I, Mona Lisa

Overview

An irresistible insight into the world as it looks through the eyes of the most famous painting of all time.

Listen to my history. My adventures are worth hearing. I have lived many lifetimes and been loved by emperors, kings and thieves. I have survived kidnap and assault. Revolution and two world wars. But this is also a love story. And the story of what we will do for those we love.

In Leonardo da Vinci's studio, bursting with genius imagination, towering commissions and needling patrons, as well as discontented muses, friends and rivals, sits the painting of the Mona Lisa. For five hundred tumultuous years, amid a whirlwind of power, money, intrigue, the portrait of Lisa del Giocondo is sought after and stolen. Over the centuries, few could hear her voice, but now she is ready to tell her own story, in her own words - a tale of rivalry, murder and heartbreak. Weaving through the years, she takes us from the dazzling world of Florentine studios to the French courts at Fontainebleau and Versailles, and into the Twentieth Century.

I, Mona Lisa is a deliciously vivid, compulsive and illuminating story about the lost and forgotten women throughout history.

Reviews

'A wonderfully written story of art, but also of obsession, friendship and love - I absolutely adored this novel' Jillian Cantor, author, Beautiful Little Fools

[A] lively, tender tale . . . In her zingy new novel [Solomons] gives the Mona Lisa . . . power, casting her as the fanciful narrator of her own story ― The Times

PRAISE FOR PREVIOUS BOOKS:

“A delicious family saga.” —New York Post on House of Gold

“Solomons is one of the best writers of historical fiction working today. Family dynasties, European politics, old war estates, love affairs, worlds on the brink of change: Solomons knows how to draw readers into a particular place and time. And once you’re there, you just don’t want to leave.” —Goop on House of Gold

“Sweeping....Filled with rich period detail, vivid characterization, and heartfelt emotion, this meticulously researched novel is highly recommended for fans of historical fiction.”—Library Journal (starred review) on House of Gold

“A sweeping epic.” —Refinery29 on House of Gold

“An achingly detailed yet sweeping narrative....A rewarding look into the fragility of power and the complexities of Jewish identity in the early 20th century. An absorbing saga.”—Kirkus Reviews on House of Gold

“The perfect mid-winter read, especially if you’re a Downton Abbey fan....Whether you’re already a fan or a newcomer, this story will capture your mind and heart.”—Washington Independent Review of Books on The Song of Hartgrove Hall

“Descriptions of the verdant British countryside, the grandeur of the manse, and Fox and Edie's devotion combine in a novel as engaging as Downton Abbey and as literary as a Brontë work.”—Shelf Awareness on The Song of Hartgrove Hall

“Like Downton, this romance compellingly explores the upstairs-downstairs dynamic of estate life.”—Entertainment Weekly on The House at Tyneford

“Natasha Solomons has written a lovely, atmospheric novel full of charming characters and good, old fashioned storytelling. Fans of Downton Abbey and Kate Morton’s The Forgotten Garden will absolutely adore The House at Tyneford.”—Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author on The House at Tyneford

Author Biography

Natasha Solomons is the author of five internationally bestselling novels, including Mr Rosenblum's List, The Novel in the Viola, which was chosen for the Richard & Judy Book Club, and The Gallery of Vanished Husbands. Natasha lives in Dorset with her son, daughter and her husband, the children's author, David Solomons with whom she also writes screenplays. Her novels have been translated into 17 languages. When not writing in the studio, Natasha can usually be found in her garden.