Book Review: Disobedient

Mrs P

March 9

I'll show you what a woman can do...

Elizabeth Fremantle ~ Disobedient

Synopsis

Rome 1611.

A jewel-bright place of change, with sumptuous new palaces and lavish wealth on display. A city where women are seen but not heard.

Artemisia Gentileschi dreams of becoming a great artist. Motherless, she grows up among a family of painters - men and boys. She knows she is more talented than her brothers, but she cannot choose her own future. She wants to experience the world, but she belongs to her father and will belong to a husband.

As Artemisia patiently goes from lesson to lesson, perfecting her craft, she also paints in private, recreating the women who inspire her, away from her father's eyes.

Until a mysterious tutor enters her life. Tassi is a dashing figure, handsome and worldly, and for a moment he represents everything that a life of freedom might offer. But then the unthinkable happens.

In the eyes of her family, Artemisia should accept her fate. In the eyes of the law, she is the villain.

But Artemisia is a survivor. And this is her story to tell.

Review

Brutal and evocative, this novel transports you directly to 17th century Rome where being a free-spirited woman was a challenge. I was unfamiliar with the life and works of Artemesia so this was an entirely new story for me and I loved it. Fremantle is an exceptional writer and every scene is crystal clear in your mind, despite the prose being more modern than of the time - but it worked. I also learned a lot about painting and have a few I'd love to see in person (yes, including Salome with the Head of St John), so vividly described were they in the novel.

I was entirely caught up in the story, particularly the lengths to which she went to continue to work and to ensure she was not a pariah for life. The relationship between Artemesia and her father was entirely believable; I was surprised she was allowed to be so independent, yet at the same time she was suppressed and vulnerable. Some of the things she was forced to endure were awful, but they are handled well; we are not sheltered, but the events are not glorified either.

Historical novels can sometimes be overwritten and too academic, but Disobedient was the perfect blend of fact and fiction, encouraging me to find out more, but also letting me soak up the interactions and imagine other scenarios. All characters felt real and their interactions conjured up a real sense of family, friendship and fear.

A fantastic story that shines a light on this incredible female artist and encourages us all to be a little reckless and push the boundaries in order to achieve our dreams.

Rating: 5 out of 5.