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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
This book paints the monotony of Maine life and upbringing more accurately than most others that tend over romanticize it. It takes a true piece of Maine history that can be experienced at the Farnsworth museum in Rockland today, and adds a fictional component that humanizes the famous painting. It will never cease to amaze me how art can have such an inspiring impact on so many people in such different ways. Despite having seen Christina’s World and my previous knowledge of Andrew Wyeth, I learned a lot about the history of the painter from this story and the authors note. I read this book in just a few sittings a would recommend.
Valuable exploration of Andrew Wyeth's iconic painting Christina's World. The fictionalized life of its subject, Christina Olson, gives us a revealing look at what it was like to be disabled and living in rural America in the first half of the 20th century.
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Now I want to read everything I can about the Wyeth family and the Olson family of Cushing, Maine.
I was quite caught up with this story. Christina, although crippled, as the author puts it, embraced austerity but craved beauty; ...was curious about other people and yet pathologically private. She was perversely independent yet reliant on others to take care of their basic needs. (p. 303). It's a great story! I loved how the author created it from pictures she sat in front of for days at a time at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This is actually 4.5 stars. I really enjoyed this book, but hesitated to give 5 because for me it was quite sad and at times hard to read. I will seek out other books by this author. Also love her narrative at the end, telling how she came to write this book.
This book is sweet and also incredibly depressing. Following the life of one woman who has moments of bliss and connection in a very hard life. The transformative power of art and artists plays a role, but I would have liked to have seen more here. There is deep character development, and I had a faint craving for freshly churned butter throughout.
Slow build but a good, interesting story. Well developed, unique characters.