The title alone was enough to get me excited about this book: Medici being synonymous with Renaissance Florence, one of my absolute favorite periods of both art and history, and Heist, one of my favorite fantasy subgenres full of action and adventure. Yet, the execution did not quite live up to my lofty standard (measuring against Sanderson's first Mistborn book, or Robert Jackson Benett's Foundryside).
In my valuation, heist stories, at their core, have several components. The premise, what are they stealing and why are they stealing it. Here they point to the excesses of the first of the Medici popes (Leo X) whose system of indulgences was actually one of the seeds that grew the Reformation, but I digress. The Robin Hood-esque motives of taking from the rich [Pope] to give to the poor, makes for a reasonable basis. Then, comes assembly of the team. Here the story flails a bit. There is a fair amount of the story that meanders into a menagerie of side stories about the characters. I understand wanting to develop some depth in the characters, breath some light into them, understand why they fit for their role in a heist, and the motivations for joining the team. But these side stories were a bit too far and some of the details could have been pared down in my opinion. I also wasn't sold on the motivations of Michelangelo, an actual historical figure. I know that he returned from Rome after the death of Pope Julius II, but I don't think he bore the same animosity to the men whom he was raised with almost as a relation, albeit poor relation, as would motivate him to participate in a plot against them. And, since he was so familiar to the family, I would think that they would have some knowledge of his relations (or that someone wasn't a relation). The next component is execution whether successful or otherwise, this is where the action and suspense usually pick up. This was fairly well accomplished but I don't want to give anything away by elaborating further. And lastly, the reveal where the reader finally gets shown the player's hand, or the machinations that the accomplices went through off the page while we were distracted by the intended distractions. The author did a fair job of tying up these invisible strings while pointing to the clues laid previously and giving all the characters an appropriate ending. Overall, this was a decent historical fiction fantasy adventure and when not measured against a few of my all-time favorite book, I'd consider it a good read and would recommend it to anyone looking for a bit of action and adventure to escape into. (3.5/5)
I received advanced access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group - Feiwel & Friends) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Thank you to Net Galley and Macmilllan Press for an early copy of Medici Heist by Caitlin Schneiderhan

Rosa Cellini arrives in Florence, Italy looking for revenge in the form of a heist that will affect both the Vatican and the Medici dynasty of the 1500s. She will gather a small group with diverse skills to realize a monetary prize worth the risks.

Author Caitlin Schneiderhan has included facts from the massacre at Prato, Italy that was the basis for Cellini's drive for revenge. The massacre has been attributed to the greed and political power of both the Vatican and the Medici family.

Also included in this narrative is Michelangelo, who is a background participant in the heist. Because of Michelangelo's appeal as a character, the novel misses out on a learning opportunity featuring the famous artist.

Schneiderhan has made use of language and phrases not in use in the 1500s which is a deterrent to the overall mood of the times. For example, "slapdash" came into use in the late 17th century, "brain dead" was not used until 1968, and "skill set" came into existence in the 1970s.

Young adult audiences may enjoy the planning and execution of this fictional vengeance story.

Stories about heists are always fun. In this case, a group of skilled misfits are looking to steal from the powerful Medici family. I loved that the heist was planned and lead by a feisty young woman! However, I really struggled with the writing style. Each new chapter threw the reader into the middle of a situation that couldn't be understood until the end of the chapter when the backstory was explained. It left me feeling confused. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. The Medici Heist was a fun easy read, and different from my usual book choices. I really loved the 1500's setting, and the characters. I can't say I would put it on my pile 0f books I'd like to re-read, but I certainly enjoyed my time! 3.5 stars

Caitlin Schneiderhan's debut YA novel, "Medici Heist," whisks readers away to the vibrant and treacherous world of Renaissance Italy, where a sharp-witted teenage thief leads a team of skilled misfits in a daring quest for fortune, freedom, and revenge against a corrupt Pope. Set against the backdrop of Florence in 1517, this clever and captivating tale immerses readers in a world of intrigue, opulence, murder, and betrayal.

At the heart of the story is seventeen-year-old conwoman Rosa Cellini, whose arrival in Florence coincides with the return of the Medici Pope, Leo X, to power. Determined to thwart the Pope's extortion of indulgence money from the people of Florence, Rosa hatches a daring plan to pull off the Renaissance's greatest robbery. To accomplish her goal, she assembles a team of specially chosen misfits: Sarra the tinkerer, Khalid the fighter, and Giacomo, the irrepressible master of disguise. With the reluctant help of the famed artist Michelangelo, they set their sights on the fortress-like Palazzo Medici.

As the heist unfolds, tensions rise among the group, and old secrets threaten to unravel their carefully laid plans. With the authorities closing in and the Medici's grip on power tightening, Rosa and her team must navigate a perilous path filled with danger and betrayal. What begins as a robbery soon becomes a fight for survival, and Rosa realizes that the fate of the city may rest in their hands—if they can overcome their differences and trust each other.

"Medici Heist" is a thrilling and fast-paced adventure that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. Schneiderhan's vivid prose brings Renaissance Florence to life, capturing the city's beauty, intrigue, and danger with stunning detail. With its engaging characters, gripping plot, and unexpected twists, this YA debut is sure to captivate readers of all ages. Whether you're a fan of historical fiction, heist stories, or tales of friendship and redemption, "Medici Heist" is an absolute must-read.

Think Ocean's Eleven set in the Italian Renaissance, so, basically, it's gorgeous and there are a lot of rich people who <i>need</i> stealing from and who better than the Medici Pope? I mean, even by Renaissance Church standards, he strayed quite a way from all that be humble and help the poor nonsense the Church was supposed to be about.

We follow a found family of young people who have a plan as well as a lot of baggage and it's a wild ride to see them try and pull of a heist of legendary proportions.

In 1517 Florence, amidst the reign of the corrupt Pope Leo X, seventeen-year-old conwoman Rosa Cellini arrives with a plan to reclaim the indulgence money extorted from the people. With a team of skilled misfits at her side, including the tinkerer Sarra, the fighter Khalid, and the irrepressible master of disguise Giacomo, Rosa embarks on a daring heist to rob the fortress-like Palazzo Medici. With tensions rising and old secrets resurfacing, the stakes are higher than ever as Rosa and her team navigate betrayal, danger, and the looming threat of discovery.

Florence comes alive in vivid detail, its streets teeming with life and its palaces brimming with secrets. Schneiderhan expertly captures the opulence and grandeur of Renaissance Italy, immersing readers in a world of art, intrigue, and danger. From the bustling markets to the shadowy alleys, every corner of the city holds the promise of adventure and discovery.

Medici Heist took me a little bit to get into (about 15% through), but once I did, I was hooked. I love the "Ocean's Eleven" meets Italian Mobsters vibe, and the characters are different and unique enough to keep you engaged the whole way. The world building was great and the descriptions had me feeling as if I was walking down an Italian cobblestone road myself. Really enjoyed this read once it picked up!

This has ALOT of world building in it, at first, I was worried we were going to get to lost into that element instead of the actual plot, but we slowly made our way into the story line and it was an overall great time!

This was a really good story! At first, I did not think that a story that took place so far back could be entertaining in a modern era. I am very pleased to say that I was wrong! It was a fun story that kept me guessing, that is uncommon, and I love when that happens! Characters were rich and well written, the plot was twisty turny and I loved that! Strong story!

I think this book was good. The cast of characters was interesting and all so different from one another. I love the setting and environment this book created it really helped to create well rounded and dynamic characters. I love learning about the Medici family because they are one of my odd historical obsessions so any book about them is a book I am going to love

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Publishing for letting me read an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I was excited about this as I love learning about the Medici and the havoc and pain they left in their wake everywhere they went. I also love a good heist.
This however, fell a little flat for me. I don’t know how much of it was hyping it up to myself before reading or just not loving it in general. It wasn’t bad, and would suggest reading it if you have an interest in history. But for a heist plot, it wasn’t super attention grabbing. It’s not a book I felt I had to devour to find out what came next. Part of that to me was also the lack of character depth. I felt they all could have been fleshed out more. But the vibes of the book overall were pretty nice.

Caitlin has done an amazing job with this book. I enjoyed it immensely and can't wait to see what else she puts out in the future! Thank you to the author, netgalley & publisher for the arc copy.

Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me.

First issue I had was that multiple characters from the main cast felt interchangeable and samey, typical sassy quippy YA characters. Especially Rosa and Sarra, I had trouble discerning between them personality wise. The only character that stood out to me was Khalid because he was Tunisian not Italian and his backstory was more interesting.

As in most heists, characters come with specialized roles: the mastermind, the alchemist, the inventor, the muscle, the disguise master, the art expert / forger... And yet, even within these clear archetypes the characters failed to stand out.

Second issue I had was the writing style, often serving a massive "history lesson" or some other factoid instead of interweaving these seamlessly into the plot and narrative. I often felt lectured rather than immersed in the story. I didn't pick a non-fiction history book. I wanted a fast paced YA adventure. This made the narrative dry and feeling separate from the quirky dialogues. I actually expected less exposition from a historical novel than a fantasy novel, and instead I got more.

Third issue was that the story took its sweet time to get to the titular heist. Do we really need every character's vignette of exposition before we even learn what the heist is and why?

Overall, I found it disappointing. But if you love 16th century Italian art and history, you might find it more fascinating.

Thank you Feiwel & Friends / MacMillan for the ARC.

I really wanted to like this book, but I did not. I hope other people like it and enjoy it. I recommend that other people read it first to formulate their own thoughts.

“Welcome to Florence, 1517, a world of intrigue and opulence, murder and betrayal.” Indeed, this is an accurate description of the Medici Heist. When a young group of misfits decide to rob the powerful Medici family, you know things are going to get very exciting. It is a stunning novel with a wonderful cast and a beautifully descriptive historical setting, and a great detailing of the politics of the times. Though it was a little slow at the start, it does pick up to a very fast-paced plot. A great YA historical fiction.

I love heist books, and to the people who write them - you are geniuses. The Medici Heist very much has a robin hood vibe to it, and all the characters working together so fluidly just makes for an amazing read. The slight romance? The bonded family? amazing. The eat the rich vibe with the conspiring pope as their target? phenomenal. The characters were enjoyable, they each had their part to play in the plan and I loved reading from the different perspectives. Plus- there’s some queer rep in there 👀 absolutely loved this read!

I had such hopes for this one, but the character voices and setting descriptions were so juvenile and out of place. This story might work if it was marketed as MG (double checked, it's not up here at least), but it totally failed to capture the glory and opulence of Rennaissance Italy for me.

This was such a fun book. Great hesitate. Lots of history. New author for me. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I am so excited to talk about this book! There's nothing I love more than a heist novel, but I've never read one before that takes place in the setting of the regency era! I was so interested in all of the character dynamics, there was amazing banter and incredibly dynamics between them all! I really loved this and I would definitely recommend it to anyone!