An absolutely beautiful story. I loved the mentions of permaculture as I’m taking a permaculture diploma myself. The descriptions of Italy and the food were stunning and made me feel like I was there. Whilst this book covers some heavy topics such as 9/11, it does so in a respectful and loving way, and the lightness and gentleness of all of the positive moments in the book help to eclipse and balance out the dark ones. A testament to second chances, and learning to heal the wounds that break us.

In 1976 Joanna is a young woman living and studying in NYC with a passion for music. While travelling, she meets Luca, a young Italian navigator, on board the ship The Leonardo da Vinci and they fall in love. It is a tempestuous relationship which ends badly. Brokenhearted, Joanna returns to the US and eventually marries her former professor, who, being older, provides the stability and safety she has always craved. Years later, her husband dies of a sudden heart attack and Joanna decides to travel to recover and heal from her loss and loneliness. She decides to stay for a longer time on the Cinque Terre where she meets a number of people that make an impact on her life and her heart.

This is a novel written from a very emotional and artistic perspective that is driven by exploration of Joanna’s character and her relationships with the people in her life. It flows easily like a piece of music, which is interesting because music is a vital part of Joanna’s story. Having risked her heart with Luca in her twenties and suffering a disappointment, Joanna then follows a safe path by sidelining creative efforts and marrying an older father figure. After his death she throws herself with abandon into life on the Cinque Terre, seeking out music again and engaging in an affair with another volatile young Italian man.

I have mixed feelings about this novel. I have previously read and really enjoyed slower character studies in the past, however I found Joanna’s character emotionally immature and frustrating much of the time. One can be forgiven for foolish and ill-advised affairs in their twenties, but when she grew into a more mature woman with some life experience I found her behaviour with Gino baffling and irritating. A woman of any age might appreciate a wonderful sexual encounter, but is that worth tolerating endless childish mood swings and tantrums? I think not. She also indulges her mother’s continued drinking and terrible behaviour, and has never come to terms with not having a child. The ending, like the character herself, is ambiguous.

The Sinking of the Leonardo Da Vinci is a great story about a woman named Joanna just trying to figure out relationships and herself. She finds herself deep into a man she meets on The Leonardo Da Vinci but shockingly turns out to be someone different off the ship. This book is fantastic for those who love period era stories, the writing flows beautifully and keeps you engaged wanting more.