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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I wish this focused on The Goldfinch and the actual Thunderclap for more than 5% of the book
What a wonderful book. It makes me want to get on the next plane to the Netherlands and visit Delft, and the Mauritshuis in The Hague.
(Reminded me of the 1947 explosion in Cadiz, Spain)
(Reminded me of the 1947 explosion in Cadiz, Spain)
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
A glorious meditation on Dutch art in general, Carel Fabritius in particular and a loving homage to Cumming's artist father. This book follows lots of different strands and holds them all together beautifully. Fabritius is best known for his work The Goldfinch. Very few of his other paintings exist and little is known about his life and work, except that he died in the Thunderclap of the title, when a huge explosion destroyed much of Delft. Cumming is excellent at summoning ghosts of Fabritius and her father among others. She is also excellent at writing about her passion for painting and what it means to her. I hate Dutch art for the most part, but her writing, her enthusiasm and her ability to translate what she sees and feels is so exquisite it has made me look and think again.
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Beautifully written, I just wish I had read the physical book instead of the audiobook as the author talks about paintings in detail and it would be helpful to have a visual.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Death of parent
Moderate: Child death, Medical content