Helpful Score: 1
Really believe that if I knew French, the ballet, or art I would have loved this book. The story was very good, but because of my lack of understanding-I kept feeling I was loosing some of the more important undercurrents within the story.
This was a good read -- well developed characters and a believable historical setting, coupled with tidbits of art and ballet make for an interesting story that varies from the usual predictability. Previous knowledge of neither art nor dance is required here, though a passing familiarity with Degas' famous statue of a young ballerina is helpful. Highly recommended. Note: This review is based on an ARC edition.
Review first published on my blog: http://memoriesfrombooks.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-painted-girls.html
The Painted Girls is a book that can be read on many different levels.
At the highest level, it is a picture of a time and place in history. It is the late 1800s in Paris - the time of the Paris Opera, of Emile Zola, and Edgar Degas. The book takes literary liberties, combining certain actual events and people to bring them together in one story.
At another level, this book is a story of two young women taking different routes but both trying to find a way out of poverty to a better life. In this, it is the story of Antoinette and Marie as individuals trying to climb out of their life of abject poverty. Antoinette finds a young man and work in the theater but descends further into the "downtrodden." Marie finds some success at the Paris Opera and catches the eye of artist Edgar Degas and becomes immortalized as the Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. Yet, how successful is either one of them at attaining what they dream about.
At another level, The Painted Girls is the story of family - sisters in particular. Antoinette is the oldest of the three and de facto mother and protector to her younger sisters. Marie is the middle sister, who fears the path her sister has chosen, partially because she fears what would become of her if Antionette leaves. On the periphery is Charlotte, the youngest of the three.
The book alternates between Antoinette's and Marie's point of view. Occasionally, there are excerpts from the newspapers of the time with snapshots of history as they pertain to the story. What is odd is that the reader does not see Charlotte's point of view. If the story is the of these sisters, then I feel that is missing from the book.
The book is dark and sad, but the story is vividly depicted. Some parts of the story are a little slow, but I persevered through them. The ending brings all the stories together and does a little show and tell about what happens to each of the sisters.
*** Reviewed for GoodReads First Reads program ***
The Painted Girls is a book that can be read on many different levels.
At the highest level, it is a picture of a time and place in history. It is the late 1800s in Paris - the time of the Paris Opera, of Emile Zola, and Edgar Degas. The book takes literary liberties, combining certain actual events and people to bring them together in one story.
At another level, this book is a story of two young women taking different routes but both trying to find a way out of poverty to a better life. In this, it is the story of Antoinette and Marie as individuals trying to climb out of their life of abject poverty. Antoinette finds a young man and work in the theater but descends further into the "downtrodden." Marie finds some success at the Paris Opera and catches the eye of artist Edgar Degas and becomes immortalized as the Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. Yet, how successful is either one of them at attaining what they dream about.
At another level, The Painted Girls is the story of family - sisters in particular. Antoinette is the oldest of the three and de facto mother and protector to her younger sisters. Marie is the middle sister, who fears the path her sister has chosen, partially because she fears what would become of her if Antionette leaves. On the periphery is Charlotte, the youngest of the three.
The book alternates between Antoinette's and Marie's point of view. Occasionally, there are excerpts from the newspapers of the time with snapshots of history as they pertain to the story. What is odd is that the reader does not see Charlotte's point of view. If the story is the of these sisters, then I feel that is missing from the book.
The book is dark and sad, but the story is vividly depicted. Some parts of the story are a little slow, but I persevered through them. The ending brings all the stories together and does a little show and tell about what happens to each of the sisters.
*** Reviewed for GoodReads First Reads program ***
Paris in the 1880s and after the death of their father, three young sisters must find a way to help pay the rent. Thus the reader enters into the life of Paris Opera
and theatre. This book was fascinating. I highly recommend it.
and theatre. This book was fascinating. I highly recommend it.
The Painted Girls tells the story of three sisters living in late 1800's Paris with a Mother addicted to absinthe, a dead Father and a society who predicts failure for them before they have even reached their majority. Antoinette, the oldest meets a very dangerous young teenager, Emile who begins to lead her down a dark path away from her sisters and the world of honest wages and into the world of prostitution, prison, and onto a road that might separate her from her family permanently.
Marie (along with her sister Charlotte who is ten) who is fourteen is sent to the ballet to earn wages and to train to hopefully move up the ranks to eventually become a famous ballerina. While there she attracts the eye of an artist and also takes on modeling for him to earn an extra wage to help feed her family. As the story progresses Marie continues to look for ways to pay for her ballet lessons and feed her family that lead her down dark paths with a patron who says that he will support her but not for free and she finds that she must pay a huge price if she is to continue on with his support. Antoinette also sees the dark side of life for a female in these times as she is thrust into the world of rich men, stealing, and selling her body to the highest bidder.
This book looks at what women in the lower parts of society did to survive and to pull themselves up out of hard places in late 1800's Paris. It's an easily read narrative type viewpoint switching from Marie to Antoinette. It was a very good book and one of my favorites so far this year.
Marie (along with her sister Charlotte who is ten) who is fourteen is sent to the ballet to earn wages and to train to hopefully move up the ranks to eventually become a famous ballerina. While there she attracts the eye of an artist and also takes on modeling for him to earn an extra wage to help feed her family. As the story progresses Marie continues to look for ways to pay for her ballet lessons and feed her family that lead her down dark paths with a patron who says that he will support her but not for free and she finds that she must pay a huge price if she is to continue on with his support. Antoinette also sees the dark side of life for a female in these times as she is thrust into the world of rich men, stealing, and selling her body to the highest bidder.
This book looks at what women in the lower parts of society did to survive and to pull themselves up out of hard places in late 1800's Paris. It's an easily read narrative type viewpoint switching from Marie to Antoinette. It was a very good book and one of my favorites so far this year.
A deep insight into the lives of the working class in Paris in 1870's & 1880's. and into a family of 3 sisters & an alcoholic mother trying to survive as best they can. The story is told from the perspectives of the 3 sisters of different ages, sometimes emotional close but often often in conflict. It is also an introduction into ballet & how the young women suffer to hang on. Good portrait of Degas & his struggle to paint "real" people in the streets of Paris, as well as the French criminal system at that period. I would strongly recommend it you love history, Paris, & Degas.
