THE SWAN THIEVESBY ELIZABETH KOSTOVA
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Psychiatrist Andrew Marlow, devoted to his profession and the painting hobby he loves, has a solitary but ordered life. When renowned painter Robert Oliver attacks a canvas in the National Gallery of Art and becomes his patient, Marlow finds that order destroyed. Desperate to understand the secret that torments the genius, he embarks on a journey that leads him into the lives of the women closest to Oliver and a tragedy at the heart of French Impressionism.
Kostova's masterful new novel travels from American cities to the coast of Normandy, from the late 19th century to the late 20th, from young love to last love. THE SWAN THIEVES is a story of obsession, history's losses, and the power of art to preserve human hope.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Elizabeth Kostova is the author of the international bestseller The Historian. She graduated from Yale and holds an MFA from the University of Michigan, where she won the Hopwood Award for the Novel-in-Progress.
REVIEW:
Once Robert Oliver, a well known artist, attacked a painting at the National Gallery of Art and is arrested, the life of psychiatrist Andrew Marlow changed forever. Marlow, whose hobby happens to be painting, is called to take over Robert's case. He finds out that Robert and his former wife, Kate, were recently divorced and on top of that, Robert has left his latest girlfriend as well. So Andrew Marlow tries to treat his new patient, but he finds that Robert refuses to speak.
Marlow must examine Robert's personal life to try and find a clue to Robert's act of violence as well as his refusal to speak. Marlow contacts people who are part of Robert's life to try and find answers. Much is discovered about who Robert is now, compared to who he was before, from these people and most of them are women. The case is puzzling and intriguing and Marlow becomes very involved with his new patient to the point that it takes over a good part of his own life. Dr. Marlow finds that Robert paints the same woman over and over again and this somewhat leads him to also find a long hidden secret. This secret involves a scandal in the world of 19th century art.
THE SWAN THIEVES is not just a mystery but also a love story. It is filled with interesting characters, whose own lives are a part of the story. It was so interesting to read the way Kostova told the story through not only different characters to add to Marlow's own tale, but also to learn from ancient letters and the past in the 19th century. All these parts come together to tell this unique story of THE SWAN THIEVES. If you want a really good mystery and trust the author who wrote THE HISTORIAN that so many readers have loved, then you will not be disappointed by this next book of Elizabeth Kostova. You will love pondering the questions that are meant to come up as Kostova planned. You will probably come to a point where you really wonder if Robert is mentally ill or is there something else going on? Why DID he slash that painting and who are all these women in his life? Is all this somehow related to the parts that come to light over the ancient letters?
This is indeed a long book but one that will wrap you around it binding and not let go as you want to find out what is going on. As mental illness is always a hard thing to deal with and read about but intertwined with the mystery, it transfixes the reader and thus shows what a fine writer Elizabeth Kostova truly is.
Psychiatrist Andrew Marlow, devoted to his profession and the painting hobby he loves, has a solitary but ordered life. When renowned painter Robert Oliver attacks a canvas in the National Gallery of Art and becomes his patient, Marlow finds that order destroyed. Desperate to understand the secret that torments the genius, he embarks on a journey that leads him into the lives of the women closest to Oliver and a tragedy at the heart of French Impressionism.
Kostova's masterful new novel travels from American cities to the coast of Normandy, from the late 19th century to the late 20th, from young love to last love. THE SWAN THIEVES is a story of obsession, history's losses, and the power of art to preserve human hope.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Elizabeth Kostova is the author of the international bestseller The Historian. She graduated from Yale and holds an MFA from the University of Michigan, where she won the Hopwood Award for the Novel-in-Progress.
REVIEW:
Once Robert Oliver, a well known artist, attacked a painting at the National Gallery of Art and is arrested, the life of psychiatrist Andrew Marlow changed forever. Marlow, whose hobby happens to be painting, is called to take over Robert's case. He finds out that Robert and his former wife, Kate, were recently divorced and on top of that, Robert has left his latest girlfriend as well. So Andrew Marlow tries to treat his new patient, but he finds that Robert refuses to speak.
Marlow must examine Robert's personal life to try and find a clue to Robert's act of violence as well as his refusal to speak. Marlow contacts people who are part of Robert's life to try and find answers. Much is discovered about who Robert is now, compared to who he was before, from these people and most of them are women. The case is puzzling and intriguing and Marlow becomes very involved with his new patient to the point that it takes over a good part of his own life. Dr. Marlow finds that Robert paints the same woman over and over again and this somewhat leads him to also find a long hidden secret. This secret involves a scandal in the world of 19th century art.
THE SWAN THIEVES is not just a mystery but also a love story. It is filled with interesting characters, whose own lives are a part of the story. It was so interesting to read the way Kostova told the story through not only different characters to add to Marlow's own tale, but also to learn from ancient letters and the past in the 19th century. All these parts come together to tell this unique story of THE SWAN THIEVES. If you want a really good mystery and trust the author who wrote THE HISTORIAN that so many readers have loved, then you will not be disappointed by this next book of Elizabeth Kostova. You will love pondering the questions that are meant to come up as Kostova planned. You will probably come to a point where you really wonder if Robert is mentally ill or is there something else going on? Why DID he slash that painting and who are all these women in his life? Is all this somehow related to the parts that come to light over the ancient letters?
This is indeed a long book but one that will wrap you around it binding and not let go as you want to find out what is going on. As mental illness is always a hard thing to deal with and read about but intertwined with the mystery, it transfixes the reader and thus shows what a fine writer Elizabeth Kostova truly is.
GIVEAWAY
THANKS TO MIRIAM AND THE HACHETTE
BOOK GROUP, I HAVE 5 COPIES OF THIS
EXCITING BOOK TO GIVE AWAY. HERE IS
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN A COPY!
***U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
***NO P. O. BOXES
***INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
***ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!
+1 ENTRY: COMMENT AND TELL ME WHY YOU WANT TO WIN/READ THIS BOOK
+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON ANOTHER GIVEAWAY OF MINE YOU HAVE ENTERED. IF YOU HAVEN'T, CHECK OUT THE LIST IN THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN AND SEE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO ENTER FOR ANOTHER GREAT BOOK WHILE YOU ARE HERE.
+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ANY WAY OTHER THAN GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT TELL ME WHERE AND HOW
+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND LEAVE A LINK I CAN FOLLOW
ALL ENTRIES ARE DUE BY+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON ANOTHER GIVEAWAY OF MINE YOU HAVE ENTERED. IF YOU HAVEN'T, CHECK OUT THE LIST IN THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN AND SEE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO ENTER FOR ANOTHER GREAT BOOK WHILE YOU ARE HERE.
+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ANY WAY OTHER THAN GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT TELL ME WHERE AND HOW
+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND LEAVE A LINK I CAN FOLLOW
6 PM, EST, FEBRUARY 23
GOOD LUCK TO ALL!
