Have you ever picked up a book and thought, “Wait…have I ever read anything quite like this before?”. That was me, immediately after reading the prologue of Persepctives by Laurent Binet.
Told entirely through 176 letters exchanged between a host of very real, very dramatic figures from Renaissance Florence, Perspectives is part murder mystery, part art history romp, and part chaotic WhatsApp group (seriously). I loved how playful and audacious it was – Binet doesn’t just want to tell you a story; he wants to throw you right into the middle of 16th-century chaos and let you make sense of it, one voice at a time.
What I Loved:
- The Form: I’m a sucker for a book that experiments with structure – and this one really goes for it. Every single bit of the story unfolds through letters: between painters, dukes, daughters, nuns, queens, labourers, and even one hilariously smug goldsmith. You get gossip, love letters, conspiracies, snide remarks, political plots, and artistic debates…and somehow, it all comes together. I felt like I Was snooping through a forbidden archive at times.
- The Renaissance Drama – with extra flair: Imagine…a famous painter (Pontormo) is murdered. The frescoes he’s spent a decade painting have been tampered with. A lascivious painting surfaces, featuring non other than the duke’s daughter’s face. Artists unionising in secret. Michelangelo firing off dramatic letters from Rome. There’s even a crossbow scene involving perspective theory as a survival tactic (yes, really). It’s gloriously over the top, and Binet knows it – he leans in, and it’s delightful.
- Cellini, you ridiculous man: Benvenuto Cellini is the chaotic star of the show. Every time one of is letters popped up, I practically clapped. He’s outrageous, conceited, and utterly unserious – and yet he somehow pulls of heists, dodges guards, and gets away with being an absolute menace. The line “God must love you, Madame, for he has placed me upon your path” (written to the Queen of France, no less) is so audacious I had to reread it twice. His voice is an absolute riot.
My Thoughts
Binet has clearly done his research, but this book isn’t trying to be a dry historical retelling – it’s a celebration of art, absurdity, and multiple perspectives (pun absolutely intended). What struck me was how fluidly he moved between tones: Vasari’s earnest dedications to the duke sit alongside Maria de’ Medici’s giddy teenage romance, Cellini’s wild boasts, and a nun’s prim complaints about not getting enough wine.
It is a lot to keep track of – twenty voices, 176 letters, and several interlocking plots. At times, I did have to flick back to the beginning to remind myself who was whom. But once I leaned into the madness, it was so worth it. It’s like being at the world’s most elite dinner party where everyone is plotting, flirting, or stabbing someone (sometimes metaphorically…sometimes not).
And then there’s the big thematic thread: art. The idea that painting isn’t just beauty, but power. That’s what we choose to depict – and how we frame it – can start wars, incite scandals, even get people killed. It gave the novel this quietly serious heart that I didn’t expect amid all the irreverence.
Would I Recommend It?
Absolutely – if you’re up for something clever, unique, and unapologetically extra. It’s not a book to rush through; it’s one to savour. Fans of art history, murder mysteries, or beautifully bitchy letters will have a field day.
Have you read this yet?
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