The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro
My enjoyment rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Book hangover: 3
Source: Personal copy
Genre: Fiction
Objectionable material: Some sexual innuendo; one F bomb.
July Book Club selection
Claire Roth, trying to resuscitate her career after being humiliated by a former art professor, accepts a nefarious offer from a gallery owner to “copy” as Degas painting – one that is eerily similar to a piece stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum some 20 years earlier.
With clever twists and loads of information, author B. A. Shapiro, treats the reader to a fascinating “art” mystery, which at its heart is based on an actual event.
There was so much to love about this novel: an education in art forgery, museum hierarchy, art experts, art galleries, and internal moral conflict -- it was really a ton of fun to read.
My only complaint – the ending. I was expecting something more – startling – gasp worthy. But the end was nothing more than a Disney-Nicholas Cage-National Treasure cop-out.
Oh well.
I know now why I will never be an author – endings are really difficult to write.
However – this made an AWESOME book club discussion! There was so much to discuss – everything from the actual heist to the recovery of art during WWII. It totally made up for the lack of satisfying conclusion.
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5 comments:
Sometimes the ending makes the book ... sometimes .. well, it takes away from it. Glad the lead-up to it was good!
I loved this one too and we had a good book club discussion as well. I was totally fascinated by the art of forgery.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I've heard good things about it and do have it on my shelf waiting to be read. I'm a little concerned about the ending now though :-)
Totally not related to reading...yay! Kate is having her baby! I knew you could appreciate the excitement that I feel :) My middle daughter is very excited as well.
I really liked this one. It kept me totally engaged. I don't remember having a problem with the ending, but I can't really remember what it was either ... *sigh* I think I read too many books ...
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