Leonardo's Swans

By: Karen Essex

Narrated by: Elizabeth Sastre

Leonardo's Swans is the story of the powerful Este sisters, Beatrice, Duchess of Milan, and Isabella, Marchesa of Mantua, as they compete for the affections of Italy's most influential prince, the Duke of Milan, and for the larger prize, to be immortalized in oil by his court painter and engineer, Leonardo da Vinci. Sexy, inspiring, and intelligent, her story of love, intrigue, and art is truly unforgettable.

Please note: This is the abridged edition. An unabridged version is also available.

©2006 Karen Essex (P)2006 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Privileged sisters compete over men, attention - and the chance to be immortalized on canvas by Leonardo da Vinci in this instantly absorbing tale.” (Redbook magazine)

“Two very different sisters, two very different husbands, and one of the greatest geniuses of all times, Leonardo da Vinci. In this sizzling historical novel set in 15th-century Italy, Essex combines art, political intrigue, family feuds and sex to create a page-turner that also probes the experience of being painted and whether it can offer immortality.” (USA Today)

“Acclaimed author Karen Essex spins a wild yarn about sexual politics and the struggle for immortality.” (Harper’s Bazaar, “Hot Reads” pick)

Solid and fun, but disappointing

I enjoyed this book for its period character, and it is a good story with strong characters. Somehow, the overall effect did not reach its full potential. Very little detail of the times of DaVinci in the book, quite a trivial tale really. Was it Leonardo's swans to ride the coattails of the DaVinci Code?

Renaissance history brought to life...

The story's so good in this book, you don't realize most of the history is actual. I knew many of the referernces made to Leonardo's works were based on facts, but I didn't realize that this incredible story of the d'Este sisters was also based on facts until I started researching them on the web.

Leonardo Da Vinci is not the major character in this book. The heroines are Isabella and Beatrice d'Este, two Italian princesses from the Ferra family. Both girls were bargained off into politically advantageous marriages before they turned 8, and married by the age of 15. This story follows them into their marriages and through the political power struggles between the ever-competing kingdoms in Italy. Leonardo is simply one of the more valued assets during this period. You'll see why principalities compete for him and how he ended up serving the King of France.

The author definately takes dramatic license to let you into the lives of these two women, but she did her homework first. You'll be able to vividly imagine the power struggles within the courts and between Renaissance Kingdoms. You'll understand why Leonardo spent as much time devising Military Machines as he did painting. You'll learn why Isabella d'Este is often referred to as the "First Lady of the Renaissance".

Note: Should this book intrigue you as much as it did me, you'll find it easy to view gorgeous portraits of Isabella and Beatrice D'Este on the internet. You can also view Leonardo's Brass Horse Sculpture project. It was finally completed in Milan, Italy - only 500 years after his death!