Scan barcode
A review by lucylovesreading
The Velvet Hours by Alyson Richman
4.0
Solange Beaugiron meets her estranged grandmother for the first time in 1938 at the age of 19. She was not prepared to meet a beautiful courtesan surrounded by objects d'art with a rich history beyond her imagination.
Marthe de Florian is in her prime in Paris, 1888. She has a lover who supports her lifestyle gifting her with money, jewelry and security for her future. Before her lover is no longer in the picture he gifts her with a strand of pearls so expensive they will be able to fund her the rest of her life. He also seeks to immortalize her with a portrait painted by the famous Giovanni Boldini.
The story switches between Marthe and Solange in the time frames of 1888 and 1938. The story describes their relationship as well as pre war Paris and the effect the war has on Solange as a part Jewish woman.
I loved to find out that though this story is fictional it is in fact based on real people. There was a painter Giovanni Boldini who painted Marthe de Florian and you can look up the painting that they describe in the book.
4⭐️’s
Marthe de Florian is in her prime in Paris, 1888. She has a lover who supports her lifestyle gifting her with money, jewelry and security for her future. Before her lover is no longer in the picture he gifts her with a strand of pearls so expensive they will be able to fund her the rest of her life. He also seeks to immortalize her with a portrait painted by the famous Giovanni Boldini.
The story switches between Marthe and Solange in the time frames of 1888 and 1938. The story describes their relationship as well as pre war Paris and the effect the war has on Solange as a part Jewish woman.
I loved to find out that though this story is fictional it is in fact based on real people. There was a painter Giovanni Boldini who painted Marthe de Florian and you can look up the painting that they describe in the book.
4⭐️’s