The Medici Seal is the story of a
young boy, set in the heady atmosphere of 16th century Renaissance Italy. The book by Carnegie medal-winner Theresa Breslin is narrated from the point of view of the young protagonist Matteo.It makes a dramatic opening with the young boy Matteo fleeing from a murderous brigand Sandino, only to be saved from drowning by the companions of Leonardo
da Vinci. From here on begins a journey for the young boy in the da Vinci household. The book intricately weaves the boys adventures with the 'master', including dissections of human bodies, painting the Mona Lisa, creation of the Battle of Anghiari, and the tragic attempt to create a flying machine. The Medici Seal also has sub plots that delve into the transformation of Matteo from an impatient illiterate boy into a refined and artistic young man. The book also retains the interests of the romantics amongst us by incorporating a love interest for the young hero. It is worth mentioning that Breslin manages to retain the readers interest inspite of the complex plot that juxtaposes history with fiction.The author has been meticulous in her research of the
era and the characterization of the genius Leonardo seems convincing. The book might not interest the faint hearted as some
sections depict
violence and gore quite graphically. The sections that depict the dissections and the wars are particularly gruesome. Violence not withstanding, the book is smartly written and holds its own in an era when books having Leonardo as a character come a dime a dozen.
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