Christopher Grey (1)

It is Renaissance Milan, 1497, and fifteen-year-old Giacomo, servant to Leonardo da Vinci, spends much of his time making excuses to those who have commissioned the artist's work and fending off the creditors trying to collect their debts. Giacomo was taken in by da Vinci after a fever robbed him of his memory. He dreams of finding his parents and becoming a painter himself. Da Vinci is delaying the start of ‘The Last Supper’ to be painted on the wall of Santa Maria delle Grazie, but show more instead spends his time on other projects. Why he will not work on the painting is a mystery and the Duke of Milan is becoming more impatient by the day. This is an intelligent read peppered with lots of historic detail. It’s good to know the story behind the painter and his great masterpiece and the authors’ sardonic turns of phrase are well done. show less

Giaccomo, orphan and servant to Leonardo, is too smart for his own good and quick to defend his Master against all outsiders. Leonardo has delayed work on The Last Supper for two years, harried by growing debt because the Duke of Milan is always slow to pay what is owed to him, so that he can pay his creditors in turn.

Giacomo is the one to come up with an idea which will make them solvent and able to buy food again. Only near the end of the book does Leonardo reveal to his servant while he show more has delayed his work for so long. show less

Giacomo has a goal - he's going to be a famous artist like his master, Leonardo Da Vinci... now if only he could get Leonardo to stop insulting him and start teaching! But there's something more pressing than an art lesson facing Giacomo: somehow he has to get Leonardo to stop procrastinating and start painting! He's been working on a huge mural title the Last Supper for almost two years now, and at this rate he'll never finish. With the Pope's visit coming up, the town merchants cutting off show more credit, and the Duke threatening to cut off something more well, more attached, it's up to Giacomo to get Leonardo motivated.

Funny, fast, and sneakily packed with easily to relate to historical detail. A treat to read. show less

Not quite my style as it feels like not enough happens to keep me reading (I admit I skimmed through most of it) but very well-researched in Leonardo Da Vinci's life and times.