I Always Loved You

by Robin Oliveira

A story of Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas, from the"New York Times"bestselling author of"My Name Is Mary Sutter" The young Mary Cassatt never thought moving to Paris after the Civil War to be an artist was going to be easy, but when, after a decade of work, her submission to the Paris Salon is rejected, Mary s fierce determination wavers. Her father is begging her to return to Philadelphia to find a husband before it is too late, her sister Lydia is falling mysteriously ill, and worse, Mary is beginning to doubt herself. Then one evening a friend introduces her to Edgar Degas and her life changes forever. Years later she will learn that he had begged for the introduction, but in that moment their meeting seems a miracle. So begins the defining period of her life and the most tempestuous of relationships. In "I Always Loved You," Robin Oliveira brilliantly re-creates the irresistible world of Belle Epoque Paris, writing with grace and uncommon insight into the passion and foibles of the human heart. For readers of Cathy Marie Buchanan's"The Painted Girls." An exhibit on the relationship between Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas is now on display at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and will run until October 5, 2014."

• ISBN10: 0670785792
• ISBN13: 9780670785797
• Publish Date: 4 February 2014
• Publish Status: Remaindered
• Out of Print: 28 July 2016
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
• Imprint: Viking
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 343
• Language: English

Reviews

[MurderByDeath]

I have mixed feelings about this book.  Upfront, it's pure fiction; other than the artists' names, their work, and the broad strokes of accomplishment, it's made up out of whole cloth.    This is the part I had issues with, I guess.  I don't know enough about Degas, Cassatt, Morisot and Manet, with the result that I feel like this book has unfairly coloured my impressions of them as people.  I'm going to forever be guarding against mixing up this story with the reality of 4 of the most talented impressionist painters who've yet lived.   But if you're able to keep fact and fiction seperate, this is a heartfelt, well-written story about people who might have taken the wrong turn at the fork in the road of life.  It's slow-paced, but always interesting; I enjoyed it, but it wasn't a fast read.  The end also has a high probability of making readers misty eyed of not weeping outright.  Oliveira is very talented at creating a sympathetic anti-hero; one that you want to hug as much as you want to smack.   At some point though, I'm going to have to follow this up with more information about these artists and their real lives so I don't every accidentally try to pass off as fact the imaginations of Oliveira's mind.

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

Fond Of

I tend to be drawn towards novels that involve a love affair with a famous person, Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamaha Cheney, Charles Lindberg and Anne Morrow Lindberg, therefore it only seemed natural that I read about Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas.

Details, lots and lots of detail were shown and gave a vivid image for the reader

Liked that it had a focus on Mary's work and not just Degas and his ballerinas.


Not Fond Of

Slow, the story dragged and found myself saying "hook up already!"


Final Thoughts

While it met my expectations for the novel of love in the spotlight it did take a little steamrolling to get through.

[Lianne]

I was approved of an ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This review in its entirety was originally posted at caffeinatedlife.net: http://www.caffeinatedlife.net/blog/2014/01/13/review-i-always-loved-you/

What can I say about this novel? It drew me right from the first page. I absolutely loved the writing and the dialogue because so much of it was just poignant and/or striking.

The story itself was really interesting. It chronicles Mary Cassatt’s years in Paris and her inclusion in the Impressionist circles through Edgar Vegas. It’s really interesting to read as Mary meets all of these major artists who are such notable figures in the Impressionist movement–Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Edgar Degas–as well as other figures like Emilie Zola and even Picasso gets a mention somewhere later on.

The representation of the artist in this novel was also a major highlight. Each of the major artists mentioned throughout the book have their own approach to their work. Much of Degas and Mary’s discussions has a lot to do with the artistic process, the techniques used, the colours and the style, the loneliness of it all. In fact, I love the way the author described and delved into the artistic process; it can be applicable to any creative work you pour your heart and your efforts into, really. It also touches on the overarching institution of art and the philosophies behind it that were at the forefront in Paris at the time.

The novel also meditates on life and love. Can you have it all, like Berthe Morisot and her art and her child? Degas cares for Mary but then there’s his devotion to his craft; Mary too is very much focused on her art but believes there could be a balance, you can also love someone. Edouard Manet’s meditation on the course of his life was also very interesting, of missed chances and of what everything really comes down to in the end.

Overall I really enjoyed I Always Loved You; it’s an early favourite read for me for 2014. It did feel a little rushed in the last segment of the story but otherwise readers who love reading about this time period and who love art will want to check this novel out–I highly recommend it!