The ground is burning

Quite good actually.
lot of violence, swearing etc. but these times where not as easy as ours. And suffering was part of the redemption...
I agree that it takes time to get in. The beginning does not bring that much information about the characters and the novel aim. But the "imola" part was very interesting.
Everybody is looking for its part of celebrity and this was not simple to achieve when a simple bad cold can just kill you in winter, or a french solder or just god will. And what do you have to achieve to get some immortality, what will be left of you for the next generation. What is the sens of life in a city-state countries that are fighting ever and ever in a never ending mortal dance.

One point, I'm not sure that Vinci could have eaten "tomato and avocado" in any place in Italy back in 1502.