We took the months of March and April to read the novel, Mona’s Eyes by Thomas Schlesser. With a print length of 368 pages, we choose to read it over the course of two months rather than our usual one month. We will share our first impressions of Mona’s Eyes at our March meeting, with a full discussion to take place at our April 2026 meeting date.
Mona’s Eyes: A Novel by Thomas Schlesser – Overview (from Amazon.com)
Ten-year-old Mona and her beloved grandfather have only fifty-two Wednesdays to visit fifty-two works of art and commit to memory “all that is beautiful in the world” before Mona loses her sight forever.
While the doctors can find no explanation for Mona’s brief episode of blindness, they agree that the threat of permanent vision loss cannot be ruled out. The girl’s grandfather, Henry, may not be able to stop his granddaughter from losing her sight, but he can fill the encroaching darkness with beauty. Every Wednesday for a year, the pair abscond together and visit a single masterpiece in one of Paris’s renowned museums. From Botticelli to Basquiat, Mona learns how each artist’s work shaped the world around them. In turn, the young girl’s world is changed forever by the power of their art. Under the kind and careful tutelage of her grandfather, Mona learns the true meaning of generosity, melancholy, love, loss, and revolution. Her perspective will never be the same—nor will the reader’s.
Mona’s Eyes is a heartfelt, enlightening journey across five centuries of Western art history. With the emotional impact of The Elegance of the Hedgehog and the readability of The Little Paris Bookshop, Thomas Schlesser’s sensational debut novel is at once a moving book about the beauty of life and a deeply touching story about the special bond between a girl and her grandfather.
Where to Buy Mona’s Eyes
Please be advised that the link provided below is an affiliate link. Kim Cesaretti, artist, will receive a small commission on any sales made via the link at no additional cost to the buyer. Thank you in advance for supporting the artist’s educational outreach efforts. Happy reading!
Reader Reviews of Mona’s Eyes
There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to write one.
Leave a Review for Mona’s Eyes
Average Rating
Next Book Club Meeting
Art Book Club Meetings take place the second Fridays of each month at 1pm. Check the events calendar for more information.
