Status
Available
Description
Fiction. Literature. Romance. Historical Fiction. HTML:From Susan Vreeland, bestselling author of such acclaimed novels as Girl in Hyacinth Blue, Luncheon of the Boating Party, and Clara and Mr. Tiffany, comes a richly imagined story of a woman’s awakening in the south of Vichy France—to the power of art, to the beauty of provincial life, and to love in the midst of war. In 1937, young Lisette Roux and her husband, André, move from Paris to a village in Provence to care for André’s grandfather Pascal. Lisette regrets having to give up her dream of becoming a gallery apprentice and longs for the comforts and sophistication of Paris. But as she soon discovers, the hilltop town is rich with unexpected pleasures. Pascal once worked in the nearby ochre mines and later became a pigment salesman and frame maker; while selling his pigments in Paris, he befriended Pissarro and Cézanne, some of whose paintings he received in trade for his frames. Pascal begins to tutor Lisette in both art and life, allowing her to see his small collection of paintings and the Provençal landscape itself in a new light. Inspired by Pascal’s advice to “Do the important things first,” Lisette begins a list of vows to herself (#4. Learn what makes a painting great). When war breaks out, André goes off to the front, but not before hiding Pascal’s paintings to keep them from the Nazis’ reach. With German forces spreading across Europe, the sudden fall of Paris, and the rise of Vichy France, Lisette sets out to locate the paintings (#11. Find the paintings in my lifetime). Her search takes her through the stunning French countryside, where she befriends Marc and Bella Chagall, who are in hiding before their flight to America, and acquaints her with the land, her neighbors, and even herself in ways she never dreamed possible. Through joy and tragedy, occupation and liberation, small acts of kindness and great acts of courage, Lisette learns to forgive the past, to live robustly, and to love again. Praise for Lisette’s List “Vreeland’s love of painters and painting, her meticulous research and pitch-perfect descriptive talents . . . are abundantly evident in her new novel.”—The Washington Post “This historical novel’s . . . great strength is its lovingly detailed setting. . . . Readers will enjoy lingering in the sun-dappled, fruit-scented Provençal landscape that Vreeland brings to life.”—The Boston Globe.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member riofriotex
Lisette and her husband Andre leave Paris in 1937 and go to the (real) village of Roussillon in Provence to care for his aging grandfather, Pascal. Lisette is at first frustrated, because she hoped to work as an art museum curator in Paris, but she learns that Pascal met the artists Cezanne and
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Pissarro (through his work in the ochre mines, as a pigment salesman, and as a frame maker), and has some of their paintings, as well as a possible Picasso. When Andre enlists to fight in World War II, he hides the paintings. Much of the book is about what Lisette does to get through the war, and her quest to find the paintings afterward. She meets Mark and Bella Chagall, and is gifted with one of his paintings as well. The story moves slowly, but Vreeland does a wonderful job describing the Provençal countryside and way of life. The audiobook is read by Kim Bubbs, who does a wonderful job with all the French words in the book. The afterword identifies which paintings are real and which are not. Show Less
LibraryThing member KMT01
This is really a lesson in art history in disguise. In the novel, Lisette moves to Roussillon with her husband Andre to care for his grandfather. With the move, Lisette sees her opportunity to work in a Paris gallery gone. However, Lisette finds a surprise collection of impressionist paintings her
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husband’s grandfather has collected in Roussillon. He also tells her enchanting stories of the art and artists he has known. With the advent of WWII, Andre decides to hide the paintings before leaving for the Front. The story provides a good picture of art around the WWII era as well as a good picture of the life of an artist during that same time. The book moved along very slowly but did provide a good picture of life in this area of France during the WWII era as well as some good background about art and the role it and artists played. I did not find it very easy to stay with the book, however, because it moves so slowly. A student of art or art history would absolutely love the way the author has provided a great picture of it during this time, but for me, someone who can take or leave art but so does admire and respect it immensely, the book dragged on a bit too much to hold my interest. There is the love story of Andre and Lisette, but it can be overpowered by the rest. If you have a combination love of art, art history and romance and also enjoy reading about this area and the WWII era, this book will fascinate and enthrall you. It will also interest anyone who enjoys a good romance and is looking for something other than today’s run of the mill stories. I received this from Netgalley to read and review. Show Less
LibraryThing member bereanna
I liked the book because of its Frenchness. Set a bit in Paris, but mostly in Roussillon (Provence) pre, during, and post WWII, the heroine, Lisette, loves art. The reader learns to understand a painting better, appreciate the ochre mining for pigments, as well as understand the culture and
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loveliness of Provence. On the dislike side, the plot was contrived and the writing only a little better than acceptable. However, I would read the book again for the feelings evoked by the art and the descriptions of the locale. Show Less
LibraryThing member Alphawoman
I loved this book. Several times during the reading I actually shed tears. The characters were so well defined that I could envision each in my mind when they appeared on the pages. It was a gentle book telling the stories of several lives lived in the small town in the South of France during a
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span of years which included WWII. I learned a lot of valuable insights into paintings as well as writing, The main character, educated and loved as an orphan in Paris, was schooled to not only see things but to describe them by contrasting them with other things. One time she exclaimed something was ugly, she was required to explain why she felt it ugly and after some thought she was able to articulate the feelings each face provoked in her - what is a different word for different, individuality. Not only a book about finding love after great loss, but also about embracing love in all its many disguises. Show Less
LibraryThing member 4leschats
While she regrets leaving Paris to care for her grandfather-in-law in Provence, Lisette comes to value her time with the older man and the village leading her to make a list of things that she will do before her own death. Pascal, a former ochre miner, has collected great works of art that belong
Vreeland easily weaves in stories of the artists and the art world as well as the rural life making this both a human and heroic tale.
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to Andre and Lisette upon his death. When WWII brings chaos, Andre hides the paintings before going off to war. When Andre is killed, Lisette must find her own way to recover the paintings and to love again.Vreeland easily weaves in stories of the artists and the art world as well as the rural life making this both a human and heroic tale.
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LibraryThing member Pmaurer
Couldn't get into this tale of a young couple that leaves Paris to be with husbands grandfather in the countryside. Seems GF has collected paintings from a series of famous artists, and proceeds to tell wife about them. Didn't seem to move the story along very well, although I usually enjoy this
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author. Show Less
LibraryThing member mfdavis
This was pretty good, although I did not enjoy it as much as I have her previous books (Girl in Hyacinth Blue, Luncheon of the Boating Party.) Still, good description of rural France & the art/artists of the period (Chagall, Pissaro, Cezanne, Picasso.)
LibraryThing member ChristineEllei
Lisette loves living in Paris, but when Pascal, her husband’s grandfather, becomes ill she and Andre must move to a small village in Provence to care for him. Lisette is immediately taken aback by life in Rousillion – the small home with no electricity, an outspoken and often grouchy old man
As the war draws to an end, and Lisette knows Andre is not returning she begins her list of things she must accomplish in her life and at the top of the list is to find the paintings Pascal treasured so much. This search leads her through the countryside surrounding the village. During her quest she meets Marc and Bella Chagall who not only gift her with a painting Chagall produces just for Lisette, but also teach her more about her neighbours and their way of life. With the discovery of each hidden work of art Lisette begins to understand more about herself and what she is capable of accomplishing.
Once again Ms. Vreeland does what she does best, incorporate her knowledge and love of art and history into an interesting story. This story moves along at a comfortable yet somewhat sedate pace, no doubt similar to the pace of life in 1940’s Rousillion. Not being drawn to books set in times of war I was a little apprehensive about picking this one up and, yes, it does contain some descriptions about the atrocities committed during WWII however those were not the central theme. Lisette’s List embodies some of my favorite subjects (and a few tips on making Marzipan, as well) so of course I enjoyed it.
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and NO indoor plumbing. Andre quickly builds her an outhouse (the envy of all the neighbours) and she soon discovers Pascal is not the cantankerous old man she thought him to be. Before long he has her enthralled with his reminiscences of being an ochre miner in the countryside and then a pigment salesman and frame maker in Paris. She is astonished when he shows her his small collection of paintings by Pissaro, Cézanne and Picasso, with all of whom he traded his frames and pigments for paintings. When there is no denying that Pascal’s death is near, Lisette realizes the she has not only come to love the man but also his paintings and, although she still longs for Paris sometimes, the way of life in Rousillion. When the Second World War begins Andre goes off to the front, but sensing the danger of keeping the paintings in their small home, he hides them to keep them out of Nazi hands.As the war draws to an end, and Lisette knows Andre is not returning she begins her list of things she must accomplish in her life and at the top of the list is to find the paintings Pascal treasured so much. This search leads her through the countryside surrounding the village. During her quest she meets Marc and Bella Chagall who not only gift her with a painting Chagall produces just for Lisette, but also teach her more about her neighbours and their way of life. With the discovery of each hidden work of art Lisette begins to understand more about herself and what she is capable of accomplishing.
Once again Ms. Vreeland does what she does best, incorporate her knowledge and love of art and history into an interesting story. This story moves along at a comfortable yet somewhat sedate pace, no doubt similar to the pace of life in 1940’s Rousillion. Not being drawn to books set in times of war I was a little apprehensive about picking this one up and, yes, it does contain some descriptions about the atrocities committed during WWII however those were not the central theme. Lisette’s List embodies some of my favorite subjects (and a few tips on making Marzipan, as well) so of course I enjoyed it.
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LibraryThing member jwood652
A Parisienne moves to a quaint, rural town in France with her husband to live with his ailing grandfather. The town is the is the source of the colorful ochre used in many famous paintings. The old man recounts his experiences with many famous artists and five of their paintings that hang in his
I received my copy from netgalley.com
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house. These paintings are hidden to protect them from the Nazis who occupy the country. The author combines true, historic facts with some actual and some fanciful paintings to create an enchanting story of historic France and the love of great art.I received my copy from netgalley.com
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LibraryThing member jwood652
A Parisienne moves to a quaint, rural town in France with her husband to live with his ailing grandfather. The town is the is the source of the colorful ochre used in many famous paintings. The old man recounts his experiences with many famous artists and five of their paintings that hang in his
I received my copy from netgalley.com
Show More
house. These paintings are hidden to protect them from the Nazis who occupy the country. The author combines true, historic facts with some actual and some fanciful paintings to create an enchanting story of historic France and the love of great art.I received my copy from netgalley.com
Show Less
LibraryThing member cygnet81
A little redundant towards the end but it made me cry so 4 stars for that.
LibraryThing member Iambookish
I had such a difficult time getting through this book that I found myself skimming whole sections just to get to the end. I've loved this author's previous books, so I'm not sure why I couldn't get in to the rhythm of this one.
Just not for me, but I'm sure other readers will have more interest in
Just not for me, but I'm sure other readers will have more interest in
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the subject matter and enjoy it. Show Less
LibraryThing member m.belljackson
The author mocks foie gras, making the French as accepting of extreme cruelty to animals as the Spanish with their godawful bullfights.
The tone is shallow, enhanced by Vreeland giving her pet chicken to be killed for no real reason.
Plot lags along, improbable and convoluted.
The tone is shallow, enhanced by Vreeland giving her pet chicken to be killed for no real reason.
Plot lags along, improbable and convoluted.