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hanbu's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.75
bleurghonaut's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up this book as I was interested in Frida, the woman, rather than Frida, the artist. Although the two are inextricably linked, I felt this book, although commendably well-researched, read more like an art history lecture at times. Pages and pages were devoted to each painting and what it means, and what Frida was trying to say. I felt that each of these scholarly expositions moved the book further away from Frida, the person, rather than being able to understand her in more depth. The character of Diego Rivera was a dominating presence throughout, and I would have liked to have seen more about Frida's other relationships and less about Rivera.
hannahshaww's review against another edition
5.0
An amazing biography. I loved the way the author brought Frida to life on the page. Also, her background as a lecturer on art was very much appreciated. Her love and understanding for Frida's work allowed me to love them as well.
readwithjuly's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.5
difficultwomanreads's review against another edition
4.0
Frida Kahlo isn't my absolute favorite painter in terms of style, but that's more a matter of taste than anything else. She is without doubt a highly influential, groundbreaking artist, particularly within the field of women-as-subject. "Frida", however, is not so much a book about Kahlo's works as it is about her life. Which it should be, what with the fact that it's a biography and all.
Herrera constructs a detailed, engaging biography that examines the major events of Frida's life--and in particular her marriage to fellow artist Diego Rivera--and sets them against the psychological undertones of her works. At times, this was one of the book's flaws: Herrera also has a book out about Frida's paintings, and I feel that art analysis, as inevitable as it is when writing about an artist, is more appropriate for a study of art. Sometimes, there was a little too much about Frida's paintings and not enough about Frida.
However, that issue is a small one and doesn't detract from an accomplished biography. Many writers would have viewed Frida's lifestyle, and particularly her marriage to Rivera, with a jaundiced, post-feminist-movement eye. Herrera is honest and does not criticize her subject. She only wishes to study her, and to try to explain Frida's psychology without yammering about her mistakes. She also doesn't lionize the artist, detailing her many flaws with refreshing honesty.
Again, Kahlo's marriage to Rivera often takes center stage, because he was a huge part of her life. Rivera was not so much Kahlo's husband as he was her lover, her best friend, and her great supporter in terms of art. Despite his many flaws, he never seemed threatened by her great talent, and was in fact proud of it. One of the great things about this book is that you get to learn a lot about Rivera, simply because he influenced Frida so much, and vice versa.
As interesting as the Riveras' relationship was, I would have liked to see a bit more of Frida's personal life outside of her marriage. "Frida" is by no means a recent publication, and I wonder if as much was known about Frida's affairs and their effect on her work when Herrera was researching the artist. In particular, there are many, many details about Frida's heterosexual affairs but fewer still on her homosexual involvements. Which is kind of odd, since she likely had many, what with Rivera tolerating his wife's lesbian affairs more than he did her heterosexual relationships. It doesn't take away from the book, again, but simply struck me as kind of odd.
Finally, on a purely superficial note, I wish that my copy had a different cover. I can understand replacing the original cover with the movie cover when you're trying to sell a commercial blockbuster like Twilight, but... this is a real person. This is Frida Kahlo. There are plenty of amazing photographs of her, and many, many fantastic self portraits. As much as I loved Salma Hayek's portrayal of the artist, WHY IS SHE ON THE COVER I MEAN WHY.
"Frida" could have had a bit more detail; but overall, it's a great biography and I highly recommend it to fans of the artist and those interested in female-focused painting.
Herrera constructs a detailed, engaging biography that examines the major events of Frida's life--and in particular her marriage to fellow artist Diego Rivera--and sets them against the psychological undertones of her works. At times, this was one of the book's flaws: Herrera also has a book out about Frida's paintings, and I feel that art analysis, as inevitable as it is when writing about an artist, is more appropriate for a study of art. Sometimes, there was a little too much about Frida's paintings and not enough about Frida.
However, that issue is a small one and doesn't detract from an accomplished biography. Many writers would have viewed Frida's lifestyle, and particularly her marriage to Rivera, with a jaundiced, post-feminist-movement eye. Herrera is honest and does not criticize her subject. She only wishes to study her, and to try to explain Frida's psychology without yammering about her mistakes. She also doesn't lionize the artist, detailing her many flaws with refreshing honesty.
Again, Kahlo's marriage to Rivera often takes center stage, because he was a huge part of her life. Rivera was not so much Kahlo's husband as he was her lover, her best friend, and her great supporter in terms of art. Despite his many flaws, he never seemed threatened by her great talent, and was in fact proud of it. One of the great things about this book is that you get to learn a lot about Rivera, simply because he influenced Frida so much, and vice versa.
As interesting as the Riveras' relationship was, I would have liked to see a bit more of Frida's personal life outside of her marriage. "Frida" is by no means a recent publication, and I wonder if as much was known about Frida's affairs and their effect on her work when Herrera was researching the artist. In particular, there are many, many details about Frida's heterosexual affairs but fewer still on her homosexual involvements. Which is kind of odd, since she likely had many, what with Rivera tolerating his wife's lesbian affairs more than he did her heterosexual relationships. It doesn't take away from the book, again, but simply struck me as kind of odd.
Finally, on a purely superficial note, I wish that my copy had a different cover. I can understand replacing the original cover with the movie cover when you're trying to sell a commercial blockbuster like Twilight, but... this is a real person. This is Frida Kahlo. There are plenty of amazing photographs of her, and many, many fantastic self portraits. As much as I loved Salma Hayek's portrayal of the artist, WHY IS SHE ON THE COVER I MEAN WHY.
"Frida" could have had a bit more detail; but overall, it's a great biography and I highly recommend it to fans of the artist and those interested in female-focused painting.
annoschkar's review against another edition
5.0
A really in depth portrait of one of my favorite artists.
regeleend's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
3.0
This is a very comprehensive and thorough biography. It just so happened that I did not like Frida and her very long letters as much as I though I would. Trying to find the art work or image talked about was a struggle to. I would find artworks with Roman numerals but where was figure 44? It became a bit of chore.
anushareflects's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
eugeniekildine's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
1.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Chronic illness, Cursing, Infertility, Abortion, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Infidelity, and Miscarriage
Minor: Suicide