Jessie Burton

Muza

Nona G

How is it that I am so drawn to historical fictions that alternate between two timelines to tell a story? I feel like this is all I'm reading these days. Kate Morton, I blame you for this! You opened up an entirely new universe, for which I thank you!

Jessie Burton, however, is not Kate Morton. And "The Muse" is more on the meh chick-lit side than in that category of great chick-lit. There are layers and layers and this book falls short in most chapters that are important to me.

Let's start by resuming the plot... a young writer of Caribbean descent takes a job in London that allows her to discover a mystery regarding her boyfriend, a long-lost painting and her boss. Elsewhere, a young English painter gets involved with a Spanish activist during the Spanish Civil War and her work is impacted by the political context and her Spanish lover.

History, war, art, love... a premise for something at least fun, if not good, no? Well... yes, I though so too, until I started reading this book. Luckily, it didn't take me long to go through it. 

"The Muse" is not bad, as such. It's in that grey area where some books go to die because they could have been something, but decided to give up mid-way. Or more likely quarter-way through. It starts strong and quickly falls into the land of boring. The plot, while interesting at first glance, combining some of my favourite themes and showing promise by building up mystery, becomes predictable quicker rather than later. And, while I like drama, this one feels like there is too much drama towards the end. Just like the way South-American novelas develop. Nothing happens for ages and then in the last two chapters, a whole ocean of drama spills out.

Now, I could have gotten over it, as I did in other cases, with a poorly constructed plot, if the writing were outstanding. The thing is, I cannot, with this style of over-decorated writing. Period novel or no, times have changed and, while this style is perfectly adapted to 19th century novels, where I cherish it, for the most part, I want a different kind of approach nowadays. 

I was happy with the references to the art world and the descriptions of paintings and character build is decent (though I got really mad at Olive a few times). The author also touched on racism and did a decent job in giving us various cultures, but otherwise, I can describe this book in just a few words: too flowery, dragging, unnecessarily dramatic at times.

L.E. I hear the book is dreadful in English, because of Odelle's speech style (clipped, trying to convey her Caribbean accent). The translation did not maintain this and she speaks in full sentences both in dialogue and during her POVs. I might have gotten angrier had I read this book in English.

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