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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I found this book at a library sale and bought it on the strength of my favorite plot structure (one story interwoven in multiple time periods, my favorite being [b:The Maze at Windermere|34962936|The Maze at Windermere|Gregory Blake Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1498806439l/34962936._SY75_.jpg|56237889]), the catchy title, and the admiring cover blurbs from newspapers with strong book review sections. Last but not least, it was $1. In a nutshell, I found the book dull, but the writing and plot were good enough for me to push through (at a fast clip). In fairness to the book, it's hard to avoid dullness when the plot requires so many descriptions of paintings and technical details of art forgery. But my biggest problem was that of the 3 protagonists, only Sara de Vos interested me, and she had the least amount of stage time. Ditto for 17th century Amsterdam. Of the other two characters, I found Marty de Groot an utterly uninteresting person who thinks he's interesting, and Ellie just never came alive for me.
i wanted to like this book, but just did not. the nonlinear time structure made things confusing.
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
"You carry grudges and regrets for decades, tend them like gravesite vigils, then even after you lay them down they linger on the periphery, waiting to ambush you all over again."
This book weaves together three timelines: a 17th-century Dutch painter named Sara de Vos, a modern-day art forgery in New York, and the tangled lives of those connected to her only surviving painting. It’s a story about art, identity, and the threads that connect us across time.
What I found fascinating about Sara de Vos is that she was one of the very few women admitted to the prestigious Guild of St. Luke in Holland during her time. In an era dominated by men who often overshadowed or outright erased women’s contributions, she still managed to leave her mark—a mark that men, of course, tried to bury under their egos.
Although I didn’t fall in love with this book, it’s historical fiction, so I gained something by reading it. I hadn’t heard of Sara de Vos before, and I’m grateful to have learned about her life and struggles. It’s another reminder of how often women’s achievements are hidden in history.
The book itself is a very slow burn. The characters are flawed (which I always appreciate), but it dragged a bit for me, and I never felt like there were any real “high points” to grab onto. That said, the layers of the story and the connections between the timelines were intriguing, and the art and history details were beautifully done.
If you’re a lover of historical fiction—especially stories centered around art or Danish history—this book is definitely worth picking up. While it wasn’t a personal favorite for me, I can see why others would love it for its interesting story and its look at the often-forgotten women of history.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Sexism, Abandonment
I’m not sure how to rate this. I enjoy a story where I learn about something new, and I definitely learned about Dutch art. Ellie and Sara were interesting characters, and I really enjoyed when all of the pieces came together at the end in the last two chapters. This story didn’t grip me, and sometimes it did feel like a male author writing about a woman’s perspective, but overall I’m satisfied with the ending and with an intriguing story.
This story takes place in 3 distinct time eras: 17th century Netherlands, 1950s New York City and Sydney, Australia 2000.
I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel being jockeyed between three time zones, but to be honest, I was captivated.
This is the story of one painting and three people whose lives intersect because of this painting.
The book goes back and forth between these three characters telling their story and the story of the painting.
Wonderful story, fantastic prose, descriptive, impassioned and an engaging read.
I found it to be a quietly compelling page-turner about art, regret, loss, and finding meaning within the constraints of one's circumstances.
I recommend this one to those who like historical fiction, mystery, or just a generally well-told story.
There is a little something for everyone.
I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel being jockeyed between three time zones, but to be honest, I was captivated.
This is the story of one painting and three people whose lives intersect because of this painting.
The book goes back and forth between these three characters telling their story and the story of the painting.
Wonderful story, fantastic prose, descriptive, impassioned and an engaging read.
I found it to be a quietly compelling page-turner about art, regret, loss, and finding meaning within the constraints of one's circumstances.
I recommend this one to those who like historical fiction, mystery, or just a generally well-told story.
There is a little something for everyone.
A fave book read this year. We follow Sara de Vos, a 17th-Century Dutch painter whose life is turned upside down when her daughter dies and her husband, who she loves deeply, abandons her; Marty, who owns one of Sarah de Vos's painting until it is stolen in 1958 and replaced with a forgery; and Ellie, the art student paid to create the forgery of de Vos's painting, who later becomes a distinguished academic and foremost expert on the paintings of Sara de Vos. The book moves from 17th century Netherlands, to 1950s Manhattan, to Sydney, Australia in 2000, where Marty and the forgery return to haunt Ellie's successful career. It's a beautifully crafted book, with each time period beautifully evoked through small details. The descriptions of painting, and of how the forgery is created is exquisite. Then ending folds everything together perfectly and left me with a tear in my eye. So, so, so good.
Enjoyable, and the flipping from the three different time periods was well done.
As it seems often happens towards the end of the story, the author seems to have a hard time wrapping it all up; actions happen rather suddenly and time moves faster. Ie - the Albany weekend with the ‘deflowering’ did not seem, to me, that it really progressed the characters or the novel. For me, any sexual encounter would have had similar affect on the characters and their motivations. Ironic that it happened at the same point that the Ellie character is talking about where to place characters in movies and get them from one place to another; it seems the author was having the same issues.
Further- the near-drowning in the ice-covered river. It’s as if the author again didn’t know how to explain the titular ‘last painting’ and the circumstances around it. And so much time is spent on the previous (2) presumed last paintings that this seems glossed over.
But even given the above, would likely recommend as a quick read, with excellent atmospheric settings around the globe.
As it seems often happens towards the end of the story, the author seems to have a hard time wrapping it all up; actions happen rather suddenly and time moves faster. Ie - the Albany weekend with the ‘deflowering’ did not seem, to me, that it really progressed the characters or the novel. For me, any sexual encounter would have had similar affect on the characters and their motivations. Ironic that it happened at the same point that the Ellie character is talking about where to place characters in movies and get them from one place to another; it seems the author was having the same issues.
Further- the near-drowning in the ice-covered river. It’s as if the author again didn’t know how to explain the titular ‘last painting’ and the circumstances around it. And so much time is spent on the previous (2) presumed last paintings that this seems glossed over.
But even given the above, would likely recommend as a quick read, with excellent atmospheric settings around the globe.
A quiet and well written novel by Dominic Smith that centers on a story of grace as is delivered through the paintings of a fictional 17th Century Dutch Painter named Sara de Vos. Grace comes to the painter, and to a 20th century art historian and a collector.