The Botticelli Secret is a mix of art history and thriller. Though the plot was highly improbable and at times thin, the book was fun to read. When Luciana, a lovely Florentine prostitute, is chosen as the model for Flora, a goddess in Botticelli’s painting “Primavera”, she steals a sketch of it as a souvenir. When people start being murdered round her she escapes Florence in the company of a priest, Brother Guido. Together they travel through multiple Italian cities trying to piece together clues to a political conspiracy that are hidden in the sketch.
The poor teenaged Luciana is happy with her life as a prostitute as she enjoys men and sex. She’s very open about her sexuality and foul-mouthed to boot. She contrasts nicely with the uptight monk from a wealthy family. The plot has many twists and turns, often inexplicable at times, but the book is a fun romp, pure escapism, set in a world well-described by the author.
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The Botticelli Secret (St. Martin’s Griffin, March 30, 2010) is available through:
Your local independent bookseller | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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