The Masterpiece: A Novel. Fiona Davis. Penguin Publishing Group. 2018. 368
pp. ISBN #: 9781524742959.
The world
of art in the 1930s was that of a rapidly changing scene, where “traditional”
was evolving into “experimental,” where impressionism was turning to modern
art. At the same time, artists were
starving as the Depression was approaching and when there is no food, there is
no money to buy or even admire art, as art shows cost money to sponsor. This is the story of Grand Central Station or
Terminal in its glorious early and later recovery days.
Clara is
a young divorced woman, who is teaching a course on illustration art in the
Grand Central School of Art. She is just
hanging on to her position, as being an illustrator is not greatly respected. To
some, it’s not even art! But forge on she does! Add to that the fact that she’s
a woman and you’ve got the entire nasty picture.
However,
she and her bohemian, endearing friends console and strengthen each other, fall
in and out of love together, and do all they can to make sure each is compelled
to do their best artistic work possible.
They’re an odd but motley, lovable bunch of characters who immediately and
forever engage the reader to want to share their world.
Fifty years
later, Virginia Clay is working at the Grand Central Station Information Booth.
She’s also divorced and unable to find any other job as she’s totally unskilled
for any other job. She’s a breast cancer
survivor as well, her self-image blasted after that experience. Her life is about to dramatically change after
she accidentally discovers some abandoned art works from the Grand Central School
of Art. She will discover one work of
art that has a mystery and crime behind it which she and her daughter will
relentlessly pursue to a nail-biting end.
The Masterpiece… will thrill the soul of every reader as
we get to experience the style, textures, tones, and colors of various styles
of art as well as the minds, hearts and souls of the artists who created such notable
works of art. It is light but gorgeous,
thrilling reading which this reviewer highly, highly recommends! Loved it so!!!
Keep writing, Fiona Davis!!! Your writing is highly creative, skilled, complex
and simple at the same time! Admirable!
