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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received an ARC of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book just did not speak to me. It is a fictional Historical narrative, based on (as the author admits) very limited knowledge about the real characters behind the storyline. One of its biggest failures is that the characters were unknown and the author fails to inject any real interest into their characterisation. The action takes place over several time periods from the late 19th Century into the late 20th. There seemed to be a spectral or psychic dimension. It felt disjointed and I believe it would have been better to have concentrated on the then rather than trying to bring it into the now although this across time historical fiction is popular it takes a certain skill to make it work well. I don't think this author had the skilled craftmanship required
This book just did not speak to me. It is a fictional Historical narrative, based on (as the author admits) very limited knowledge about the real characters behind the storyline. One of its biggest failures is that the characters were unknown and the author fails to inject any real interest into their characterisation. The action takes place over several time periods from the late 19th Century into the late 20th. There seemed to be a spectral or psychic dimension. It felt disjointed and I believe it would have been better to have concentrated on the then rather than trying to bring it into the now although this across time historical fiction is popular it takes a certain skill to make it work well. I don't think this author had the skilled craftmanship required
Always down to read historical fiction giving a voice back to women previously known only in relation to a famous (or infamous) man. Yes, that's an actual category in my head. (And I like that it's a thing!)
In this case, I think the author has done a great job imagining the lives and motivations of these four muses of Egon Schiele. I like that their views and life experiences are all so distinct. That said, I'm probably most fascinated - or perhaps the word is "haunted" - by Vally. She's fiercely independent and good at surviving, but in a realistic and flawed way, not like the so-called strong female characters you see in a fair bit of entertainment media.
This book is also structured really well. Going back over the same period of time, or even the very same interaction, from the perspective of another woman, lets the reader piece the puzzle together, while retaining an acute awareness of the subjectivities of those involved. The parts about Adele in 1968 tie it all together, but the minor storyline about Eva falls a bit flat for me.
This is a fairly good read overall; it really deserves 3.5 stars, but I can't really justify bumping my rating up to 4.
In this case, I think the author has done a great job imagining the lives and motivations of these four muses of Egon Schiele. I like that their views and life experiences are all so distinct. That said, I'm probably most fascinated - or perhaps the word is "haunted" - by Vally. She's fiercely independent and good at surviving, but in a realistic and flawed way, not like the so-called strong female characters you see in a fair bit of entertainment media.
This book is also structured really well. Going back over the same period of time, or even the very same interaction, from the perspective of another woman, lets the reader piece the puzzle together, while retaining an acute awareness of the subjectivities of those involved. The parts about Adele in 1968 tie it all together, but the minor storyline about Eva falls a bit flat for me.
This is a fairly good read overall; it really deserves 3.5 stars, but I can't really justify bumping my rating up to 4.
~Thanks to NetGalley for my eARC~
3 stars
I really wanted to love this book. I was trying very hard for that. But, unfortunately, I just couldn’t. It was written in such a weird manner that instead of pleasure, as it usually is, it was hard work to get through it. Especially the part where Adele was the main character. I just couldn’t stand the way she was written into this book. All of this was absolutely chaotic and even though she was our central point of interest, we didn’t really have too much of a view of what she’s thinking or what is motivating her to do the things she did.
The comment above is actually valid for all four of the female characters we’ve got to know in this book. Author was trying to convince me that she’s trying to show their lives, to show these women that were an inspiration to a great artist. But for me what she did was to show them only through the artist. Almost like they don’t exist without him. Once they played their part in his life, they’re discarded as unnecessary and forgotten both by Egon and by the author. I can understand that there’s probably very little about them in the books and other sources of information, but as the author stated herself, her novel is a work of art. A fiction, loosely based on real characters and events. I would prefer to know more about these women. About what motivated them. What has shaped them into the beings they were before they’ve met the artist.
All in all, it was a great idea for the book. It could have been even better if the writing wasn’t so tedious and the author decided to give more room to her female characters.
3 stars
I really wanted to love this book. I was trying very hard for that. But, unfortunately, I just couldn’t. It was written in such a weird manner that instead of pleasure, as it usually is, it was hard work to get through it. Especially the part where Adele was the main character. I just couldn’t stand the way she was written into this book. All of this was absolutely chaotic and even though she was our central point of interest, we didn’t really have too much of a view of what she’s thinking or what is motivating her to do the things she did.
The comment above is actually valid for all four of the female characters we’ve got to know in this book. Author was trying to convince me that she’s trying to show their lives, to show these women that were an inspiration to a great artist. But for me what she did was to show them only through the artist. Almost like they don’t exist without him. Once they played their part in his life, they’re discarded as unnecessary and forgotten both by Egon and by the author. I can understand that there’s probably very little about them in the books and other sources of information, but as the author stated herself, her novel is a work of art. A fiction, loosely based on real characters and events. I would prefer to know more about these women. About what motivated them. What has shaped them into the beings they were before they’ve met the artist.
All in all, it was a great idea for the book. It could have been even better if the writing wasn’t so tedious and the author decided to give more room to her female characters.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Abortion, Death of parent
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Infertility, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A little disappointed with the ending but overall a great character study.
Discover the locations in the novel The Flames
This is impressive. For a debut, this is particularly impressive. A fictional tale torn from the real life pages of history. Just my kind of book. On top of the great story, characters and plot, there is some gorgeous writing and excellent scene setting. If this book were a cake I would EAT IT.
The book centres around the women who were muses of the artist Egon Schiele, a protege of Gustav Klimt, the artist who painted The Kiss. Egon is himself a controversial artist and his love for painting nude portraits leads to him becoming famous for all the wrong reasons. He is hounded and called every name under the sun. People judge him and the women he paints. Scandal follows him everywhere.
The novel cleverly doesn’t just look at him but in particulary at the women he painted.This is where Sophie Haydock has been particularly brilliantly clever. We meet four women in turn who speak and tell their story. Each one is unique, expertly drawn so they come to life both off the oage and the artist’s palette.
We have Adele and her sister Edith who are upper class. They spot Egon moving into the house opposite theirs and their fascination or is it obsession with him begins. Tragedy is just around the corner however and this was the thread I found the most interesting. The dynamic between the sisters and what happens when a man enters into their closed world.
Next we meet Egon’s sster Gertie who has a very controversial relationship with her brother. Then there’s Vally who in in a relationship with Egon for years and who is constantly by his side when others leave him. He avoids marrying her though and tends to keep her at arms length. At a time when marriage and women’s prospects were linked with men, this is hard to bear.
The title The Flames must surely refer to the inflammatory role this artist played in society at the time. It describes the women who are burnt by him, and scared. However it also looks the fire of unrequited love, of passion, betrayal and the inflammatory way Schiele’s art lit up the art world.
This book made me go wow. I want to read more about this artist now and the author has written a lovely little guide at the end detailing more information about the man and his art. I love worlds where fact and fiction mix and this is a great and atmospheric read
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Flames presents fictionalized narratives for four real women who modeled for Egon Schiele, a prodigy of Gustav Klemt, in Austria in the early 20th century. Little is known about Egon’s sister, Gertrude, his wife, Edith, his sister-in-law, Adele, or his oft-portrayed model Vally. Haydock took what she could from the limited sources of information and crafted compelling personalities and life stories for the women that Schiele drew and painted in his short lifetime.
As a historical fiction lover, I was instantly drawn into the setting of early 1900s Vienna and the lives of the women brave enough to model, often nude, for a young artist. In fictionalizing the stories of their relationships with Schiele, Haydock gives each woman a reason to risk public disdain in the name of art. Each woman was given a strong and distinct personality that made sense of the choices we know they made in real life and what we can see portrayed in Schiele’s art.
I was not familiar with Schiele and his work prior to reading this novel. I loved that a piece of art depicting each woman was included in the book and also enjoyed looking up more of his artwork.
I really find novelizations of historical figures to be fascinating and was drawn in by Haydock’s portrayal of women whose likenesses are still admired around the world but whose stories have been largely lost. I happily found myself lost in this book for hours at a time, carried along by excellent writing and characters that were expertly brought to life. This character-driven novel has me excited to see what Haydock will produce next.
Thanks to Netgalley and ABRAMS for the e-galley.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death
Meet Adele, Gertrude, Vally and Edith - four women deeply affected by their love for controversial artist, Egon Schiele. In the early 20th century, Egon’s work was seen by many in society as pornographic & the women who posed for him viewed as on a par with prostitution. Loving Egon Schiele was therefore not easy!
Although a work of fiction, The Flames is based around meticulous research by Sophie Haydock (see her Instagram page - @ egonschieleswomen). I think her storyline works fabulously well - it is wrought with tension, grief & that thing we can all do when we are deeply in love - worshipping the ground someone walks on & doing ANYTHING to make them happy. I loved how it was split into the four women’s stories, but their connections brought together by an interlude. Brilliantly done!
The Flames is a superb debut, I absolutely ADORE it. Sophie Haydock’s books will be an instant future buy!
Although a work of fiction, The Flames is based around meticulous research by Sophie Haydock (see her Instagram page - @ egonschieleswomen). I think her storyline works fabulously well - it is wrought with tension, grief & that thing we can all do when we are deeply in love - worshipping the ground someone walks on & doing ANYTHING to make them happy. I loved how it was split into the four women’s stories, but their connections brought together by an interlude. Brilliantly done!
The Flames is a superb debut, I absolutely ADORE it. Sophie Haydock’s books will be an instant future buy!