Leonardo's Shadow

Leonardo’s Shadow

By Christopher Grey, 390 Pages

Leonardo’s Shadow follows Giacomo, a young boy in Milan, Italy as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Giacomo is the servant of the famous Renaissance Man, Leonardo da Vinci. Da Vinci is at a high point in his career as he is in the middle of painting The Last Supper. However, two years have passed, and there is barely any work done on it. The Duke of Milan is starting to threaten Leonardo by saying that he will hire Michelangelo to finish the painting. With his mind on other things, like a new flying machine, it appears Leonardo will never finish the painting. Can Giacomo help influence his master to work faster, while trying to discover his identity, his past and even his true parents?

Giacomo was taken in by da Vinci after a serious injury. Da Vinci gives him medical attention and eventually offers him a spot as his personal servant. Giacomo accepts the offer and goes about on his daily tasks. Over time, he gains da Vinci's trust. This trust is directly correlated to da Vinci's consent to fly the flying machine and even pose for the head of Saint John in the Last Supper. But his true identity is still unknown and he is out to seek it.

Christopher Grey writes an excellent novel about a personal journey and about Italy during the Renaissance. I decided to read this book because I take AP Euro and i get fascinated by art history. Additionally, I have seen The Last Supper in real life, so this book provided some interesting information. Even though this is a historical fiction book, Grey accurately portrays 16th century Italy. Overall, this book was impossible to put down, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes history, or anyone in search of a good book.