Rating: 
Summary: Betrayed!
Review: This book may be fascinating, but is it not nearly as fascinating as the real story. I thought Vreeland gave us a rather flimsy tale, and decided to give a more scholarly work a try. And after all, what can one expect without historical records of the time? Well, turns out one can expect a lot, and there were a lot of records. What they tell is a very different story from that Vreeland gives us. In fact, her version omits many astonishing details, and really misrepresents Artemisia's life for cliches and trite dramatic purposes. The real story -- skillfully presented by Alexandra Lapierre (translated by Liz Heron) in Artemisia: A Novel -- does our Artemisia justice. What I can't figure out is why would someone take a really rich and lively story and water it down for a series of vignettes, when the true story is one ripping read? Although Lapierre entitles her work "A Novel", she refers to her primary sources -- and she expounds on the manners of the day -- to make a vibrant portrait. I felt more than disappointed by this version when I read Lapierre's - I felt betrayed. This is one author who will not get a second chance.
Rating: 
Summary: The Passion of Artemisia
Review: The Passion of Artemisia is a deeply emotional and passionate journey into the exploration of the everyday struggles that artist, Artemisia Gentileschi, must face. Her fight and determination to continue painting must make her choose between love, hate, forgivenes, mockery and scorn of a past she had no control over. A must read for anyone, but especially touching to a woman's heart. Susan Vreeland is a genius. She captures the moment of every sentence with her gracious detail.
Rating: 
Summary: deeper investigation of themes begun in Girl in Hyacinth B
Review: This book continues Vreeland's interest in painting, focusing more on the life of the painter, in this case a woman, than the owner of a painting. Set in 1600s Italy, it offers a fictionalized narration of the life of Artemisia Gentileschi, a real woman painter of the time. It begins with disturbing material - the trial of her painting teacher for raping her, in which she is the one tortured by the Inquisition, humiliated, and examined. It almost made me put the book down, although it wasn't tastelessly graphic. after this "brief unpleasantness" we move into the up-and-down life of the woman, which grapples with: what does it mean to paint, how can a woman be a painter in this man's world, how much is she married to her painting & what sacrifices must she make and are they worth it, how do you let bitterness go and forgive, etc? A deeper, longer book which commits to neither the pessimistic nor the optimistic, quite skillfully.
Rating:
Summary: Great approach to Artemesia Gentileschi (sp?)
Review: I much prefered this novel to the Girl In Hyacinth Blue, though I stayed up all night reading it, too. I had seen a movie about Artemesia, and had learned a bit more about her through articles and my Italian study, so I really enjoyed this novel version of her life. Of course, having studied Italian, there are some things in the book that are implausible, but fun.. the hubby going to see the 'calcio', an important part of non-high Italian culture today, but 200+ years before the game was invented. Good to have a sense of humor about things.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully written
Review: I enjoyed this book enormously. Vreeland's descriptions of Italian artwork is exactly as I remembered it in person. I was truly sorry to let Artemisia go at the end of this delightfully written book. I have recommended it to my book club and my mother (the toughest critic!).
Rating:
Summary: beautifully tragic
Review: Ms. Vreeland could have been the artist herself. As I read this book, I felt heartache for the main character as she struggled through her life, making sacrifices in her desire to be a great artist. A beautiful story for any woman who has ever followed her dreams. (Recommend viewing Artemisia Gentileschi's paintings before, while, or after reading this book.)
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable, but not Girl in Hyacinth Blue
Review: If I'd never read Girl in Hyacinth Blue I wouldn't know what this story doesn't have. It doesn't have the depth and fascinating details of Vreeland's Blue. But, it does have a good story, and one that made me want to know more about the non-fictional Artemesia. The stories behind the paintings were intriguing, and enough to keep my interest. I hope there are more artist books to come.
Rating: 
Summary: No Meat
Review: Although this novel is about a fascinating woman in history who shone among the women of her generation, this book lacks a richness in character development.
Rating:
Summary: Awful
Review: First let me say I loved Girl In Hyacinth Blue and was eagerly awaiting Susan Vreeland's next novel. The Passion of Artemisia was enormously disappointing. The writing was poor, the plot was trite and the book was overflowing with present day political correctness. I know that this was loosely based on fact but it could have been much better. I am tired of books with heroine as victim. The author took lots of liberties with the truth. According to one source I read the real Artemisia had sons yet to make this a feminist novel you cant have her having a positive relationship with a male. I am sick of stories of women done wrong by men.Perhaps it is time for women to grow up.
Rating:
Summary: Worst Book I've Read This Year
Review: I'm a fan of historical fiction. I absolutely loved "Galileo's Daughter", also enjoyed "Year of Wonders", and "The Red Tent" to a great extent. I enjoy a good story and taking certain libterties with history. However, I must say that "The Passion of Artemsia" was the worst book I've read this year. I'm truly amazed that it was published and is a best seller. The grammar is atrocious. The writing is over-wrought and reads like a dime- store romance. The plot is contrived, historically inaccurate, and thinly researched. In the discussion section in the back of the book, Susan Vreeland talks about how she read one book Artemisia and two books on the Italian Renaissance-well it shows. I wish I had the book in front of me and could quote some of the more awful passages. All I can suggest is do not waste your money on this drivel.
|
