A review by beebeewin
The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith

emotional mysterious reflective slow-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? No

4.0

The premise of this novel and the shifting into different time periods was probably my favorite part of the book. As someone who briefly studied art history it was fun to have a fiction novel that delved into that realm more, especially with a focus on female artists of the Dutch Renaissance (one of my favorite art epochs). I found myself pulled in by the storylines in all the different time periods and eager to continue reading. 

The rating doesn't reflect badly on this book, simply that it isn't a new favorite. I definitely was engaged and pleased with it. I loved the characters and the peak into the art world including forgery, private collection ownership, and creation of art. I wish these paintings were real so I could see them in real life, as they sound powerful, sad, and arresting. I think in the end the characters of the more modern periods were a little less interesting than Sara de Vos and
the undercurrent of the unacknowledged sexual assault was a weird way to end the book .
Those where it just fell a little flat as I wish we could have just gone deeper on characterization. 

I would recommend this book to everyone and especially those who like fiction that feels more real life and historical. It won't become one of my favorites of all time but it was definitely an enjoyable read that made me interested in reading a bit more about the Dutch Renaissance female artists. 
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