A story of love, madness, sisterly devotion, and control, about the two beloved daughters of renowned 1700s English painter Thomas Gainsborough, who struggle to live up to the perfect image the world so admired in their portraits.
A novel that heroically refuses to simplify anything ... What’s more unexpected is the complete deftness with which she transforms it into a novel at her first attempt. In fact, the pages fly by so readably that it’s only thinking about the book later – or reviewing it – that you realise quite how rich it is ... The Painter’s Daughters does have one flaw: at times Peggy can seem suspiciously like a 21st-century feminist plonked down in the 1700s, with her articulate chafing against the patriarchy.
The struggle between genetics and secrecy is just one of the themes explored by Howes in this subtle exploration of love, duty, and resentment ... A thoughtful view of the real lives behind the pretty pictures.
Intricate and vibrant ... Though a rushed ending feels out of sync with the carefully laid details of the sisters’ lives, Howes excels in her depiction of truth and rumors.
