The Painted Girls

by Cathy Marie Buchanan

1878 Paris. Following their father's sudden death, the van Goethem sisters find their lives upended. Without his wages, and with the small amount their laundress mother earns disappearing into the absinthe bottle, eviction from their lodgings seems imminent. With few options for work, Marie is dispatched to the Paris Opéra, where for a scant seventeen francs a week, she will be trained to enter the famous ballet. Her older sister, Antoinette, finds work as an extra in a stage adaptation of Émile Zola's naturalist masterpiece L'Assommoir.

Marie throws herself into dance and is soon modeling in the studio of Edgar Degas, where her image will forever be immortalized as Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. There she meets a wealthy male patron of the ballet, but might the assistance he offers come with strings attached? Meanwhile Antoinette, derailed by her love for the dangerous Émile Abadie, must choose between honest labor and the more profitable avenues open to a young woman of the Parisian demimonde.

Set at a moment of profound artistic, cultural, and societal change, The Painted Girls is a tale of two remarkable sisters rendered uniquely vulnerable to the darker impulses of "civilized society." In the end, each will come to realize that her salvation, if not survival, lies with the other.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Book Club, Historical, France, Art, Audiobook

357 pages, Hardcover

First published December 18, 2012

About the author

New York Times bestseller and book club favourite Cathy Marie Buchanan is the author of three novels.

Her most recent, Daughter of Black Lake, was chosen as a Best Fiction for Fall by Entertainment Weekly and Parade magazine. Her previous novel, The Painted Girls, was a New York Times bestseller, a #1 national bestseller in Canada, and was named a best book of the year by NPR, Good Housekeeping and Goodreads. Her debut novel, The Day the Falls Stood Still, was a New York Times bestseller, a Barnes & Noble Recommends selection and a Canada Reads Top 40 Essential Canadian Novels of the Decade. Her work has been translated into nine languages. Buchanan holds a BSc (Honours Biochemistry) and an MBA from Western University, and recently became a certified yoga instructor. She lives in Toronto.

Connect with Cathy Marie on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/cathymariebuc...) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/cathymbucha...).

Reviews

[Cameran · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be quite honest, I have been sitting on my review of The Painted Girls for a few hours as I attempt to collect my thoughts so I can put into words why this book was such a disappointment in my eyes. Set in the late 1800s in Paris, the details of the life, the smells, the streets, the art, and the Opera are stunning; they are the kind of words that can transport a reader to another place in time, so I give Buchanan plenty of praise for that. Then, there are two sisters named Marie and Antoinette -- the book follows them both as they try to cope with a life of near poverty. Antoinette finds work as a laundress or as an extra on the stage, but nothing is enough to take her mind and body away from a lover who makes bad decisions. Being younger, Marie is sent to train as a ballet dancer in the Opera, where she soon catches the attention of the artist Edgar Degas and becomes a model for some of his famous work. What did I expect from all of these components? Was there a masterpiece in the making?

I don't know.

I feel as if this book left me not knowing much of anything other than the fact that I did not like it. I felt no connection whatsoever to the characters. The plot unraveled and left me with no suspense. More often than not I felt as if I were coasting through the book, often checking the page numbers to see when I would just be done with it. Sure, there is plenty of scandalous activity that is fitting for the times. Yes, there is a true story behind the muse and artist relationship between Degas and Marie. But I did not buy into it; I felt as if I were an outsider. I want a story that will sweep me away not only with details of location but into the hearts and souls of the characters. The Painted Girls did not accomplish that.

[Angela M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be sad and disturbing for most of the story. It definitely does not depict the prosperous time of peace and prosperity of the Belle Epoque. Rather, it depicts the seedier side of Paris ,as the story of Antoinette and her sister Marie is told. There is no prosperity here for these sisters, their younger sister and their widowed mother, addicted to absinthe. These people are starving and can barely pay the rent, and Marie will do what she has to in order to survive.

The author in a note indicates that the book is based on the real lives of these girls and that while the murder story that is meshed here with their story is also true, there is no evidence of any historical connection. I found the opera, the ballet, and the parts about Degas to be fascinating. The author’s web page included images of Degas’ works that are incorporated in the story and I found it worth looking at after I read the book (www.cathymariebuchanan.com/art).

While it was sad and disturbing, I gave it 4 stars because there was not a minute that I wasn’t interested in knowing the fate of these girls.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three sisters live in poverty. Their father is dead and their mother is addicted to absinthe.

They have to find a way to feed themselves. The Paris Opera is an option, but ballet is expensive. There's lessons and clothing to buy.

And whatever money they do manage to scrape together, there's no guarantee their mother won't use it to buy another bottle to feed her addiction.

The Painted Girls is about the haunting specter of abject poverty and addiction, but it is also about phrenology, a now-defunct science wherein experts believed they could judge the character of a person based on the shape of their head and face.

Marie, one of the girls in this story, frets because she has a low forehead and a jutting jaw. In her early religiously-based education, she was taught that outer beauty is a reflection of the soul. She fears her destiny is predetermined as hell bound because of her face.

Antoinette, the eldest of the sisters, wants to be adored and appreciated for how she holds her family together while her mother drugs herself into oblivion. But, she's too aggressive and out-spoken to hold onto jobs for long and men can't see past her outer shell to the aching heart within.

Plus, she sees herself as a hard worker, not a whore. Until she meets Émile Abadie and he takes her out for an evening of wine and oysters...

The Painted Girls is about art, power and the blindness of love. It is also about sisters and the love family members hold for each other.

It is a work of historical fiction for girls who actually existed. Cathy Marie Buchanan takes the time to sort the real from the fictional at the end of the story.

I felt despair for the family in this book but also hope; that they could rise out of poverty despite everything holding them back.

Because, as society now knows, it doesn't matter what you look like on the outside. What matters most is who you love and what you chose to do each day, each moment and for what reason.

This story has possible triggers for anyone who was sexually or physically abused as a child.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to get an ARC of THE PAINTED GIRLS. It is a brilliantly written historical fiction set in Paris in the 1880's. A story about the lives of sisters trying to make their way through life under less than ideal circumstances. Do the girls have control over their destiny or is it fate that delegates their position in life? Intertwinning the tale of the sisters' lives and true facts from historical documents, paintings, ballets, plays, sculptures, murder trials and more this notion is explored. A true page turner! This book filled with sister love and rivalry had me hooked from beginning to end. A wonderful read! Due to hit the shelves January 10, 2013.

[Carrie Mansfield · Rating 1 out of 5]

What did I miss?

Why is this book getting so many rave reviews? This book is cold and clinical. The author does nothing to make us care about Marie or Antoinette. Their mother and Charlotte are so one dimensional that there seems to be little reason for them to even exist except to use them as foils (Charlotte, the one good girl who makes a life for herself with the Opera) or to point to the fate that the two elder seemed doomed to.

I was intrigued by the premise of the interactions with Degas, but we got no real insight there. When Marie attracts an arbonné you can't see why, the girl is always so down on her self that it's impossible to figure out what the other man sees in her because her negative view of herself poisons our own.

As for the plot...it exists? Kind of. Sort of. It's nothing memorable and nothing to write home about. It was. I get that that was deliberate, because it was supposed to be character driven. But when you fail to develop the characters that all falls apart.

And finally - the endless POV switching got real tiresome, especially at the end of the novel when each sister was getting less than a page between switches. Was that truly necessary?

This book ultimately forgettable for me. On to the next.

[Vincent Lam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a magnificent and magical book, which I have been privileged to see in proof form. You will never see Degas' dancers the same way after you read this book.

[Wendy Pearl Karanfilian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a sales rep for Penguin Group in Northern California and had the priveledge to read this as a manuscript. I’m completely over-the-moon about this book! Marie, Charlotte and Antoinette got a hold of my heart from the first pages and never let go. Set against the always fascinating backdrop of 1880’s Paris, the plight of these three sisters and what they do to survive results in an incredibly compelling and heartfelt story. Add to that the characters and famous artwork of Degas, the Paris ballet, and a real-life murder trial and you have all the makings of a big, fat bestseller. The Painted Girls is the very best kind of historical fiction, right up there with Girl with a Pearl Earring, Girl in Hyacinth Blue, and even Year of Wonders. Oh, and I totally loved the ending!!

[Orsolya · Rating 1 out of 5]

“The Painted Girls” has all the elements which would seemingly hold my attention: ballet, art, history, and some drama. Sadly, my long-awaited excitement for Cathy Marie Buchanan’s novel was popped with a vengeance. After only page 31, I merely can’t go on.

“The Painted Girls” starts off with a slow pace and tempered storyline. Although other reviews make note of this slow start and indicate that the novel improves with time; I simply don’t have the patience to wait that long as nothing caught my attention in the mean time.

“The Painted Girls” relishes in telling a story from two points of view (sisters Marie and Antoinette --- am I the only one bothered by that?) which does work in the novel’s favor as Buchanan successfully makes each heroine characteristically her own and standout. Simply, the reader will never confuse the two and can pick a favorite. However, the characters are too juvenile in both their actions and storytelling which makes sense as they are children in the story, but this causes the whole “feel” of “The Painted Girls” to be better suited as a YA novel.

Buchanan’s prose and writing style is average and could use more literary language, less dialogue, and more historical flair. Although the descriptions are strong; they still feel too modern losing authenticity and in turn: reader attention.

Page 31 was my breaking point with Antoinette’s raunchy, road-side, but child-like sex scene. I barely felt like I even knew her as a character and she was already engaging in such behavior. It felt forced, unnecessary, and bluntly: gross. I couldn’t continue further.

“The Painted Girls” seems to be enjoying rave reviews (although highly promoted books always have a certain level of suspicion) and therefore, maybe I am the one to blame. I would suggest trying it for yourself. Maybe I am just crazy but I did not click with it despite my excitement when the book was announced.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story of three sisters is told by two of them - 13 year old Marie and 17 year old Antoinette. The story of the youngest one, Charlotte, is revealed through both older sisters. It is set in Paris. In 1878 suddenly their father dies, leaving them with a drinking mother. Marie quits school and gets a job at Paris Opera, where Antoinette already works as extra.

Master Edgar Degas is a frequent observer at ballet practices to pick models for his paintings. He notices Marie’s skinny shoulders and asks her to model for him. “Your shoulder blades are like sprouting wings.”

Antoinette, not seeing herself at Opera, gets a job at Theater. She gets cast in a stage adaptation of Emile Zola’s Naturalist masterpiece as theater is “putting on a play about common people and wanting actors from the working class for all but the starring roles.”

Marie becomes one of petit rats – selected group of the Paris Opera Ballet. As she thrives Antoinette disintegrates after the play’s success is over.

The Belle époque of late 19th century Paris comes alive in this story with masterpieces of literature, theater and art gaining recognition. Optimism of the époque is reflected through Marie’s ambitions as Antoinette says “That will of hers, it knocked me over, especially coming from a girl so inclined to doubting herself.”

This is a story of hope and second chances, showing that taking a different path than the chosen one isn’t necessarily a bad option. It is beautifully written and engrossing.

@FB/BestHistoricalFiction
@https://bestinhistoricalfiction.blogs...

[Susan Vreeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here are excerpts from my review in the Washington Post, Jan. 22, 2013:
Edgar Degas’s wax-and-fabric statuette “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen” has held the curiosity of millions in its 28 bronze reproductions, but far fewer know the heart-rending history of the model, Marie van Goethem, and her sisters. In “The Painted Girls,” a historically based work of fiction rich with naturalistic details of late-19th-century Paris, Cathy Marie Buchanan paints the girls who spring from the page as vibrantly as a dancer’s leap across a stage.

Living in the slum of lower Montmartre, the girls aspire to be dancers at the Paris Opera Ballet, a resource for urchins to save themselves from life on the streets by turning their legs out, balancing en pointe, leaping and spinning. Practicing long hours and fighting exhaustion and malnutrition, they could earn a meager income if they remain at the lowest rank of petit rat, but they could lead lavish lives if they climb to stardom. Such was the dream of the van Goethem sisters.

When the novel opens, 17-year-old Antoinette has been dismissed from the ballet school for willfulness and belligerence. Marie, unattractive and exceptionally skinny, is harder-working, achieves short-lived success and poses for Degas’s statuette at age 14. But Charlotte, 7, self-absorbed, pretty, craving bright sashes, is the natural dancer.

Alternating Marie’s point of view with Antoinette’s, the novel contrasts the sheer pleasure of dancing with sharp depictions of brothels, prisons and the guillotine. Despite their grace and achievement (Marie executes 16 breathtaking fouettes en tournant, similar to pirouettes, thus winning a place on stage), the two oldest sisters are bound for calamity. Through their bad decisions, lying, thieving and prostitution of one sort or another, one reads on, compelled by love for these girls whom Buchanan describes so compassionately....The novel poses the question: Is a descent into wretchedness inevitable?

Integrating three actual murderers with the three girls’ histories is another brilliant act of imagination that drives the novel, producing a compelling story of yearning for love in the face of ugliness and brutality. Wheeling out of control, the two older girls descend from their pretty pirouettes to misery, their mutual affection torn apart for a time. Nevertheless, Buchanan makes us feel they are good at heart. “The Painted Girls” is a captivating story of fate, tarnished ambition and the ultimate triumph of sister-love. In short, I found it fascinating.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Paris in 1873, but not the beautiful Paris filled with beautiful people, but the people trying to survive. The washerwomen, those who take in sewing, those who are hungry and those who will do anything to feed their families. Three sisters, a mother addicted to absinthe, and the girls using ballet as a means to make a little money and hopefully a way to better themselves. This was the part of the novel I liked best, the way the sisters tried to take care of each other. Marie, the middle girl, end up modeling for Degas, makes a little extra money and makes some very bad decisions. The sights, sounds and yes even the squalor of Paris are wonderfully emoted by the author. Degas, the arts, ballet, theater are all added bonuses. The tone is dark, this is the darkside of the glamour we think of when we think of dance,theater and art. There is a murder trial, many societal changes and we get a front row seat while reading this atmospheric novel. ARC from publisher.

[Rosemary Atwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite its intriguing premise and the varied elements at play throughout, the overall effect is somewhat muted and less than satisfactory. The alternating first person narrative isn’t as effective as it could be either, with Marie and Antoinette sharing too many characteristics to really forge their own distinctive voice.

The supporting cast are less than impressive as well although the link between criminal physiognomies and Degas’ spellbinding sculpture ‘The Little Dancer aged Fourteen’ really does drive the novel and make it worthwhile reading. Entertaining, yet as a whole, ‘The Painted Girls’ is hard to love.

[Morana Mazor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kada sam prvi puta čula za ovu knjigu odmah sam se oduševila jer su Pariz, Belle Epoque, umjetnički krugovi i sl. neke od mojih omiljenih tema o kojim volim čitati pa sam s nestrpljenjem očekivala objavljivanje knjige! A onda kada sam je uzela u ruke; onako sjajnu, glamuroznu, pravu ljepoticu u prekrasnom, "zrcalnom" uvezu s malom balerinom na naslovnici, mojoj sreći nije bilo kraja...
I onda sam krenula s čitanjem.... kad tamo, nešto potpuno drugačije...ni "g" od glamura niti svilenih, šuštavih haljina dama pariške elite... Mogla bi se sada upotrijebiti ona stara izreka "ne sudi knjigu po koricama", ali nije tako... Jer sjaj korica ove knjige apsolutno se može "opravdati" sjajem priče koju nam je autorica napisala nakon iscrpnih priprema i istraživanja likova i perioda opisanih u knjizi.
Dakle, iako je priča smještena u pariško "zlatno doba" naši likovi nisu bonvivani, ne posjećuju razuzdane zabave već jedva preživljavaju na marginama društva; to su siromašne djevojčice koje se bore za egzistenciju, pralje, zločinci, kurtizane, a u većini slučajeva radi se o stvarnim povijesnim osobama koje su, na ovaj ili onaj način ostavile svoj trag u vremenu.
Radnja prati tri sestre van Goethem, Antoinette, Marie i Charlotte. Upravo je Marie svjetsku slavu stekla pozirajući Edgaru Degas za njegovu skulpturu "Mala četrnaestogodišnja plesačica" koja se danas čuva u pariškom Musee D'Orsay. Marie i njezine sestre, nakon smrti oca, žive u siromaštvu, u iznajmljenoj sobici, s majkom praljom koja se odala piću i jedinu šansu za, donekle, bolji život vide u pariškoj Operi gdje idu na početnički tečaj baleta, nadajući se uspjehu.. Iako, i taj uspjeh ima svoju cijenu jer siromašnim djevojkama, ako i jesu talentirane balerine, treba bogati pokrovitelj takozvani "mecena" ili, današnjim rječnikom "sponzor"; a znamo da sponzori za svoje "sponzoriranje" također traže nešto zauzvrat, a to "nešto" uvijek se, na ovaj ili onaj način, svodi na seksualno zadovoljenje sponzora. To u knjizi prolazi i malodobna Marie sa svojim mecenom, a čak i slikaru Edgaru Degas povremeno pozira gola što četrnaestogodišnjoj djevojčici sigurno nije ugodno, ali Marie je bolno svjesna svoje siromašne egzistencije te šutke trpi sve što je potrebno da bi preživjela.
Pratimo i priču najstarije sestre, Antoinette, koja se također okušala kao balerina, ali sada je pralja i povremeno statistica u kazalištu, i koja se upušta u strastvenu vezu sa Emileom Abadijem. Abadie je također stvarna povijesna ličnost tj. osuđeni zločinac koji je, zajedno sa svojim prijateljem, bio umiješan u tri ubojstva te osuđen na smrt, a o kojima je autorica čitala i istraživala povijesne materijale.
Abadie je također prikazan na Degasovom djelu "Zločinačke fizionomije" (portreti osuđivanih zločinaca) koje je bilo izloženo 1881god. istovremeno kao i skulptura "Male četrnaestogodišnje plesačice" (skulptura je tada smatrana ružnom te su kritičari ocijenili da djevojčica ima lice u kojemu je "otisnut nagovještaj svakog poroka").
U to je vrijeme bila aktualna teorija Cesarea Lobrosa, koja se spominje i u knjizi, o čovjeku- zločincu prema kojoj su ljudi određenih tjelesnih osobina (osobito glave) "rođeni" zločinci. Ukratko, tipičan zločinac divljački je ružan, a tu su teoriju prihvatili i Degas i Zola ,oboje sporedni likovi u knjizi. Sve ove činjenice zainteresirale su autoricu da podrobnije istraži i likove i teorije i pozadinu određenih umjetničkih djela pa je tako spajajući povijest i fikciju, napisala "Djevojke sa slika".
Prisutno je također, i njezino osobno iskustvo sa satova baleta jer su baletne figure, kao i patnje mladih balerina tijekom vježbanja, jako vjerno opisane.
I da ja sada više ne duljim o sadržaju i detaljima opisanim u romanu, reći ću vam još samo da je ovo jedno ozbiljno i slojevito djelo koje stilom poprilično podsjeća na Balzaca i njegov realizam ili čak i Zolu i naturalizam.. Likovi su opisani bez uljepšavanja u (siromašnim) sredinama iz kojih potječu i u kojima žive te kako sve to utječe na njihove postupke kao i na njihovo poimanje života.
Naravno, također su tu i opisi snage ljubavi (prije svega one sestrinske) kao i opisi požrtvovanost i sreće u malim stvarima jer su, usprkos razdoblju "Belle epoquea" životi likova ove knjige (kao i većine žitelja tadašnjeg Pariza ) u potpunoj suprotnosti od značenja toga naziva.
A kako završava priča sestara von Goethem saznati ćete, ako pročitate ovu knjigu jer naš osobni "belle epoque" ipak najviše ovisi o nama samima....

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A case of awesome idea and middling execution, this book is historical fan fiction of a model of Edgar Degas who was famous for his artwork of ballerinas.

The author wanted to explore the real life consequences of his art, where he created a statue of a young ballerina and presented it with paintings and portraits of criminals all with similar facial structures in a time when phrenology (the ‘study’ of how head and face shape may predict human behaviors and intelligence) was being popularized. Basically, this young girl being told not only is she considered ‘ugly’ but that her ugliness is a predictor of her failure and worse nature.

In his art was also a criminal accused of three murders, the author interweaves their stories together so that criminal and ballerina meet.

Sounds pretty interesting! We follow the model Marie, along with her sister Antoinette. Antoinette is head strong to the point of self-destruction and finds herself involved with the aforementioned criminal element. Marie meanwhile is working her way through the ballet and attempting to support her family through the attention that modeling sometimes receives.

I feel like the big problem here with the story was that I was being told a lot that I didn't really get to see. I felt like I was told that Antoinette was a good and dedicated sister while I saw very little of the sort. I was told that her criminal was loving when really I saw none. The author seemed to want to make Marie the polar opposite of her ‘predicted behavioral pattern’ so hard that it felt like she had very little outside personality. She was too kind and timid and good and her downward spiral felt unrealistic because of it, similarly to her sister's upward spiral. They just weren’t very well rounded. I don’t really think it was necessary to get both of these stories. We could have simply focused on one girl and I think gotten a more rich character.

But mostly I think it was weird that the focus was on years before the mentioned art piece was shown and the fallout of that particular event wasn’t really the catalyst for anything with the little amount of fallout being easily wrapped in a bow. All the events, any large emotional event, seemed like we swapped to the other perspective instead of staying with the girl who would feel it most deeply. This left me emotionally disconnected from it as well. It never felt like the writing was looking at anything too deeply and was just skimming the surface of any emotional depth.

Otherwise, I don’t think this was a bad book. I think the concept was interesting and it was an easy audiobook to listen to. I think the writing was more than capable at keeping people interested and honestly, if historical fiction is more your genre than mine it might work even better for you.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Cassandra Campbell, Julia Whelan, and Danny Campbell who all did great! I would recommend this as an audiobook.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would say this is a 3 1/2 star book. It's an historical fiction novel about Edgar Degas' model for his statue which is titled "Little Dancer Aged Fourteen". At the time, the late 1800's, there was a theory from an Italian Criminologist (Cesare Lombroso) which stated that certain anatomical features were indicative of a criminal. He found facial characteristics such as "a forward thrust of the lower face; broad cheekbones; a low forehead; and dark and abundant hair" which appear to be similar to prehistoric man or apes to be found in most common criminals. Some say Degas agreed. At any rate, Degas chose Marie van Goethem as a model(from the ballet school) for some of his paintings and for his statue. What he did, which was a cruel, was exhibit it with one of his portraits which was of accused murderers who had similar facial features as poor Marie. Buchanan wondered what that would have done to a teenager at the time. Her story is historical in what is known of Marie and her family and her early life in Paris. Her father was dead, her mother a selfish alcoholic. Her older sister was incarcerated for stealing. Her younger sister was also a ballerina. The story is of three girls trying to hold together their family in poverty conditions. During the same time, there was a sensational story of two men who murdered three people. Plus this theory of facial features and criminals. Buuchanan tied the stories together, although there is no proof that the van Goethem sisters knew the killers. It made for an interesting story. It's easy to read. It tells of the hardships of Paris for the poor; also describes what the little ballerinas went through to be chosen. Also, it explains the change of art at the time. Degas and a few other artists were changing the perception of art. Degas was one of the first to portray portraits of "real people doing real things".

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan is a combination of fiction and non-fiction with the characters of the 3 sisters and Edgar Degas, of course, being real people.
This is not a happy book but one filled with rich details of the time period and the every day lives of the two oldest sisters, Antoinette and Marie. Their struggles are heart-breaking, they are both so different yet so bonded, and they are unforgettable in their love for one another.
The book contains some salacious scenes used to depict the degradation of young Parisian girls used in beastly manners by men.
I thought The Painted Girls was enchanting and heart-breaking!

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A generous 3 stars. I wasn't a fan of the writing and the descriptions of the seedier side of the Belle Epoque era in Paris, while realistic was depressing. The tender age of criminals will no doubt fuel the growing public anxiety over the moral gangrene that appears to have infected the youth of Paris since our defeat by the Prussians.
I wanted more ballet and Degas. To dance is to seek grace That is what drew me to the book. Instead, it highlights the plight of girls/women of little means during the times No social being is less protected than the young Parisian girl -by laws, regulations, and social customs Le Fiagro, 1880. ; and the bonds of sisterhood.

It is a fictionalized story of the true life three van Goethem sisters who all sought a way out of poverty through a vision of dancing with the ballet of the Paris Opera. Their story is told through the eyes of the two eldest, Antoinette and Marie. Marie will become the model for the famous Degas statuette of Little Dancer aged 14. I had to keep reminding myself how young these girls were when some of the choices they made for earning money unfolded.

The author also weaves in another true-life event, the trials of two teenage boys for murder, into the storyline and inserts articles from Le Fiagro for emphasis. These two boys also show up in a pastel by Degas at the sixth exposition of independent artists in 1881 along with the famous statuette.

Although some of this read was depressing, it is also a story of redemption.

[Megan Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been making a self-conscious effort to keep reading some bestsellers, mixed in among my other lists. I like knowing what people are reading, and increasing my chances of being able to discuss books with anyone I meet. Given that a lot of what I also read is obscure, classics, or science fiction, it seems like a necessary ingredient in my overall reading mix.

It has also, on occasion, been disappointing. I've read those books that make me arch an eyebrow and go "Wait, this is a bestseller? Why?" There have been others that have been passable, but really nothing special. Well, I have to tell you, this is one of the best bestsellers I've read in a while.

Note: The rest of this review has been withheld due to the recent changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.

In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I really loved reading this book and afterwards it felt like it had been a long time since I really managed to escape because I was so into a book.

Picked this book thanks to goodreads. I thought I was in the mood for a historical fiction and looked at the lists around here. Found a good list where I noticed this book and a few others. Did not know much beforehand, cause lately I prefer not to know a thing before I read a book, but that is quite hard because I do want to know I'm not reading a western or porn for that matter.

(nota bene) I am sure porn can be good too. *-*


So yes, you have to read a little bit of the description but sometimes there are benefits of being so forgetful and that comes with my reading. I can re read a book easily and read part of a description and the next day I will have forgotten. ;)

Anyway. I discovered I was in Paris back in the days, 1880's and I had 2 sisters and we all had talent for ballet. My mum is a drunk and we are poor.

Well I can tell you this is where it starts and yes it might be called depressive by people who did not like this book, but I do like a dark book. Heck yeah! I am a true crime reader, Don't you forget it. haha.



Anyway, I highly recommend if you enjoy a good written dark historical fiction book.
4.5

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Painted Girls was a novel I bought many years ago and it sat on my shelf, beckoning me to read it for almost a decade. I truly wanted to read this book but I felt like I had put too much hype on it... and sadly, I did. I didn't enjoy this book. I found it very slow, slightly boring, and I didn't understand where the plot was going. I tried desperately to keep going because I didn't want to DNF and I managed... but I just couldn't get into the book. Historical fiction books normally really draw me in, but this book was too slow. Other readers will adore it, but it's not for me.

One out of five stars.

[lucky little cat · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first I was simply delighted that a fictional backstory for Edgar Degas' model for "Little Dancer, Fourteen Years" exists.

This novel mixes facts from Degas' life plus lots of historically-based insight into the career prospects of les petite rats de l'Opera, those skinny little teen waif dancers. (Prospects were poor: the tiny dancers were impoverished, underfed, overworked, and especially vulnerable to exploitation by male "patrons.") But ultimately the novel is disappointing because the fictional conclusion is so very predictable. Don't give us a story we could guess for ourselves.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was eager to read Cathy Buchanan's most recent novel and was excited to find it offered through the Vine program. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of her previous novel 'The Day the Falls Stood Still' as the first item I ever chose through the Vine. I loved the book and was thrilled to be able to meet the author when she came to my local Barnes and Noble for a reading.

This novel is very different from 'The Day the Falls Stood Still'. Marie van Goethem, was the model for Edward Degas's famous sculpture 'Little Dancer Aged Fourteen'. ‘The Painted Girls’ centers around Marie van Goethem and her older sister, Antoinette who live with their mother and younger sister Charlotte, all of them working hard to put food on the table. Fortunately all three sisters have been blessed with the talent to dance. Buchanan takes the reader back to the Paris of the late eighteen hundreds with a look at lives full of want and struggle but also gives us a thread of hope that hard work and dedication can pay off.

I have to be honest, I wasn’t immediately pulled in by the beginning of 'The Painted Girls'. I had a difficult time with the alternating narration and wasn't exactly sure where the story was going. I set the book aside several times and read something else before coming back to it and I confess I thought about abandoning it all together. I felt the alternating narration worked against the cohesiveness of this story in the beginning, but I think it was perfect for the unfolding of the end of the story. Another issue I had that prevented me from initially being pulled into this story was that I disliked the older sister Antoinette's choices and didn't feel I knew her well enough to sympathize with her and understand her perspective.

For me the story really picked up in the last third of the novel, I felt like the ending of the book really redeemed the beginning of it and I was so glad I didn't give up reading this story. I kept coming back to look at all the glowing reviews of this book and thought perhaps there was the chance that if I finished the book I might feel the same way about it. I loved the relationship the author created between the sisters and thought the ending was perfect.

[Saleh MoonWalker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Onvan : The Painted Girls - Nevisande : Cathy Marie Buchanan - ISBN : 1594486247 - ISBN13 : 9781594486241 - Dar 357 Safhe - Saal e Chap : 2012

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Def giving this points for uniqueness. I learned so much about ballet, opera, Degas, his art. There's a bit of a mystery at the heart of this, but to me, I honestly felt this was a story of women and their never-ending struggle to be loved, respected, and successful. It's also a tale of children not being allowed to be children. It's about a very different time.


Three sisters, each one striving for something. Antoinette wants to be adored. Marie wants to take care of her family. Charlotte wants to be successful. And yet, they all become whores. One is a whore to love. One is a whore because in the end, despite all she does, she's left with nothing else. One is a whore in order to succeed, and in the end it's utterly sad.

Though very true to the era it's penned about, I had a hard time with Antoinette's story. She was just terribly dumb in my eyes. The truth was in front of her face so much...but it's amazing what a girl will do to have a man's approval. This book really makes you think of that.

Marie, the trial, the guilt she felt for the decision she made...very gripping.

Vivid. Realistic, sad, and wrenching. This is the kind of book you pick up when you wish to time travel. But it is full of heartache. In the middle, my mind began straying and at times the book lost my interest as it got repetitive, but it hooked me again towards the end.

http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2013/...

[Colleen Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reviewed this book for www.luxuryreading.com.

The Painted Girls is a phenomenal look at the truth hidden behind the supposed glitz and glamour of the Parisian Ballet. Just like Degas’ artwork, the story highlights the true struggle and ugliness of the poor of Paris during this time of great cultural change and serves to present the story of sisters born in the gutter but wanting nothing more than to rise above what they are told their life must be. It is entirely impossible not to feel for Marie and Antoinette and their deep need for something better. Also venturing into the realm of the belief that a person’s heredity and physical appearance determine what sort of person they will become – a poor, ugly person highlighting an ugly, vicious personality while a handsome or rich person more likely to be good natured – it was interesting to see the two sisters battle with their own personal demons to determine what sort of person they would become.

Beautifully written, The Painted Girls is a story of opposites: meek vs. strong, rich vs. poor, beautiful vs. ugly, good vs. bad. Anyone who is interested in learning more about the truth behind the glitzy veneer of the Parisian Ballet or anyone who just loves a complicated, endearing story of sisters would love this book. I now want to learn more about this time period and, for me, that is the true test of great historical fiction.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book starts with a quote from Le Figaro, 1880 "No social being is less protected than the young Parisian girl--by laws, regulations and social customs." And the author goes on to prove that true.

This book melds together a sensational murder and trial with the beauty and love of ballet, the masterpieces of Edgar Degas as well as other period artists, along with the extreme hardships suffered by poor sisters in the 1880s. It tells of these sisters need to be loved by others as well as each other. It is about passion for one's craft, as well as the search for love and acceptance. It is at times heart breaking and yet victorious!

This historical fiction follows the real murders and subsequent newspaper articles of two people. It also follows the real model for Edgar Degas work "Little Dancer Aged Fourteen". They are linked in some expected ways but also some unexpected ways. Most importantly it is a story of sisterly kindness and love.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to receive an advanced reading copy of this book at a conference I attended. This was one of my "I have to stay up and finish reading this at all costs" books. I was drawn into 19th Century France and the beauty of the ballet. When you read a book and feel satisfied and content at the way things turned out, that is my definition of a great book. I was drawn immediately to the characters and the setting and loved them. I loved the author's use of two characters to share two different (and yet not so different) views of some of the same events. I found myself spending hours staring at a photo of the sculpture "Little Dancer of Fourteen Years" by Edgar Degas, upon which this book is based. I appreciated the way reviews of the sculpture from when it was first exhibited were woven into the book. When reading historical fiction, I don't expect complete historical accuracy but details that make it plausible greatly enhance the reading experience.

[Christy B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been sort of skimming books lately, not really engrossed with any of them. So, The Painted Girls came at the right time. I was completely taken with the story and the voices of the two sisters.

Taking place in Paris in from 1878 to the early 1880s, the book is told from the points-of-view of Antoinette and Marie, sisters. Marie is the subject of Edgar Degas famous statue Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. The story is based in fact of the lives of the sisters, and shows how their lives might have been.

I knew I would love this, because stories set in the Paris ballet scene absolutely fascinate me. The nitty gritty behind beautiful production, and the hard and brutal work that ballerinas put their bodies through make for good dramatic stories. And the writing in The Painted Girls perfectly captures the period and the city.

This was a great historical fiction novel, and books like this is why I read historical fiction novels. Highly recommended.

[Ellen Teth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a chance to read advance copy of this book! From the point of view of two sisters in 1878 Paris. The detailed description of sister's experiences are so vivid and fascinating. The author Cathy Marie Buchanan taken us into the lives of these two sisters. Great read!