Review Detail
Young Adult Indie
144
An Exciting, Quick Historical Fiction Read
Overall rating
3.3
Writing Style
N/A
Plot
N/A
Characters
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
What I Loved:
CARAVAGGIO SIGNED IN BLOOD by Mark David Smith is a high stakes historical adventure. It’s a quick and easy read and will easily entertain with its various sword fights, piracy, painting, and on-the-run feel.
Beppo, a fifteen-year-old indentured servant finds himself in trouble when he witnesses the murder of master. While on the run, he comes across the famous painter Caravaggio and helps him after he is charged with murder himself. Soon after, the two are on an adventure running from the law all over Italy.
Beppo is a purely fictional character while Caravaggio is an actual painter and a brief biography is included on the last pages of the book. I enjoyed the way Smith weaved together the actual events of Caravaggio’s life with a fictional narrator. It brought to life the culture, art, and danger of the time in a unique way. Anyone who is a fan of historical fiction should definitely consider this read.
What Left Me Wanting More:
Beppo finds a love interest towards the middle of the story which I found distracting and unconvincing. Beppo is sure Dolcetta is the love of his life and they do end up married at the end of the story, the constant internal lovesickness of Beppo distracted me from the action that was happening on the page and read a little annoying. While I didn’t think it was a necessary storyline, I can see how some readers would enjoy a taste of romance.
Final Verdict:
CARAVAGGIO SIGNED IN BLOOD by Mark David Smith is an exciting and wonderfully quick historical fiction. It’s full of action, adventure, and beautiful descriptions of the life and artistic culture of Italy in the early 1600s.
CARAVAGGIO SIGNED IN BLOOD by Mark David Smith is a high stakes historical adventure. It’s a quick and easy read and will easily entertain with its various sword fights, piracy, painting, and on-the-run feel.
Beppo, a fifteen-year-old indentured servant finds himself in trouble when he witnesses the murder of master. While on the run, he comes across the famous painter Caravaggio and helps him after he is charged with murder himself. Soon after, the two are on an adventure running from the law all over Italy.
Beppo is a purely fictional character while Caravaggio is an actual painter and a brief biography is included on the last pages of the book. I enjoyed the way Smith weaved together the actual events of Caravaggio’s life with a fictional narrator. It brought to life the culture, art, and danger of the time in a unique way. Anyone who is a fan of historical fiction should definitely consider this read.
What Left Me Wanting More:
Beppo finds a love interest towards the middle of the story which I found distracting and unconvincing. Beppo is sure Dolcetta is the love of his life and they do end up married at the end of the story, the constant internal lovesickness of Beppo distracted me from the action that was happening on the page and read a little annoying. While I didn’t think it was a necessary storyline, I can see how some readers would enjoy a taste of romance.
Final Verdict:
CARAVAGGIO SIGNED IN BLOOD by Mark David Smith is an exciting and wonderfully quick historical fiction. It’s full of action, adventure, and beautiful descriptions of the life and artistic culture of Italy in the early 1600s.
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