Zoe Disigny - The Art of Travelling Strangers
2⭐
Genre: Fiction, Travelling, Historical Fiction
Pages: 288
Format: Netgalley/ Ebook
Publisher: Subplot Publishing
Date Published: 22nd February 2022
Book Blurb:
It’s the 1980s, and art historian Claire Markham reels from a series of heartbreaking losses. Desperate to escape her shattered reality, she becomes an art guide in Europe for quirky stranger Viv Chancey and embarks on a life-changing journey through the art-filled cities of Milan, Venice, Ravenna, Florence, Siena, Rome, and Paris.
Once abroad, Claire tries to hide her woes by focusing on Viv’s art education, but Viv—who is not who she seems—has a different learning experience in mind. Frustrated and wanting to reimagine her life, Claire embraces the idea of reality as illusion and finds herself slipping into the tales of art and history.
When threatened with one more crushing loss, Claire must learn from the spirit of her eccentric companion and the lessons from the art they encounter to take charge of her life or lose the most precious thing in it.
My Review:
I loved the blurb of this book, as
it included many things that I love, travelling, Italy, culture, fashion and
art…Yet, this book was a real disappointment. The only good thing about this book
was that it was a quick read and took me only a few days to consume.
The story follows Claire who is
in the middle of divorce and is also lost, since her summer job to be an art
guide is cancelled. However, when a rich lady Viv approaches Claire and asks
her to be Viv’s art guide across Italy. Once abroad Claire tries to concentrate
only on educating Viv, however, all the art makes Claire slowly reimagine and
look differently at her life, whilst also getting to know Viv and realising
that both aren’t so different after all.
Firstly, I didn’t like Claire.
She was so insufferable and naïve throughout this book. Also, she didn’t grow
much throughout the book, but suddenly in the last 20 pages went through an epiphany
on how to solve all her life problems. It just wasn’t really believable. Secondly,
we learn everything about Claire during the first five chapters of this book in
a very boring and dry manner, which is then followed by her exploring art and comparing
it with her own life…Thirdly, the ending is so rushed and anticlimactic, making
me question the purpose of this book.
I just couldn’t connect with any
of the characters, as they were so two-dimensional with no growth until the
last 20 pages. I at least had high hopes for the art and fashion descriptions
as Claire and Viv are travelling through Italy. Yet, I was wrong there too. All
of the descriptions were so dry and lecture-like that I wanted just to skip it
all.
Overall: A book that was supposed to be about travelling, art, fashion, Italy, as well as relationships and their complexities. However, it didn’t do any complex dive into relationships or main characters. It just compared those with art on a very surface level. It was also so hard to understand the purpose of this book as it seemed like it wanted to be all but just fell flat. One of the most disappointing books I have read in a while, although I had so much hope.
This review was first published on Netgalley:
https://www.netgalley.co.uk/book/244856/review/959200
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