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The Smile (novel)The Smile (2008) is a Young Adult novel by Donna Jo Napoli that details a slice of the life of Monna Elisabetta, better known as the Mona Lisa. Some historical figures enter the plot, including Leonardo da Vinci and members of the famous Medici family. Set in Renaissance Florence, it follows Elisabetta's life up to the moment she models for da Vinci's painting, and suggests the secret behind her famous smile.

Plot
As a budding only daughter of a wealthy silk merchant in Renaissance Italy, Elisabetta finds herself on the brink of an inevitable arranged marriage, but she longs for love. When she attends the funeral of one of Florence's most powerful men, Lorenzo de' Medici, she meets Leonardo da Vinci, who declares that one day, when she is ready, he will paint her. He introduces her to the son of Lorenzo, Giuliano de Medici, who nicknames her "Mona Lisa" and is responsible for bringing out her famous smile. Through brief encounters with Giuliano, Elisabetta falls in love; but when her mother dies and her father quickly remarries, it is arranged that she marry the new wife's brother-in-law. She must choose between love and duty, and learns that happy moments can come out of the ruined ashes of misfortune.

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