"Schlesser's novel is a masterclass in describing the experience of art."

"A rare book – poignant, wise and full of wonder."

"Art historian Schlesser's vibrant English-language debut frames a survey of classical Western art with the story of a Parisian man supporting his 10-year-old granddaughter after her sudden bout of temporary blindness... Schlesser seamlessly interweaves the art lessons with Mona's story, which concludes with an explanation for the cause of her blindness. Readers of Jostein Gaarder's Sophie's World will love this."

"Mona's Eyes is gentle, bold, poetic, poignant and overall, utterly magnificent. I'm struggling to fully sum up how much I have loved reading this, but I think this has quickly become one of my favourite books that I've read this year."

"Schlesser expertly blurs the line between art history and fiction to create a heartfelt story about peoples' relationship to the world and to others. Told in simple terms, yet educational and expressive, the book evokes the same experience as other classics like 'Sophie's World' by Jostein Gaarder."

"This incredibly buzzy debut is something like if an acclaimed art historian had written All the Light We Cannot See… It feels passionate and engaging and really captures the freshness and wonder of understanding art, the world, growing up, through the eyes of a child."

"It's an earthquake. A seismic shift in the world of publishing."

"...makes you want to run to the museum. Better than Emily in Paris."

"Fabulous!"

"A brilliant book."

"A tender, absolutely captivating book."

"Wonderful and poignant."