Review by HCHG0303 -- The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio
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HCHG0303
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- Latest Review: The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio by Belle Ami
Review by HCHG0303 -- The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio" by Belle Ami.]
The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio by Belle Ami is a romantic mystery that bounces between present day, and the late 15th and early 16th century in Italy. The plot follows Angela and Alex's challenge to locate a highly sought after piece of art that is feared to have been lost in time, or worse, in the hands of the Italian Mafia. The dynamic duos romantic relationship has elevated to another level since we first met them in Ami's The Girl Who Knew Davinci. Enamored with each other, Angela and Alex jet off to meet each others respective parents. During this important milestone in their relationship, long buried secrets are shared. Will they be able to locate the painting before it is lost forever during this new season in their life together?
The romance in Angela and Alex's love story is one that feels easy. The premise of the conflict surrounding the characters focuses on solving another mystery together. I thoroughly enjoyed the story being told in flashbacks with distinct character personalities between characters living in the past and present times. Telling the story in this way unexpectedly steps outside the box, giving a twist from what I expected from a story using flashbacks. Additionally, I appreciated the look into Caravaggio's moral dilemma and mental health.
Criticisms for this novel involve the beginning and end of the book. If you picked up this novel, without reading The Girl Who Knew Davinci, it may take you awhile to get up to speed with the unique quirks of the characters. Especially a deep cosmic connection between Alex and Angela that seems to appear out of thin air. Additionally, throughout the second and third chapters it is assumed you know that flashback episodes occur frequently and are an integral part of the way the story is told. With regards to the ending of the book, it felt rushed and was wrapped up quickly. While loose strings may have been left intentionally, to leave room for a third book in this series, I needed more closure from the ending.
Themes explored in this book include romance, suspense, and art history. An additional theme, around one of the main characters, sheds light on his mental health and moral dilemma. The book contains some cursing and intimate descriptions of physical encounters. The story isn't purely a tale of romance, it is heavily involved in historical art is a piece of period fiction.This requires some interest in these subjects to fully emerge for the entirely of the book. I would recommend this for anyone interest in historical fiction during the Renaissance and Baroque period. Readers interested in these periods will be more engaged with the references made to art and culture during this time.
The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio appeared to be professionally edited. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The story was narrated well, especially considering the difficulty of switching back and forth between current day and flashbacks. It is an intriguing story that pulls you in and allows the rest of the world fade away.
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The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio by Belle Ami is a romantic mystery that bounces between present day, and the late 15th and early 16th century in Italy. The plot follows Angela and Alex's challenge to locate a highly sought after piece of art that is feared to have been lost in time, or worse, in the hands of the Italian Mafia. The dynamic duos romantic relationship has elevated to another level since we first met them in Ami's The Girl Who Knew Davinci. Enamored with each other, Angela and Alex jet off to meet each others respective parents. During this important milestone in their relationship, long buried secrets are shared. Will they be able to locate the painting before it is lost forever during this new season in their life together?
The romance in Angela and Alex's love story is one that feels easy. The premise of the conflict surrounding the characters focuses on solving another mystery together. I thoroughly enjoyed the story being told in flashbacks with distinct character personalities between characters living in the past and present times. Telling the story in this way unexpectedly steps outside the box, giving a twist from what I expected from a story using flashbacks. Additionally, I appreciated the look into Caravaggio's moral dilemma and mental health.
Criticisms for this novel involve the beginning and end of the book. If you picked up this novel, without reading The Girl Who Knew Davinci, it may take you awhile to get up to speed with the unique quirks of the characters. Especially a deep cosmic connection between Alex and Angela that seems to appear out of thin air. Additionally, throughout the second and third chapters it is assumed you know that flashback episodes occur frequently and are an integral part of the way the story is told. With regards to the ending of the book, it felt rushed and was wrapped up quickly. While loose strings may have been left intentionally, to leave room for a third book in this series, I needed more closure from the ending.
Themes explored in this book include romance, suspense, and art history. An additional theme, around one of the main characters, sheds light on his mental health and moral dilemma. The book contains some cursing and intimate descriptions of physical encounters. The story isn't purely a tale of romance, it is heavily involved in historical art is a piece of period fiction.This requires some interest in these subjects to fully emerge for the entirely of the book. I would recommend this for anyone interest in historical fiction during the Renaissance and Baroque period. Readers interested in these periods will be more engaged with the references made to art and culture during this time.
The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio appeared to be professionally edited. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The story was narrated well, especially considering the difficulty of switching back and forth between current day and flashbacks. It is an intriguing story that pulls you in and allows the rest of the world fade away.
******
The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio by Belle Ami
