Linda Lappin

This book was a wild run.

It begins when Jeanne Hebuterne committed suicide on January 26, 1920 two days after her husband, Amedeo Modigliani died from a long illness of tuberculosis. She was 10 months pregnant with her second child and couldn't bear to live without him as she jumped out of a window. What's different is that in the beginning of the book, Jeanne is witnessing what has happened in the afterlife. A thin thread connects her ghost self to her body as she takes a glimpse of her life.

Jeanne's friends warned her about a life with Modigliani. It was well known that he was intimate with his models, he took drugs, he spent every penny he had at the bar and felt like a failure with his art. Yet, Jeanne overlooked these traits and said she didn't need money to be happy. It didn't matter that her mom, dad and brother were horrified that she left her family with an excellent reputation to be with this older man that was not only a starving artist but also Jewish. None of this mattered to her. This book was unique as Jeanne always wanted to be closely connected to the one she loved even after she died.

As the book continues, the reader learns more about Jeanne when years later, her notebooks with sketches, drawings, shopping lists, poems and words are revealed to an American art history student working on her doctorate. Maybe it's not exactly how a young Paris girl would write a diary in those days but it was filled with a bit of mystery that made me want to find out more.

They are many written reports and books about the high profile male Paris artists of the 1920s: Mondigliani, Cezanne, Turner, Gauguin, and Picasso. However, what about the women that married these men? Of course, it was a woman that decided to write about the artist that is not as well known: Jeanne Hebuterne. It was clear that an incredible amount of historical research was done to bring accuracy to this story.

Overall, with a love of art, I enjoyed this book. My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this e-book in exchange for an honest review.… (mehr)

A vividly immersive novel of Katherine Mansfield’s final years

"Katherine’s Wish" by Linda Lappin is the mesmerizing novel of Katherine Mansfield’s final years. Lappin researched the story for more than 20 years and developed the story from Mansfield’s own writings and those of people who knew her personally. Written from Katherine’s and her long-time companion, Ida Baker’s points of view, the story gives insight into Mansfield’s relationships, feelings, and thoughts of the world around her, especially her deteriorating health. Her efforts to seek a cure for her consumption during this timeframe, after the First World War, were eye-opening regarding the state of medical knowledge then. (A lot has changed in the last 100 years, however even today, there are still “cures” lurking out there for the desperately ill.)

Lappin’s writing is lovely, so smooth and evocative. I could feel the characters’ emotions as if I were there to share them. My heart ached for both Ida and Katherine. Having finished the novel, I am inspired to read more about Katherine, her work, and many notable friends and acquaintances.

I recommend "Katherine’s Wish" to readers of literary fiction, historical fiction, and biographies, especially those with an interest in Katherine Mansfield and her contemporaries or those curious about the state of Europe after WWI.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author.… (mehr)

Katherine's Wish is my first introduction to author Linda Lappin. After reading this one, it will not the last book I read by her. It was interesting to find out that the character Katherine was based on a late nineteenth century writer, Katherine Mansfield. I thought the author did a wonderful job brining this historical figure to life. It was interesting to see how she was portrayed and enjoyed getting to know her life. I like it.

I am giving Katherine's Wish four stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy reading historical fiction, based on real people from the past. I will be looking for more by Linda Lappin in the future to find out where her imagination will take her readers to next.

I received a digital copy of Katherine's Wish from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.… (mehr)

This book was a wild run.

It begins when Jeanne Hebuterne committed suicide on January 26, 1920 two days after her husband, Amedeo Modigliani died from a long illness of tuberculosis. She was 10 months pregnant with her second child and couldn't bear to live without him as she jumped out of a window. What's different is that in the beginning of the book, Jeanne is witnessing what has happened in the afterlife. A thin thread connects her ghost self to her body as she takes a glimpse of her life.

Jeanne's friends warned her about a life with Modigliani. It was well known that he was intimate with his models, he took drugs, he spent every penny he had at the bar and felt like a failure with his art. Yet, Jeanne overlooked these traits and said she didn't need money to be happy. It didn't matter that her mom, dad and brother were horrified that she left her family with an excellent reputation to be with this older man that was not only a starving artist but also Jewish. None of this mattered to her. This book was unique as Jeanne always wanted to be closely connected to the one she loved even after she died.

As the book continues, the reader learns more about Jeanne when years later, her notebooks with sketches, drawings, shopping lists, poems and words are revealed to an American art history student working on her doctorate. Maybe it's not exactly how a young Paris girl would write a diary in those days but it was filled with a bit of mystery that made me want to find out more.

They are many written reports and books about the high profile male Paris artists of the 1920s: Mondigliani, Cezanne, Turner, Gauguin, and Picasso. However, what about the women that married these men? Of course, it was a woman that decided to write about the artist that is not as well known: Jeanne Hebuterne. It was clear that an incredible amount of historical research was done to bring accuracy to this story.

Overall, with a love of art, I enjoyed this book. My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this e-book in exchange for an honest review.… (mehr)