Medici Heist by Caitlin Schneiderhan
3 stars
Out: Now
It is 1517 in Florence, the height of the Medici rule, but people are remembering when they were a republic. Seventeen-year-old con artist Rosa has plans for the money the Medici and their puppet of a Pope are extorting from the people of Tuscany. She is going to pull off the greatest heist of her time. To do this she utilizes a group of many talents, including Michelangelo! In a city on the verge of exploding their heist becomes more than a simple heist...
Starting with a 'mud pie' in the face of the Pope, we know we are entering the domain of a sassful, entertaining narrative with wonderful humor threaded through its cinematic demeanor. There is an observational tone to the descriptions, details to the precision needed, setting the reader into this world firmly. There are inviting flourishes of beauty in the figurative speech.
I really liked how cleverly each player was introduced, a variety of different but strong personalities, each quirksome, sometimes challenging, so bickering is inevitable and boy do they bicker. This isn't found family, this is dysfunctional family. One you can't help but like. There is a sense of urgency but also a dose of melancholy in each charecter's story.
The plan is intelligent and executed as such with hiccups as would be expected as it progresses, often quite creative. It is wonderful we don't know the whole plan upfront but learn it piece by piece along the way. Half the fun is figuring out what they are doing and why. Also some of the hiccups have to do with secrets each member seems to have and wants to keep from others.
I understand that these are characters bound to have secrets but do we have to keep them from the reader too. It was a bit irritating at times and the story trips in a lot of places because of them, even though I like the reveals. This is a heist so there are quite a few moving parts already, therefore so many back and forth in the narrative from present to past, sometimes even during the action and to the immediate past contribute in making it too busy, even confusing. When the story finds its footing it unfolds into the high stakes, shaped by the characters, adventurous affair we hoped for and needed.
With generous helping of excitement, suspense and surprises, and a masterful plan with a lot of twists this is a memorable ride.
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