ABOUT THE BOOK:
It is August 1944 and Paris is on the cusp of liberation. As the soldiers of the Third Reich flee the Allied advance, they ravage the country, stealing countless pieces of art. Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring will stop at nothing to claim the most valuable one of all, the Mona Lisa, as a post-war bargaining chip to get him to South America. Can Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler rescue DaVinci's masterpiece before it falls into German hands?With nonstop action, Chasing Mona Lisa is sure to get readers' adrenaline pumping as they join the chase to save the most famous painting in the world. From war-ravaged Paris to a posh country chateau, the race is on--and the runners are playing for keeps.
Read an excerpt, watch a video and find out more HERE.
MY THOUGHTS:
I have always loved stories set in WWII. The exciting fictional tales are often soundly based on the true horror, intrigue, and countless nameless heroes of that time. As much as I love the suspense
created from the WWII era, I like some romance thrown in as well!
Chasing Mona Lisa had more action and less romance than I prefer. I’m guessing the male half of the authorship had to do with that. The ‘bad guy’ stuff was also a bit more blood-and-guts violent than I like (I know, I know…it’s war, but…).
At the very beginning of the book, I was a bit uncomfortable with Eric and Gabi’s encounter with the soldiers. Again, I know worse things have happened, but I didn’t see the point and it made me uncomfortable and set me on guard for the rest of the book.
Chasing Mona Lisa, from the truth standpoint, was fascinating. The French people took such care with their priceless artwork, so that it would not fall into Nazi hands.
From the fictional aspect, Chasing Mona Lisa wasn’t my favorite WWII-era book. I believe Chasing Mona Lisa can be read as a standalone novel, but I had forgotten many of the characters from The Swiss Courier (Goyer/Yorkey's first book together) and didn’t think the characters were reintroduced well. Thus, I felt a bit confused with a few of the characters, only having a vague remembrance of them. This left a few gaps in the flow of the story.
Overall, I think Yorkey wrote a bigger percentage of Chasing Mona Lisa than Goyer, and the finished product ended up being too much war and not enough love for me.
As a side note, after reading the sources that the authors used, I borrowed The Rape of Europa from Netflix. I would highly recommend this documentary, even if you’re not into art (which I’m not). This very interesting film shows how each country’s precious art was moved, hidden, stolen, destroyed, and recovered throughout WWII. Watching the documentary put the book into a better perspective for me.
That's what I thought! Click HERE to see what other bloggers are saying about Chasing Mona Lisa.
GIVEAWAY ALERT!
Chasing Mona Lisa is the continuing tale of Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler (first introduced in The Swiss Courier). This time the duo are on a relentless quest to save the most famous painting in the world - the Mona Lisa. You can help Gabi and Eric with your very own spy pack when you enter The Chasing Mona Lisa Giveaway!
One passionate protector will receive:
- iTouch (The must-have device for any spy. Camera, Maps, and Music)
- Starbucks Gift Card (For all those late nights)
- Moleskin Notebook (For those important notes)
- Invisible Ink Pen (Don’t want anyone reading those important notes)
- Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey (Great
handbook and intriguing tale for any spy-in-training!)
Thank you to Tricia, Mike, and Bethany House through Litfuse for sending me a copy to read and review!
Also reviewed on Amazon.
**Disclaimer: I was given a free product for review purposes only. My reviews are not monetarily compensated and have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way, unless otherwise disclosed. Each review is based on the reactions and opinions of myself and/or family. Post *may* contain affiliate links.**
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