The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis

 

I am going right now through a historical fiction phase with a focus on modern and contemporary history topics, particularly with women characters. As I had the chance to previously read books by Fiona Davis and really enjoyed the topic, I was more than pleased to continue my journey of discovering this writer with another book set in the US - The Masterpiece. 

The book is set in the US, NYC to be more precise. At stake it is to defend the right to exist of Central Station, threatened to be taken down. But this noble cause, embraced through a game of circumstances by Virginia Clay, who suddenly got in touch with the topic as she was looking for a stable source of income following her divorce, is overpaced by another story layer focused on the identity of a woman illustrator from the 1920. The two storylines are connected through a historical arch, connecting the late 1920s with the end of the 1970s. At 46 years distance, the two stories connect in a surprising way, as the fate of Clara Darden, once a famous illustrator who disappeared mysteriously during a train accident started in the same place: Grand Central, during her early success years as an art teacher as a school hosted in the premises.

The book has a diverse cast of characters, including Jackie O, who will play an important role in solving the crisis, although she is just an apparition, with a very limited direct presence in the story. Some of them may re-appear after decenies. Virginia and Clara, that may meet in uneven circumstances, are nevertheless the most important characters and also the better developed in the story, both acknowledging their chances and their right to independence,in a world maintaining an unfair disbalance between women and men.  

Clara - inspired by the pioneer illustrator Helen Dryden - was my favorite character, fuelled by the need to survive and dedicated to her art. Another real artist that inspired this time a male character - Levon - was Arshile Gorky, an Armenian-American painter that I love, whose story was largely altered in The Masterpiece.

The main tension point of the book - the identity revelation taking place towards the end of the story - was largely unexpected, but felt forced in my opinion. Maybe because there are never so many coincidences occurring at the same time. 

I was really caught in reading The Masterpiece - I was done in less than 48 hours - but was probably less impressed, although I appreciated the eclectic mixture between architecture, history of arts and women history. The good news is that I have even more books on similar topics waiting for me. And the summer is still young.

Rating: 3 stars