Blog Tour Book Review / In the Full LIght of the Sun by Clare Clark

Based on a true story, this gorgeous new novel follows the fortunes of three Berliners caught up in an art scandal—involving newly discovered van Goghs—that rocks Germany amidst the Nazis’ rise to power.Hedonistic and politically turbulent, Berlin in the 1920s is a city of seedy night clubs and sumptuous art galleries. It is home to millionaires and mobs storming bakeries for rationed bread. These disparate Berlins collide when Emmeline, a young art student; Julius, an art expert; and a mysterious dealer named Rachmann all find themselves caught up in the astonishing discovery of thirty-two previously unknown paintings by Vincent van Gogh.

In the Full Light of the Sun explores the trio’s complex relationships and motivations, their hopes, their vanities, and their self-delusions—for the paintings are fakes and they are in their own ways complicit. Theirs is a cautionary tale about of the aspirations of the new Germany and a generation determined to put the humiliations of the past behind them.

With her signature impeccable and evocative historical detail, Clare Clark has written a gripping novel about beauty and justice, and the truth that may be found when our most treasured beliefs are revealed as illusions. 

Published:     9th July 2019
Publisher:  Houghton Mifflin
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Review Copy from Publisher

MY REVIEW

I have to be honest and say that this is not normally the type of story that I pick up but I am really glad that I did.  This was a very interesting read, more about the characters than the story.

I have to admit that there were parts where I was a little confused by the characters and timeline, so please do correct me if I have understood it incorrectly.   This story is split into three different timelines, with most of them following the life of Emmeline and following the art to a certain degree.  In the first part, we start with an art dealer and collector where one of them forms a connection with Emmeline.  This part was more about the art with the dealer and the collector.  The second part and the third part is where I get a bit confused, but I think that was more about me, the reader, than the writing or the story.   We lost a few of the characters from the first part, that I was already getting to know and was looking forward to learning more about the story and we gained a few new characters, who right now I cannot remember.  I think the second part was more about Emmaline and watching her grow up and learn more about herself.   Honestly, I cannot recall the final part.

I did enjoy reading this novel but have to say that the first part was the best part for me.  I lost focus on the story somewhere in the middle of the second part and could not get it back.  I would have loved also to have known more about what was going on around the characters a lot more.   I also really liked the writing style and would certainly pick up another book by this author.