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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
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.
I almost always enjoy books set in the art/forgery/heist world, for some reason, but the Dutch masters are really not my era. So I was nervous about this one, and then ended up just loving it! I enjoyed the perspectives of the different actors, from the life of the painter to the stories of both main characters. Delightful!
This was tough to get through. We jump through so many eras in time and while we are meant to track the common threads, it ended up being really confusing. I loved the descriptions of the lives of women artists in each era, but instead of complementing each other, they ended up blending all together. There were such great pieces that ultimately did come together to make a bigger picture.
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An enjoyable story across three time periods - each of them interesting. I loved how it ended.
Have you noticed the correlation of an arresting first line and then how much you enjoy a book? This one starts with "The painting is stolen the same week the Russians put a dog into space." Moving among three time periods and locations - NYC in the 1950s, Australia in 2000, and Amsterdam in 1635 - this book weaves together a beautiful, mysterious story about a painter, a collector and an art professor. It's endlessly intriguing with characters full of pains they both suffer and create. So beautifully written - a reminder of what a skilled craft storytelling really is.
wow! I didn't expect to love this book, but I did. I loved how story of this art forgery was unfolded by the three different main characters at various points in time. this story was so well written I felt like was in each of the time periods. And wanting to know Ellie's fate, kept me turning pages in to the wee hours of the night. Excellent book! highly recommended!
I’m usually suspicious of covers blazoned with “The international sensation” (Where the Crawdads Sing anyone?). But I really enjoyed this novel — a pleasure from start to finish. It’s not great literature, but Dominic Smith is in control of his material, handles the time switches (17th century, 1958, 2000) well, and creates believable characters. His period detail in the 1630s and 1950s is particularly delightful, and the visual descriptions are excellent too. The well constructed plot winds its way elegantly through the three timelines, gradually converging in the end, with building tension and a satisfying resolution.
Just a really good novel that will hold your attention throughout. I devoured it in days.
Just a really good novel that will hold your attention throughout. I devoured it in days.
i am a sucker for books that span centuries, connecting characters from different periods in time through cultural artifacts or history or geography...and this book did so fantastically.
such great characters who truly come alive as you read their thoughts, struggles, triumphs, doubts...this is a one of the best book i read this year.
such great characters who truly come alive as you read their thoughts, struggles, triumphs, doubts...this is a one of the best book i read this year.
I really enjoyed this book...Art History, a mystery, and emotional lives of the characters all are touched upon. Good atmosphere of the cities/eras involved in the storyline.