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A review by anneaustex
Costalegre: A Novel Inspired By Peggy Guggenheim and Her Daughter by Courtney Maum
4.0
I loved the narrative voice of 15-year-old Lara who has been transplanted from her European home to an artists compound in the Mexican jungle. Her ‘real father’ and brother have been left behind in her mother’s efforts to save art and artists from the Nazi regime. It’s 1937 and “Mum says our artists are the ones the Führer decided were the most degenerate in Europe and that they couldn’t stay there...because the Führer is a terrible artist so he’s jealous of the good ones. ”
The story is told from winsome Lara’s perspective through a mix of letters, journal entries, and drawings. Her voice is young, and a little confused, and very very lonely. It is such an intriguing way to tell this story of the protection of the arts from the approaching devastation of WWII. It worked for me but I would guess that this will be a love-it or hate-it book for readers.
Based upon the story of Peggy Guggenheim and her daughter Pegeen, this short book made my day.
The story is told from winsome Lara’s perspective through a mix of letters, journal entries, and drawings. Her voice is young, and a little confused, and very very lonely. It is such an intriguing way to tell this story of the protection of the arts from the approaching devastation of WWII. It worked for me but I would guess that this will be a love-it or hate-it book for readers.
Based upon the story of Peggy Guggenheim and her daughter Pegeen, this short book made my day.