Review of Mona Lisa's Daughter

[Alissa Deann Devargas]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Mona Lisa's Daughter" by Belle Ami.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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When I read stories about how a man violates a woman against her will, I feel so much anger at the brutality. Of course, this never bodes well for the woman. If she isn't strong, the trauma from the experience can cost her much joy in her life. This is why I appreciated Valentina's strength despite what she faced at fifteen. I read this story from this book, Mona Lisa's Daughter by Belle Ami.

Valentina was a beautiful girl who didn't pay any attention to Dante Conti, even though almost every girl in her school seemed to do so because of how handsome he was. However, she didn't know how obsessed the young man was with her. So one day, while walking on a lonely road, he appeared seemingly out of nowhere and violated her. Her suffering from the experience was intensified when it turned out that she was pregnant, and when her mother found out, she acted irrationally by telling her to leave. However, through her brother's intervention, she was sent to a convent instead. After having her baby girl, Chiara, whom she loved dearly, at the convent, she had to give her away because she couldn't take care of her. With all these pains to deal with when she returned, Valentina couldn't believe that her mother was planning to have her married to the one man who was the root of it all.

I found this book insightful in many ways. It's a historical book that also details the horrors of World War II and the sufferings of the Jews at that time. I realized again just how taxing war can be on civilians. The way the Jews were treated in World War II is something that I can't begin to fathom—that a human would hate a fellow being because of race and religion. However, the highlight of this book was the box of treasure passed down from nun to nun starting from Suor Ludovica. This treasure told an interesting love story about Da Vinci, the well-known Italian artist.

As much as this book was amazing, emotional, and educational, it has its downsides. It's something that would affect readers that don't know the Italian language, like myself. They would find it difficult to read out the names and several short sentences, which some weren't translated, that were written in the book. It might also be taxing to follow the three stories interspersed in it. These are the reasons why I would remove a star from my rating. I commend the excellent editing of the book. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend the book to those who want in-depth details about the events of World War II and its effects in Italy.

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Mona Lisa's Daughter
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[Yasmine ZM]

I enjoyed reading this review, it made me want to read the book. Valentina's story is heart breaking. The book seems to be insightful towards social issues of that time, starting by the mother who saw her own daughter as a culprit instead of a victim.

[Mark Lazarus]

Sounds like a powerful and emotional read, tackling both personal trauma and the devastating impacts of war. Valentina’s strength is admirable, and the historical depth adds even more weight to the story. The language barrier might be a challenge, but it seems worth it for such a meaningful narrative.

[Gabriela Contreras Gonzalez]

I enjoyed this review, but this is not the type of book I am interested in reading. While I admire Valentina's strength I am not able to read through that type of scenes.

[Rebecca De Figueiredo]

The review picked up on a lot of points; very helpful. The plot is intriguing but I’m worried that it might have ‘romanticised’ the past, both the renaissance and ww2 were dangerous and scary times. The first few pages look inviting

[Limpho Mojakisane]

This review shows how emotional and deep Mona Lisa’s Daughter really is. Valentina’s story is heartbreaking, especially what she went through at such a young age, but her strength stands out. I also like how the book connects personal pain with bigger events like WWII and the Jewish experience, and the part about the hidden treasure linked to Da Vinci sounds very unique. It’s good to know that some Italian parts might be hard for non-speakers, but overall, I think the mix of history, trauma, and strength makes it worth reading.

[Alex Sapountzis]

An excellent review by a skilled and experienced reviewer! Thank you for showing us rookies how it is done properly.

[Shirley Ann Riddern Labzentis]

Nice review! This story has captured my interest. I have read the other book by this author, "The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci," and I loved it. I am sure that I will love this one as well. This poor girl was condemned because she was pregnant, but it was not her choice. She was raped.

[Catherine Sweet]

I have read the sample and thought it well written with an effective representation of the times. The characters are well drawn, and the story is intriguing and original. Readers who like historical fiction will enjoy reading this book.

[Elise Sylcox]

It was nice to see the intro of the review different from others, as I'm used to seeing the title and author first. A lot was included in this review, very thorough. It's sad to imagine a horror like having someone force themselves on you, and then having to give up the child that was a result of that rape. The reviewer did a great job of summing up the novel and the dislikes from the book. Good job!

[tarafarah7]

Set during WWII, today’s BOTD is a story of love, art, sacrifice, and secrets, linking Leonardo da Vinci’s bond with his muse to a young nun’s courageous fight to protect their legacy. Sounds like readers of historical fiction are going to love this one! Thank you for your helpful review; keep up the great work!

[Marinttoe Baeza]

By reading the sample, this book seems to be intriguing mixing historical events and novel; however, I am not really interested on books about war but if you do, this book may be an interesting one.

[Nazma P]

Wow! I'm at a loss for words after reading the review summary. Specially the part of Valentina's mother arranging her marriage to the person who is the reason for all her pain. This is a compelling story and I would love to read it.

[Sarah Sarachi]

It's really sad to read about a woman who was violated at an early age and was forced to the leave the fruit of that tragic event to marry the root cause of the incident. But I envy how strong, confident and courageous she was. The writer did a good job mixing history and romance together. Thanks for the detailed review.

[SophiaNd]

Being violated as a girl and at a tender age can be traumatic but when the place that is meant to give you comfort tends to contribute to the trauma, that's another thing altogether. The review of "Mona Lisa's Daughter" by Belle Ami was well put and has sparked my interest to see how Valentina rose above the pains and hurt she experienced. Congratulations on BOTD.