401 Pages
Trade Paperback
Historical Fiction
2009
Sunflowers follows Vincent Van Gogh for the last couple years of his life. It is a fictional story that uses the information available to tell a story that is realistic. My wife found this for me and I was happy to read it. I am a fan of art history in general and have always enjoyed Van Gogh's work.
The book focuses on a young prostitute named Rachel. It is told from her point of view.Van Gogh moves into Arles and by chance meets this young lady in a park. As she dozes near a tree he makes a sketch of her. He soon visits her as a customer and not long after they become a couple. A large part of the book deals with Van Gogh's mental instability and uses the relationship as a means to experience it from the outside. We follow Van Gogh through stays in asylum and his time living with Gauguin. The lovers continue their relationship through these trials and eventually ends with Van Gogh's death and Rachel's experience with that.
I found the book engrossing. I have a deep interest in the lives of famous artists and this gives an daily account of Van Gogh's work. The author uses real dates and times to authenticate the story, though the plot of the book is a fiction. There is evidence that Van Gogh did have a lady that was part of his life at this time, but the true story is lost to the past. We are entertained with what might have been.
4 Intellectual/Emotional - I had an immediate affinity for both Vincent and Rachel. Seeing history come to life even if it isn't all true, it was enjoyable.
3 Style/Readability - The book flows well. The writing never stood out on it own. It served its purpose and that was it.
2 Long Term Impact - Van Gogh is obviously one of the most well known artists of all time. I can see this getting lost among all the other book involving him. I imagine it also suffers a bit from being a fiction as well.
9 out of 13. I was happy to read the book and any fan of Van Gogh would enjoy it as well.
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