This book was a pretty quick read for me. I picked it up because I am a big fan of E.L. Konigsburg, especially The View From Saturday. While I was interested in this story, it did not measure up to some of the author's other books, including The View From Saturday or The Outcasts From 19 Schuyler Place, although those are from a different genre.The best part of The Second Mrs. Gioconda is the historical details that it incorporates. While it is historical fiction, it does allow the reader to learn a little about the life of Leonardo da Vinci and Italy during the late 1400s. The character of Salai is very entertaining through his mischief and candor, and helps connect the historical figure of da Vinci to everyday people from this time. The self-absorption of some of the royalty is also pretty funny.Overall, this is a book I would recommend to readers with an interest in history. It is interesting, and provides opportunities to learn or to investigate more.