A Tale Weaved With Finesse // REVIEW: Da Vinci's Tiger by L.M.Elliot

Title: Da Vinci's Tiger
Author: L. M. Elliot
Publication Date: August 2017 (India)
Publisher: Harper Teen
Part of a Series?: No, A Standalone
I Got A Copy Through: Harper Collins India (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Amazon US || Amazon UK || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Wordery || Flipkart  || Infibeam || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: For fans of rich and complex historical novels like Girl with a Pearl Earring or Code Name Verity, Laura Malone Elliott delivers the stunning tale of real-life Renaissance woman Ginevra de' Benci, the inspiration for one of Leonardo da Vinci's earliest masterpieces.
The young and beautiful daughter of a wealthy family, Ginevra longs to share her poetry and participate in the artistic ferment of Renaissance Florence but is trapped in an arranged marriage in a society dictated by men. The arrival of the charismatic Venetian ambassador, Bernardo Bembo, introduces Ginevra to a dazzling circle of patrons, artists, and philosophers. Bembo chooses Ginevra as his Platonic muse and commissions a portrait of her by a young Leonardo da Vinci. Posing for the brilliant painter inspires an intimate connection between them, one Ginevra only begins to understand. In a rich and vivid world of exquisite art with a dangerous underbelly of deadly political feuds, Ginevra faces many challenges to discover her voice and artistic companionship—and to find love. 

 

I’ve always been fascinated with everything related to the Renaissance, ever since I first learnt about it back in middle school. Yet, the minute after I flipped open L.M. Elliot’s Da Vinci’s Tiger, I knew that my knowledge about this period or about one of the most renowned painters in history was in fact, barely amounted to anything at all.

Da Vinci’s Tiger weaves a tale around the subject of Leonardo Da Vinci’s first portrait with finesse, bringing to life the Renaissance in Florence and the voice of a woman whose life was dictated by men before this portrait.

My Thoughts:

1.       The first thing that hit me about this book was how much this book felt like living in Florence in the 1400’s. Whether it was the clothing, the dialogue or the Medici, every time I flipped open Da Vinci’s Tiger, I honestly felt like I’d been transported over 600 years into the past.

“But he, awestruck, marvels more at your modest heart,Your old-fashioned virtue, and your Palladian hands,He is inflamed with Holy Love"

2.       I LOVED meeting a young Leonardo Da Vinci. I’ve read about hit, seen a few episodes of DaVinci’s Demons but seeing him through the eyes of Ginerva was a different experience. I saw a budding artist about to make a name for himself and become one of history’s biggest painters and this new take on him was BRILLIANT!

"Outside, my dear, you may be placed within a gilded cage of men's perceptions of you...It is a lonely thing to be turned into an ideal, especially when one is young and has a heart that beats and yearns."

3.       I can’t believe I forgot to mention this but ISN’T THE COVER JUST BEAUTIFUL? It’s simple and yet it catches your eye and I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

"I will not yield to you in this way, signor," I cried. "No matter how much you track me around this room. No matter how many arguments you make to convince me it is my obligation to reward you with my body" 

4.       I loved Ginerva’s poetry, and I loved the fact that she wrote poetry and that it was so important to her. I feel like we barely got to see any of her poetry, despite the fact that it was being mentioned all the time with the exception of one or two pieces. I especially loved this line:

“I beg your pardon. I am a mountain tiger”

5.       More than Ginerva’s poetry, I loved Ginerva herself. Despite the fact that she was confused and growing up, she had this innate strength and thirst for knowledge that made me love the fact that I was in her head!

A book unlike anything I’ve read before. A richly delicate book that will bring Renaissance Florence to life before your very eyes. 

New York Times best-selling writer, L.M. Elliott is the author of the WWII series: UNDER A WAR-TORN SKY—an NCSS/CBC Notable Book in Social Studies, Jefferson Cup Honor Book, winner of Border's Original Voices Award, and a Bank Street College Best Book, plus its companions, A TROUBLED PEACE (also an NCSS/CBC Notable) and ACROSS A WAR-TOSSED SEA (a Jefferson Cup Overfloweth title). Her other books include ANNIE, BETWEEN THE STATES, a New York Times E-book bestseller, an IRA Teacher’s Choice, and an NYPL Book for the Teen Age; GIVE ME LIBERTY; and DA VINCI'S TIGER, a bio-pic style novel about Ginevra de’ Benci, the young poet in Leonardo's first portrait and the artist's only work permanently housed in the Americas.

What are some of your favourite historical books? 

Are you a fan of the art created in the Renaissance period? 

Which of Da Vinci's paintings is your favourite? 

Have you read this book? What do you think of it? 

I can't wait to hear from you!

Lyrical, Diverse, Poignant // ARC Review: Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Title: Starfish
Author: Akemi Dawn Bowman
Publication Date: September 26th 2017
Publisher: Simon Pulse (Simon and Schuester)
Part of a Series?: No, A Standalone
I Got A Copy Through: Simpon Pulse vie NetGalley
Buy Links: Amazon US || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Wordery || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo ||

Blurb Description: Kiko Himura has always had a hard time saying exactly what she’s thinking. With a mother who makes her feel unremarkable and a half-Japanese heritage she doesn’t quite understand, Kiko prefers to keep her head down, certain that once she makes it into her dream art school, Prism, her real life will begin.
But then Kiko doesn’t get into Prism, at the same time her abusive uncle moves back in with her family. So when she receives an invitation from her childhood friend to leave her small town and tour art schools on the west coast, Kiko jumps at the opportunity in spite of the anxieties and fears that attempt to hold her back. And now that she is finally free to be her own person outside the constricting walls of her home life, Kiko learns life-changing truths about herself, her past, and how to be brave.
From debut author Akemi Dawn Bowman comes a luminous, heartbreaking story of identity, family, and the beauty that emerges when we embrace our true selves.

 

There are some books out there that you just connect with on every level, and Akemi Dawn Bowan’s Starfish was one of those for me. 

Before I begin, I would like to that the Cover Gods for coming up with the ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL Starfish cover because everything about this cover works for this book and AAH. It’s just so pleasing to look at. 

“I draw a girl on a plane, leaving her heart on the runway.”

There was absolutely nothing I didn’t like about this book, so let’s talk about all the things I did love:
1. Our Biracial Protagonist: Kiko is half American, half Japanese and from the very first page you can see her struggling with the image of beauty that her mother has drilled into her. She struggles to fall in love with the person she sees in the mirror, she struggles with anxiety, she struggles with her heritage versus just wanting to be “normal” which as an Indian is SO RELATABLE to me. I connected with Kiko, and fell for her instantly because her voice is raw, honest and most importantly, real.

“I draw water and fire, forgetting all the rules and morphing into something new.”

2. THE ART: I don’t talk about it one the internet much, but I’m also an artist. I’m nowhere near as talented as Kiko, but I can paint. When I feel like it. The words used by Akemi Bowan to describe Kiko’s art brought it to life in a way I’ve never seen done before. All the quotes are Akemi bringing to life her imaginings of Kiko’s art, because I thought you should see how BEAUTIFUL it was to read for me. 

“I draw a thousand fairies circling around a girl so she can finally fly away.”

3. THE CHARACTER GROWTH: Three chapters into this book, I felt like I knew Kiko. I understood what it was like to be her, socially awkward and all. I loved how she blossomed and started gambling on herself more as the book progressed and by the end, she actually said out loud what she kept inside before. It was like a caterpillar learning to become a butterfly and I LOVED IT. 

“I draw five Japanese women with very different faces, but all of them are equally beautiful because beauty is not just one thing.”

4. HIROSHI AND JAMIE: Now, they’re not love interests, this book DOESN’T HAVE a love triangle, but they’re both such SPECTACULAR characters. Hiroshi is an artist who takes Kiko under his wing, introduces her to his Japanese family and shows her what unconditional love is. Jamie, on the other hand, is her childhoos best friend with his blue eyes and kind smile. They’re both such perfect people, and exactly the supportive, kind people that Kiko needed and I fell in love with them too. 

A lyrical, gorgeously written, poignant diverse book about loving yourself, growing up and first love. 

5 stars and I COULD NOT RECOMMEND IT MORE.

Akemi Dawn Bowman is the author of Starfish. She’s a proud Ravenclaw and Star Wars enthusiast, who served in the US Navy for five years and has a BA in social sciences from UNLV. Originally from Las Vegas, she currently lives in England with her husband, two children, and their Pekingese mix. She is represented by Penny Moore of Empire Literary.

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What are some of your favourite diverse books of the year?

What are some of your favourite books that have art in it? 

Have you had the chance to read Starfish yet? What did you think of it?