Annette S. (annette-s) reviewed on 2/25/2013 + 49 more book reviews

Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland is a historical fiction telling about Pierre-Auguste Renoir's life during the time he created the famous painting by the same name as the book. Renoir wasn't some stuffy old guy we see in art books. This book brought him to life as a lively and passionate forty-year old man. His friends and models became real. I was fascinated that his friend and artist, Caillebotte, sat patiently in what turned out to be a very uncomfortable pose. I discovered that the son and daughter of the restaurant owners are in the painting as well as a journalist, an actress, and even Renoir's future wife. I was amazed at what a huge undertaking it really was to create this masterpiece. And I was intrigued at how quickly he painted it, how quickly he had to paint. I loved getting lost in the time and Paris, and I loved the descriptive writing in this book. Read other reviews at http://readinginthegarden.blogspot.com

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