Still playing catch up, read this back in June 2022 and my final note was "WOW x 10 a great read" Paperback published 2021, 367 pages followed by 12 questions for a reading group guide, and Author Interview. This was the first book I had read by this author, I am interested in reading more of his books.
Based on a true story with which I was unfamiliar, the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa. According to the author note on two pages, Vincent Peruggia was a Louvre employee who did steal the Mona Lisa.
The book opens August 21, 1911 in Paris France where "He stares into the gloom, knowing he will spend the rest of his days in the darkness. We lose the things we do not cherish enough, his one thought, his only thought as he slips into his workman's' tunic, buttons it over his street clothes and opens the closet door."
By page 151, he realizes he's in deep. "He rubbed his spidery fingers together and talked of his plan. Chaudron would make copies. He would sell them. It was that simple. The paintings would fetch a fortune. And each one w3ould be sold as the original. He said we would all become rich. But all I wanted was enough money to get my son back. .....I had no choice but to go along. I had made a pact with the devil. And for that I would pay the devil's price."
The writing draws the reader along. I could hardly put this book aside, thoroughly captive to what would happen next. Yet there is also a philosophical tone to some of the pages. Like page 255, "But you know taking this crazy risk, it's almost like I've started over, like I'm somebody again. I got that. What Peruggia had wanted too, to be somebody. What we all want, dreamed of as kids, before the world got too real and dreams got crushed." .
Page 313, "We were not always right, but that never stopped us. Funny how far I thought I'd come. But did we ever really leave our former selves behind?"
The two page Author's Note at the conclusion of the book are here. Blogger is not allowing me to get them set up side by side so frustrating when things just do not work on this blog.
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