Signora da Vinci

Set in 15th century mostly Florence, this is a story of Leonardo da Vinci’s mother. There is very little known about her and what is known is based on assumptions. Caterina is a daughter of an alchemist/apothecary. She is taught about medicinal properties of herbs and processes of alchemy. An up-and......more

3.5 stars ... Good historical fiction that tells the back story of Leonardo da Vinci's mother. Populated with real people from the era - Lorenzo de Medici, Botticelli, Savanarolla, Pope Innocent, etc. A good read, and I learned a little more about this time and place in history.......more

I enjoyed the history side of it. Some of the personal details I found unnecessary and thus they kind of put me off parts of the book. On the whole, it's an interesting theory on who the mother of Leonardo da Vinci might have been. A theory not really based in fact but in the intriguing world of cha......more

The author admits in the reading guide that virtually the only known fact about da Vinci's mother is her name, Caterina, and that this entire novel is based on the author's own conjectures and whims. It's well-written, but I grew bored with the endless alchemical experiments and the discussions abou......more