Leonardo's Shadow: Or, My Astonishing Life as Leonardo da Vinci's Servant

by Christopher Peter Grey

Milan, 1497. The height of the Renaissance. And for Giacomo, servant of the famous painter Leonardo da Vinci, it's the most difficult time of all. His Master has been working on the Last Supper, his greatest painting ever, for nearly two years. But has he finished it? He's barely started! The all-powerful Duke of Milan is demanding that it be completed by the time the Pope visits at Easter. And Giacomo knows that if Leonardo doesn't pick up his pace, the Duke may invite a young genius -- Michelangelo -- to finish the painting instead. Which means that Leonardo won't be paid, which means that Milan's shopkeepers (to whom he owes massive amounts) will take drastic measures against him.

It's all down to Giacomo, and whether he can come up with a brilliant solution. And if he does, will his Master go for it? After all, Leonardo still doesn't seem to trust him. He refuses to teach Giacomo how to paint; he won't help him find his parents; nor will he discuss the significance of the medallion, ring, and cross that Giacomo was carrying when Leonardo found him. But with the secret arrival of a powerful stranger, Giacomo is about to discover much more than the answers he has been looking for. And he will also receive an invitation to help arrange a meeting that could change his life. . . and the future course of history.

With more twists and turns than a spiral staircase, this thriller is as unique as its two heroes -- the most celebrated artist who ever lived, and a young man without a past, who will stop at nothing to find the truth about his life.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Historical, Fiction, Art, Middle Grade, Italy

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Christopher Grey lives in London, England with his daughter. He is a Sagittarius. His motto is "Keep reading, keep striving, keep believing."

Christopher's new book, Hand of Silver, Hand of Gold, is now available on Amazon. It's a unique historical fantasy thriller set in the Italian Renaissance - the era of Leonardo da Vinci. A young man is compelled to solve the mystery of his father's death while trying to save his city from conspiracy and the resurrection of Black Magic. It's a tale of alchemy, armour, and ambition, but it is also about the choices a young man must make as the forces of right and wrong battle to win his heart and mind.

Reviews

[Lyd's Archive (7/'15 to 6/'18) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Well, it was enjoyable I suppose, but it had its problems.
Sometimes, it had the spark. We are definitely in Italy for this one, but I don't really see the 1497 part. Yeah, it's historical, but we could be in the 17th century, except for the references to clothes of the period. Giacomo was good at describing things but the talking-to-the-reader voice annoyed me. I feel Grey didn't really capture a fourteen-year-old's voice as well as he could have. There were moments where his exclamations seemed to come from a list of various saints and I hated how he seemed to fall in love with every other girl he saw. I get the pugnacious thing, though, I just couldn't relate to it. Not to mention the I-lost-my memories thing is as cliche as You-are-the-special. He was also extremely naïve.

My rating of this book may also have changed due to the twists and turns of the plot. My opinion twisted and turned with it. I think it's just my taste in books, but twisting and turning plots do not attract me. Some of the turns were pointless what is the point of the Fioravante thing and him not being Leonardo and Cecilia's son? And of course Leonardo studied alchemy, but then he quit because he was a rebel. I did, however, like the scene where Giacomo interpreted the positions of the disciples.

and then the ending was extremely Disney-fied the evil guy, Assanti the alchemist, reveals his plans to (of course) sell secrets to the French with whom the Milanese are at war and then Leonardo comes to the rescue with some magicalness and from there it's happy-happy-happy. Unnaturally happy. Not only does Giacomo out of the blue get the longed-for painting lessons (yes, all he wants to do is paint), he gets to pilot the magical flying machine thingy

Text complaints:

Jumpy/stupid sentences

"By Heaven we Milanese know how to celebrate! Yet here the four of us sit with a huge gray cloud over our heads."(29)

"'The Duke has decreed that the castle is not cold." The gentleman's lips are almost blue from this lack of cold."(99)

"If I show him how well I can copy drawings from his sketchbooks... why, I'll show him right now!"(118)

"My feelings precisely, master - let us set to work!

"My nose reacts by igniting all the other senses until I am aflame with desire. I forget about the pain in my head and concentrate instead on having her near me. I am so entranced that I may have forgotten my own name." (123)

"I'm not going to war for the Duke, to lose an hand or an arm in the fray! How would I hold a paintbrush then?" (294)

"The Pope says:'What?'" (362)

Good descriptive sentences

"down long, icy corridors through which the wind seems to follow like an army of ghosts, and across musty halls with dull shields and limp banners hanging above the doorways."(98)

This is not a Christian-bashing book, but it has this

"[the Church] considers our work to be sacreligious; but most of all, it fears that one day we will discover the secret to immortality, which would render the church's own teachings worthless. If a man could become immortal while he lived, who would care for the Christian faith, which says you must die first?"(21)

Me: There is a point. It's called Heaven

"The last thing anyone wants is the interest of the Holy Inquisition. They do not love art or invention. Indeed, they do not love anything. They live to hate and destroy what they believe is a threat to the Church."

Despite my complaints, I actually enjoyed this book (like I said, the spark), but I don't recommend it.

[Jennifer Rayment · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely little gem of a book that will appeal to the stronger middle grade readers out there. The story does a great job at giving a little history lesson, but done in a way that won’t make the reader feel like he is being taught something. It gives a little insight into the lives of those living in 1497 in Milan and a glimpse into the life of Leonardo da Vinci. Giacomo is a likeable protagonist who readers will relate to, even though at times they may want to smack him upside the head. The tale does drag a wee bit in the middle, but it has a strong start and a great finish. There are some twists and turns that will help the more reluctant reader to get through the story as well.

Favourite Quotes
“You may think that war is a fine thing from afar, but I doubt you will be so pleased with it if you come home without an arm or a leg.”
“Say nothing, then. You will be surprised how good it sounds. Even more so to others.”
“That is called hubris, Giacomo, the belief that you are never wrong. Believing you are never wrong is an error that afflicts great men. I have learned that to be right you must first be wrong many times. Without making errors--and learning from them--a man cannot find the truth.”

[Sofija · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reread this book 5 years later, and I'm not sorry. Grey managed to capture my attention from the first page and to keep me on the edge of my seat for 400 pages. Book is easy to read, with many dialogues and it follows the story of Leonardo and his servant.

The whole story is set from servant's point of view and it is an incredible mixture of his own thoughts and observations. It's also a book that is educational and that inspired me to Google Leonardo, his work and The Last Supper painting once again.

I'm sure I am not the only person impressed by Leonardo and I truly believe he is one of the most important minds that ever lived, so any story with even a dash of truth is a win for me. Highly recommend this book to anyone who likes Leonardo, history or art.

[Hayden Nau · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 4⭐️

This book was a great representation of what renaissance society was like in 1400s Milan. The book follows Leonardo da Vinci's servant and the things that he faces. This book made me love certain characters and hate certain characters and for some reason I like that. The overall story and plot was very entertaining and it was extremely fast-paced so even if you're not a historical fiction reader you would probably still enjoy this!

[Emma S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great book I was assigned that introduced me to what the European Renaissance was like, but it didn't do much else. Christopher Peter Grey is a writer who, in Leonardo's Shadow, uses the "gaps" in historical records to create his story of Giacomo. At times it seemed almost boring. However, there were many twists that I felt were supposed to be unexpected, and yet were implied already. And there were other twists which were completely random. Overall, this book tried to be complex but was ultimately simple.

If I write a detail with meaning down, then it will pull at a thread of the story's complicated fabric, which has already torn itself apart. But I will say that Giacomo has a tendency to think that he has everything figured out, but in reality, he is completely and utterly wrong. (This is constantly being proved, time after time, until it starts to get repetitive.) The characters also don't seem to learn anything. After everything that has happened, Leonardo, aka The Master, still seems the same as he was at the beginning of the book after a few years have passed. This seems strange because some of the twists rely on changes in some of the characters, which are hard to see.

I would recommend this book strictly for historical fiction, because I felt it didn't have the proper elements of a story in it, and the historical fiction references were better than the story itself. People who like to be deceived should also read this book.

[Greg712 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wonder how it feels to be in Leonardo's shoes. People nagging at you to finish the Last Supper, supposdely the greatest painting in all the provinces, the Duke not paying you for your paintings, and merchants asking you to pay your debt.

I can relate to that. When you have something big due, and people are constantly telling you to get it done, and others asking you to give them even more effort. I think Leonardo feels exasperated, because I would too, if in the same position.

A clear theme of the book is "Don't be greedy with money". I think Leonardo completley disregarded this rule, because the Duke offered him a fortune to get the Last Supper painted, but now he isn't even giving him a penny. I think that a monarchy is just made like that. They offer you riches, but end up imprisoning you. Leonardo let himself into a trap that now he can't find a way out of. But I predict that Giacomo,his servant, also the main character, will try to help Leonardo realize his mistake, and repent. Giacomo thinks he might be Leonardo's son, so I infer he's willing to go quite far for the greatest painter in Milan.

[James Holloway · Rating 3 out of 5]

This semester I read the book Leonardo’s shadow by Christopher grey. This book is written from the point of view of Leonardo da Vinci’s servant Giacomo who is found carrying in his possession a cloth bag containing a medallion, a ring, and a cross. Accused of stealing these items he is chased throughout the streets of Milan until he taken under da Vinci’s wing to be his servant and hopefully learn the craft of painting this suggests that it will be a long adventurous journey for Giacomo

During this book da Vinci is way behind on the painting of the Last supper and he feels no pressure and takes his time Giacomo really likes to run his mouth so much that he threatens to leave da Vinci because he has failed to teach him anything about painting so far he says “I will leave to them because the always finish what they start” and da Vinci responds with “what they start is not worth finishing” with that response Giacomo rethinks his decisions and decides to stay with da Vinci.

Overall it was a long adventurous book I love the way the author blends fact and ficton to make a great book!

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1490, young Giacomo is a thief running through the market of Milan. Fevered and weary, he finds his way to the top of the Milan Cathedral, only to fall from the roof. Days later he awakes in the home of the great Leonardo da Vinci. With no where else to go, and no memory of where he came from, he agrees to work as daVinci's servant.

In 1497, daVinci has been working on The Last Supper for two years, with little headway made. Without producing results, he is not being paid by the Duke, and his debts with nearby merchants are rising.

Giacomo is a witty and fun narrator, he reminded me somewhat of a sports caster in the way he narrated, giving a play-by-play of the action but stopping to add in his thoughts on the matter. I can definitely commend the author on the uniqueness of the narrator's voice.

A truthful representation of 15th Century Milan, Leonardo's Shadow weaves fact with fiction in an adventure about finding inspiration and family in places you never would have expected.

[Zack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fiction story in 1497 about Leonardo da Vinci’s servant Giacomo who tells the stories of his life with Leonardo. Like how Leonardo and him struggle every day to get food, painting supplies and money also how Leonardo da Vinci has barely even touched the last supper even though he has been doing it for two years now the duke now demands that it shall be done by Easter when pope alexander comes and if they don’t the young Michelangelo will probably take Leonardo’s place and Leonardo will not get the pay and all the shop keepers (who he owes enormous amounts of money to)will get very mad with him. So it’s up to Giacomo to come up with a plan and it must be soon or everything is going down in flames!
I love this story because when you start reading you will not want to stop because it has so much more excitement x-mas morning and more twist and turns than a maze.
I learned that each person is always a lot more different than you would think.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This young adult novel is set in 1497, when Leonardo da Vinci is supposed to be putting the finishing touches on his great masterpiece, The Last Supper. However, da Vinci has barely begun painting, and the Duke of Milan is getting impatient. It is up to Leonardo's 15-year-old servant, Giacomo, to either speed him along or face the wrath of the Duke.

Giacomo's own past also haunts him. Rescued by da Vinci from a precarious situation when he was just a young lad of 7 or 8, Giacomo can't remember his own parents or the home of his childhood. Since that fateful day, the lives of Leonardo da Vinci and Giacomo have become tightly interwoven, and Grey does a wonderful job of illustrating their complex master/servant relationship.

An enjoyable read, and an entertaining way to learn about what life may have been like at the turn of the 15th century in Italy.

[Chris Dietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I great, very compelling read. I'm not sure if the facts were accurate, but it seemed to really delve into the period and bring in a lot of detail. A great story for anyone interested in the renaissance or Leonardo da Vinci. I learned a lot about painting as well from this book, and even though I'm not sure I can apply the knowledge, it at least deepened my understanding of older paintings. Overall, it was as compelling as Harry Potter or Percy Jackson and the Olympians, but in a different way that was very refreshing.

[Giovanni Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt that Leonardo's Shadow by Christopher Peter Grey was a great book that was very accurate to the time period. I also liked how much trouble the main character, Giacomo, had in trying to impress his master and get Leonardo to teach him about art. Although, the book did get very tedious at a few points in the story, I highly reccomend this book.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: https://hiplibrariansbookblog.com/200...

[Sarah Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ll start with the good, but definitely keep reading if you want content warnings.

For historical fiction, this was adventurous, action-packed, and suspenseful.
Plenty of intrigue to keep kids interested in the renaissance era - and from the little I know, much of it was historically based, with a fair amount of imagination to bring that to life.
It brings in a lot of historical aspects like the flying machine (although it develops that imaginatively), the wall of The Last Supper deteriorating, the political drama of the era, etc.

The plot isn’t particularly exquisite, and has some holes if you look too closely, and the characters err on the generic/flat side.

It did make our study of Leonardo/The Renaissance more engaging and alive, though, compared to just reading the lesson in our history book (grades 7 & 4). It also gave us plenty to talk about. So I’m glad we read it.

Things to be aware of:
—There is some violence and bullying - street and sword fighting.
—A major plot is based on the mystery of the parentage of the main character, so that touches on possibly illicit relationships.
—Mistresses are referred to multiple times - in the historically accurate context. One sub-plot includes
a woman who was pregnant and unwed and then summoned, against her desire, to be a mistress.
—There’s also a major plot point about an alchemist/alchemy, although the message in the end is that the alchemy is mostly debunked.
—There was almost constant swearing/“praying to” saints - if you’re sensitive to that sort of thing.

I’m also VERY glad I read it aloud to my kids and was able to catch and censor even more explicit content. I was taken aback at some of the content in what I thought was a kids’ book.

—“Whores” are burnt at the stake - and the description of that is spread across a couple pages, including an extended emphasis on the smell of burning flesh. It’s powerful but NOT kid friendly.
—Multiple times the teen boy ogles at women, particularly their breasts.
—A character describes how “a fiery temper lends itself to lovemaking”
—It includes an accusation of “indecencies… with another man” of Leonardo. It takes it even further though and has the main character (a young teen) question/fear if the only reason Leonardo keeps him around is because he bears a resemblance to a former/possible lover, and Leonardo is just biding his time. That just creeps me out to put that in a kids, even teens, book. Like definitely predatory, and borderline pedophilia behavior there. Inappropriate and unnecessary in this context.

Basically, I would only hand this book off to an older, very discerning student. Or if you want what benefits you can get, read aloud and be prepared to discuss and/or censor what’s age/maturity appropriate for your student.

[Anah H · Rating 3 out of 5]

The year is 1497. Milan and the rest of Europe is at the height of the Renaissance. 15 year old Giacomo has been the servant of Leonardo da Vinci for eight years and has no memory of his life before Leonardo. His curiosity has reached a boiling point and to make matters worse, his Master, Leonardo, has been tasked with painting the Last Supper- but has barely begun! As a result of his desire for the truth, his curiosity and his high status yet disrespected Master, Giacomo finds himself a part of a plot much bigger than himself, with the fate of Milan at stake.

I personally liked the detail that author included, especially when it came to the characters and their attire, personality, appearance, and behaviours. The author really helped us get to know the characters inside and out. Something that I did not like about this novel was how slow it was in the beginning. There were a lot of unnecessary detours from the main plot line that did not add much to the story. The historical reality of the late 15th century was addressed well in this novel. The real events that took place in the novel (rule of Duke Ludovico, painting of the Last Supper, rule of Pope Alexander Vl, etc.) were actually taking place when this novel took place, for which I commend the author.

[Layla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giacomo een wees die bij Leonardo da Vinci terecht komt. Dat is toch het beste wat je kan overkomen? Nou ja, dat weet hij zo net niet, want hij word zijn knecht en moet ervoor zorgen dat alles af komt. Zo ook het laatste avondmaal. Leonardo is nu al twee jaar bezig en er staat nog helemaal niks op de muur. Alleen de schets, maar de verf is ver te zoeken. Giacomo zegt tegen zijn meester dat hij het laatste avondmaal moet afmaken, maar dit gebeurd niet. Dit is zo omdat Leonardo aan een andere uitvinding werkt en dan zijn er nog de Fransen die de stad willen aanvallen. Er gebeurd veel tegelijk en gaat dit ooit nog goed komen???

Dit boek geeft je een mooie inkijk in het leven van Leonardo da Vinci. Ik weet dat dit klopt, omdat er achteraan bronvermelding staat. Hier staan boeken die de schrijver heeft gebruikt. Ik vind dat hij de boeken goed heeft gebruikt en zo een realistisch verhaal heeft neergezet. Ook vind ik het een goed verhaal waarbij je je kan inleven in de hoofdpersoon. Wat ik ook fijn vind is dat het boek niet langdradig is. Door al deze punten verdient dit boek een mooi plekje op mijn boekenplank!

[Melsene G · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. What a fascinating story and well-written! If you love art, and in particular da Vinci, this is such a cool story. The narrator is a young man/boy around 15 who is taken under Leonardo's wing as a servant when he was about 8. You learn about Leonardo's debts, debtors, and procrastination at finishing The Last Supper. We're in Milan in the 1490s and you also get a feel for the church and the local Duke who runs the show. Not very appealing to say the least. Talk about greed, power, and corruption-it's all there. Anyway, the young man Giacomo is who you root for and you hope there's a positive outcome.

Have fun!

[Aiden Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

It had an interesting story but the ending didn't answer all the questions.

A favorite quote is:

“The Duke would not pay for the works. He says that the Castle can never be taken. That is called hubris, Giacomo, the belief that you are never wrong. Believing you are never wrong is an error that afflicts great men. I have learned that to be right you must first be wrong many times. Without making errors--and learning from them--a man cannot find the truth.”
― Christopher Peter Grey, Leonardo's Shadow: Or, My Astonishing Life as Leonardo da Vinci's Servant

[ladladrafantazma · Rating 5 out of 5]

as someone who is obsessed with da Vinci and his works, Leonardo's shadow was the best read ever, and believe me, i've read a lot of books. the perfect combo of historical fiction and thrill in this amazing book piqued my interests a whole lot, and i doubt i'll ever find a book as good as this. i would sell my soul to read this again, from the beginning and experience the thrill that i felt. solid 5 stars, definitely recommend this book to people who like historical fiction and sort of thrillers.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like to keep up with what my kids are reading, I enjoy young adult fiction and historical fiction, and I am also very interested in art history, so i picked up this book. While I thought the historical aspect of Leonardo Da Vinci's painting "The Last Supper" was interesting (therefore the three star rating), I didn't really enjoy the book. Everything seemed like a stretch and I didn't find the characters very interesting or likable.

[Damien Samson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I personally like the book. I would give it another star if It wasn't so dull. I believe it is pretty slow paced. I would like for the book to go by faster. For a book that doesn't give very many details it sure seems like it does. I was pretty entertaining and intriguing but with the amount of action in it, you kind of want more. I really liked it overall. From the servant learning from his first masters teachings to Antonio bribing Leonardo debt collectors. It was pretty intresting.

[Jana Jelínková · Rating 4 out of 5]

Koho láká život v renesanční době okořeněný o reálie z života Leonarda da Vinciho, mohu jen doporučit. Začátek je trošku rozvláčný, ale poté kniha dostane spád a čte se velice dobře. Autor knihu založil na znalostech z Leonardových deníků, ale přidal si svoje propojení mezi jednotlivými událostmi. Na knihu tak nelze nazírat přísně s historického či biografického hlediska, to by ale pravděpodobně ubralo na čtivosti.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this young adult read. Good historical fiction about an era I enjoyed no idea where fact and fiction was but the story was fun. I probably would have gave it a 7/10. I hope the author continues with new books as this was his 1st. There were a few mature spots in the book but as an adult I thought were minor but parents giving this to a young person they may want it with zero adult content. Nothing major some relationship stuff and drinking at a young age. True for 1491 not so in 2023

[Brianna Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super interesting

I liked how compelling this book is. It left me with questions and the ending had new discovered answers. I read this for a project but I would definitely have read this on my own as well

[Claire Osgood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is offered as a YA novel, at 67 I thoroughly enjoyed this romp. It was very well written and the time period was well researched. The historical novel was sprinkled with comical thoughts by Da Vinci's servant boy. Fast moving and full of surprises.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reminded me a lot of "The Second Mrs. Giaconda" by Konigsburg as they're both about Giacomo, the servant taken in by Leonardo da Vinci in Milan in 1497.

[Pat Lomenick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice little story.

[Athena Schepmoes · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half was so slow. Thankfully the second was slightly better, but not much.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't realize this was a YA book... It explains a lot.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite my style as it feels like not enough happens to keep me reading (I admit I skimmed through most of it) but very well-researched in Leonardo Da Vinci's life and times.