👶👶👶👶 Madame Picasso, by Anne Girard

I am completely fascinated with the avant-garde era of the Belle Époque during the late 1800's and early 1900's. However, very few books surrounding that time period have intrigued me as much as this one. Writing under the pen name, Anne Girard (not quite sure why), author Diane Haeger has done an extraordinary job in recreating the exhilaration of that time in Paris. Great historical fiction always inspires me to do further research to learn as much as possible about the people and time period portrayed, and this was certainly no exception.

"Girard" had me entranced from the beginning. The character development was outstanding, and I just couldn't put the book down. I honestly knew very little about Pablo Picasso, other than the fact that he was a troubled soul and a unique genius. So, I appreciated the author's spin on this virtuoso and his demons. I also love how the author developed Eva Gouel. It is evident that she researched Gouel extensively, despite what little is known about this seamstress, and created a strong female protagonist in doing so.

The historical setting was so seductive; it made me want to be a part of the excitement and allure of that time period. The only reason I rated this book with 4 stars instead of 5 was because of the repetition toward the end. Their undying love for each other was conveyed ad-nauseam, and the clichés were numerous. Other than that, it was truly a fantastic novel.

Read 7/2/15