I was really looking forward to this book. I love heist stories, and this one has the added bonus of taking place during the renaissance and even has Michelangelo as a character!

However, the characters were all very similar with similar motivations which made it hard for me to tell them apart. Their reasons for why each of them are taking part in this heist are not revealed until somewhere around the 60 percent mark. One of my favorite characters, Agata, didn’t have hardly any screen time which was a shame because she was quite an interesting character.

The twists became somewhat convoluted at points as well. I did really enjoy the character of Dominic and his relationship in the story as well as the details of the heist itself.

Overall it was an interesting debut.

thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for sending me an ebook arc in exchange for an honest review!

i’m sitting at a 2.75 to 3 out of 5.
i see this get compared to six of crows a lot, and while i see it, i think a better comparison would be Court of Miracles by Kester Grant or Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria would be better fits. Court of miracles has the historical fiction and thieves aspect and Beneath the citadel has the found family fighting against a corrupt system vibe.
i think my biggest issue with this book is none of the main characters felt very fleshed out to me. They all felt like molds that were just thrown in to move the plot along and they weren’t very developed. I could tell that i was supposed to feel for Khalid and Sarra, i was supposed to sympathize with Rosa and her backstory but i didn’t. at all. and Giacomo annoyed me so much, he was such a stereotypical adhd coded quippy comic relief pov and he was so underdeveloped that i couldn’t stand him.
I enjoyed the atmosphere of the story; the descriptions were good, especially of the city and the settings and i can tell a lot of effort was put into them. The romances didn’t feel organic to me at all either, i was in disbelief every time one was hinted at.

tldr; the plot wasn’t gripping enough for me, especially for a heist plot, the characters weren’t developed, but i enjoyed the setting and atmosphere. i would recommend if you’re looking for a mostly vibes and atmosphere book and don’t care to much about thinking about the plot and don’t mind some shallow characters. the cover is gorgeous though, i will definitely give it that!

Medici Heist is a YA version of the classic heist plot, but the setting and characters make it feel fresh. I liked the ragtag cast of thieves, but I LOVED Sarra (the tinkerer) and wish we got more of Agata (the apothecary/witch). I don’t know much about Medici-era Florence (or Florence in general, to be honest), so I can’t speak to the historical accuracy of the book, but as someone with very little historical context, I got totally swept away in the story. I don’t usually care for romance subplots slipping into my non-romance stories, and there’s a little of that in this book, but I actually didn’t mind it (probably because the romance stays pretty tame, since this is a YA novel).

Read this if… movies like Ocean’s 11 and The Italian Job are on your perpetual re-watch list.

Rosa Cellini has had five years to plot her revenge against the Pope and the rest of the Medici family. She just needs some specialized help to make her plan work. She recruits Sarra, Khalid, Giacomo, Agata, and even a reluctant Michelanglo to break into the Medici family private chapel and steal the indulgences they have been using to make themselves rich. As the date gets closer, unrest develops in Florence, threatening their plans, as well as individual problems for each team member. The idea behind the story was very good, but the novel itself was rather slow at times.

The book was a bit slow at times, but overall it was a fun read! Always up for a good heist and the added bonus of some history mixed in? Just makes it better!
The Medici have been thought of as both amazing or conniving people and this book went with the latter, when the Medici already had their foot in Papal power.
Rosa had enough of their greed and decided to get a team together to pull of a heist with deadly consequences! I wasn't a fan of her but....I LOVED everyone else! Especially Khalid and Giacomo 😍!
They were just such a fun mix of personalities that may not have worked but did. I enjoyed getting to know them as the novel went on. What made them tick, their motives, passions, and their backstories!
By the end, after all the blocks the author throws their way, I couldn't imagine how they would pull off their heist but man....that heist was pretty EPIC 😂
Did not see it going down like that and it was just such a satisfying ending! Totally would recommend this book!

Like most historical fiction, this book plays fast and loose with the history (I was particularly bemused a character's thoughts about gravity at one point, a most a-historical word in a world that still uses Aristotelian physics) but it was nevertheless a delightful romp through Renaissance Italy. Medici Heist has all the required elements of a good heist novel, with solid characters. Rosa is a great criminal mastermind, Sarra a sympathetic inventor trying to protect her printer brother, Khalid makes the role of "muscle man" fascinating, and Giacomo is just fun. It often detracts from novels when authors try to gratuitously shoehorn in famous historical characters, but Michaelangelo is the perfect addition to this crew and makes sense on several levels. Overall, this was a great read.

This book drew me in from the first page. I am really not sure why, since it wasn't really like anything earth-shattering happening, but I was hooked.
What I liked most about this book were the characters - they were well developed and real. The story was excellent and the history was well-researched. I really could not believe how horrible the Medici family really was - there were no redeeming qualities that I could find. I thought the writing was tight without being terse.
I have to say that about 2/3 of the way through the book I was sure it was almost over because it seemed to be wrapping up well, when things completely upended, the tension increased and suddenly it made sense that there was so much of the book left to go.
I think the thing that made me happiest though was that it was a story. There was no push to teach a lesson (other than some history) or redeem a character - no blazing morality platforms to jump on. It was just a really good story and I needed one of those after some of the books that I have been reading lately. There is just too much teen angst in books right now and I needed a break.
A thank you to the author and publisher for providing it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Medici Heist is exactly what you’d expect from
the title, and so much more. A fun historical fiction heist in Florence, with compelling characters and even a few famous Renaissance figures along the way. It dragged a bit in the middle, but the payoff for character development was worth the wait. Definitely check this one out!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This was an amazing book with lots of twists and turns. A great team is assembled to steal a huge quantity of gold from the Pope and Cardinal. Medici. The characters and descriptions of Florence were fascinating. This would make a good movie.

The MEDICI HEIST has everything you look for in a YA read: Tension, adventure, found family, romance, and just the right amount of mystery. 10/10 would recommend.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. The premise of the book was very intriguing. I wanted to be captivated; but the execution of the book was just falling a tad short for my taste. The choice of some of the wording within the story took me out of it because I was not sure that it would have been used during that time period. The wording was just too modern at some points, and too antiquated at others.

Fantastic book! I can’t even tell you how much it kept me on my toes. I cannot wait for this book to be on my shelf. 10/10 would recommend.

Sadly DNF’d this one. I was so excited for it, I love the premise of a renaissance heist but this was not it. I couldnt connect to the characters, didn’t have a clear picture of their motivations (or at least enough to keep me reading as it unfolded) nor did I know why they agreed to this heist other than at a very surface level. Ultimately at 60% in I just didn’t care what was going on and stopped reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan for the ARC

This book starts out slow and well... seems slow for most of it. The story develops over time, but what I found intriguing is that you don't really know the plan as they are going through it, and as new complications arose, I found myself wondering if they would find a way to get past it. Knowing that the Medici weren't really good people, I was definitely rooting for these kids to find a way to pull off their heist while also hoping that they would work out their own personal issues as they all have something they're dealing with in some form or another as the book unfolds.

This book was very enjoyable! A group of teenage thieves and con artists band together to take down the powerful Medici family by robbing them blind.

Was this story super believable? No, not really. But, it was fun and fast paced, and it definitely kept me engaged throughout, so I don’t really care about that part. The characters were funny, and I enjoyed their interactions throughout the story,

I would have liked to see more of the planning that went in to the heist, as well as more of what actually went on during the escape from the Palazzo. Some of the pacing seemed a little rushed, and the actual heist came out of nowhere; it felt like the characters were not prepared for it at all yet. There were also quite a few typos, but since this is still an ARC I have hope that they’ll be fixed by the time this is published.

Overall, while this book wasn’t perfect, it was super fun and enjoyable, especially in the last third of the story. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I really wanted to like this but it felt rather boring and flat.

Things I enjoyed: the inclusion of the disillusion artist Michelangelo, “find the lady,” Giacomo and Khalid, and the premise.

I struggled with the pacing of this story, it felt like the story only really came alive two thirds of the way through. I know I was supposed to root for these characters but I never really got to that point for the most part. Honestly, it felt like I was forcing myself through this read at times.

This book was reaching for Oceans 11 but didn’t really differentiate itself from the pack in terms of the heist genre. I wanted to like it so much more.

FUN! This book is one big, fat pile of fun! It has a most interesting cast of characters with wildly different personalities who come together to steal money from the corrupt Medici pope. Their quest takes you through Renaissance Florence (and beyond) where you get to see and experience the scenes from high (the pope's palace) to low (a printer's shop). It's immersive and hard to put down. Very well written, this one goes on the shelf of rare books that I will read again.

Medici Heist" by Caitlin Schneiderhan promises a romp through Renaissance Florence filled with intrigue, rebellion, and a daring heist that would make even Danny Ocean envious. Set against the backdrop of 1517 Florence, where the Medici family holds sway over the city, Schneiderhan weaves a tale of sharp-witted Rosa Cellini, a teenage con-woman with plans to liberate the people of Tuscany from the Medicis' grasp.

The narrative kicks off with Rosa assembling a motley crew for her audacious plan, including the reluctant help of none other than the famed artist Michelangelo. As tensions rise and the authorities close in, what begins as a robbery evolves into a bid to save Florence itself from destruction. With snark, innuendo, and plenty of action, "Medici Heist" promises a rollicking adventure from start to finish.

One of the book's strengths lies in its vibrant cast of characters, each with their own quirks and motivations. From Rosa's cunning to Michelangelo's misanthropy, every member of the crew adds depth and flavor to the story. While some readers may find the pacing occasionally sluggish, especially in the middle, the overall narrative momentum keeps the pages turning.

Schneiderhan's background in screenwriting shines through in the book's dialogue, which crackles with wit and humor. Despite some clunkiness, particularly in establishing the stakes early on, the characters' banter injects energy into the story and helps to carry it through its twists and turns.

Ultimately, "Medici Heist" is a fun and entertaining read, perfect for fans of historical fiction, young adult adventure, and, of course, heist stories. While it may not break new ground in the genre, its lively cast and rollicking plot make it a worthwhile addition to any bookshelf. So, if you're looking for a swashbuckling romp through Renaissance Italy, look no further than "Medici Heist."

I understand that the author is a screenwriter, but this read a little too much like a screenplay just begging to be adapted on Netflix. I didn't find the heist particularly compelling and kept comparing this to Six of Crows, which is the premier YA heist novel. I also wonder how much the setting of Renaissance Florence will attract teenagers to this book.

3. This one will be difficult for struggling readers or those with limited English proficiency. It was difficult to get into because of all the names and characters introduced in the first several chapters. Paired with the names of locations and a Renaissance setting, many students may become lost. However, for students who enjoy epic fantasy, this may be a good entry point into historical fiction. The idea of fighting corrupt leadership with well planned sabotage is a familiar one for many teen readers. Also, if students look into the locations and some of the people mentioned, they will learn a lot. The glittering backdrop of Florence and a group of plucky teen thieves is bound to be appealing to many.