Review of Mona Lisa's Daughter

[mrlefty0706]

“Mona Lisa's Daughter” by Belle Ami is a story about Valentina, a woman that was violated against her will at the age of 15. She was assaulted on a lonely road, ended up pregnant, thrown out of her home by her mother so she went to live in a convent until baby Chiara was born. She then learns that her mother was planning to have her married to the man that was the root of it all. The sample was excellent and the description of the secrecy of the box of treasures that had been handed down by nuns at the convent for many years and the nuns were sworn to secrecy. The novel includes three different stories interspersed within the book. The first story was the story about Valentina and her pregnancy. The second story was about the atrocities committed against the Jews by the Nazis during WWII. The third story was about the box of treasures hidden at the convent and protected for over 400 years by the nuns. The box contained 20 years of letters between Leonardo DaVinci and Lisa del Giocondo, also known as the Mona Lisa. The letters had not been read since so many of the nuns over the past 400 years could not read. Valentina is asked if she could hand copy the letters and also type a copy. She told the nun she could not type so the nun told her she would teach her. A copy was needed since the frail paper that the letters were written was beginning to deteriorate. Valentia swore an oath to keep the content of the letters a secret. I have always been a history buff so to be able to learn more about DaVinci convinced me to put this book on my to-read shelf.

[Gayatri Tripathi]

Thank you for this powerful and thoughtful review. Valentina’s journey sounds heartbreaking but also deeply inspiring, especially considering how young she was when she had to endure so much pain—from the trauma inflicted by Dante to the emotional toll of giving up her child. I appreciate how you highlighted the historical layers of the story too, especially the horrors of World War II and the suffering of the Jewish people during that time. The treasure box passed down by the nuns sounds like such a creative and poignant way to tie in Da Vinci’s legacy and a message of hope. I can understand how the use of untranslated Italian might be a barrier for some readers, but it seems like the emotional and historical depth of the story makes it worth the effort. I’m definitely adding this one to my reading list.

[Etimbuk Eshiet]

Your review really touched me, especially the part about Valentina’s strength after all she went through. It makes me wonder—how did she find the courage to keep going?