David ticks all the right boxes for me – historical fiction set in Florence during the time between Medici rulers. Tick! An appealing central character. Tick! Art history with some romantic entanglements. Tick!
And I did enjoy it. It was well written and engaging. The 1500’s came alive as the young man (fictional) that Michelangelo used as his model for his sculpture of David tell us his story.
We see the warring factions in Florence, the life of the artist and young love.
This is not a biography though. The facts of history have been played with a little, so if you like your history strictly by the book, this will not work for you. Hoffman occasionally gets bogged down in explaining who is who and what faction they belonged to, but generally she manages to convey this information via the plot and dialogue.
There are plenty of sexual references and intrigues throughout this book as befitting an Italian lothario! But nothing explicit or gratuitious. A great choice for those teens who like historical fiction with a little spice.
Michelangelo’s statue, David, is famous around the world. Millions flock to Italy every year to admire the physical perfection of the young man captured within the marble. But the identity of the model has never been known . . . until now.
In this epic tale, acclaimed author Mary Hoffman imagines the story of Gabriele, a naive but incredibly handsome young man who is hired as Michelangelo’s model, only to find himself drawn into a world of spies, political treachery, and murder. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Florence in its most turbulent times, this rich, colorful, thrilling tale gives life to one of the world’s greatest masterpieces.
bronasbooks.com 