Leonardo's Shadow

by: Christopher Grey

Published by: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Reviewed by Jamie Driggers

Subtitled: Or, My Astonishing Life as Leonardo da Vinci’s Servant

Giacomo is a servant boy without a past. But he’s not just anybody’s servant. He is Leonardo da Vinci’s servant.

Master daVinci rescued Giacomo when he was only eight, and he as been a servant to the great painter since. But now it has been two years since da Vinci began work on The Last Supper, and as far as Giacomo can tell, virtually no progress has been made. While creditors come pounding on their door, the Duke of Milan harasses Giacomo and his master, and the great Leonardo da Vinci holes himself up to work on who-knows-what. Will Giacomo find the answers to the many questions that plague him?

This fascinating “historical thriller” gives life and breath to Milan at the end of the fifteenth century. Based on an obscure servant mentioned in Leonardo’s Notebooks and plenty of gaps in Leonardo da Vinci’s life, Grey weaves together a riveting story of what could have been in the years leading up to the completing of Leonardo’s masterpiece, The Last Supper.

I know very little of this time period or of Leonardo da Vinci’s works, but I now find myself wanting to know a great deal more. I couldn’t quit turning pages from the first chapter. The only thing that made me want to put down the book was the continual references to art pieces. I need to find a picture of the piece so I really know what he wrote about.

One thing I especially enjoyed was that a reproduction of The Last Supper is on the hardcover of the book, without so much as a book title marring its surface so I could flip to it time and time again as he referred to aspects of the painting.

If you aren’t into art, you will be.

Armchair Interviews says: Hands down, this is a great read for young and old alike.

Author’s Web site: http://www.LeonardosShadow.com