The Stolen Lady, Laura Morelli
The Stolen Lady, Laura Morelli
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The Stolen Lady
A Novel of World War II and the Mona Lisa

Author: Laura Morelli

Narrator: Lisa Flanagan, Caroline Hewitt, Paul Woodson

Unabridged: 13 hr 8 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperAudio

Published: 09/21/2021


Synopsis

From the acclaimed author of The Night Portrait comes a stunning historical novel about two women, separated by five hundred years, who each hide Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa—with unintended consequences.

France, 1939At the dawn of World War II, Anne Guichard, a young archivist employed at the Louvre, arrives home to find her brother missing. While she works to discover his whereabouts, refugees begin flooding into Paris and German artillery fire rattles the city. Once they reach the city, the Nazis will stop at nothing to get their hands on the Louvre’s art collection. Anne is quickly sent to the Castle of Chambord, where the Louvre’s most precious artworks—including the Mona Lisa—are being transferred to ensure their safety. With the Germans hard on their heels, Anne frantically moves the Mona Lisa and other treasures again and again in an elaborate game of hide and seek. As the threat to the masterpieces and her life grows closer, Anne also begins to learn the truth about her brother and the role he plays in this dangerous game.Florence, 1479House servant Bellina Sardi’s future seems fixed when she accompanies her newly married mistress, Lisa Gherardini, to her home across the Arno. Lisa’s husband, a prosperous silk merchant, is aligned with the powerful Medici, his home filled with luxuries and treasures. But soon, Bellina finds herself bewitched by a charismatic monk who has urged Florentines to rise up against the Medici and to empty their homes of the riches and jewels her new employer prizes. When Master Leonardo da Vinci is commissioned to paint a portrait of Lisa, Bellina finds herself tasked with hiding an impossible secret.When art and war collide, Leonardo da Vinci, his beautiful subject Lisa, and the portrait find themselves in the crosshairs of history. 

About Laura Morelli

Laura Morelli holds a Ph.D. in art history from Yale University and is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling historical novelist. Laura has taught college students in the U.S. and in Italy. She has covered art and authentic travel for TED-Ed, National Geographic Traveler, Italy Magazine, CNN Radio, and other media. Laura is the author of the popular Authentic Arts guidebook series that includes Made in Italy. Her historical novels, including The Night Portrait, The Gondola Maker, and The Last Masterpiece, bring the stories of art history to life.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews on August 04, 2023

One woman is the person in the painting while the other woman is trying to save it. We meet Lisa Gherardini in 1497 whose wealthy husband wanted a portrait of her, and we meet Anne Guichard in 1939 who is employed at the Louvre and trying to keep this famous painting, The Mona Lisa, out of the hands......more

Goodreads review by Natasha on June 04, 2021

Like the masterpiece she writes about, Laura Morelli has created a work of art that is impossible to forget. With beautifully rendered settings, expertly drawn characters and a storyline that immersed me from the very first page, THE STOLEN LADY is a wonderful homage to both art and the women in his......more

Goodreads review by Blaine on September 01, 2023

Wonderful blend of historical fiction plus art history, as Laura Morelli treats us to her interpretation of how two ladies "saved" the Mona Lisa and does this by dual timelines. We follow Bellina, who is a servant whose job it is to look after Lisa Giacondo who is the lady of the painting. In additi......more

Goodreads review by Madeline on June 01, 2021

The Stolen Lady is a beautifully written, must-read story of the incredible journey of the Mona Lisa set amid two turbulent times in history. Laura Morelli offers a well-researched and richly told tale that captivated my attention from the first page.......more

Goodreads review by Robin on September 22, 2021

I received an ARC of this novel for an honest review: I wanted to love this, but after the first 200 pages it took effort to continue. The pacing slows way down - the reader is almost literally watching paint dry as Leonardo begins working on the Mona Lisa. Too many details, not enough action, and th......more