Rating: 
Summary: a good read
Review: This novel is a good read. I enjoyed the progress, both artistic and growth as a human being, that Artemisia displayed throughout the novel. The prose is simple, and the few Italian words and phrases sprinkled throughout the story are neither distracting nor does it reduce the characters to stereotypes. I was a bit disappointed that the author did not include more of the real Artemisia in this story (for example, she had 4 children, not 1). I also found that the novel was a little "too modern" for the era it depicts. However, it is a novel, not a biography or a serious study of the life of Artemisia Gentileschi. Keep that in mind as you read it and the historical inaccuracies will bother you less.
Rating: 
Summary: The Passion of Artemeisia
Review: I CAN'T BELIEVE that I actually read this whole thing. As an Art History major (undergrad & grad), I found this story totally insulting. I love historical fiction (a la Mary Renault), but this drippy tale has me thinking that most readers are historic, linguistic and cultural morons.
Rating:
Summary: A nice easy read :)
Review: I found this to be a nice easy read with characters that held my attention, and a story that was interesting enough to make me want to find out more about Artemisia and her life. I would have liked a more in depth look at Artemisia and her husband, their relationship, and his relationship with his daughter. Although this was not an "exciting Page-turner", it did hold my attention, and I cared about the people in the story. I really enjoyed the descriptions and the interpretations of Artemisia's paintings, Italy, and the art of the times, and I found myself looking up her paintings on line so that I could see for myself what she wanted so badly to express in her art. I am very glad that I read this story, and look forward to reading her other book, Girl in Hayicinth Blue, as I haven't yet had the pleasure. Enjoy,
Debbi
Rating: 
Summary: Brava, che bella!
Review: This exceptional novel is not just about art. It's about human beings and how they relate to one another and how our other passions, be it art, food, music, or anything else, often get in the way. Mothers and daughters and fathers and daughters and the inevitable mutually afflicted wounds are profoundly displayed against a well-researched and lovingly wrought historical array of seventeenth century Italy. Frequently, I very solipsically found myself wondering why we have to spend so much time dealing with ugliness and unpleasantries in our beautiful world. Alas, it's all selfish fantasy; harsh reality is unfortunately the arena in which our ultimate humanity must be won. So it was for Artemisia, her father, and her daughter, so well told by author Vreeland. Such a joy to read and so compellingly an affirmation of life.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, but dull...
Review: This book was interesting in that it introduced me to a prominent, yet forgotten, woman Renaissance painter. The fact that Artemisia actually existed gave the story a little more character then it would have had otherwise. Because otherwise, it is dull, dry and boring. Yes, it was a quick read. That may be because the author includes NO details. Having just read Oscar and Lucinda (a book which I also did not love) I feel that I have fully covered the detail spectrum. Oscar and Lucinda provided too much, this book provides too little. The characters in this story are so one dimensional, the relationships between the characters are not developed at all- especially the relationship between Artemisia and her husband. Artemisia's daughter struck me as a spoiled brat. I also found it interesting that in reality Artemisia's daughter became a painter, since they place so much emphasis on the fact that she did not take to painting. I could have read a short online biography of Artemisia, saved myself about 300 pages, and learn more about her "passion" then I did from this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Look At the Power of Art
Review: In "The Passion of Artemisia," Susan Vreeland does a great job providing her readers with details of seventeenth century Italy. Her descriptions of food (dates, almonds, pear wedges, bread, olive oil, saffron, antipasti), clothes (gowns, quilted doublets, embroidered bodices), and Italy itself (Rome, Florence, Genoa, and Naples) are wonderful. I could not get enough of the twisted alleyways, the villas, the references to historical characters (Galileo, Cosimo de' Medici II), and of course the paintings. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the story itself. Told in the first person narrative, Artemisia is a somewhat flat character -- Susan Vreeland is unable to convey the passion and courage that drove Artemisia to pursue her dream of becoming a famous painter. "Girl In Hyacinth Blue" sparkled. It was clever, intelligent -- a little gem. "The Passion of Artemisia," on the other hand, is entertaining (the Italian words scattered throughout the novel were just plain fun: bene, brava, tesoro, poverina, la dolce vita). It depicts details from seventeenth century Italy marvelously (the reason for the three star rating), but ultimately, it does not deliver the dramatic tale about a woman who ignored the social mores of her time. If you enjoy fiction published about art, history, and the lives of women consider reading: "Tulip Fever" by Deborah Moggach and "Girl With A Pearl Earring" by Tracy Chevalier.
Rating:
Summary: Very enjoyable
Review: I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and an entertaining story. This is not a biography, but rather a story (that probably takes many liberties with the truth) of a 17th century Italian woman who defies society to become an admired painter. I don't understand why some reviewers are quibbling about the exact facts in this woman's life. If you are a serious art historian, you would probably dismiss this book as being too "flimsy", but I feel most readers would just enjoy it. The success of a good book is wanting to learn more about the subject. After reading this book, I am interested in finding out more about this Renaissance woman.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Subject, Poor Writing
Review: I bought this book believing I would really, really love it. I love art, I love Italy, so...what was there not to love? The Passion of Artemisia is the story of Artemisia Gentileschi, born in Rome in 1593. After the death of her mother, Artemisia was raised by her father, who was himself, an artist. Vreeland tells us that the book is, for the most part, historically accurate, and I have no reason to doubt her veracity. However, the historical portions, the descriptions of the art and the cities, etc., make up the only interesting parts of the book. When the book opens, Artemisia is a girl of eighteen who stands at the center of a rape trial. Artemisia wants to see justice done, but her father has other ideas and other things on his mind and Artemisia is left ruined and unmarriageable. Although unmarriageable, Artemisia does wed and only about a year later as well. The union is a relatively happy and peaceful one and her husband, also a painter, takes her to his native Florence where they both pursue their vocation until Artemisia gives birth to a daughter. When Artemisia clearly proves to be the superior painter, her harmonious relationship she has enjoyed with her husband ends and she eventually leaves him, taking their daughter with her. She travels first to Genoa, then to Rome, then to Naples. She is determined to support both herself and her child as a painter, no matter how much society is against the idea. Artemisia Gentileschi was a fascinating woman. She was the first woman admitted to the Florentine Academy, she was a woman who lived apart from her husband at a time when living apart from one's husband was virtually unknown. She moved in the same social circles as the Medicis and the other families of the Italian nobility. Artemisia was, as the title of the book, suggests, a passionate woman. So, what is the problem here? The problem with this book is twofold. First, the character of Artemisia, as painted by Vreeland, is both dull and flat. Instead of giving us a fascinating character, Vreeland seems to be using Artemisia as a vehicle through which to give us her views of the issues of Renaissance Italy. Artemisia "talks" at length about science, art, religion and politics, but her views are not those of a passionate artist, they are the views of someone totally detached from the day-to-day life of the times. Unfortunately, we learn nothing about Artemisia's passion for her art, for her husband, for her child, for her homeland. This is the story of a cold and cerebral woman, not a passionate, life-affirming one. It is only when Artemisia is analyzing the painting of others that she becomes in the least bit interesting as a human being. The second thing wrong with this book is the poor quality of the writing. The narrative prose is just awful. It is a mystery to me why Vreeland wrote this way and even more of a mystery as to why her editor (or even a first reader) didn't catch (and fix) the problems. Wherever the fault lies, there is simply no excuse to foist bad narrative prose on the book-buying public. It is really unforgiveable.
Artemisia Gentileschi was a fascinating and passionate woman. She certainly deserved better than this.
Rating:
Summary: A Story of Passion
Review: After reading Girl In Hyacinth Blue I eagerly awaited this novel and I was not disappointed. Artemisia is born with a passion to paint and she never lets anything destroy her passion. She is raped at 17 by a friend of her fathers and after much public humiliation she is married off at 18 to Pietro and moves to Florence. She is wary of placing to much faith in Pietro after all the hurt she has already had in her young life. She continues to paint and eventually becomes the first woman to be selected for the accademia. Her husband is not and thus begins the growing distance between them. This story covers 20 years in the life of Artemisia. From a young woman, to a wife and mother, to a gifted painter and finally in the end she discovers the woman she really is inside.
I enjoyed this book because it is historical fiction. If it were anything else it would have problems but, it is not. It is fiction, just the story of a strong young woman during a time when woman were basically to be seen and not heard. Artemisia made herself heard and was able to be proud of herself. This reminded me alot of Pope Joan. Another work of fiction but, the story of another woman with very strong convictions. Life is full of stories and this is how learn. To remind ourselves of the possibilities that life offers each of us.
Rating:
Summary: Good writing, weak history
Review: Vreeland's writing captures the characters and involves the reader with them. I enjoyed reading this book, but was stunned at the contradiction to the reality of Artemesia's life. Although fictionalized biography by definition takes liberties with the subject's life, it makes no sense for example: 1) to portray Artemesia with only one child (she had 4), 2) to portray that daughter with no interest in painting (her surviving daughter was a painter), 3) to have Artemesia return to Rome alone with her daughter (in reality she returned with her husband), 4) to portray Artemesia's marriage as breaking up much earlier than it did in reality. To me these distortions change so much about Artemesia that the book becomes pointless. It puzzles me because Vreeland is a good enough writer to be able to carry a story without contracting essential facts.
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