Medici Heist by Caitlin Schneiderhan is a fast-paced, twisty ride that hooks you right from the start. The blend of historical intrigue and modern crime keeps things interesting, and the characters are well-rounded, especially the protagonist. I loved how the historical and cultural elements were seamlessly woven into the plot. It’s a smart, entertaining read for anyone into art heists or crime thrillers. Definitely worth picking up!

"Medici Heist" by Caitlin Schneiderhan is an enjoyable art-heist adventure with plenty of flair and intrigue. The novel shines in its richly detailed settings and the clever integration of art history, giving readers a fascinating glimpse into the high-stakes world of priceless masterpieces.

However, the plot occasionally leans on predictable tropes, and some character motivations feel underdeveloped, making it harder to fully invest in their journeys. While the heist itself is thrilling, certain twists stretch believability and dilute the tension.

A solid, entertaining read for fans of art-themed thrillers, though it doesn’t break new ground in the genre.

I actually ended up listening to the audiobook. The narrator gave so much to this story, their upbeat energy added a lot to the action scenes in this book that I might otherwise not enjoy. Some of the plot lines were quite predictable, but there were unique takes and lovable characters. Would recommend, but don't expect Locke Lamora level schemes.

Ms Schneiderhan has written a perfect example of the, now ubiquitous, heist novel. Everything is perfectly in place as it should be, the unlikely group of perpetrators, the secrecy not kept secret, the potential traitor, the potential weak link, the last minute change of plans, big unforeseen problems. The "gang" are loveable and heroic, the victims are anything but, just waiting for their comeuppance. Everything is exactly where it should be.
As the title suggests, the victims in this case were the Medici banking family in medieval Florence. The city, its people and its artists play an important role, and we see some strong nods to historical relevance and accuracy.
The fact that this novel stuck to the format, and therefore there was no real suspense created, doesn't take anything away. The book is well written, the characters funny, likeable and charismatic. You are invested early on in their success.
Can the world have too many heist books?

Medici Heist by Caitlin Schneiderhan is an enjoyable read with plenty of twists and turns to keep you intrigued. The combination of art history, crime, and suspense works well, and the premise of a heist targeting the legendary Medici collection is exciting. The pacing is fast, and there’s no shortage of surprises, which makes for a fun, quick read.

That said, while the characters are interesting, some felt a bit underdeveloped, and I found myself wanting more depth in their motivations. The plot is layered but occasionally predictable, and a few of the twists didn’t land as strongly as I’d hoped.

Overall, Medici Heist is a solid, entertaining thriller, but it didn’t fully blow me away. If you’re looking for a quick, enjoyable heist story with a unique art history angle, it’s worth picking up!

Unfortunately DNF

I don’t think the book found me in the right time, I will try and read it again soon and see.

This book had a lot going for it that I should love, and while I didn't dislike this at all, it just didn't quite wow me either. It's a decent enough heist, if not a tad underwhelming. I loved the 'eat the rich' theme of the novel and generally had a fun time reading it, but I wanted more from the actual heist.
I've always been a big fan the rag-tag group of rogues trope. It's my favourite. I enjoy it in all its iterations, including here, but would've liked the characters to have been a little bit more fleshed out to truly make them pop on the page.
The setting was very fun and well utilised, although a few more descriptions wouldn't have gone amiss. Florence is a stunning city but there were often times I forgot where we were.
Oddly, I feel this is the kind of book that would work better as a movie than it does as a book. I don't dislike this as a book at all, but there's just something about it that almost feels like it's in the wrong medium.
I know my review sounds critical, but I often find myself more critical when I see the most potential, and that potential not quite being met. As a movie, I think this would be so much fun, as a book, it maybe needs a little more depth.

1517 - con artist Rosa Cellini arrives in Florence
Medici Pope, Leo X is bleeding the people dry as their new pope
Rosa decides to do something about it and sets about recruiting a band of misfits including Michelangelo, himself, to devise a simple heist to break the chains of oppression
“Nothing is impossible, there are only things that very clever people haven’t done yet”
Loved how we learnt their backstories and their reasons for joining the team
Also loved learning about the Medici period in Italian history - so want a holiday to Florence now
A fast paced thrilling debut read with well developed characters and a fabulous concept as a plot
Would make a good Book Club choice with discussion topics such as religion, power and money
Thanks @schneiderjamz @macmillanchildrensbooks & @netgalley for the interesting read

I really wanted to love this but I found it tricky to engage with the characters. There are such a lot of them and it's quite confusing keeping track.

(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review)

Heist plots are one of my faves, but they can sometimes not be written very well. However, this one was so good! There were plenty of twists and unexpected bumps along the way that kept the plot fresh and fun to read. The world-building was fantastic too. While I don’t know much about the Italian Renaissance or how historically accurate the setting was, I felt completely immersed in the world and could easily picture everything.

The characters were also really well-written and fun to read from their perspectives. I’m a sucker for a found family, and the way the group came together in this story was just perfect. Sometimes you can tell when characters are only there to fill a role, but that wasn’t the case here. Each character had depth, development, and a meaningful part to play, not just in the heist but in the overall story. The banter and interactions between them were great, and there was even some romance sprinkled in.

I genuinely had so much fun reading this book—it’s quick, and clever, with an amazing cast of characters, and I’d highly recommend it!

Medici Heist by Caitlin Schneiderhan is an absolutely fantastic read for a YA audience, even fans of reimaginings like Bridgerton due to its high energy escapades and forward thinking narrative placed firmly in Forence 1517. A fantastic book and worth re-reading if I flip my mindset away from historical fiction/ humour and instead, enjoy it for the excellent adventure it is

Thank you to Netgalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK | Atom and the author for this ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

This was a gripping read with cool characters and an interesting historical setting. Due to its Criminal Found Family on a Heist trope it reminded me of Leigh Bardugo's Crows and Roshani Chokshi's Gilded Wolves series, however it wasn't simply a copy and the historical background gave it an interesting twist.

I really liked the different characters and the (small) insight we get into their lives and thus their motives. Due to the many perspectives there wasn't a loot of room for elaborate background stories but I still managed to get a feel for all of them. The guys especially were just 🤍😩 how cute can people be? The characters did feel a little ya inbetween, which is natural as they are still young, and in this case it didn't bother me as much as in other books because there was so much going on that there was no room for over the top teen drama (and the historical context helped as well).

The heist itself was very interesting and well thought-out, I just wish there would have been a little more detail on what they had planned beforehand and their respective roles, as the reader is left in the dark for most part of the book. Of course that makes it exciting but for me it created a little too much distance and questionmarks in my head 😅

Languagewise the book was easy to read and I loved the short chapters and quick changes of perspective to keep up to date with everyone. Just the PDF format from the e-arc was a pain to read on my phone (tiiiny)...

Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Books for the e-arc! I would definitely recommend this book to all fans of criminal found family, Florence and and snarky but awesome characters.

I loved this book! I had no idea what I was getting in to, and while the 6 POV was a lot, it really added so much. I felt like I really knew Giacomo and Khalid, however Rosa and Sarra did blend together in my head at times. All of the characters had so much depth and a lot of backstory, I'd love to get full novels about all of their pasts!
There were parts of this book that I flew through, I barely blinked. And then there were such heartfelt parts I was tense on the edge of my seat. I can't wait to pick up more Schneiderhan

I have mixed opinions about this book. On one hand it's a great romp, on the other it fails for me as historical fiction - far too modern in tone than I appreciate!

This was fun, but ultimately flat. I couldn't really distinguish between the characters, mainly the women. There was a lack of life about everything, it didn't feel like the last draft to me.

A big thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this title.

Medici Heist by Caitlin Schneiderhan is a classic heist story with a cast of very colourful characters.

The plot follows a rigid structure, though it sometimes feels more like it's following specific plot points that it needs to hit, rather than an organic story. With training sequences, obvious foreshadowing, and a familiar three-act structure, the twists are predictable, and suspense is built in a more superficial way.

The characters, while promising, are underdeveloped. Sarra and Rosa, for instance, have similar personalities with different skill sets - and I often found myself getting confused between the two. Combining them into one character could have streamlined the narrative. Giacomo and Khalid fare slightly better, with more backstory, but even their flashbacks lack emotional impact, feeling like placeholders rather than moments of genuine depth. There are a few other characters that contribute something extra to the story, but in general they are minor characters in the larger scheme of things.

This was clearly written by someone who is used to writing for a different type of media (Stranger Things), with a bit of a predictable rhythm for the plotline. The story is still quite entertaining, but it wasn't really anything new.

I'm interested to see if the author will be able to learn to adapt her skill to different mediums in the future - so I'll definitely be on the lookout for new books from her.

I requested this book on Netgalley because of the cover. It's a fun young adult historical fiction book with a heist at its center. The heist structure is great but the characters leave me wanting. The voices of the two girls are nearly the same, while another character doesn't nearly get enough screentime when she's one of the more interesting characters. There's lots of telling which disengages you from the story and the characters. Could've been smoother but enjoyed it overall.

I enjoyed this book! A fun and adventurous story of a group of teenagers planning on pulling off a heist against the Medici family of Florence, and filled with lots of famous faces along the way. I loved the characters and especially the multiple POV style, as it gave the story a bit more depth as the reader could see what the characters were all thinking and what their backstories were. A great book!

In Florence during the 1500s, the Medici family's ascent to power left deep scars, particularly for Rosa, who lost her family when the Medici soldiers crushed a rebellion in her village. Fueled by a desire for revenge, Rosa hatches a daring plan to steal the Medici fortune now under the watch of the new Medici pope.

To execute her audacious heist, Rosa assembles an unlikely team: Sarra the Tinkerer, a master of contraptions; Giacomo, who has a penchant for explosions; Khalid, the muscle of the group; and, unexpectedly, Michelangelo and his talented assistant, known for their forgery skills. However, their mission is fraught with peril, as the vault they target is safeguarded by traps devised by none other than Leonardo da Vinci himself.

In this high-stakes game of theft and intrigue, Rosa and her crew must navigate a web of danger and deception to achieve their goal.

3.5/5.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

Being a historical fiction that is "heavy on the fiction," Medici Heist draws heavily on Florence (the Medici, Michelangelo, apprenticeships) to tell an entertaining and glaringly un/realistic story. Each chapter alternates between a different perspective from the endearing array of characters. The subtle romance was very lovely, and I really enjoyed discovering the characters' motivations! Even while there were moments when I was purposefully left on a cliffhanger with a character for what seemed like an eternity, switching between the various points of view also allowed me to get to know them better.

This is such an enjoyable read. The characters have such personality and humor. Their banter, connections, and vibes are flawless. Love the element of the ragged gang and discovered family.

The historical context was fascinating. I thought the commentary on religion, power, and money was incredibly nicely done, and the setting was excellent.

I gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars since it's really slow. However, once the Heist started, I found it impossible to put it down.