Review of The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci

[Chi Chiu Michael Mak]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci" by Belle Ami.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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What would you do if you began to have dreams so vivid that you felt sure that they were real? That’s the mystery for art-historian Angela Renatus as she not only has these dreams but often wakes up in a different location to where she fell asleep with no idea how she got there.

Her dreams ultimately lead her to the charismatic former navy SEAL, Alex Caine, and together they search for a missing Da Vinci painting. Does it really exist? What ensues is an adventure of time and place that the rest of us only wish we could experience.

Book one of the Out Of Time thriller series, The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci, is a story within a story. Switching between Florence in the mid-1700s, then during World War II, and finally, the present day, we get three stories in one, even though they’re all connected.

Famous people and places, dream walking, paintings that come to life, past lives, reincarnation, and ghosts, the book has surprises at every turn. Keeping up with them all is part of the appeal. What I love about the character development is that the protagonists are multi-layered, while the lead villain, Alberto Scordato, is one-dimensional, making him even more sinister.

It’s virtually impossible not to get swept up in the emotions the author evokes in this book. I laughed when Angela laughed and wept when she did. You'll gasp in the places when things are finally revealed.

It’s courageous of any author to include famous historical figures in their work of fiction. But every scene with Leonardo Da Vinci made me grin from ear to ear, and I absolutely love how Belle brought him to life again. In fact, the whole novel is historically accurate regarding people and places, with a bit of artistic license thrown in.

Belle Ami’s descriptive work is excellent. Nothing is left to the imagination, from the characters to the locations — I could picture every gallery, the entire city of Florence, and part of the Tuscan countryside purely from her words. She even described every meal they ate in intricate detail.

The novel is very well edited; I spotted one very minor punctuation error partway through — excellent work by everyone involved.

The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci is one of the best books I’ve read in a while. I wish, in this case, there were more stars available as it’s absolutely worthy of the 5 out of 5 stars and may just be in my top 5 books ever read! The ending wonderfully sets the scene for the rest of the series, and I can’t wait to get stuck into the others.

For lovers of mystery, wrapped up in historical fiction, erotic romance, and a belief in past lives or reincarnation, this book is for you. However, multiple graphic sex scenes and some coarse language make it unsuitable for younger readers.

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The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci
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I feel intrigued with Angela Renatus’s dream walking and connection to a missing Da Vinci painting. Did the book’s historical accuracy enhance the immersion, or was the artistic license what made it truly magical?

[Stephen Christopher 1]

I feel intrigued with Angela Renatus’s dream walking and connection to a missing Da Vinci painting. Did the book’s historical accuracy enhance the immersion, or was the artistic license what made it truly magical?

I didn't check the history; however, Belle Ami is well known for doing her research into the past, so I'd take it on face value.