The Florentine Treasure by Rowan Speedwell
4 1/2 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
Daniel is called by an old friend, to help catalog some priceless old artworks that were discovered in a cave after an earthquake. But after examine the find, he bangs his head during another earthquake and wakes to find himself in 1497, less than two weeks before the infamous Bonfire of the Vanities.
This is a wonderfully written novella, which takes us back in time, mixing fact with fiction, to give us a wonderful story that will warm your heart. Daniel has been fascinated with a drawing that Leonardo di Vinci drew of a young man, now after waking up he comes face to face with the young man… who posed five hundred years before. Gio (Giacopo) is on his way to his mother’s when he comes across a man who has been attacked (or so he thinks), but the man wears strange clothes and has strange card shaped things in his possession, but he trusts the man who will help them save works of art from Savonarola.
I will be honest and say that we don’t see much of the relationship between Daniel and Gio being built, but they are spending most of their time trying to save works of art. There is a connection between them though and they are quite passionate together, although we don’t get any great detail, what we do see is passionate. The storyline is brilliant, and there were parts that had my breath hitching in worry, would Daniel get to Gio in time? Would they survive the earthquake? And what will happen once Daniel returned to the future?
All I can say is that it was quite an exciting Time-Travel story that was woven beautifully, giving us a fascinating tale of how and why works of art were secreted away, and the story of what really happened to Leonardo di Vinci’s apprentice. So I highly recommend this if you love history, time-travel, danger, art and a happy ever after.
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