Our Score:★★★★★★✩✩✩✩
GENRE: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Selected by Nic - January 2019
SYNOPSIS:
A picture hides a thousand words . . .
On a hot July day in 1967, Odelle Bastien climbs the stone steps of the Skelton gallery in London, knowing that her life is about to change forever. Having struggled to find her place in the city since she arrived from Trinidad five years ago, she has been offered a job as a typist under the tutelage of the glamorous and enigmatic Marjorie Quick. But though Quick takes Odelle into her confidence, and unlocks a potential she didn't know she had, she remains a mystery - no more so than when a lost masterpiece with a secret history is delivered to the gallery.
The truth about the painting lies in 1936 and a large house in rural Spain, where Olive Schloss, the daughter of a renowned art dealer, is harbouring ambitions of her own. Into this fragile paradise come artist and revolutionary Isaac Robles and his half-sister Teresa, who immediately insinuate themselves into the Schloss family, with explosive and devastating consequences...
STORY BEHIND THE BOOK:
Nic:
I loved Jessie Burton's first novel The Miniaturist so was keen to read The Muse.
THE DISCUSSION: (Contains spoilers)
We all agreed that we loved the opening chapters, especially the scene at the shoe shop which was later referred to again as the base for Odelle's first published story. We were drawn into the novel immediately by a strong female character who we loved but as the book progressed we felt we lost sight of Odelle as the main character and we just wanted to know more about her. The author gave us snippets of information about what it was like living in Britain in the 60s where there was still a lot of prejudices surrounding race, but we felt this could have been explored more. We wanted more.
We were intrigued by Marjorie Quick and found some of her mannerisms humorous and endearing. We were saddened by the events at the end of the book and although Marjorie was ill we found that her death was in some way unnecessary to the plot.
We enjoyed Jessie Burton's writing style, the historical elements that weaved through the book and the two time frames that alternated throughout the novel. The concept behind the book was interesting and we didn't predict all of the events and twists which kept us intrigued.
Overall an enjoyable book with a fabulous front cover! 😁
QUESTIONS:
Taken from https://www.panmacmillan.com/blogs/literary/the-muse-book-club-questions
1. The Muse weaves together stories set in 1960s London and 1930s Spain. How evocative did you find these settings and what did you learn about life at that time? Did you prefer one of these plot strands to the other?
2. Odelle and Olive both have to overcome obstacles in order to pursue their artistic passions. Are there other similarities between these two characters?
3. Of all the characters in the novel, whose life do you feel was most affected by the painting that connects them all?
4. What did you make of Isaac Robles and his involvement in both the Schloss family and the rising tensions in Spain?
5. Teresa struggles to keep Olive’s secret. Do you feel she acted with Olive’s best interests at heart? What would you have done?
6. What did you make of Marjorie Quick and her role in Odelle’s life?
7. The Muse explores the relationship between an artist or writer and their creative work – how important do you think the identity of the creator is to a piece of art or writing?
8. The women in The Muse all hide a part of themselves. Why do you think they each feel compelled to do so, and are there similar pressures on women today?
REVIEW: (Contains Spoilers)
Gemma's Thoughts:
An enjoyable read. I loved the two time frames; thirty years apart, one following the life of the artist and the other the life of Odelle who is thrown into discovering the truth of the painting which is now back in circulation. I enjoyed the way the novel would flit between the two time frames and how little by little more was revealed about the origin of the painting. I did guess early on that Isacc wasn't the author and I knew that Marjorie was involved somehow but it took me until the end to discover her true identity. I was shocked by the prejudices that Odelle faced due to her race and was glad that the author referenced this in her novel. I was saddened by the news of Marjorie at the end of the book, I enjoyed her character and the relationship she had with Odelle. For me the novel was interesting, I wasn't blown away by it and there were no real surprise elements within it but it was well written. I think The Miniaturist will be placed on my 'to read' list as too any future publications from this author.
THE SCORES:
Donna: 6
Gemma: 6
Kim: 6
Nic: 6
Pamela: 6
Sandra: 7
Average 6
Let us know your thoughts about this book. We would love to read your reviews and hear what you would score it.
If you enjoyed this book why not try:
The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop
Unravelling Oliver by Liz Nugent
The Pirate's Daughter by Margaret Cezair-Thompson
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
Early One Morning by Virginia Baily
Happy reading!