Laurent Binet's Perspective(s) is a novel written in letters that takes the reader into the 16th century artistic, political, and religious world of Florence. The murder of Jacopo Pontormo in the chapel where he was painting his controversial frescos in the mannerism style is found dead, chiseled through the heart, sets off the beginning of the story. Giorgio Vasari, art critic and architect, is charged by the Duke with leading the investigation into the artist's murder.

In this world everyone has a motive for killing Pontormo: from his artist peers: Michaelangelo and Bronzino, among others, to the Duke, the Pope, a group of nuns, to members of a seditious band who are fighting for workers guild rights.

Because Binet has created an atmosphere of intrigue and cloak and dagger where everyone is under suspicion, anyone could have been the murderer. This makes the novel thrilling and keeps the reader guessing but, the ending is too fantastical to be believed and begs the question if the author simply ran out of steam and just wanted to end the book. Up until the unfortunate conclusion, I would have given this book 5 stars for its well researched plot and developed characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opprtunity to read this title.

This was not what I expected it to be. I thought the writing style was interesting since you're reading letters sent between each character instead of a typical narration. However, my biggest issues were how repetitive the letters were and how confusing it was to follow. There's so many people to keep track of which made it difficult to keep the timeline straight.

Told in letters, Perspective(s) is a murder mystery in Renaissance Florence, centered around art. The premise is interesting and I was hooked from page one, but I got bogged down a little in the middle. Overall, I enjoyed this literary historical mystery with a unique premise.

I thought this mystery was interesting though a bit dry. The beginning gripped me but I later found I had to work to get into the motivations of the different characters. Generally, I’m glad I read this.

4.2. I really enjoyed this book, a murderer mystery taking part in Florence in the mid 16th century. It focused on the death of the Italian artist, Pontormo, who was in the process of painting the frescoes in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence. The novel takes place through multiple correspondence among various colorful characters, many from the Italian artistic community, including Vasari, Bronzino, Michelangelo (in his later years while still completing his work at Saint Peter’s in Rome), Cellini, as well as members of the De Medici family including Cosimo, his wife, Eleanor of Toledo, daughter Maria, and Catherine de Medici, Queen of France, and countless others. The story that was woven through the correspondence gave an incredible recounting of what was going on during that time in Florence during the Renaissance in Italy, including the intense competition (including subterfuge) among the artists for favor, the political and religious intrigue, and just the daily life in Florence at the time. The characters were all well developed and I was so immersed in the storyline that I had trouble putting this book down. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for an unbiased and candid review.

This was such a fun book. I love a book with drama, and bonus points for all of the renaissance artist drama taking place here.

Interesting from its historical perspective, but I'm not a fan of epistolary novels. And despite Binet's typical flourishes and flashes of brilliance, I struggled through this not actually caring about any of the characters. Others love it, which is great - just not for me. Somewhere between 3 and 3.5 stars.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

A murder mystery set in Renaissance Florence is everything I didn't know I needed. This felt so different from the usual mystery/thriller, why aren't more authors setting these in historical time periods?! I devoured this.

Did not finish. Perspective(s) by Laurent Binet felt like reading a history book instead of a work of fiction. I could not connect with it.

A murder mystery set in Medici-era Florence, with a cast of characters comprised of famous artists and royalty. I enjoyed the philosophical musings on art, the pro-worker / anti-elite plot that unfolds and some of the humor that was woven into this! And while the epistolary format was a nice format change from what I traditionally read, it ultimately made the story too passive. Especially for being described as a “pulse-quickening murder mystery.” I just didn’t feel that. I wanted Knives Out set in Florence and sadly, this didn’t deliver on that for me! But, if you want to get swept up in a speculative saga featuring some famous historical figures, it could be a fun read.

I could not follow this one at all. Too many side trips with all the different letters and characters. I really wanted to enjoy this bit of history, but after the halfway point, I had no idea what was happening.
I did appreciate that the letters were written in the voice of each character. Impressive to keep the tone correct for each one.

omg?? had no idea I'd like this as much as I did. Surprising twists and turns and I read it all in one sitting! So glad I picked it up, and a huge thank you to NetGalley for giving me this book!

I loved this one! These are my favorite types of books. Introspective and almost quiet in a way. Will definitely recommend!

Really loved this!! Such a smart way to bring a historical moment to life -- I love the way Binet uses the voices of these famous characters in their letters. I wouldn't necessarily say that this is a gripping mystery -- I think the marketing is a little overzealous there -- but it is a really loving and careful and reverent depiction of a fascinating moment in art history and the people who were involved in it. I recommend this especially for people who have some knowledge of or interest in the art of this period -- I don't think you'll be lost otherwise, but there's a lot of extra fun to be had in recognizing these places, people, and events.

Perspective(s) is an engaging historical mystery. The story is given a unique feeling due to the correspondence format. In Renaissance Italy, a renowned artist is found dead beside his latest work. At the same time, an unfortunate painting of the Duke's daughter is discovered. Both mysteries must be solved while the country reels in a state of political unrest.

I enjoyed following along with this mystery. The premise of a bunch of historical letters being discovered and translated was a fun one. Many of the letters were quite comical. The only problem I had was occasionally keeping track of who was who. The names sometimes blurred together for me, but it never detracted from the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I like to explain why I choose certain books, sometimes it’s title, sometimes genre, sometimes author and with Perspectives it was the book blurb and title. I love my art history and a book set in Florence, but this book has something surprising about it, it’s an epistolary novel. Laurent Binet was in Tuscany and whilst in an antique shop he came across a bundle of letters, a very old bundle of letters. Having paid a lot of money Laurent Binet went through the letters and realised how important they were. In these letters, from the most influential people in Renaissance Florence and beyond is a story about the murder of one ok of Italy’s most famous artists Jacopo do Pontormo, a contempory of Michelangelo.

This is one of the most origional and fascinating books I have read and not just because of it being an epistolary novel. In the letters there is corespondence between all the most influencial player in the Italian Renaissance. There are letters between the legendary artists, Michelangelo who was living in Rome, Vasari known not just for art but also for his book The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects and Bronzino who panted the Medici Court. There are letters from Maria de Medici, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Florence and her aunt Catherine de Medici who at that time was the Queen of France and was trying to use her niece against her brother in her wars against Italy. Ther are so many more characters from the Duke and Duchess of Florence to the apprentice painters and colour mixes working for artists, all have a story to tell and an agenda.

At the heart of this book is the murder of Pontormo, found in a church under the frescoes he was painting for the Medici. It is Vasari who is employed to find the killer and destroy a painting that Pontormo painted of the Duke’s daughter posing as a nude Venus, that others want to undermine the Duke. There are many suspects from nuns, to fellow artists and people who worked at Pontormo as apprentices and colour mixers. But what I found most intriguing was what the letters showed what it was like in sixteenth century Florence. There are powerplays in politics, sacrifices to be made for alliances, the fact that nude paintings were no longer morally acceptable in art, to the extent that the Pope wanted to have Michelangelo’s Sistine Chaple paintings adapted for modesty. There is blackmail, elopement, rebellion, war and murder , and of course the insight into the minds of these wonderful charactres of the Renaissance.

Its a long time since I have read an epistolary novel and at first was overcome with the many characters and their relationships but I soon fell into this book and it’s many layers. I am so passionate about Perspectives, it took me back to university studies, being back in Renaissance Florence with it’s stunning architecture and art, the power the Medici held and the political machinations of the Italian states. This is an ambitious book from Laurent Binet and I have to admit I’m jealous of him finding these letters, they are the type of thing I dream about finding. If you fancy an origional and charming whodunit then I highly recommed this book. Simply stunning

meh. i think binet just isn’t for me – i read his previous novel hhhh and didn’t really find much substance in it, despite covering one of my all-time favourite historical events. much of the same happened here – it was /fine/, but also the tiniest bit petulant, which made me feel constantly put off by binet’s prose.

This was SO MUCH FUN!!! Don't think I've ever read an epistolary murder mystery but I loved it. It made it slower-paced than a standard murder mystery formula but I didn't mind at all.

The historical aspect seemed very well-researched. I didn't study art history but I imagine if you were more familiar with it, it'd be even more rewarding.

The side plot involving the Medicis might've been my favorite bit. That one guy's over-the-top prose style while constantly saying how "it was the other guy's fault or else I'd be perfect at my job :/" quintessential rich white guy behavior. Absolutely flawless side plot.

I'm going to start with the fact that this is, in no way, "a pulse quickening murder mystery."

There is a murder at the top of the book, but we're mainly hearing about it secondhand through the exchange of letters between various parties who may have some connection to the event or something to gain in covering it up. There is never a feeling that anyone else is in danger, or that the killer may strike again.

At first, the mass of characters was confusing to keep track of, but I found that if I read continuously, I was able to get into the flow of the story and follow along. (The only problem was when I put down the book for the night and had to reorientate the next day.)

I appreciated the various perspectives represented, (in particular the ones that gave us more unique windows into this world like young women or gay men.) Every little story within the big story is interesting...but there are an awful lot of little stories to juggle.

I guess overall, I found this a bit of slog because the stakes felt a little low and some of the twists, hard to swallow. I feel like this book had some unfulfilled potential.

Thankfully there are some nice action scenes toward the end (but again they're described secondhand in letters...not exactly edge of your seat stuff) and I found the references to real historical figures intriguing (I was not familiar with Jacopo da Pontormo's work).

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

When controversial artist Pontormo is found murdered in the chapel he has been painting frescoes for, Florence falls in to chaos looking for the murderer. There are scheming nuns, gossiping artists, livid Medicis, art historians playing detective, and young lovers planning a grand escape. This epistolary novel is a great snapshot of Renaissance Florence and the chaos of the political world. Catherine Medici is also there, playing both sides of a field in a game that's above everyone except her. It's quick paced, so complicated, and a really interesting read.