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Medici Heist
Welcome to Florence, 1517, a world of intrigue, opulence, secrets, and murder. The Medici family rules the city from their seat of wealth, but the people of Florence remember the few decades they spent as a Republic, free from the Medicis and their puppet Pope, Leo X.
Sharp-witted seventeen-year-old con-woman Rosa Cellini has plans for the Pope and the Medicis - and, more specifically, the mountain of indulgence money they've been extorting from the people of Tuscany. To pull off the Renaissance's greatest robbery, she'll recruit a team of capable Sarra the tinkerer, Khalid the fighter, and Giacomo, the irrepressible master of disguise. To top it all off, and to smooth their entrance into the fortress-like Palazzo Medici, Rosa even enlists the reluctant help of famed artist and local misanthrope, Michelangelo.
Old secrets resurface and tensions in the gang flare as the authorities draw closer and the Medicis' noose pulls tighter around Tuscany itself. What began as a robbery becomes a bid to save Florence from certain destruction - if Rosa and company don't destroy each other first.
Get ready for an absolute swashbuckling riot, beginning with a 'mud' pie to the Pope's face, and ending with a climatic heist that would give Danny Ocean a run for his money. Bursting with snark, innuendo and action, Medici Heist is your next un-put-downable obsession.
Sharp-witted seventeen-year-old con-woman Rosa Cellini has plans for the Pope and the Medicis - and, more specifically, the mountain of indulgence money they've been extorting from the people of Tuscany. To pull off the Renaissance's greatest robbery, she'll recruit a team of capable Sarra the tinkerer, Khalid the fighter, and Giacomo, the irrepressible master of disguise. To top it all off, and to smooth their entrance into the fortress-like Palazzo Medici, Rosa even enlists the reluctant help of famed artist and local misanthrope, Michelangelo.
Old secrets resurface and tensions in the gang flare as the authorities draw closer and the Medicis' noose pulls tighter around Tuscany itself. What began as a robbery becomes a bid to save Florence from certain destruction - if Rosa and company don't destroy each other first.
Get ready for an absolute swashbuckling riot, beginning with a 'mud' pie to the Pope's face, and ending with a climatic heist that would give Danny Ocean a run for his money. Bursting with snark, innuendo and action, Medici Heist is your next un-put-downable obsession.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published August 6, 2024
159 people are currently reading
8053 people want to read
About the author
Caitlin Schneiderhan
6 books87 followersCaitlin Schneiderhan is a TV writer and novelist, whose work can be seen on Netflix's hit show Stranger Things. She hatched from a cocoon of Terry Pratchett novels when she was 13 years old, and her love of fun, genre-focused storytelling runs deep. Originally hailing from Silver Spring, Maryland, Caitlin now resides in Los Angeles.
She still has a full shelf of Terry Pratchett paperbacks.
She still has a full shelf of Terry Pratchett paperbacks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 456 reviews
June 3, 2024
Before even reading the author’s background, The Medici Heist reminded me of a script. Finding out the author is a screenwriter makes so much sense.
Medici Heist is about a group of dubiously talented individuals who gather together to eat the rich. They each have secret motivations for wanting the Medici family to suffer, but these hidden agendas cause issues for the overall heist.
This felt like a script because of how lifeless it read. There’s info dumping galore: historical info, heist plans, and character backstories. I kept waiting for life and personality to shine through, but I was disappointed.
There are four or five main characters, but I couldn’t distinguish them. The two girls specifically, Rose and Sarra, are the same sassy sharp women who don’t fit into traditional feminine roles, which is all well and good, but there needs to be personality beyond that. The two boys, Khalid and Giacomo, fit neatly into the grumpy and sunshine roles, but I didn’t care for either one. By the time the sad backstories for all four of our characters were revealed, it didn’t have much impact, despite being objectively awful. It’s a bad sign when the characters can pull no emotional response halfway through a book.
There are good building blocks here. The combination of Historical Fiction and a heist is something I can get behind. But it’s so boring. This book would have been fantastic if the plot, background, or characters had depth or personality. Unfortunately, this reads like a rough draft.
CW: death of parents, homophobia, some violence and gore
Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan’s Children’s Publishing Books (Feiwel and Friends) for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Medici Heist is about a group of dubiously talented individuals who gather together to eat the rich. They each have secret motivations for wanting the Medici family to suffer, but these hidden agendas cause issues for the overall heist.
This felt like a script because of how lifeless it read. There’s info dumping galore: historical info, heist plans, and character backstories. I kept waiting for life and personality to shine through, but I was disappointed.
There are four or five main characters, but I couldn’t distinguish them. The two girls specifically, Rose and Sarra, are the same sassy sharp women who don’t fit into traditional feminine roles, which is all well and good, but there needs to be personality beyond that. The two boys, Khalid and Giacomo, fit neatly into the grumpy and sunshine roles, but I didn’t care for either one. By the time the sad backstories for all four of our characters were revealed, it didn’t have much impact, despite being objectively awful. It’s a bad sign when the characters can pull no emotional response halfway through a book.
There are good building blocks here. The combination of Historical Fiction and a heist is something I can get behind. But it’s so boring. This book would have been fantastic if the plot, background, or characters had depth or personality. Unfortunately, this reads like a rough draft.
CW: death of parents, homophobia, some violence and gore
Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan’s Children’s Publishing Books (Feiwel and Friends) for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
January 11, 2025
Aaaah la petite vibe mi Six of Crows, mi Ocean Eleven 🤌 J’ai kiffé. C’était original, bien mené et même si on va assez vite sur certaines choses concernant les personnages et leurs relations / évolution, je me suis bien attachée à eux. C’est aussi extrêmement visuel, je trouve qu’on sent bien que l’autrice travaille dans l’audiovisuel : je n’avais aucun mal à projeter les scènes et ça rendrait très bien en film ou série hehe
Bref, une bonne lecture, rien de TRANSCENDANT, mais ça m’a happée le temps de ma lecture !
Bref, une bonne lecture, rien de TRANSCENDANT, mais ça m’a happée le temps de ma lecture !
July 25, 2024
Medici Heist will make a wonderful movie. It’s full of fast action scenes, cinematic descriptions, a relatively short timeline, and diverse characters. Usually, that would be a good thing. But the medium of a novel didn’t match the story. Scenes that would’ve felt incredible were they filmed felt choppy and distorted written down. Character descriptions that would’ve been amazing notes for an actor to bring to life instead fell flat. Whip-smart dialogue that would’ve been hilarious to hear on screen ended up feeling repetitive without vocal tonal shifts. As you might’ve guessed, my main issues with this novel were the writing and the characters.
First, there were too many repetitive characters. One thing you’re taught as a writer is to cut/combine characters whenever possible. If two characters have the same skill set, it’s okay to make them into one person. Sarra and Rosa were essentially the same person with different skills and the book would’ve been better had they actually been one person. Most of the interpersonal conflicts they dealt with could have easily been simplified into one storyline instead of two separate arcs that weren’t needed and slowed down the pacing. The author didn’t spend enough time developing them as separate people, so I was bored every time I read from their perspective.
As for Giacomo and Khalid, they got more character development, but not enough. Readers could’ve used more time getting to know their individual backstories and motivations instead of a few flashbacks. Again, this book will work well as a movie. Every written scene would be more powerful on screen with more than words to bring it to life because the words alone weren’t enough to transport me into the characters’ minds. To me, flashbacks serve a purpose when they’re charged with emotional resonance. Here, there were a ton of flashbacks that showed an event rather than making the audience feel it.
That brings me to my next issue: writing. Medici Heist would make an excellent blueprint for a film, yet as a novel, I grew bored. It was like reading the black-and-white outline of what the story should be: the color hadn’t been filled in, nor had the depth or emotion. The author spent more time describing the architecture than she did developing her characters’ emotions and thoughts, leaving readers feeling like spectators rather than immersed participants.
Even the plot structure was set up like a movie instead of a novel. There were training montages (literally), scenes of scheming that needed flashy transition music, and a storyline that followed the three-act structure down to a T. Every twist was obvious because it was foreshadowed the way you would foreshadow something on screen—flashy dialogue and dramatic threats meant to grow suspense rather than to plant the seeds of a possible twist.
Don’t get me wrong, the plot was amazing. It was easy to follow without being boring, and though I took significantly longer to finish the novel than I usually do, I always remembered what was going on because the characters would refer back to past events. The historical setting was fun without being overdone and the pacing was perfect. Whenever Medici Heist becomes a movie, I will be first in line to see it. But until that day, the story left me hoping for more.
An e-ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.
First, there were too many repetitive characters. One thing you’re taught as a writer is to cut/combine characters whenever possible. If two characters have the same skill set, it’s okay to make them into one person. Sarra and Rosa were essentially the same person with different skills and the book would’ve been better had they actually been one person. Most of the interpersonal conflicts they dealt with could have easily been simplified into one storyline instead of two separate arcs that weren’t needed and slowed down the pacing. The author didn’t spend enough time developing them as separate people, so I was bored every time I read from their perspective.
As for Giacomo and Khalid, they got more character development, but not enough. Readers could’ve used more time getting to know their individual backstories and motivations instead of a few flashbacks. Again, this book will work well as a movie. Every written scene would be more powerful on screen with more than words to bring it to life because the words alone weren’t enough to transport me into the characters’ minds. To me, flashbacks serve a purpose when they’re charged with emotional resonance. Here, there were a ton of flashbacks that showed an event rather than making the audience feel it.
That brings me to my next issue: writing. Medici Heist would make an excellent blueprint for a film, yet as a novel, I grew bored. It was like reading the black-and-white outline of what the story should be: the color hadn’t been filled in, nor had the depth or emotion. The author spent more time describing the architecture than she did developing her characters’ emotions and thoughts, leaving readers feeling like spectators rather than immersed participants.
Even the plot structure was set up like a movie instead of a novel. There were training montages (literally), scenes of scheming that needed flashy transition music, and a storyline that followed the three-act structure down to a T. Every twist was obvious because it was foreshadowed the way you would foreshadow something on screen—flashy dialogue and dramatic threats meant to grow suspense rather than to plant the seeds of a possible twist.
Don’t get me wrong, the plot was amazing. It was easy to follow without being boring, and though I took significantly longer to finish the novel than I usually do, I always remembered what was going on because the characters would refer back to past events. The historical setting was fun without being overdone and the pacing was perfect. Whenever Medici Heist becomes a movie, I will be first in line to see it. But until that day, the story left me hoping for more.
An e-ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.
August 10, 2024
must a book be good ? is it not enough to have pining gays and angry girls stealing from the rich ?
July 4, 2025
Como persona aficionada a todo lo relacionado con el Renacimiento, Florencia (o Italia en general) y obviamente de los Medici, he de decir que aunque no fuera exactamente lo que me esperaba pero igualmente ha superado mis expectativas.
En cuanto a la trama, me parece que todo está bien hilado, todo todo el plan que crea Rosa para llevar a cabo el asalto Medici, las referencias históricas y artísticas, esos momentos románticos (aun sin ser el tema principal del libro), para mí ha hecho que me enganchara a la historia y no pudiera parar de leerla.
Aunque tenga varios puntos de vista pero para nada te pierdes en la lectura, ya que siento que mantiene la misma línea de narración.
Por último, me hacía estar en constante tensión (no de la mala) de si los iban a pillar o no.
En cuanto a la trama, me parece que todo está bien hilado, todo todo el plan que crea Rosa para llevar a cabo el asalto Medici, las referencias históricas y artísticas, esos momentos románticos (aun sin ser el tema principal del libro), para mí ha hecho que me enganchara a la historia y no pudiera parar de leerla.
Aunque tenga varios puntos de vista pero para nada te pierdes en la lectura, ya que siento que mantiene la misma línea de narración.
Por último, me hacía estar en constante tensión (no de la mala) de si los iban a pillar o no.
Read
April 16, 2024tl;dr
Great heist book! Well-plotted, with a lovable cast, and plenty of complications.
Thoughts
I am an incredibly simple person. I see "heist," I click. Sometimes it is a mistake, but today I was richly rewarded. This is a solid heist book, but it also hits all my favorite found family notes, so I am extremely happy. I know Ocean's Eleven is used as a comp for basically every heist book, but I find it apt to use it now because the narrative structure is also similar. A mastermind rolls into town, picks up their favorite partner, and then the two of them recruit a team and go after the big score as a group. There may or may not be a personal angle to all of this. There are definitely complications and twists all along the way. There're also a lot of complex relationship things going on, including family stuff, found family stuff, young love, slightly older love, and even more family stuff. All the characters (sans one, who really seems to have it together) have their own arcs to work through outside of the heist, but the interlocking stories work really well as a foundation, rather than a distraction to the main thread. This book is also a standalone, so it's free of those pesky cliffhangers. If you love a good heist, you want this book in your library stat.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the advance copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.
Great heist book! Well-plotted, with a lovable cast, and plenty of complications.
Thoughts
I am an incredibly simple person. I see "heist," I click. Sometimes it is a mistake, but today I was richly rewarded. This is a solid heist book, but it also hits all my favorite found family notes, so I am extremely happy. I know Ocean's Eleven is used as a comp for basically every heist book, but I find it apt to use it now because the narrative structure is also similar. A mastermind rolls into town, picks up their favorite partner, and then the two of them recruit a team and go after the big score as a group. There may or may not be a personal angle to all of this. There are definitely complications and twists all along the way. There're also a lot of complex relationship things going on, including family stuff, found family stuff, young love, slightly older love, and even more family stuff. All the characters (sans one, who really seems to have it together) have their own arcs to work through outside of the heist, but the interlocking stories work really well as a foundation, rather than a distraction to the main thread. This book is also a standalone, so it's free of those pesky cliffhangers. If you love a good heist, you want this book in your library stat.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the advance copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.
September 25, 2025
“Ограбление Медичи” я, как ни странно, ждала. У меня не было каких-то заоблачных ожиданий, я просто рассчитывала приятно провести несколько вечеров, ибо истории про ограбления и в книжном, и в киношном формате люблю. И из “Ограбления Медичи” получился бы вполне неплохой фильм. Не шедевр, но и не откровенный трэш. Как книга эта история не совсем работает по ряду причин. А впрочем к этому моменту мы вернемся позже.
Флоренция, XVI век. Папа Римский Лев Х (он же в миру Джованни Медичи) грабит народ, сорит деньгами папской казны и вообще как человек он так себе (не даром книга начинается с того, что в него швыряют дерьмом). Планируется прием, на котором соберутся богатейшие из богатейших. Разумеется, они не побрезгуют возможностью задобрить нового главу католической церкви материально. Идеальные условия для ограбления, осталось только собрать команду безумцев, что согласятся пойти на это.
Итак наш отряд рыцарей квадратной табуретки состоит из следующих членов.
Роза Челлини – Мозг всей операции. Дочь прославленной в узких кругах аферистки, недалеко ушедшая от матери. Дико недоверчивая барышня, которая пытается косить под Каза Бреккера и Дэнни Оушена с переменным успехом. Холодная снежная королева, которая никого не подпускает близко.
Сарра Непи – Подруга детства Розы, которую игнор с ее стороны явно задевает. Днем работает в типографии брата, а ночью мастерит причудливые механизмы для грабежей. Жить в две жизни для нее в тягость и страдает она в своих главах преимущественно по этому поводу.
Халид аль-Саррадж – Отвечает за физическую силу. Находится в долговом плену у организатора боев без правил, так что деньги ему нужны для откупа. Крайне серьезный и нелюдимый, из-за чего у него то и дело случаются стычки с Джакомо.
Джакомо сан Джакомо – Мастер маскировки. Крайне экспрессивный и эксцентричный. Постоянно дергает Халида “за косички”.
Еще в этом плане присутствуют местная “ведьма” Агата и не хрен с горы, а сам Микеланджело . Но они не особо фигурируют в сюжете, поэтому отдельно их считать не стоит. Также у нас есть ученик Микеланджело, Доминик , который страсть как хочет заслужить признание учителя, однако, артистичной жилки в нем нет. Зато он способен с удивительной точностью копировать чужие работы. В ограблении напрямую не участвует, но в книге есть главы от его лица.
Тут стоит сделать небольшое отступление и обратиться к личности автора. Обычно я подобного не делаю, но в данном случае считаю это необходимым. Кейтлин Шнайдерхан по основному роду деятельности является сценаристом. Самый известный проект, над которым она работала, – это четвертый сезон сериала “Очень Странные Дела”. К данному сериа��у много разнообразных претензий, одной из которых является явное нежелание создателей убивать или выписывать из сюжета персонажей. В результате список героев к четвертому сезону разросся до такой степени, что сценаристы откровенно перестали понимать, куда вести большую их часть в плане арок. У г-жи Шнайдерхан здесь, по сути, проблема такая же: слишком массивный каст (5 POV-ов, звучащих абсолютно одинаково), с которым она не знает что делать. Как минимум двух персонажей можно было спокойно вырезать, и история бы ничего не потеряла. Никто не спорит, что писать ансамбль персонажей вместо одного центрального протагониста намного сложнее, но у автора ни один из героев нормально не раскрыт.
Мало того, что каст огромный, так он еще и не взаимодействует между собой, и это вторая проблема. Не было ни одной сцены, где все участники заговора присутствовали в полном составе. Роза делает свои дела, Сарра страдает своей фигней, чем занят Джакомо – одному Богу известно. Я понимаю, что "ничего личного, просто бизнес", но эти люди, очевидно, живут вместе, неужели они друг друга игнорируют постоянно?
Ладно бы это, но с индивидуальными арками тоже беда. У здешних персонажей есть конфликты, но они чисто номинальные и решаются либо за кадром, либо очень быстро, причем самым вылизанным образом. При этом они словно живут в вакууме, и их жизнь ставится на паузу пока г-жа Шнайдерхан снова не напишет главу от лица нужного героя. Например, вот вам Сарра .Она занимается грабежами втайне от брата и дико страдает из-за неспособности открыться ему. При этом ее отношения с братом толком не показаны. В следующей главе от лица Сарры та замечает, что брат поздно возвращается домой. Проходит еще страниц 30, новая глава от лица Сарры , и тут выясняется, что брат все знал, обиды не держит, и вообще оппозиционные статьи против Медичи писал. Хронологически между этими главами прошли от силы сутки. И на этом конфликт исчерпан. Если честно, персонаж Сарры сам по себе вызывает у меня много вопросов, ибо ее скилл особо в ограблении не используется. Ее можно было легко вырезать или скрестить с той же Розой , ничего бы не поменялось. Вообще мне кажется, что Сарра была добавлена исключительно для того, чтобы в книге была хотя бы еще одна девушка.
Романтические линии тоже оставляют желать лучшего, потому что написаны также сыро, как и все остальное. Чувства в обеих парах возникают по ощущениям из ниоткуда. И если в случае Халида и Джакомо можно было сказать, что они всегда в какой-то степени нравились друг другу, так как были знакомы до начала основных событий, то реакцию на Доминика и Розу вполне лаконично изьявил Станиславский еще до моего появления на этот свет. Шнайдерхан пыталась прописать между ними искру, но эту искру словно пытались вызвать под проливным дождем. На моменте с “предательством” Розы я и вовсе закатывала глаза.
В меня с самого начала закрались смутные сомнения, что изначально “Ограбление Медичи” являлся отвергнутым сценарием. Чуйка меня не подвела, Кейлтлин Шнайдерхан подтвердила это в главе с благодарностями. Однако, даже без этого, данный момент довольно легко считывается. Автор понимает, почему “Одиннадцать Друзей Оушена” является хорошим фильмом про ограбление, но не понимает, почему “Шестерка Воронов” – хорошая книга на ту же тему. “Ограбление Медичи”, по сути, написана как список сцен и диалогов. Описание антуража минимальное, как и погружение в эмоции героев. В фильме привлекательность персонажа во многом зависит от таланта и харизмы играющего его актера. В фильме эстетику и антураж создают костюмеры, операторы, декораторы, композотиры, монтажеры и много других людей. В книге таких посредников нет, писатель должен сам передать свое виденье через текст. Г-жа Шнайдерхан, скорее ввиду отсутствия опыта, не смогла. В “Шестерке Воронов” вы никогда не перепутаете главы того же Каза с главами другого персонажа, даже если все имена перечеркнут. В “Ограблении Медичи”, как уже говорилось, герои даже в диалогах разговаривают абсолютно одинаково за исключением Микеланджело, который исполняет роль стереотипного ворчливого деда. В итоге им не сопереживаешь и становится откровенно все равно удасться ли им ограбить Медичи, или же их всех повесят. Автор пыталась вписать больше экшна, дабы читателю не было скучно, но в результате я в некоторых моментах вообще не понимала, что происходит. Особенно в части с ограблением (которому уделено от силы 20%-ов), ради которого мы все тут и собрались. Здесь даже была клишированная сцена, где героев поймали и кажется, что весь план пошел коту под хвост, но на самом деле так было задумано с самого начала, потому что вот такой вот Роза гений.
Как итог, “Ограбление Медичи” – это до невозможности сырая в плане исполнения книга. И это хуже, чем если бы она просто была плохой. Это даже не черновик, а скорее черновик черновика, который явно нуждался в доработке. Из “Ограбления Медичи” получился бы неплохой фильм или даже мини-сериал, но не книга. Во всяком случае, не в таком исполнении. Это литературный фастфуд, но не очень хороший.
Телеграм-канал "Яблоневый Сад Эвридики"
Флоренция, XVI век. Папа Римский Лев Х (он же в миру Джованни Медичи) грабит народ, сорит деньгами папской казны и вообще как человек он так себе (не даром книга начинается с того, что в него швыряют дерьмом). Планируется прием, на котором соберутся богатейшие из богатейших. Разумеется, они не побрезгуют возможностью задобрить нового главу католической церкви материально. Идеальные условия для ограбления, осталось только собрать команду безумцев, что согласятся пойти на это.
Итак наш отряд рыцарей квадратной табуретки состоит из следующих членов.
Роза Челлини – Мозг всей операции. Дочь прославленной в узких кругах аферистки, недалеко ушедшая от матери. Дико недоверчивая барышня, которая пытается косить под Каза Бреккера и Дэнни Оушена с переменным успехом. Холодная снежная королева, которая никого не подпускает близко.
Сарра Непи – Подруга детства Розы, которую игнор с ее стороны явно задевает. Днем работает в типографии брата, а ночью мастерит причудливые механизмы для грабежей. Жить в две жизни для нее в тягость и страдает она в своих главах преимущественно по этому поводу.
Халид аль-Саррадж – Отвечает за физическую силу. Находится в долговом плену у организатора боев без правил, так что деньги ему нужны для откупа. Крайне серьезный и нелюдимый, из-за чего у него то и дело случаются стычки с Джакомо.
Джакомо сан Джакомо – Мастер маскировки. Крайне экспрессивный и эксцентричный. Постоянно дергает Халида “за косички”.
Еще в этом плане присутствуют местная “ведьма” Агата и не хрен с горы, а сам Микеланджело . Но они не особо фигурируют в сюжете, поэтому отдельно их считать не стоит. Также у нас есть ученик Микеланджело, Доминик , который страсть как хочет заслужить признание учителя, однако, артистичной жилки в нем нет. Зато он способен с удивительной точностью копировать чужие работы. В ограблении напрямую не участвует, но в книге есть главы от его лица.
Тут стоит сделать небольшое отступление и обратиться к личности автора. Обычно я подобного не делаю, но в данном случае считаю это необходимым. Кейтлин Шнайдерхан по основному роду деятельности является сценаристом. Самый известный проект, над которым она работала, – это четвертый сезон сериала “Очень Странные Дела”. К данному сериа��у много разнообразных претензий, одной из которых является явное нежелание создателей убивать или выписывать из сюжета персонажей. В результате список героев к четвертому сезону разросся до такой степени, что сценаристы откровенно перестали понимать, куда вести большую их часть в плане арок. У г-жи Шнайдерхан здесь, по сути, проблема такая же: слишком массивный каст (5 POV-ов, звучащих абсолютно одинаково), с которым она не знает что делать. Как минимум двух персонажей можно было спокойно вырезать, и история бы ничего не потеряла. Никто не спорит, что писать ансамбль персонажей вместо одного центрального протагониста намного сложнее, но у автора ни один из героев нормально не раскрыт.
Мало того, что каст огромный, так он еще и не взаимодействует между собой, и это вторая проблема. Не было ни одной сцены, где все участники заговора присутствовали в полном составе. Роза делает свои дела, Сарра страдает своей фигней, чем занят Джакомо – одному Богу известно. Я понимаю, что "ничего личного, просто бизнес", но эти люди, очевидно, живут вместе, неужели они друг друга игнорируют постоянно?
Ладно бы это, но с индивидуальными арками тоже беда. У здешних персонажей есть конфликты, но они чисто номинальные и решаются либо за кадром, либо очень быстро, причем самым вылизанным образом. При этом они словно живут в вакууме, и их жизнь ставится на паузу пока г-жа Шнайдерхан снова не напишет главу от лица нужного героя. Например, вот вам Сарра .Она занимается грабежами втайне от брата и дико страдает из-за неспособности открыться ему. При этом ее отношения с братом толком не показаны. В следующей главе от лица Сарры та замечает, что брат поздно возвращается домой. Проходит еще страниц 30, новая глава от лица Сарры , и тут выясняется, что брат все знал, обиды не держит, и вообще оппозиционные статьи против Медичи писал. Хронологически между этими главами прошли от силы сутки. И на этом конфликт исчерпан. Если честно, персонаж Сарры сам по себе вызывает у меня много вопросов, ибо ее скилл особо в ограблении не используется. Ее можно было легко вырезать или скрестить с той же Розой , ничего бы не поменялось. Вообще мне кажется, что Сарра была добавлена исключительно для того, чтобы в книге была хотя бы еще одна девушка.
Романтические линии тоже оставляют желать лучшего, потому что написаны также сыро, как и все остальное. Чувства в обеих парах возникают по ощущениям из ниоткуда. И если в случае Халида и Джакомо можно было сказать, что они всегда в какой-то степени нравились друг другу, так как были знакомы до начала основных событий, то реакцию на Доминика и Розу вполне лаконично изьявил Станиславский еще до моего появления на этот свет. Шнайдерхан пыталась прописать между ними искру, но эту искру словно пытались вызвать под проливным дождем. На моменте с “предательством” Розы я и вовсе закатывала глаза.
В меня с самого начала закрались смутные сомнения, что изначально “Ограбление Медичи” являлся отвергнутым сценарием. Чуйка меня не подвела, Кейлтлин Шнайдерхан подтвердила это в главе с благодарностями. Однако, даже без этого, данный момент довольно легко считывается. Автор понимает, почему “Одиннадцать Друзей Оушена” является хорошим фильмом про ограбление, но не понимает, почему “Шестерка Воронов” – хорошая книга на ту же тему. “Ограбление Медичи”, по сути, написана как список сцен и диалогов. Описание антуража минимальное, как и погружение в эмоции героев. В фильме привлекательность персонажа во многом зависит от таланта и харизмы играющего его актера. В фильме эстетику и антураж создают костюмеры, операторы, декораторы, композотиры, монтажеры и много других людей. В книге таких посредников нет, писатель должен сам передать свое виденье через текст. Г-жа Шнайдерхан, скорее ввиду отсутствия опыта, не смогла. В “Шестерке Воронов” вы никогда не перепутаете главы того же Каза с главами другого персонажа, даже если все имена перечеркнут. В “Ограблении Медичи”, как уже говорилось, герои даже в диалогах разговаривают абсолютно одинаково за исключением Микеланджело, который исполняет роль стереотипного ворчливого деда. В итоге им не сопереживаешь и становится откровенно все равно удасться ли им ограбить Медичи, или же их всех повесят. Автор пыталась вписать больше экшна, дабы читателю не было скучно, но в результате я в некоторых моментах вообще не понимала, что происходит. Особенно в части с ограблением (которому уделено от силы 20%-ов), ради которого мы все тут и собрались. Здесь даже была клишированная сцена, где героев поймали и кажется, что весь план пошел коту под хвост, но на самом деле так было задумано с самого начала, потому что вот такой вот Роза гений.
Как итог, “Ограбление Медичи” – это до невозможности сырая в плане исполнения книга. И это хуже, чем если бы она просто была плохой. Это даже не черновик, а скорее черновик черновика, который явно нуждался в доработке. Из “Ограбления Медичи” получился бы неплохой фильм или даже мини-сериал, но не книга. Во всяком случае, не в таком исполнении. Это литературный фастфуд, но не очень хороший.
Телеграм-канал "Яблоневый Сад Эвридики"
October 3, 2024
A number of unexpected treats will land in your pocket when you pick up this read. First of all, put on your oldest clothes because your time period is the 1500's.
You'll get to hang out with Michelangelo, a 17-year old former citizen of Prato who is a very adept thief named Rosa, you'll meet the Pope and a Cardinal, rub shoulders with a mix of the Medicis, run gold through your fingers, face any number of grim-faced soldiers, and experience hunger, fear, pain, weather and water as you follow Rosa and her crew of merry mischief makers. There is a sense of Robin Hood righting wrongs woven throughout the tale. The tale lost me here and there, but as many others have said, this would make a GREAT movie!
My favorite take away is when Rosa asks Michelangelo what David (his thoughtful statute) is thinking:
“Master Michelangelo,” she said. “Your David statue. What is he thinking?”
The artist blinked at her. “It’s a statue. It’s not thinking anything.”
“You put your blood and sweat into it. That’s what you told me. And that’s enough to bring anything to life. So what is he thinking?”
Michelangelo’s shoulders hunched. “I suppose … he’s frightened about what he’s going to do. He’s worried that he won’t be enough. Won’t be strong enough.”
“Is that all?” Rosa asked.
“He’s frightened. And … determined.”
“Which is why he does it anyway.”
“Yes. But that’s just a story—”
“You’re right, Master Michelangelo,” Rosa said. “But it’s good to remember stories. We are not noble shepherds like David. We’re thieves. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be like David and do something right. Hurling this rock at the Medici is the right thing to do, because the alternative is allowing them to grind this city into the dust, just like they’ve done before.”
Even though I fell off the wagon a few times I found my way back for the finale which pleased me. My favorite way to end a read.
*A sincere thank you to Caitlin Schneiderhan, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*
You'll get to hang out with Michelangelo, a 17-year old former citizen of Prato who is a very adept thief named Rosa, you'll meet the Pope and a Cardinal, rub shoulders with a mix of the Medicis, run gold through your fingers, face any number of grim-faced soldiers, and experience hunger, fear, pain, weather and water as you follow Rosa and her crew of merry mischief makers. There is a sense of Robin Hood righting wrongs woven throughout the tale. The tale lost me here and there, but as many others have said, this would make a GREAT movie!
My favorite take away is when Rosa asks Michelangelo what David (his thoughtful statute) is thinking:
“Master Michelangelo,” she said. “Your David statue. What is he thinking?”
The artist blinked at her. “It’s a statue. It’s not thinking anything.”
“You put your blood and sweat into it. That’s what you told me. And that’s enough to bring anything to life. So what is he thinking?”
Michelangelo’s shoulders hunched. “I suppose … he’s frightened about what he’s going to do. He’s worried that he won’t be enough. Won’t be strong enough.”
“Is that all?” Rosa asked.
“He’s frightened. And … determined.”
“Which is why he does it anyway.”
“Yes. But that’s just a story—”
“You’re right, Master Michelangelo,” Rosa said. “But it’s good to remember stories. We are not noble shepherds like David. We’re thieves. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be like David and do something right. Hurling this rock at the Medici is the right thing to do, because the alternative is allowing them to grind this city into the dust, just like they’ve done before.”
Even though I fell off the wagon a few times I found my way back for the finale which pleased me. My favorite way to end a read.
*A sincere thank you to Caitlin Schneiderhan, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*
November 25, 2023
Heist? Found family? Renaissance FLORENCE?! Count me 100% in!
Medici Heist is a “heavy on the fiction” historical fiction, so it’s borrowing a lot from Florence (the Medici, Michelangelo, apprenticeships) while creating a fun and obviously unrealistic/completely accurate tale. The cast of characters is so lovable, with each chapter alternating a perspective. I loved learning the characters’ motives and the gentle romance was so sweet!
The reason this wasn’t a 5 star for me is that I wish there was a little more… something? Michelangelo makes a star appearance, but I think it would’ve been really interesting to incorporate more biographical information on him (there’s a lot out there). One of the characters in the heist group, Agata, is cast to the side and I’m honestly not sure what her role was? I’m inclined to say there were almost too many characters, but I really did love many of them. Giacomo was the star for me!
This gets a thumbs-up from me, mostly because I just love the vibes. More Italian Renaissance fiction!!!
Thank you so much to Netgalley for the arc!
Medici Heist is a “heavy on the fiction” historical fiction, so it’s borrowing a lot from Florence (the Medici, Michelangelo, apprenticeships) while creating a fun and obviously unrealistic/completely accurate tale. The cast of characters is so lovable, with each chapter alternating a perspective. I loved learning the characters’ motives and the gentle romance was so sweet!
The reason this wasn’t a 5 star for me is that I wish there was a little more… something? Michelangelo makes a star appearance, but I think it would’ve been really interesting to incorporate more biographical information on him (there’s a lot out there). One of the characters in the heist group, Agata, is cast to the side and I’m honestly not sure what her role was? I’m inclined to say there were almost too many characters, but I really did love many of them. Giacomo was the star for me!
This gets a thumbs-up from me, mostly because I just love the vibes. More Italian Renaissance fiction!!!
Thank you so much to Netgalley for the arc!
January 30, 2025
J'ai beaucoup apprécié ma lecture, j'avais littéralement l'impression de lire la casa de papel version italienne et c'est pour moi un compliment. J'adore les histoires de braquages et les plans rocambolesque !
Les personnages sont cools, nombreux points de vue mais c'est quelque chose que j'apprécie
J'ai enlevé une étoile car pour moi il y avait des petits moments où il ne se passait pas grand chose (vers le milieu), le rythme n'était pas régulier tout au long de l'histoire
J'ai adoré voir Michelangelo et qu'on nous cité De Vinci. Pour Michelangelo j'aurais aimé que ce personnage soit plus développé, pareil pour l'apothicaire qui avait l'air trop intéressante !
Mais en tout cas trop bon moment de lecture, quoi de mieux que de voler de l'argent aux riches et aux personnes corrompues, tout ça dans un cadre italien qui donne envie de voyager ??
Les personnages sont cools, nombreux points de vue mais c'est quelque chose que j'apprécie
J'ai enlevé une étoile car pour moi il y avait des petits moments où il ne se passait pas grand chose (vers le milieu), le rythme n'était pas régulier tout au long de l'histoire
J'ai adoré voir Michelangelo et qu'on nous cité De Vinci. Pour Michelangelo j'aurais aimé que ce personnage soit plus développé, pareil pour l'apothicaire qui avait l'air trop intéressante !
Mais en tout cas trop bon moment de lecture, quoi de mieux que de voler de l'argent aux riches et aux personnes corrompues, tout ça dans un cadre italien qui donne envie de voyager ??
November 6, 2024
Rosa puts together a crack team to take on the biggest job of their criminal career; robbing the palace of the Pope! The Medici family are not popular and are sitting on a fortune conned out of parishioners. Time to take them down a peg or two. Think Ocean's Eleven but set in 16th century Florence. It's audacious and marvellous and a downright entertaining read. Bloody loved it!
February 29, 2024
What a delight this book was!! Given the premise (I care DEEPLY about the Italian Renaissance) I went in with very high hopes, messaging my friends 'I hope it's good, I really want it to be good, I'll be SO SAD IF IT'S NOT GOOD'--and great news, it was SO GOOD! I haven't seen much marketing yet, but this is definitely a title 'for fans of Six of Crows'; in fact it was more of less Six of Crows but with a brighter colour palette. As a consequence, while I did like Six of Crows I liked Medici Heist better--I feel like it absolutely nailed the YA heist book from every angle. In fact, this may just be my new platonic ideal for the genre.
The characters sparkled, and felt like actual teens (unlike in SoC, where the ageing down was very apparent). I loved the whole cast and their relationships, and it was particularly refreshing to see a teen girl in the 'mastermind' role. The genre tropes were executed smoothly, both fitting the expectations of a heist story while coming with enough surprises and fun twists to keep the story feeling fresh and new. The worldbuilding was great--it definitely didn't read like a 'proper' historical fantasy (historical accuracy was clearly never the aim) but the *flavour* was on point, striking the right balance (to me) for what the book WAS aiming for. For example, I was very apprehensive about Michelangelo being included as a character, but ended up really enjoying how Schneiderhan wrote him while simultaneously being pretty sure he was not very much like the real Michelangelo at all. But honestly, who cares about historical accuracy when the outcome is so FUN?
And I think that's why Medici Heist worked so well for me: it really was just so much fun, and you can tell the author had just as much fun with it as the reader. It's quick, clever, and I rec it wholeheartedly for anyone who'd like a YA heist that dances across the rooftops instead of skulks in their shadow. Can't wait to see what Schneiderhan comes up with next!
Thanks so much to Little, Brown UK and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my review!
The characters sparkled, and felt like actual teens (unlike in SoC, where the ageing down was very apparent). I loved the whole cast and their relationships, and it was particularly refreshing to see a teen girl in the 'mastermind' role. The genre tropes were executed smoothly, both fitting the expectations of a heist story while coming with enough surprises and fun twists to keep the story feeling fresh and new. The worldbuilding was great--it definitely didn't read like a 'proper' historical fantasy (historical accuracy was clearly never the aim) but the *flavour* was on point, striking the right balance (to me) for what the book WAS aiming for. For example, I was very apprehensive about Michelangelo being included as a character, but ended up really enjoying how Schneiderhan wrote him while simultaneously being pretty sure he was not very much like the real Michelangelo at all. But honestly, who cares about historical accuracy when the outcome is so FUN?
And I think that's why Medici Heist worked so well for me: it really was just so much fun, and you can tell the author had just as much fun with it as the reader. It's quick, clever, and I rec it wholeheartedly for anyone who'd like a YA heist that dances across the rooftops instead of skulks in their shadow. Can't wait to see what Schneiderhan comes up with next!
Thanks so much to Little, Brown UK and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my review!
July 21, 2025
Ambientada en Florencia en 1517, la trama nos cuenta la historia de unos jóvenes que pretenden llevar a cabo el robo del siglo: el oro que los Medici han conseguido a base de indulgencias. ¿ El problema? Que el oro se encuentra en el palacio de la familia, uno de los más custodiados de la ciudad, debido al rango de Papa que ocupa uno de ellos.
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El plan surge de la mente de una joven que tras la muerte de su madre, una reconocida ladrona, quiere dar por fin un golpe maestro. Para ello se rodeará de una serie de personajes y de un gran artista muy reconocido en esa época y al que todos conocemos.
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Narrada desde el punto de vista de cada uno de los personajes conoceremos sus miedo e inquietudes y como afrontan un atraco que puede costarles la vida.
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Es una de las mejores lecturas de este año. Solo la ambientación sabía que me iba a conquistar, pero es que los personajes son maravillosos. Cada uno con una personalidad muy marcada y la verdad es que es imposible no empatizar con ello. Lo que ocurre con el atraco lo tendréis que descubrir por vosotros mismos.
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No os perdáis esta novela, os va a encantar.
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El plan surge de la mente de una joven que tras la muerte de su madre, una reconocida ladrona, quiere dar por fin un golpe maestro. Para ello se rodeará de una serie de personajes y de un gran artista muy reconocido en esa época y al que todos conocemos.
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Narrada desde el punto de vista de cada uno de los personajes conoceremos sus miedo e inquietudes y como afrontan un atraco que puede costarles la vida.
.
Es una de las mejores lecturas de este año. Solo la ambientación sabía que me iba a conquistar, pero es que los personajes son maravillosos. Cada uno con una personalidad muy marcada y la verdad es que es imposible no empatizar con ello. Lo que ocurre con el atraco lo tendréis que descubrir por vosotros mismos.
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No os perdáis esta novela, os va a encantar.
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July 1, 2025
Lo he disfrutado un montón.
Como siempre, yo vi "Médici" y allá que fui, sin saber qué esperar y me terminé encontrando un asalto en 1517 al más puro estilo de Ocean's eleven.
La ambientación y los personajes creo que es lo más reseñable del libro. Hay múltiples POV y vas viendo y profundizando en cada uno de ellos a lo largo del libro. Me ha gustado ver la evolución que tienen, cómo pasan de haber construido un muro a su alrededor a encontrar a quien puedan llamar familia.
El atraco en sí ha estado bien, para mi gusto tiene suficiente acción aunque ha habido momentos que me han resultado un tanto confusos, luego he entendido por qué había cosas que no me estaban terminando de encajar.
Sí que es cierto que me habría gustado explorar el pasado de algunos de los personajes en más profundidad porque, lo poco que se ha hablado de él, me ha resultado muy interesante aunque como el final deja la puerta abierta a posibles secuelas, espero que las hagan 👀
¿Qué vamos a encontrar?
✨️ Florencia 1517
✨️ Múltiples PoV
✨️ Robo contra los Médici
✨️ Representación LGTBIQ+
✨️ Amor y traiciones
✨️ Secretos familiares
✨️ Revolución
✨️ Flashbacks
✨️ Autoconclusivo
✨️ Humor
Como siempre, yo vi "Médici" y allá que fui, sin saber qué esperar y me terminé encontrando un asalto en 1517 al más puro estilo de Ocean's eleven.
La ambientación y los personajes creo que es lo más reseñable del libro. Hay múltiples POV y vas viendo y profundizando en cada uno de ellos a lo largo del libro. Me ha gustado ver la evolución que tienen, cómo pasan de haber construido un muro a su alrededor a encontrar a quien puedan llamar familia.
El atraco en sí ha estado bien, para mi gusto tiene suficiente acción aunque ha habido momentos que me han resultado un tanto confusos, luego he entendido por qué había cosas que no me estaban terminando de encajar.
Sí que es cierto que me habría gustado explorar el pasado de algunos de los personajes en más profundidad porque, lo poco que se ha hablado de él, me ha resultado muy interesante aunque como el final deja la puerta abierta a posibles secuelas, espero que las hagan 👀
¿Qué vamos a encontrar?
✨️ Florencia 1517
✨️ Múltiples PoV
✨️ Robo contra los Médici
✨️ Representación LGTBIQ+
✨️ Amor y traiciones
✨️ Secretos familiares
✨️ Revolución
✨️ Flashbacks
✨️ Autoconclusivo
✨️ Humor
Read
September 1, 2024DNF at 15%
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC
Nothing has happened in the book and there's so many characters and I'm confused
I agree with some of the other reviews that say it would make a good movie, but I don't think this is the best in a book format
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC
Nothing has happened in the book and there's so many characters and I'm confused
I agree with some of the other reviews that say it would make a good movie, but I don't think this is the best in a book format
August 13, 2024
Florence, 1517.
A world of unknown possibilities, opulence so exquisite you cannot help but envy such fineries that guild all that you see as those with the means flaunt their wealth and riches to those without. Secrets also thread themselves through these streets, and so too does murder, debauchery, scandal, corruption so dark not even the highest payed cleaner could erase such stains. Such a mix of tastes, desires, wants, needs, and much more shall witness the greatest robbery of the renaissance…
Con artist Rosa Cellini arrives in Florence the very same day the mighty Medici Pope, Leo X, returns to wrestle with the reins of power, for this is Gods will. Also, this is not mere coincidence as this new pope is bleeding the people dry of a mountain of money in order to bolster his power, but if Rosa has her way this will soon change.
To achieve such a grand scheme, Rosa needs to recruit a team of misfits ranging from Sara the tinkerer, Khalid the stoic fighter, and Giacomo, the master of a thousand faces and while she’s at it, also recruit the one and only Michelangelo himself!
The authorities know something isn’t right, and as the Medici tightly wraps the noose around the land, secrets resurface like the dead come to life, tensions begin to fray amongst the group and what started as a simple robbery could indeed break the chains of oppression and free the city itself. That is if Rosa and company don’t destroy each other first….
High stakes, shady dealings, and thrilling fights make for a fast-paced and entertaining read!
A world of unknown possibilities, opulence so exquisite you cannot help but envy such fineries that guild all that you see as those with the means flaunt their wealth and riches to those without. Secrets also thread themselves through these streets, and so too does murder, debauchery, scandal, corruption so dark not even the highest payed cleaner could erase such stains. Such a mix of tastes, desires, wants, needs, and much more shall witness the greatest robbery of the renaissance…
Con artist Rosa Cellini arrives in Florence the very same day the mighty Medici Pope, Leo X, returns to wrestle with the reins of power, for this is Gods will. Also, this is not mere coincidence as this new pope is bleeding the people dry of a mountain of money in order to bolster his power, but if Rosa has her way this will soon change.
To achieve such a grand scheme, Rosa needs to recruit a team of misfits ranging from Sara the tinkerer, Khalid the stoic fighter, and Giacomo, the master of a thousand faces and while she’s at it, also recruit the one and only Michelangelo himself!
The authorities know something isn’t right, and as the Medici tightly wraps the noose around the land, secrets resurface like the dead come to life, tensions begin to fray amongst the group and what started as a simple robbery could indeed break the chains of oppression and free the city itself. That is if Rosa and company don’t destroy each other first….
High stakes, shady dealings, and thrilling fights make for a fast-paced and entertaining read!
June 23, 2024
First of all, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for giving me an Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Total rating: 3.5 (rounded up to 4) 🌕🌕🌕🌗
As you cannot do half stars, I will now be rating in moons. Now moving onto the review!
This is my first try at an Italian book history book I realise, so it really was new territory for me. I first picked up this book because I was intrigued by the idea of 4 teenagers dragging Michelangelo into a big heist, and although I was interested in the premise of the book I have to admit it did take me a little bit of time to get into it.
But once I hit the 40% mark? All bets were off. I was definitely sucked in, with each chapter showing a different point of view for everyone and dropping hints as to how they would do this heist, yet despite it all I still wouldn't have been able to guess any of the actual methods used to make it work. Right up to the end of the book, I was doing my level best to piece together the heist. The way it was actually done as well? Absolutely incredible. I read a bulk of the book in one sitting as I needed to know more about how they were going to actually enact their plan, before admittadly putting off the ending a little since I didn't want it to be over.
Switching between the different points of view also gave me a chance to get to know the characters better, even if there were times where I would purposely be left with a cliffhanger with one for what felt like forever.
If you are interested in this kind of premise, I would 100% give this book a read. Definitely a great start for a debut novel (discounting the stranger things book, she wrote for the show so it doesn't really count). If Caitlin ever decides to bring out another book, I'll be sure to give it a read.
Total rating: 3.5 (rounded up to 4) 🌕🌕🌕🌗
As you cannot do half stars, I will now be rating in moons. Now moving onto the review!
This is my first try at an Italian book history book I realise, so it really was new territory for me. I first picked up this book because I was intrigued by the idea of 4 teenagers dragging Michelangelo into a big heist, and although I was interested in the premise of the book I have to admit it did take me a little bit of time to get into it.
But once I hit the 40% mark? All bets were off. I was definitely sucked in, with each chapter showing a different point of view for everyone and dropping hints as to how they would do this heist, yet despite it all I still wouldn't have been able to guess any of the actual methods used to make it work. Right up to the end of the book, I was doing my level best to piece together the heist. The way it was actually done as well? Absolutely incredible. I read a bulk of the book in one sitting as I needed to know more about how they were going to actually enact their plan, before admittadly putting off the ending a little since I didn't want it to be over.
Switching between the different points of view also gave me a chance to get to know the characters better, even if there were times where I would purposely be left with a cliffhanger with one for what felt like forever.
If you are interested in this kind of premise, I would 100% give this book a read. Definitely a great start for a debut novel (discounting the stranger things book, she wrote for the show so it doesn't really count). If Caitlin ever decides to bring out another book, I'll be sure to give it a read.
January 24, 2024
thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for sending me an ebook arc in exchange for an honest review!
i’m sitting at at 2.75 to 3 out of 5.
i see this get compared to six of crows a lot, and while i see it, i think a better comparison would be Court of Miracles by Kester Grant or Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria would be better fits. Court of miracles has the historical fiction and thieves aspect and Beneath the citadel has the found family fighting against a corrupt system vibe.
i think my biggest issue with this book is none of the main characters felt very fleshed out to me. They all felt like molds that were just thrown in to move the plot along and they weren’t very developed. I could tell that i was supposed to feel for Khalid and Sarra, i was supposed to sympathize with Rosa and her backstory but i didn’t. at all. and Giacomo annoyed me so much, he was such a stereotypical adhd coded quippy comic relief pov and he was so underdeveloped that i couldn’t stand him.
I enjoyed the atmosphere of the story; the descriptions were good, especially of the city and the settings and i can tell a lot of effort was put into them. The romances didn’t feel organic to me at all either, i was in disbelief every time one was hinted at.
tldr; the plot wasn’t gripping enough for me, especially for a heist plot, the characters weren’t developed, but i enjoyed the setting and atmosphere. i would recommend if you’re looking for a mostly vibes and atmosphere book and don’t care to much about thinking about the plot and don’t mind some shallow characters. the cover is gorgeous though, i will definitely give it that!
i’m sitting at at 2.75 to 3 out of 5.
i see this get compared to six of crows a lot, and while i see it, i think a better comparison would be Court of Miracles by Kester Grant or Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria would be better fits. Court of miracles has the historical fiction and thieves aspect and Beneath the citadel has the found family fighting against a corrupt system vibe.
i think my biggest issue with this book is none of the main characters felt very fleshed out to me. They all felt like molds that were just thrown in to move the plot along and they weren’t very developed. I could tell that i was supposed to feel for Khalid and Sarra, i was supposed to sympathize with Rosa and her backstory but i didn’t. at all. and Giacomo annoyed me so much, he was such a stereotypical adhd coded quippy comic relief pov and he was so underdeveloped that i couldn’t stand him.
I enjoyed the atmosphere of the story; the descriptions were good, especially of the city and the settings and i can tell a lot of effort was put into them. The romances didn’t feel organic to me at all either, i was in disbelief every time one was hinted at.
tldr; the plot wasn’t gripping enough for me, especially for a heist plot, the characters weren’t developed, but i enjoyed the setting and atmosphere. i would recommend if you’re looking for a mostly vibes and atmosphere book and don’t care to much about thinking about the plot and don’t mind some shallow characters. the cover is gorgeous though, i will definitely give it that!
dnf
February 8, 2024this was a most anticipated book of the year and tragically it was an extremely uninspired fantasy heist with nothing new at all and boring, flat six of crow wannabe characters
gave-up-on
November 14, 2023I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for a chance at letting me read this book.
It pains to say I could only make it 20% into this book and I have no idea what I am reading.
Picture it like this. We know it takes place in Italy, Medici's and all that... Now picture a chaotic mess of people, ideas, descriptions, action and no sense of plot or direction and this is that book.
What has me baffled is this is one of the writers from Stranger Things. So how in the world could this be so chaotically done? I was looking for fluidity, someone to focus on on, something to get me to stay on track. I felt like I was going to have an anxiety attack reading this book because there was nothing making sense and no sense of movement, pause, or direction.
I'll be curious reading the reviews for this, but for me, this is certainly the first time I encountered a book where I felt like no editor was present and someone dumped a big block of text and ideas and pushed 'send' into the world.
Out of respect for the author and not finishing it, I will not be giving this a rating.
It pains to say I could only make it 20% into this book and I have no idea what I am reading.
Picture it like this. We know it takes place in Italy, Medici's and all that... Now picture a chaotic mess of people, ideas, descriptions, action and no sense of plot or direction and this is that book.
What has me baffled is this is one of the writers from Stranger Things. So how in the world could this be so chaotically done? I was looking for fluidity, someone to focus on on, something to get me to stay on track. I felt like I was going to have an anxiety attack reading this book because there was nothing making sense and no sense of movement, pause, or direction.
I'll be curious reading the reviews for this, but for me, this is certainly the first time I encountered a book where I felt like no editor was present and someone dumped a big block of text and ideas and pushed 'send' into the world.
Out of respect for the author and not finishing it, I will not be giving this a rating.
March 10, 2024
I was really looking forward to this book. I love heist stories, and this one has the added bonus of taking place during the renaissance and even has Michelangelo as a character!
However, the characters were all very similar with similar motivations which made it hard for me to tell them apart. Their reasons for why each of them are taking part in this heist are not revealed until somewhere around the 60 percent mark. One of my favorite characters, Agata, didn’t have hardly any screen time which was a shame because she was quite an interesting character.
The twists became somewhat convoluted at points as well. I did really enjoy the character of Dominic and his relationship in the story as well as the details of the heist itself.
Overall it was an interesting debut.
However, the characters were all very similar with similar motivations which made it hard for me to tell them apart. Their reasons for why each of them are taking part in this heist are not revealed until somewhere around the 60 percent mark. One of my favorite characters, Agata, didn’t have hardly any screen time which was a shame because she was quite an interesting character.
The twists became somewhat convoluted at points as well. I did really enjoy the character of Dominic and his relationship in the story as well as the details of the heist itself.
Overall it was an interesting debut.
September 12, 2024
This story felt like a phenomenonal blend of Six of Crows and A Tempest of Tea but make it a retelling of one of the most renowned Italian families in history. I absolutely adored the setting that was so amazingly executed throughout each and every page; the descriptiveness of Florence, the piazzas, the Palazzo Medici, experiencing the city in the 16th century, the frescos, and just the air of the actual story itself. And then came the characters who stole my heart and made this book one of the best books I've read this year!
Rosa is absolutely brilliant, she's determined to rob the Medici family and seeing as they are the most powerful family in Italy, the heist is more dangerous that anything she has ever pulled off. I loved Sarra, I loved how, as the story went on, we find out a little more of Rosa and Sarra's past. I loved the introduction of Agata, Khalid and Giacomo, they each had a specific part to play in Rosa's plans and I really enjoyed the way these characters came from different places and backgrounds, and sometimes with strenuous personal history between themselves, and started to find a kinship among each other. I loved the relationship development between Khalid and Giacomo and honesty, they were my absolute favourite! And I really loved that Dominic challenged Rosa.
I think my most favorite part was including THE Michelangelo in this story! This includes his iconic statue of David. I love how this story took real historic people and included them in this story in such a brilliant way and even though this book is entirely fiction, it still gave a sense of reality. The plot was amazingly done and I wouldn't change a thing about it! So many nail-biting moments with high risk, high reward scenes and I just loved every second of it! The ending did the characters justice and it was absolutely beautiful.
Rosa is absolutely brilliant, she's determined to rob the Medici family and seeing as they are the most powerful family in Italy, the heist is more dangerous that anything she has ever pulled off. I loved Sarra, I loved how, as the story went on, we find out a little more of Rosa and Sarra's past. I loved the introduction of Agata, Khalid and Giacomo, they each had a specific part to play in Rosa's plans and I really enjoyed the way these characters came from different places and backgrounds, and sometimes with strenuous personal history between themselves, and started to find a kinship among each other. I loved the relationship development between Khalid and Giacomo and honesty, they were my absolute favourite! And I really loved that Dominic challenged Rosa.
I think my most favorite part was including THE Michelangelo in this story! This includes his iconic statue of David. I love how this story took real historic people and included them in this story in such a brilliant way and even though this book is entirely fiction, it still gave a sense of reality. The plot was amazingly done and I wouldn't change a thing about it! So many nail-biting moments with high risk, high reward scenes and I just loved every second of it! The ending did the characters justice and it was absolutely beautiful.
May 18, 2024
4.5💫
*books flight to Florence*
This book is SO much fun. The characters are so vibrant and witty. Their relationships, the vibes and banter and are immaculate. Love the found family, ragtag group element.
The historical aspect was very intriguing. The setting was done very well and I really enjoyed the commentary on religion, power and money.
This book is quite slow, which is why it's not 5 stars for me. But once the Heist got going, I absolutely could not put it down.
I'm mostly just here for the characters - especially Giacomo and Khalid.
*books flight to Florence*
This book is SO much fun. The characters are so vibrant and witty. Their relationships, the vibes and banter and are immaculate. Love the found family, ragtag group element.
The historical aspect was very intriguing. The setting was done very well and I really enjoyed the commentary on religion, power and money.
This book is quite slow, which is why it's not 5 stars for me. But once the Heist got going, I absolutely could not put it down.
I'm mostly just here for the characters - especially Giacomo and Khalid.
March 21, 2025
I seriously loved this book!
I’m not a big historical fiction gal, but I love heists stories and character driven plots, which are two things this book has.
This is found family at its finest, and each and every character has their shining moments, their background, their traumas, their flaws, their hopes…
It’s difficult not to fall in love with them all, but I have a HUGE soft spot for Khalid and Giacomo 🥹🩵
I loved when everything was revealed at the end; cleverness makes me happy!
I would also highly recommend this audio version; the narrator is phenomenal!
**This book was given to me as an audio ARC, thanks to Netgalley, MacMillan audio and the author. All opinions are my own!
I’m not a big historical fiction gal, but I love heists stories and character driven plots, which are two things this book has.
This is found family at its finest, and each and every character has their shining moments, their background, their traumas, their flaws, their hopes…
It’s difficult not to fall in love with them all, but I have a HUGE soft spot for Khalid and Giacomo 🥹🩵
I loved when everything was revealed at the end; cleverness makes me happy!
I would also highly recommend this audio version; the narrator is phenomenal!
**This book was given to me as an audio ARC, thanks to Netgalley, MacMillan audio and the author. All opinions are my own!
October 31, 2024
This is a perfectly ordinary story. To me, it felt like a road travelled a million times, so nothing surprises you. For a story about a heist, I didn't feel any of the thrills that should have come with it.
Midway through this book, I remember thinking to myself that I would rather watch a movie adaptation of it and on reading the acknowledgement I was not surprised at all to learn that it began as a screenplay and was written by a screenwriter.
But no doubt it is a well-written story.
Midway through this book, I remember thinking to myself that I would rather watch a movie adaptation of it and on reading the acknowledgement I was not surprised at all to learn that it began as a screenplay and was written by a screenwriter.
But no doubt it is a well-written story.
January 30, 2025
Étant fan de la saga cinématographique des « Ocean » c’est tout naturellement que je me suis dirigée vers cette lecture et j’ai vraiment aimé ! L’histoire est bien construite, les personnages sont attachants et ont tous leur particularité mais si j’aurais apprécié qu’ils soient davantage développés dans leurs histoires personnelles mais aussi dans leurs rôles au sein de l’aventure. C’est plutôt chouette de voir le sujet du « casse du siècle » traité dans une œuvre littéraire et je n’avais jamais rien lu de semblable. C’est une très belle découverte !
Read
August 8, 2024DNF at 30%
Too many details and the Medici family has not been introduced yet so why do I hate them so much?
Too many details and the Medici family has not been introduced yet so why do I hate them so much?
February 9, 2025
Alors je vous avoue que j'ai un peu tardé à écrire ma revue (pas bien Maëlle) donc je vais essayer de me rappeler de tous les points importants, à commencer que j'ai vraiment beaucoup aimé ma lecture.
Medici Heist c'est un mix parfait entre Six of Crows et Un thé avant la tempête, dans le sens ou on suit un groupe de protagonistes badass et charismatiques (Giacomo le goat) à travers un braquage, et c'est un pitch de fantasy que J'ADORE (même si là c'est pas une fantasy... Oui ok je vous perds pardon).
J'ai vraiment aimé découvrir les personnages, même si j'ai trouvé que Rosa est pas vraiment le perso principal contrairement à ce qu'on laisse penser au départ : elle est même vachement mise en retrait par rapport aux autres personnages (et spoiler alert : son love interest est imbuvable).
J'ai beaucoup aimé le plot et l'intrigue, la plume de l'autrice est vraiment parfaite pour l'action. J'ai vu d'ailleurs dans d'autres revues qu'elle écrit des scénarios de films à la base et je rejoins l'avis général : j'avais vraiment l'impression de voir un film en lisant !
Si j'ai passé un très bon moment grâce au dynamisme de l'histoire et au groupe de perso, j'avoue être quand même restée un peu sur ma faim niveau profondeur, le contexte historique est super bien posé et tout match très bien mais justement : ça fait trop film ?? Je sais pas comment expliquer mais le découpage de l'histoire sert tellement l'action que parfois j'ai trouvé que ça manquait de quelque chose, même si globalement tout est bien réalisé.
Bref : un braquage super agréable à lire et des personnages sympa, mais je reste sur ma faim (ok Philipe Etchebest)
Medici Heist c'est un mix parfait entre Six of Crows et Un thé avant la tempête, dans le sens ou on suit un groupe de protagonistes badass et charismatiques (Giacomo le goat) à travers un braquage, et c'est un pitch de fantasy que J'ADORE (même si là c'est pas une fantasy... Oui ok je vous perds pardon).
J'ai vraiment aimé découvrir les personnages, même si j'ai trouvé que Rosa est pas vraiment le perso principal contrairement à ce qu'on laisse penser au départ : elle est même vachement mise en retrait par rapport aux autres personnages (et spoiler alert : son love interest est imbuvable).
J'ai beaucoup aimé le plot et l'intrigue, la plume de l'autrice est vraiment parfaite pour l'action. J'ai vu d'ailleurs dans d'autres revues qu'elle écrit des scénarios de films à la base et je rejoins l'avis général : j'avais vraiment l'impression de voir un film en lisant !
Si j'ai passé un très bon moment grâce au dynamisme de l'histoire et au groupe de perso, j'avoue être quand même restée un peu sur ma faim niveau profondeur, le contexte historique est super bien posé et tout match très bien mais justement : ça fait trop film ?? Je sais pas comment expliquer mais le découpage de l'histoire sert tellement l'action que parfois j'ai trouvé que ça manquait de quelque chose, même si globalement tout est bien réalisé.
Bref : un braquage super agréable à lire et des personnages sympa, mais je reste sur ma faim (ok Philipe Etchebest)
August 16, 2024
2.5 ⭐️
I currently have very minimal thoughts.. check back in, in 5-10 business days
I currently have very minimal thoughts.. check back in, in 5-10 business days
January 9, 2025
A very slow start but couldn't put it down by the end. Exciting premise and a fun setting. Loved the touch of romance in there as well, not overdone or forced but still had me kicking my feet.
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