Review: Rodin's Lover

It's been a LONG time since my last blog post (surgery, holidays, yadda yadda yadda) so I owe you all some book reviews! One of the brilliant books I had the pleasure of reading this winter was the amazing RODIN'S LOVER by the immensely talented Heather Webb. 

To sum up my opinion: brilliant, tragic, captivating! Full review below!

In Heather Webb's second novel, RODIN'S LOVER, we explore the tumultuous and troubled life of the talented and haunted Camille Claudel, brilliant sculptor and long time mistress of artist Auguste Rodin. Webb deftly portrays Belle Epoque Paris, and the challenges that Camille faced as a woman in the art world. Camille faces derision from her critics, hostility from her overbearing mother, and her struggle to stand on her own without the interference from her well-connected and generally well respected lover. To compound matters, Camille battled tragic demons of her own (she suffered from schizophrenia) and ends up spending the last years of her life in an asylum.

Despite the tragic end of Camille's life, this portrait of a resplendently talented artist is vivid and captivating. I absolutely loved Webb's debut, BECOMING JOSEPHINE, and worried that I might not find this tragic tale as enthralling. After devouring this book, it's clear the author has added a layer of complexity and sophistication to her writing with this new work. Expect many good things from this author--she's becoming a force in historical women's fiction.

*Disclaimer: I received a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.