Such a beautiful novel! I didn’t know what to expect going into Florenzer and I kind of liked it that way. All I knew was I was getting a gay historical fiction novel with Leonardo da Vinci. I mean that was enough for me.

I read a review that stated this was not your simple read over the weekend book and I agree with that sentiment. It is a slow read. It takes time and understanding to piece together all the plot lines and stories and characters. This is to the novel’s benefit and detriment. The biggest flaw, to me, was that the characters and stories spent more time skirting each other with no real value to the interactions they had when they happened. The connections just felt there compared to the rest of this beautifully done novel.

Thank you to NetGalley, Phil Melanson, and W.W. Norton & Company for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Florenzer by Phil Melanson is out now!

Published by W. W. Norton & Company and available June 10, 2025, this debut novel immediately caught my attention-- I love historical fiction, especially about historical figures, and even more especially when it has a queer theme. This book follows three men in Renaissance Florence-- Lorenzo di Medici, Francesco Salviati (who you may remember from Assassin's Creed II), and Leonardo da Vinci. Many people have theorized that da Vinci was gay, and he's portrayed as such in this book. They're joined by a cast of characters so complex that the author has wisely included a list. All the historical figures and their intrigues remind me of Maurice Duron's Accursed Kings, and as that's one of my favorites, it's high praise. If you enjoy novels with a lot of historical detail, and the history of art and queerness, this is your book. It's great to see a book that demonstrates that we've always been here, regardless of how accepting society was. My only issues with this book are with the writing itself. It's written in present tense, which doesn't fit how sprawling the book is-- it's not a fast-paced action story, where present tense would be better suited. The author also often forgets to mention who the new point of view character is until well after the new chapter has begun, making it difficult to differentiate between the characters other than da Vinci. Technical complaints aside, this is really a great book and I'm going to ask our fiction selector to order it for our library. Happy Pride Month.

Florence, Italy, in the 16th century, was a city of opportunity and full of art and architecture. It was also a city on the precipice of great change. The great banking family, the Medicis, holds the reins of government in Florence, and Lorenzo de’ Medici is the family's current head. However, two bastards will radically change his life and the Medici family. One was a bastard son of a notary who became one of the most famous artists ever. The other was a bastard son who became a priest and the enemy of the Medici family. Their stories of power and ambition intersect in the city of Florence in Phil Melanson’s debut novel, “Florenzer”.

I would like to thank Liveright Publishing and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. The description of this novel attracted me to it, rather than the cover, as the cover was released after I requested to read this novel. I have slowly been diving into the world of Renaissance Italy, but I have yet to encounter Leonardo da Vinci or Lorenzo de’ Medici in my adventures, so when I saw a novel that featured both and a new historical person to me, Francesco Salviati, I jumped at the chance to read it.

We begin with the funeral of Cosimo de’ Medici, the grandfather of Lorenzo de’ Medici, in 1464. It is the point where all three characters are introduced, and in the case of Leonardo da Vinci, it is the point before his apprenticeship where we begin to see the tumultuous relationship between Leonardo and his father, Piero, the notary. We then jump forward to 1471, when Leonardo is working as an apprentice painter for Andrea del Verrocchio. Around this time, Leonardo meets Lorenzo de’ Medici, a young man who is trying to achieve greatness, but issues arise, such as the death of the Pope and his brother Giuliano not wanting to be part of the family business. Lorenzo desires military glory, but it doesn't go well. Finally, we have Francesco Salviati, a man who was destined to be a banker, but because he was a bastard son with darker skin, he decided to devote his life to the church, working alongside the new Pope Sixtus IV, also known as Francesco della Rovere.

As the three men grew up, they had obstacles to deal with. Leonardo fell in love with another man, known as Iac in this novel, and his love might cost him everything. While Lorenzo is trying to make sure his family is the most prominent in all of Italy, Francesco Salviati is using his influence at the Vatican to turn the tables on Lorenzo, which culminated in the Pazzi Conspiracy of 1478. The Pazzi Conspiracy was something that I had never heard of before this novel, so it was interesting to see it play out and the aftermath. While I did enjoy reading about Leonardo and Lorenzo, I didn’t feel a connection to Salviati, so when his story concluded, I didn’t feel any sort of way. I think the formatting of the book, almost like a screenplay, was a unique idea, but I don’t think it added anything to the context of the novel.

Overall, I think this was a decent novel. It was a slow start, and it was a bit of a challenge to get used to three different perspectives, but the stories of ambitions, love, and power truly shone. As a debut for someone who does not usually focus on historical fiction, I think Melanson does an admirable job of portraying 15th-century Florence in such a believable way. I think if you want a novel that’s set in 15th-century Italy, you will enjoy “Florenzer” by Phil Melanson.

This was a novel I was really looking forward to when I first heard about it. I love that period of time. I love the work of Leonardo, and the Medici family is one of those historical niche topics that I really love. The writing in this book was truly beautiful, and I loved the style. It is slow and at times very slow, but when reading, it felt like every detail was placed for a reason, and I think it helped bring so much depth to the city, the people, and the art that was featured in the novel. Melanson had a writing style I really enjoyed, and I can tell there was a good mixture of intense research as well as their own storytelling that weaved together to make this novel. I really enjoyed the way Melanson took Leo's art and used it as a way to explore further Leo, his sexuality, personality, history, and the various other themes that occurred in the story. Although the story is very history-heavy, I found that the character guide in the front was a very helpful tool, and the book often gave enough context and story for me to feel like I didn't have to be an expert on this time period and everyone involved. Overall, this was one of my favorite reads so far. I will definitely be getting a physical copy when it is published, and it did not disappoint.

Florenzer rotates between three perspectives, three young Florentine men on vastly different paths in life, but all of whom are implicated in the violence that looms over Florence in the 1400s. The first is Lorenzo Medici, the head of Florence’s most wealthy and powerful family as he tries desperately to cling to its dying legacy. Then there’s Francesco Salviati, a priest for whom the lure of power proves to be a force that he can’t resist. And in the middle of it all is Leonardo da Vinci who is an aspiring painter and engineer with dreams of being the greatest. But he is also a “Florenzer”, which is slang for a homosexual man in this region and era, and this book explores the possibility of a queer da Vinci, a theory that is much debated by historians. The lives of these three men are heavily intertwined as they hurtle towards a dramatic climax.

In Florenzer, Phil Melanson achieves something that I often find lacking in historical fiction based on real people: he makes you believe in the stakes. When the reader goes into a book already having an idea of the outcome, it can sometimes be quite difficult to forget that and to fully buy into the story. But that is not a problem here. The tension in this story is developed beautifully. Of course, I know that Leonardo da Vinci goes on to become perhaps the most famous artist in history, and yet I could not look away from his story. On the other hand, Lorenzo and Salviati, two figures I’m far less familiar with are equally interesting. There is no perspective in this that felt like a chore to read, something that is also rare in multi-perspective novels. And the descriptions are so rich and vivid that I see the streets of Florence, of Rome, and the atmosphere was so consuming it felt like the cities were truly characters themselves.

This book was full of beautiful descriptions and lively prose. Unfortunately I didn’t find myself particularly interested in any of the three main characters’ journeys, and I felt that the pacing of each chapter felt quite slow. I did end up putting this down about 25% of the way in since it didn’t hold my interest and I found myself starting to skim. I think with some editing the pacing could be tightened up and that would help. I did find there was an emotional haziness to many of the scenes and that there wasn’t much narrative tension. It felt more so like a historical slice of life, which some people would enjoy but isn’t for me

Made it to 49% and just couldn't go on.

I’m sure author Phil Melanson did his research, but the Leonardo of “Florenzer” bears little resemblance to the Leonardo of myriad biographies, contemporary reports, and even Leonardo’s notebooks.

For starters, this Leonardo is depicted as a diffident loner who’s mocked by his fellow apprentices for appearing to be a homosexual and as a naif regarding sexuality. In reality, Leonardo was well liked and popular among his peers even before becoming acclaimed. While he was self-conscious about his lack of formal education, particularly his ignorance of Latin, he was not in doubt about his artistic skills.

Then, too, while sodomy was illegal in Florence at that time, it was also accepted, especially between men and youths, in keeping with the ancient Greek philosophy. Given that Leonardo was exceptionally good-looking (“It was the most beautiful face in the world,” enthused 16th-century historian Paolo Giovio) even as a young man, the likelihood that he had not been propositioned during his adolescence are slim.

There are other disturbing lapses. Botticelli most likely never apprenticed with Verrocchio as Leonardo had, and given the age difference they wouldn’t have done so at the same time anyway; also, Botticelli and Leonardo were friends, so the former would not have taunted the latter. Leonardo at one point says the reason babies in paintings were ugly was because they weren’t depicted from life; it’s actually because the vogue was to depict them to resemble the adults they would become, particularly in religious works, as per the homunculus concept.

Maybe I’d be able to overlook this if the prose weren’t so ponderous and pretentious. The myriad descriptions overwhelm the characters and the plot, and the sentence structure is so repetitious. Reading this became a chore. Sad, since I was so looking forward to it.

Thank you, W.W. Norton & Co. and NetGalley, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for a (very) honest review.

Ah, Firenza. My favorite city in the entire world. When I was offered this book as an ARC by NetGalley, I couldn't respond fast enough. A novel of Florence, and set in my favorite period, the 15th century, what could go wrong?
Well, lots of things apparently.
To begin, the book is well written. And richly detailed. I enjoyed and appreciated that.
However, it became apparent that the author was much more interested in writing a homo-erotic story than an actual historical fiction novel. Turns out that even the title, Florenzer, means a gay man in Florence.
I'm not against homosexuality. But, just as I do not relish reading about sexually charged heterosexual antics, nor do I want to read about a plot of mainly homosexual, or bisexual, or any sexual activities. I want to read about the art, the buildings, the lives of the rich Medici's and the poorest tanner.
If you are like me and feel the same way, I would recommend you instead read "Oil and Marble" or "Rapheal, Painter in Rome" by Stephanie Storey, or "The Diplomat of Florence" by Anthony Wildman. They both seem to be able to capture the essence of the time much better.

Richly poetic and disruptive. However, I felt that there were almost too many details and characters, that at times I had a difficult time keeping things straight.

Overall really liked the setting but I think the book would have been better with fewer characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Liveright for a copy of this ARC!

Forbidden Homosexual Love Amidst Renaissance History
Phil Melanson, Florenzer: A Novel (New York: Black Stone Publishing, June 2025). Hardback: $29.99. 368pp, 6X9”. ISBN: 979-1-324-09503-3.
****
“Set in Renaissance-era Florence, this ravishing debut reimagines the intersecting lives of three ambitious young men—a banker, a priest, and a gay painter named Leonardo. Leonardo da Vinci, twelve years old and a bastard, leaves the Tuscan countryside to join his father in Florence with dreams of becoming a painter. Francesco Salviati, also a bastard and scorned for his too-dark skin, dedicates himself to the Catholic Church with grand hopes of salvation. Towering above them both is Lorenzo de’ Medici, barely a man, yet soon to be the patriarch of the world’s wealthiest and most influential bank. Each of these young men harbors profound ambition, anxious to prove their potential to their superiors—and to themselves. Each is, in his own way, a son of Florence. Each will, when their paths cross, shed blood on Florence’s streets. Fifteenth-century Florence flourishes as a haven of breathtaking artistic, cultural, and technological innovation, but discord churns below the surface: the Medici’s bank exacerbates the city’s staggering wealth inequality, and rumors swirl of a rift between Lorenzo and the new pope. Meanwhile, the city has become Europe’s preeminent destination for gay men—or ‘florenzers,’ as they come to be crudely called. For Leonardo, an astonishingly gifted painter’s apprentice, being a florenzer might feel like personal liberation—but risk lingers around every corner… Historical drama unfolds the machinations of a city on the brink of a new age as it contends with the tensions between public and private lives, the entanglement of erotic and creative impulse, the sacrifices of the determinedly pious, and the risks of fantastic power.”
The cover of this novel is striking. If the topic was something other than the “florenzers”; it would be a shocking choice. But given the subject, it is the only logical choice. The added purple lines radiating from the central figures rear end seem to be suggesting a holiness in that region. The cut-off of the image to block out the eyes of this boy seems to suggest a need for anonymity, or embarrassment. Since it was illegal to bugger in Europe (punishable by death), there was certainly a need to hide your identity if you were a “florenzer”. And the designer probably had to cover the groin area to avoid censorship. But why was it covered with a purple-bluish pen-drawing of a church’s dome? Why not a color painting of a church-dome, at least? The line drawing does match the purple lines in the background. It is certainly a striking cover, perhaps because it is so strange.
As I started reading the blurb, I was sure this was a non-fiction. So, I was surprised by the mention of fiction near the end.
Even a quote at the beginning is strange: “You are a Tuscan, and Tuscans love cock” (Antonio Meccadelli, 1425-6). This is rather direct.
There is a “Cast of Characters” list: always helpful in a complex plot. In this case, there are a few families, or groups, who are listed in separate blocks. Though the fact that most of the characters are “children” or fathers, wives, mothers, and other relations suggests this narrative has too much empty dialogue about family-connections, instead of on the political, financial and cultural points that probably attract readers to this book from the blurb.
The “Prologue” opens on August 3, 1464, with an unnamed character, probably Leonardo, who has left his farmhouse in Tuscany and has just arrived in Florence. The description is just detailed enough to be specific, but not repetitive. And interest is grabbed by the explanation by the end of the first page that this guy is old beyond his 20 years because he is already gathering “secrets” in scraps of paper carried on his person, while also engaging in recording everything he sees for his art.
Though the story of self-making is interrupted by this boy being led by his father. There is a struggle between father and son. There must be tension or disagreement, according to the formulaic standard. But it is absurd that Leonardo is telling his father that he does not want to join a workshop, or expresses he would rather sketch leisurely in the streets. If this kid was not the sort of workaholic who was set on being educated in a workshop; he would not have been afforded the trip to the city.
The next section focuses on the young Medici. The description is now on people inside a church, so no new details are offered at first related to banking. A page later this part starts with a note that Lorenzo is “being educated in the methods of the family bank. How they keep half this city—half the world, even—in debt” (1-4). There is some philosophical rhetoric here that explains the significance of banking during this early-banking period. Before, lending was an illegal usury. Usury laws allowed a few to monopolize the earliest lending institutions and to charge extreme rates because they were the only legal lenders around.
This is a great, intellectual opening with a detailed and literary introduction to this place, time, and characters. By page 12, the florenzers’ sexual activities commence. Oh, no, wait: Leonardo has been aroused by joining the workshop, and the excitement of stripping off his tunic and standing for the drawings in a collective, where he is “the oldest apprentice”, with young beautiful boys around him. He has not yet engaged with them.
At the back, there is a “Historical Note” that promises the author has done his research to be accurate on the history. It also mentions Iac Saltarelli, “a goldsmith’s apprentice; also, a prostitute”. Iac is introduced on page 94, in a seduction in which Leonardo hires him and they engage in intercourse in a room. The description is a combination of literary detail and romance-novel-level explicit specifics. I was hoping to find an explanation regarding why Iac must prostitute in addition to goldsmithing. Instead, Leonardo is mostly concerned with drawing this guy after they do their business. There is a brief note on Iac’s situation: “he’s trying to save every soldo until he finishes his apprenticeship and can register as a goldsmith” (114).
The opening pages promised a much higher literary quality to this work than the interior delivers. But this is still one of the stronger novels in this set. While there is too much explicit details, at least these specifics are written with some creativity. The reader who would enjoy this novel are those who are interested in homosexual romances. Literature professors are likely to judge it rather harshly. Though perhaps it will win an award given the difficult subjects it handles. This book is designed for casual readers who are sophisticated, and enjoy a bit of history with their romance.
Pennsylvania Literary Journal: Spring 2025 issue: https://anaphoraliterary.com/journals/plj/plj-excerpts/book-reviews-spring-2025

Phil Melanson's debut novel, "Florenzer," strips away the burnished glow of Renaissance myth, revealing the true pigments, delicate brushstrokes, and shifting shades of power that shaped 15th-century Florence. Through three perspectives—Lorenzo de' Medici's management of political leadership, Francesco Salviati's pursuit of advancement within the Vatican, and Leonardo da Vinci's quest for artistic truth—the novel examines survival in a system of unstable alliances and carefully managed appearances. The political relationships between Florence, Rome, Milan, Naples, and Venice require careful language and flattery when dealing with papal authority or rival rulers, creating what Lorenzo calls a "game of pretend."

The beating heart of this narrative isn't Renaissance splendor but the criminalization of homosexuality. Florence's judicial persecution of same-sex relationships becomes a political weapon, with hundreds convicted yearly. Melanson explores this through Leonardo da Vinci's relationships drawn from historical records. These unfold under constant threat from informants, the Officers of the Night, and a civic apparatus where "anyone can drop an accusation" into denunciation boxes. These scenes, which include candid portrayals of sexual intimacy, underscore physical danger, not for shock value, but to reveal how queerness was harnessed as a tool of control.

Melanson bases his work on meticulous historical research. Drawing from Florentine judicial archives, he shows power operating beyond formal institutions—in private bedrooms and anonymous denunciation boxes, through banking ledgers and papal decrees. In Florence, we witness Lorenzo navigating the Signoria's republican resistance to his authority while grappling with the Pazzi Bank's challenge to Medici financial dominance. In Rome, Salviati moves through a Vatican where advancement requires pious performance and ruthless calculation. The novel presents Lorenzo's calculated inconsistency, enforcing moral laws when politically expedient, undermining them when personally necessary, not as hypocrisy to condemn, but as the inevitable condition of maintaining authority in a system built on contradictions.
 
Melanson places his story within the turbulent political web of competing Italian states, where shifting alliances, banking rivalries, and papal ambitions determine public fortunes and private fates. From the opening scene, the aftermath of Cosimo de' Medici's death, leaving Florence nominally a republic yet practically adrift, the novel explores how power is claimed, maintained, and challenged across different spheres of Renaissance society. Lorenzo grapples with the paradox of republican governance and de facto rule, Salviati maneuvers through Vatican intrigues, and Leonardo confronts the limitations imposed on artistic vision by patronage and societal constraints. Historical events like the Volterra alum mine dispute reveal how economic interests drive political decisions, with Lorenzo framing military action as necessary to preserve Florence's reputation among rival states.

The novel tracks Lorenzo's political maturation from defensive protector of Medici interests to shrewd cultivator of lasting influence. A speculative journey, acknowledged in the historical note as intentional invention, dramatizes a more profound truth: legacy is constructed under duress, rarely without compromise. The novel suggests the Renaissance wasn't merely a cultural awakening but a period when power learned to disguise itself as virtue, and virtue to pose as permanence.
 
Melanson's approach of weaving papal politics, financial intrigue, and artistic innovation directly into his characters' inner lives transcends lesser historical fiction. The three perspectives offer different facets of Renaissance society: political calculation, religious ambition, and artistic struggle. The result is a world where threats accumulate steadily, and political, spiritual, or creative survival depends as much on performance as on conviction. This depth of perspective is matched by Melanson's control over form and style.
 
Melanson's prose balances density with momentum, shaped by a visual sensibility reflecting his film and marketing background. His sentences carry a rhythm that feels deliberate without being overly ornamental, often layering sensory detail with political or emotional undercurrents. This density sometimes demands patient reading, particularly in passages exploring the intricacies of banking rivalries or Vatican politics.  Importantly, Melanson resists the temptation to tidy his narrative arcs. The result is a novel that favors resonance over resolution, offering a literary experience that is as structurally ambitious as it is emotionally precise.
 
Melanson has crafted a historical novel with edges that cut. It neither flatters its subjects nor contorts itself to please modern sensibilities. Instead, it insists history remains a contested field of memory, image, and survival, and that those who endure its crucible rarely emerge without scars. With the analytical precision of Leonardo's anatomical studies, "Florenzer" lays bare Renaissance Florence, revealing power, desire, and survival as the sinews of its society.

This review is based on an advance reader copy provided by NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company - Liveright.

This was definitely not what I normally read, but as a queer artist, I was eager to pick it up. I found the writing very dense at times, and the writing is heavy on the description, but it is immersive.

I would like to thank W.W. Norton and Company for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. I have traveled to Florence several times and have visited the galleries and churches. I have also read and studied books on Lorenzo de Medici, and Leonardo da Vinci. I was interested to read this book. It follows the path of 3 men, Lorenzo, Leonardo and Francesco Salviati. It is also the story of Florence, and Italy in the 15th century. It was a time of art and literature. It was also a time of war, plague and political intrigue. It is a well written story, with lots of plot and characters.There is a cast of characters at the beginning, which helps, but it is still a lot to follow. It is also the story of gay men in the 14th century, how they lived and survived. I enjoyed this book. It is well written. One thing I will mention is that it can be difficult to follow as it is told in 3 POV's. Each chapter is a different one, and they are only marked by numbers, so it was hard at times to determine who was speaking for the first few sentences. Again, thank you for the opportunity.I look forward to other books by this author.

very descriptive and very interesting story with a strong plot. the historical figures were all very compelling and the story felt like a movie. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Set in Renaissance Florence, Florenzer explores the lives of three men who made mark on Florence’s history: an artist, a priest, and a banker.

Leonardo da Vinci, a child of twelve, dreams of becoming an artist while his father wants him to become notary like him. Francesco Salviati, also a bastard as Leonardo, dedicates himself to the Catholic Church. And Lorenzo de’ Medici, a young son of one of the most influential families of its time, soon to be ruling over Florence.

This richly depicted historical drama explores the pursuits of three men who become distinguished in their endeavors. Also, bringing to surface the time when gay men such as Leonardo were often persecuted.

This character-driven story takes time in vivid depiction, giving the reader the front seat to the events. The characters are complex and fascinating revealing their vulnerable side. Thus, as result, touching upon human emotions.

The passion for the subject and the eloquence of the language are evident in this storytelling.

Florenzer is a richly atmospheric novel that brings renaissance Florence to life through the lives of Leonardo da Vinci, Lorenzo de' Medici, and Francesco Salviati. Loosely based on real events, it’s a detailed reimagining packed with art, politics, and drama.

Melanson’s writing is so vivid. His descriptions feel like they’re jumping off the page. His prose is poetic, especially when he;s writing about art or the internal conflict of the characters.

The story rotates between the three aforementioned characters but it has an omniscient voice which is interesting since there’s no shift in tone between each POV. This was sometimes difficult to keep track of but also a clearly intentional narrative decision.

Leonardo’s chapters stood out the most maybe due to my own familiarity with him as a historical figure compared to the others. I really appreciated the character list because there is a huge case of characters and it helps to have something to refer to.

If you're into renaissance history (or loved The Marriage Portrait), this one’s for you.

Thank you to the author and publisher for giving me a free arc in exchange for a review.

“Sodomy exists anywhere there are men with cocks and men with holes. Which is everywhere, really, except for the convents—and there the nuns have their own methods.”

This was so good I’m actually losing it. I have always been a fan of historical reimagines like this, and I loved the way the author wove the 3 men’s lives together. My favorite was definitely Leonardo, but all 3 narratives were compelling and I never wanted to skip any of them. The descriptions were extremely lush too. I loved the way the art was described, and that expanded to the setting. 100% a must read for fans of Medici (2016) or o’farrells the marriage portrait. Despite being 400 pages it didn’t drag and i couldn’t put it down.

5 stars!!

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for granting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest rating.

Florenzer by Phil Melanson is intricately crafted and well written, but this is unfortunately not for me. I had much trouble connecting with the characters and setting myself in the story. I'm disappointed this wasn't for me but this will hit for a lot of people. I DNFed it somewhere in the first third and continuing it will only lessen my enjoyment, so I'm stopping.

This was one of the most beautifully descriptive books i have read in a long time. It was full of intricate details that made it feel like you had been transported to another world. I found the story incredibly captivating one of those books you just cant put down. My one gripe was with how hard i found it to keep up with the timing i wish there had been more dates throughout the book so i could better keep up with when events were happening. Overall one of the best books l've read so far this year