made possible a review of a novel that, for its subject matter and beautiful writing, deserves as large a readership as possible.

This historical novel is narrated by Leonardo's Mona Lisa painting. I've seen the painting for real, but the Louvre was so crowded and the picture so relatively small that I wasn't able to connect with it. This novel addresses that issue and gives us a new perspective on what is probably the most famous painting of all time.

The story follows the life of Mona Lisa from when she is being painted, up to the present day. Although you're sometimes reminded she is a canvas, pigments and frame, she is portrayed as a real woman, but superior to the mortal woman she is modelled upon. She has a special relationship with Leonardo, her creator. They are able to talk to each other and she grieves that he will pass away, leaving her to  while away the centuries in the hands of monarchs, thieves and curators. It was quite sinister to read about her screaming (for example) while externally she is of course smiling that enigmatic smile.

Sometimes the content felt like an art history lecture but that's not a bad thing because the subject is interesting. The writing style was a bit heavy-going for me but it suited the persona. I found the book quite a powerful read.

[This review will be on my blog, 31st January 2022]

A fascinating and mesmerising read through the eyes of la Gioconda. From the 16th century birth of the most famous da Vinci painting in Florence to the Louvres walls in Paris, this saga is more than historical fiction. I became completely immersed in the story as if present or a fly on the wall in da Vinci studio or some of the French castles Mona Lisa was displayed. This is also the story of the love an artist can have with one of its creations. A beautiful story with some twists, a few turns and masses of artistry both as a subject but also in the writing execution. I now want to know even more and have refreshed my knowledge of Leonardo’s work which has influenced so many modern progress and is still talked about to this day. I suspect this book will follow the same path.

There was something simply magical about Solomons' writing style. She was able to craft the most exquisite sentences and paint the most vivid scenes. Mona Lisa was brought to life through her beautiful words. The way she connected history and humankind through the central point of the Mona Lisa was also incredible. However, I struggled to connect to the overall story. While I found myself adoring certain parts, others I felt were too repetitive or drawn out. I went back and forth between loving the writing and finding myself a little bored with the plot. Truly, it was a beautifully written novel, I just wish I found myself more drawn in with the plot.

This is just the most wonderful book! As Leonardo da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa she comes to life and the book is the entire history of the painting from the 16th century to today. Mona Lisa can talk, but only to artists of genius, and she loves Leonardo with a passion that’s transcends time and place - we learn of Michelangelo, Raphael, Fragonard, Picasso, and of the people and places Mona Lisa encounters in her almost 500 years of existence. The book is superbly researched and Natasha Solomons writes with an engaging style - all the characters leap off the page and the reader is transported throughout Europe in times of war, peace, plenty and famine. This is not only a wonderfully inventive story, but a history of art from the Renaissance to the 21st century. I loved every word and cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Thankyou for giving me the chance to read this in advance. I loved it. Probably because I’m so interested and intrigued by the Mona Lisa. Perfect mix of fact and fiction.

That cover!
That tagline!
The story behind the most famous painting in the world?

I loved this from start to finish. Love the mix of fact and fiction, the time period and the wonderful places of art and culture we see along the way. I have seen this painting in the Louvre museum and next time I see it, I will think very differently of the woman captured in time.

Great story, very well written and researched and well, I just recommend it to everyone!

Mona Lisa tells the tale of a living being, who is moved from Florence to France. She lives through the period of the Sun King, which I found especially interesting, the French Revolution, including Marie Antoinette, as a character, and the main characters from the Sun King's reign: that is Madame de Montespan, Madame de Maintenon, the Queen, and of course Louis. I really enjoyed the novel, written from the perspective of the being that gains life, and eventually outgrows the actual subject painted by the artist. No one can hear her, unless they are a genius as many of the artists were at that period in Florence when she was painted, and Leda. A brilliant novel.