When I bought this as a Christmas gift for my wife I hadn’t realised quite what a huge bestseller it was. Perhaps worth a read myself, I thought, and how very true that turned out to be.
It’s a gorgeous novel, set over a summer in post-WW1 rural France. An English writer has secured a rare interview with the reclusive but genius artist Tata who lives in absolute seclusion with just his niece to support him.
The plot that follows is expertly crafted, with such a pleasing pace. There are a few mysteries to uncover, and a romance that blossoms. It’s so very satisfying to read a story that doesn’t feel overly forced but at the same time is clever, intricate, and so satisfyingly resolved.
But it was the beautiful language that hooked me; the evocative feeling of a hot French summer, the house/grounds, the food, and the art. The book creates such a warm, rich feeling of sunshine and light in your mind… I loved it.
