Book 12: The Passion of Artemisia

I picked this book (by Susan Vreeland) up from the local bookstore for a whopping $2, and I think it was worth every penny.



I was hoping it would be similar in tone and style to Girl With a Pearl Earring, but it was not. It was much juicier, although not the bodice-ripping sort of juicy. It follows the life of artist Artemisia Gentileschi, from her rape by her painting tutor, through her unhappy marriage and rocky relationship with her father, and the birth and marriage of her daughter. While this wasn't fine literature, it was a page-turner, and I finished it in about two days. Recommended as a good escape, or good if you are interested in this particular painter, as it does describe her artwork in detail.