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Reviews for Da Vinci's Lost Years
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 An
entertaining read, June 19, 2010
This review is from:
Da Vinci's Lost Years (Paperback)
Leonardo da Vinci was the most famous Renaissance artist. I
wonder where he came up with such futuristic ideas. Maybe it
was the two year journey he took into the future. Da Vinci
disappeared from Italy in 1476.
He returned two years later with no memory of where he had
been or what had happened. The only thing he had was a sketch
book and ideas. Where was he for two years? Perhaps he was
transported to New Orleans in the year 1969, at the height
of the Mardi Gras? He arrived with a change of clothes and
some art supplies.
Leonardo strikes up a friendship
with a street artist, T-man, and his girlfriend, Monique. From
here the adventure begins. He has never seen a television,
heard a radio, seen an airplane or ever thought of men going
to the moon. He fell in love with Monique but knows it will
never work. The Old One will return soon to transport him back
to his own time and place when he feels he has completed his
mission in the future. Was it to learn about love or his art?
What about the identity of the mysterious Mona Lisa? Who knows
what he brought back with him?
I found this book to be
quite an entertaining read; it was humorous in parts, full of
adventure and suspense. The characters were well portrayed,
whether they were the main characters or secondary characters.
The book is well written and it held my attention right up to
the very end.
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a
great fictional take on the original Renaissance man,
April 30, 2010
This review is from:
Da Vinci's Lost Years (Paperback)
4.75 out of 5
Sylvia Rochester's novel "Da Vinci's
Lost Years" mixes history, fantasy, romance, and a dash of
adventure together to present a fictional answer to a
centuries old question: where was Leonardo da Vinci from 1476
to 1478? Supposedly, there are no records to indicate his
whereabouts during those years, so this story fills in those
lost years for the original Renaissance man as well as
addressing the origin of his strangely futuristic ideas and
inventions, whether he was homosexual as history seems to
hint, and the identity of his mysterious Mona Lisa.
Ms. Rochester portrays the Italy of Leonardo's time as well as
1969 New Orleans in a manner
that transports the reader right into those settings. In New Orleans, it is the dawn of the space
era, and there is a sense of subdued excitement that revolves
around the fledgling space program. We experience the thrill
and revelry of Mardi Gras, the alleys and courtyards of
New Orleans, and the remote landscape of the
Louisiana
coast with a clarity that brings the story to life. And the
author's depiction of the Italy of Leonardo's time makes us
feel as if we are a part of history.
I found this
story to be diverting, suspenseful, and well-written. Although
my interest was piqued by the premise of the novel even before
I opened it, the narrative grabbed my attention immediately
and held on to it until the very end. This book wastes no time
in the beginning but dives right in to the adventure. It
alternates fast-paced action and danger with quieter lulls to
give characters a chance to develop and to make emotional
connections.
The characters in "Da Vinci's Lost Years"
are quite well depicted, in my opinion. Whether they are
protagonists or villains or secondary players, Ms. Rochester
has created them to be three dimensional and believable and to
contribute to the progress of the plot. Of course, Leonardo
found the soft spot in my heart and captured it; whether he is
a young man in 20th century
New Orleans
or showing a more advanced age back in his own time and place,
he is completely appealing. And Monique has strength and
resilience but also an emotional vulnerability that make you
want her to find the happiness that has eluded her so far.
I believe that my favorite part of this story is Monique's
process of discovery as she comes to realize that the lover
she simply knows as "Lenny" is indeed Leonardo da Vinci. It
made me want to run to the art and history books to look the
man up for myself.
Whether you are a fan of "history's
mysteries" or simply like a bit of a romance, I think that you
will enjoy "Da Vinci's Lost Years." I found it to be touching
and involving; it made me dig for a tissue or two, but it is
not maudlin - just sweet. Overall, this novel is very
interesting and quite well done, and I am glad that I had the
opportunity to read it.
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ANOTHER
WINNER, February 21, 2010
This review is from:
Da Vinci's Lost Years (Paperback)
From the pen of Sylvia Rochester
and her creative genius comes another winner. Da Vinci's Lost
Years is a story full of adventure, mystery, suspense and
love. Thanks for letting me accompany Leonardo on his
incredible journey. This is a story worth reading more than
once.
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Sylvia Rochester Does It Again!,
February 21, 2010
This review is from:
Da Vinci's Lost Years (Paperback)
This book has it all- action, suspense, history, drama, and
romance. It's a wonderfully immaginative way of explaining
DaVinci's missing years and his ability to conceive of
technology far advanced for his time. Plus, it adds in a touch
of Louisiana
culture. What more could you ask for?!
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GREAT
READ, February 15, 2010
This review is from:
Da Vinci's Lost Years (Paperback)
1500 TO 1969?
Time Travel at its best from the vivied
imagination of a skillful author who hurls you thru space and
leaves your mumbling to yourself..wow! What if..why not?
Another thoroughly enjoyable story from talented
Sylvia Rochester.
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Fascinating
Idea, February 13, 2010
This review is from:
Da Vinci's Lost Years (Paperback)
Sylvia Rochester's
rich imagination is at work again, speculating on the lost
years of Leonardo DaVinci's life. Where DID he get his
far-sighted ideas? Could he have been a time traveler allowed
to see the future?
This fascinating new book by
Sylvia Rochester
will leave you wondering....
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