The beauty of the Renaissance, a deadly power struggle and a seemingly hopeless love
In the summer of 1469, all of Florence is celebrating the marriage of Lorenzo de Medici, the son of the fabulously rich banking family and future rulers of the city. Three of the wedding guests — Giuliano de Medici, the eternal second born; aspiring painter Fioretta Gorini; and the young, completely unknown Leonardo da Vinci — are still unaware of how closely their fates are linked to that of the city. For while Florence blossoms and the three are finding their place in the world, the reign of the Medici is threatened from more than one side. They soon find themselves deep in a dangerous game of love and power, art and politics, war and treason.
“This novel doesn’t only bring famous painter Raffael Sanzio to life but it replicates the texture and structure of his pictures. It is miraculous that thanks to his perfect mix of fact-based detail and vivacious narrative style that such an impressive historical novel is also a debut.” Karfunkel, Zeitschrift für erlebbare Geschichte about Raffael - Das Lächeln der Madonna
“Noah Martin’s novel whisks us off to the Florence of the Medici and brings to life the Renaissance with its captivating characters and exciting stories.” Daniel Wolf
