Author: Laura Morelli
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: William Morrow Publishing
Release Date: 2023
Pages: 404
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: In a race across Nazi-occupied Italy, two women—a German photographer and an American stenographer—hunt for priceless masterpieces looted from the Florentine art collections.
In the summer of 1943, Eva Brunner is taking photographs of Nazi-looted art hidden in the salt mines of the Austrian hinterland. Across the ocean in Connecticut, Josephine Evans is working as a humble typist at the Yale Art Gallery.
When both women are called to Italy to contribute to the war effort, neither imagines she will hold the fate of some of the world’s greatest masterpieces torn from the Uffizi Galleries and other Florentine art collections in her hands.
But as Italy turns from ally to enemy and Hitler’s plan to destroy irreplaceable monuments and works of art becomes frighteningly clear, each woman’s race against the clock—and against one another—might demand more than they were prepared to give.
The Last Masterpiece takes readers on a heart-pumping adventure up the Italian peninsula, where nothing is as it seems and some of the greatest works of art and human achievement are at stake. Who might steal and who might save a work of art—and at what cost?
Inspired by the incredible true story of the Monuments Women, the Fifth Army WACs, and the looted Florentine art collections during World War II, the latest historical novel by USA Today Bestselling author and art historian Laura Morelli plunges readers into the heart of war-torn Italy.
My Review: Eva Brunner is a German photographer. She is taking photographs of looted artwork in the salt mines of Austria. Josie Evans is an American stenographer. Both of them are soon called to Italy to participate in the war. There, both women learn of Hitler’s plan to destroy the art in the salt mines. Together, the two come up with a plan to save the looted art collection. Could both women thwart Hitler and save these masterpieces?
Eva Brunner was a very interesting protagonist. She was a German and her family are strong advocates of Hitler. Initially, Eva believed Hitler’s lies and propaganda. She believed that the artworks were being preserved and would go back to their original owners. Eventually, she learned the truth of Hitler’s plan that instead of preserving the artwork, he wanted to destroy it. Therefore, I find her to be a fascinating character because she changed over the course of the novel and she questioned her beliefs. She was a very refreshing character.
I thought Josie Evans was a very boring character. She had no depth or personality. Her story was dull compared to Eva’s. Josie remained the same throughout the novel. She had not undergone many challenges throughout the novel where her beliefs were being questioned. Therefore, I thought the book would have been more interesting if the story was told solely from Eva’s perspective. Josie was a very typical character that I read in many WWII novels.
Overall, this novel is about propaganda, art, and friendship. I thought the rest of the characters had no depth, and I could not connect with them emotionally. I also thought that the story was very slow moving. It took a long time for the girls to begin their mission. Therefore, it was very drawn out, and I felt that it could have been much shorter.I did like how the story was being told in first person. I thought that the writing style was very eloquent, and I loved the lush setting of Italy in WWII! I recommend this book for fans of The Paris Deception, The Art Forger, and The Muse!
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
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