{"product_id":"monas-eyes","title":"Mona's Eyes","description":"\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\" cellspacing=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"productDetailSmallElements\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Art historian Schlesser's vibrant English-language debut frames a survey of classical Western art with the story of a Parisian man supporting his 10-year-old granddaughter after her sudden bout of temporary blindness... Schlesser seamlessly interweaves the art lessons with Mona's story, which concludes with an explanation for the cause of her blindness. Readers of Jostein Gaarder's \u003cem\u003eSophie's World\u003c\/em\u003e will love this.\"--\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"There is something quite addictive about Thomas Schlesser's \u003cem\u003eMona's Eyes\u003c\/em\u003e. Once you start reading it, you cannot stop... Written in the vein of Jostein Gaarder's \u003cem\u003eSophie's\u003c\/em\u003e World, Schlesser's novel offers a similarly compact, often exhilarating cruise through the last few centuries of Western art.\"--\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Art Newspaper\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"There have been many fine books published in the recent past but few are as truly exceptional as \u003cem\u003eMona's Eye\u003c\/em\u003es. It dazzles as a masterful work combining literary fiction and great storytelling while demonstrating a pathway to the study of art and art history which can serve to stimulate intellectual curiosity and critical thinking... There is an exuberance, élan and joie de vivre throughout this marvelous book as well as a bottomless well of appreciation for art and its history. Intellectually rich, erudite and at the same time accessible with its terrific story, it is a book to read, gift and cherish.\"--\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eBookTrib\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"No surprise that the novel's author is a professor of art history at the École Polytechnique in Paris; his characters channel his dazzling command of the greats.\"--\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eHyperallergic\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"A French art historian's English-language fiction debut combines the story of a loving relationship between a grandfather and granddaughter with an enlightening discussion of art... Come for the novel, stay for the introductory art history course.\"--\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"[A] life-affirming narrative.\"--\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eBooklist Online\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Every week for a year, 10-year-old Mona and her grandfather Dade visit a work of art at a Paris museum... Their rendezvous over Klimt, Kahlo, Cézanne and other greats deepen their relationship to one another and the world around them in a thoughtful tribute to the power of art as a guide to self-reflection (doubling as a delightful art history session, which the author teaches in Paris).\"--\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eZed: The Zoomer Book Club\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eMona's Eyes\u003c\/em\u003e is a feast for art lovers, art curious, Francophiles and those who appreciate a well-crafted, elevated, yet approachable narrative that will leave you both grounded and inspired at the same time by the end of the novel.\"--\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Simply Luxurious Life\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"It's an earthquake. A seismic shift in the world of publishing. \u003cem\u003eA Sophie's World\u003c\/em\u003e set in the art world. Thomas Schlesser. Remember the name.\"--\u003cstrong\u003eAlice Develey, \u003cem\u003eLe Figaro\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"An ode to beauty and wisdom.\"--\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eLe Parisien\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eMona's Eyes\u003c\/em\u003e is not only an introductory novel about art; it is also a universal tale.\"--\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLa Croix\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The phenomenal novel that makes you want to run to the museum... Better than \u003cem\u003eEmily in Paris\u003c\/em\u003e.\"--\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eTélerama\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Fabulous!\"--\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eFrance Inter \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Thomas Schlesser is the world champion of dissemination. A brilliant book.\"--Télématin \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"A tender and absolutely captivating book.\"--\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eLa grande librairie\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"A wonderful and poignant story.\"--\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eCourrier Picard \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Telling the story of a little girl who is introduced to beauty and life, \u003cem\u003eMona's Eyes\u003c\/em\u003e as sparked an exceptional level of enthusiasm.\"--\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRTL\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"This incredibly buzzy debut is something like if an acclaimed art historian had written \u003cem\u003eAll the Light We Cannot See\u003c\/em\u003e... It feels passionate and engaging and really captures the freshness and wonder of understanding art, the world, growing up, through the eyes of a child.\"--\u003cstrong\u003eMiriam Gordis, Albertine Bookstore, New York, NY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher Marketing\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/em\u003eBestseller - Barnes \u0026amp; Noble 2025 Book of the Year - \u003cem\u003eBoston Globe\u003c\/em\u003e Best Book of the Year - National Indie Bestseller - Top Ten Indie Next Pick - Indigo Heather's Pick\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTen-year-old Mona and her beloved grandfather have only fifty-two Wednesdays to visit fifty-two works of art and commit to memory \"all that is beautiful in the world\" before Mona loses her sight forever.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile the doctors can find no explanation for Mona's brief episode of blindness, they agree that the threat of permanent vision loss cannot be ruled out. The girl's grandfather, Henry, may not be able to stop his granddaughter from losing her sight, but he can fill the encroaching darkness with beauty. Every Wednesday for a year, the pair abscond together and visit a single masterpiece in one of Paris's renowned museums. From Botticelli to Basquiat, Mona learns how each artist's work shaped the world around them. In turn, the young girl's world is changed forever by the power of their art. Under the kind and careful tutelage of her grandfather, Mona learns the true meaning of generosity, melancholy, love, loss, and revolution. Her perspective will never be the same--nor will the reader's.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMona's Eyes\u003c\/em\u003e is a heartfelt, enlightening journey across five centuries of Western art history. With the emotional impact of \u003cem\u003eThe Elegance of the Hedgehog\u003c\/em\u003e and the readability of \u003cem\u003eThe Little Paris Bookshop\u003c\/em\u003e, Thomas Schlesser's sensational debut novel is at once a moving book about the beauty of life and a deeply touching story about the special bond between a girl and her grandfather.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Vibrant debut ... Schlesser seamlessly interweaves the art lessons with Mona's story... Readers of Jostein Gaarder's \u003cem\u003eSophie's World\u003c\/em\u003e will love this.\"--\u003cem\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiscover all 52 masterpieces inside the fold-out dustjacket.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/span\u003e 04\/01\/2025 pg. 3 (EAN 9798889661115, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/span\u003e 06\/02\/2025 (EAN 9798889661115, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/span\u003e 07\/15\/2025 (EAN 9798889661115, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eBooklist\u003c\/span\u003e 08\/05\/2025 (EAN 9798889661115, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/span\u003e 09\/12\/2025 (EAN 9798889661115, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContributor Bio:\u003c\/strong\u003eSchlesser, Thomas\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThomas Schlesser\u003c\/strong\u003e is the director of the Hartung-Bergman Foundation in Antibes, France. He teaches Art History at the École Polytechnique in Paris. He is the grandson of André Schlesser, known as Dadé, a singer and cabaret performer who founded the Cabaret L'Écluse. \u003cem\u003eMona's Eyes\u003c\/em\u003e is Schlesser's American debut. It has been translated into thirty-eight languages, including Braille. Schlesser was named 2025's Author of the Year by \u003cem\u003eLivres Hebdo\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContributor Bio:\u003c\/strong\u003eSerle, Hildegarde\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor Europa Editions,  \n\u003cb\u003eHildegarde Serle\u003c\/b\u003e has translated the best-selling  \n\u003ci\u003eMirror Visitor\u003c\/i\u003e series by Christelle Dabos and the novels by Valérie Perrin, including the international best-seller,  \n\u003ci\u003eFresh Water for Flowers\u003c\/i\u003e. She lives in London.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n","brand":"Europa Editions","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51496239038742,"sku":"9798889661115","price":36.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0857\/9910\/8886\/files\/9798889661115.jpg?v=1783057900","url":"https:\/\/lusper.myshopify.com\/products\/monas-eyes","provider":"Lusperbooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}