Review by New York Times Review
Giorgio Vasari didn't stint with his praise. Everything Leonardo does "clearly comes from God rather than from human art," while Michelangelo, who was "graciously" sent down by "the benign ruler of heaven," is the "perfect exemplar in life, work and behavior and in every endeavor." Celebrating perfection, as Vasari's gossipy "Lives of the Artists" does, is one thing - dramatizing it, quite another. Storey's richly imagined tale of Leonardo and Michelangelo and their rivalry, as they conceive the Mona Lisa and the David in Florence at the turn of the 16th century, casts Vasari's not-of-thisworld paragons as men, and starkly different ones at that, as the title's play on oil and water suggests. Leonardo, at the height of his powers, is graceful and distinguished, with unbounded insights and interests. Michelangelo, more than 20 years Leonardo's junior, is disheveled, obscure and single-minded. Storey's heroic foils are convincing, as are the cameo appearances of the pair's famous contemporaries Sandro Botticelli, Cesare Borgia and Niccolò Machiavelli. Tremendously entertaining and "unapologetic" in its artistic license, "Oil and Marble" will remind an older generation of the pleasures of Irving Stone's art historical fiction, particularly his chronicle of the Sistine Chapel ceiling commission, "The Agony and the Ecstasy." Storey's affection for the period is clear. Her narrative instincts are strong and her dialogue sharp; throughout, her exposition is adroit and informative. The only false note is struck, inevitably, in her depiction of Lisa del Giocondo, which involves the thankless task of divining the sitter's "secret." Sir Kenneth Clark called the Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile "a quarry so shy" it must be approached "with every artifice." Storey's attempt, by no means clumsy, doesn't come off. But then, one can hardly fault her for not being Leonardo's equal. Vasari wouldn't either.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [February 28, 2016]
Review by Booklist Review
In her first novel, Storey creates an imaginative tale of two of the greatest artists the world has ever known. Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti both lived and worked in Florence from 1501 to1505. During that time, Leonardo was at the height of his career, while Michelangelo had not quite made a name for himself. The narrative shifts back and forth from one artist to the other in a powerful dual character study set against a rich backdrop of the sights and sounds of Renaissance Italy. These two titans of art are brought to life in exquisite detail, and the story of their passion, pride, and artistic rivalry ends with the creation of two of the world's most iconic art works, Leonardo's Mona Lisa and Michelangelo's David. The artistic process can be one of self-doubt, struggle, and sheer physical exertion, and Storey depicts the drama here with truth and insight. A rewarding read for art aficionados and fans of historical fiction.--Mulac, Carolyn Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
