I am very excited to welcome Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours back to the Book Binder’s Daughter today with an historical fiction novel set in early 20th Century France. I invite you to read my review, learn a bit about the author and enter to win your own copy of Madame Picasso. (US only)
My Review:
At the center of this magnificent tale of art and love is Picasso. When the story opens his star is just beginning to rise and he is among the celebrated artists hanging around the trendy cafes and social venues in Paris. The one thing in his life that he feels isn’t quite right is his relationship with his longtime mistress Fernande. He and Fernande have been together for five years and she was with him in the beginning of his career when he was a poor, starving artist. Does he really love her or is he holding on to her for the sake of nostalgia?
Picasso meets a petite and pretty woman named Eva who works as a seamstress at the Moulin Rouge. Eva has escaped her dull life in the suburbs of Paris to come to the city and make her own way. The actors and staff at the Moulin Rouge quickly understand that Eva, despite her petite stature, is a resourceful person whom many underestimate. Picasso also recognizes this passion in her and it ignites a fire within himself.
A large part of the book is the dance that Picasso and Eva do around each other. Picasso is not a free man and thoughts of Fernande hold him back from true love. Eva knows the reputation that this passionate Spanish artist has with women and doesn’t want to get her heart broken. Anne Girard keeps us guessing until the very end whether or not Eva and Picasso will find their happy ending.
The mark of a good historical fiction, for me, is whether or not the book makes you want to learn more about the time within which it is set. This was definitely the case for me with MADAME PICASSO. After reading this book I eagerly searched the Internet to understand more of Picasso’s art and the world in which he lived. Readers of historical fiction will definitely enjoy the Parisian setting amid the art world at the turn of the 20th century.
About the Author:
Anne Girard was born with writing in her blood. The daughter of a hard-driving Chicago newsman, she has always had the same passion for storytelling that fueled his lifelong career. She hand-wrote her first novel (admittedly, not a very good one) at the age of fourteen, and never stopped imagining characters and their stories. Writing only ever took a backseat to her love of reading.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in English literature from UCLA and a Master’s degree in psychology from Pepperdine University, a chance meeting with the acclaimed author, Irving Stone, sharply focused her ambition onto telling great stories from history with detailed research. “Live where your characters lived, see the things they saw,” he said, “only then can you truly bring them to life for your readers.” Anne took that advice to heart. After Stone’s encouragement twenty years ago, she sold her first novel. When she is not traveling the world researching her stories, Anne and her family make their home in Southern California. When she is not traveling or writing, she is reading fiction.
Anne also writes historical fiction under the name Diane Haeger. For more information, visit www.dianehaeger.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Giveaway:
The author is giving away one paperback copy of Madame Picasso to one of my readers in the U.S. The entry is very easy. Just leave a comment at the end of this post telling me you want to win! The winner will be chosen on Sept. 26th via e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond.
The Winner of the Giveaway is: Suzy Q. Thanks to everyone who entered!
Madame Picasso Blog Tour Schedule:
Monday, August 25
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, August 26
Review at Historical Fiction Notebook
Interview & Giveaway at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, August 27
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Interview & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Notebook
Thursday, August 28
Review & Giveaway at Words and Peace
Review & Giveaway at Kinx’s Book Nook
Friday, August 29
Review at Scandalous Women
Review at Curling Up by the Fire
Monday, September 1
Review at A Bookish Affair
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, September 2
Review & Giveaway at Luxury Reading
Interview & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair
Wednesday, September 3
Review at Gobs and Gobs of Books
Spotlight & Giveaway at Susan Heim on Writing
Thursday, September 4
Review & Giveaway at The Maiden’s Court
Friday, September 5
Review at To Read or Not to Read
Monday, September 8
Review at Book of Secrets
Review & Giveaway at Mina’s Bookshelf
Tuesday, September 9
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Wednesday, September 10
Review at Books in the Burbs
Thursday, September 11
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Friday, September 12
Review at Caroline Wilson Writes
Review at The Book Binder’s Daughter
Monday, September 15
Review at Layered Pages
Review at Carole’s Ramblings
Tuesday, September 16
Review at She is Too Fond of Books
Wednesday, September 17
Interview & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Thursday, September 18
Review at One Book of a Time
Friday, September 19
Spotlight & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Monday, September 22
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Tuesday, September 23
Review at The Librarian Fatale
Wednesday, September 24
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Thursday, September 25
Review at Kincavel Korner
Friday, September 26
Interview at Kincavel Korner
The Book Binder's Daughter 
Good morning Melissa, I would love to win a copy of Madame Picasso, thank you.
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Great, thanks so much for stopping by! I think you will enjoy the book.
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I so agree about the hallmark of good historical fiction. For me, a recent example was reading and reviewing A Star for Mrs. Blake by April Smith, which is set in the period between the two World Wars but hearkens back to WWI throughout. This book has led me both to more WWI fiction and especially to history books about the period–new interests.
Any one of Picasso’s relationships probably has a novel in it, for a talented writer to research and expand on. It sounds like Anne Girard has done this well, and perhaps I would have a bit more empathy for Picasso, despite his wandering ways, if I read it–certainly a hallmark of good biography or biographical fiction. I also wonder how the women must have felt to vie for the attention of such a man who is unquestionably brilliant, magnetic, and so on, but could never be an undivided partner. …Now I think I should enter the giveaway! 😀 Thanks.
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My favorite character in the novel was Picasso himself. The book made me want to go back and carefully examine his work. Famous artists are mythologized by later generations, but Girard really tried to capture the “man behind the myth” so to speak. Thanks for entering!
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Your wonderful review captivated my interest greatly. This historical is fascinating since Picasso was larger than life, the era, the locale and the story all are memorable and special. Thanks for this great giveaway.
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It really was a captivating book and Picasso was my favorite character. Thanks so much for stopping by and entering!
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I’m not sure if I’ll pick this up or not. I love historical fiction and think it’s fun when it includes famous people, but I often hate books that are all about whether or not two people will get together. So often, all of their problems are in their heads and it’s just obvious to me they should be together! Great review 🙂
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Thanks so much for stopping by! I agree with you on books where it’s all about people getting together or not. What fascinated me about this book was Picasso himself. After I read the book I looked more closely at his art and read more about his life.
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Historical is a new genre for me so I’d love to start with Madame Picasso!!! Have to start somewhere!!!
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This book is DEFINITELY a great place to start if you want to read historical fiction! Thanks so much for stopping by and entering 🙂
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great review! This books sounds fantastic
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It is a great book, I cannot recommend it enough! Thanks so much for stopping by and entering 🙂
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I could not agree with you more about the fact that good historical fiction leaves you wanting to know more. The impulse to google a person or term is a good indiction that I am reading historical fiction! Thanks for the chance to win!
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I’ve been obsessed with Picasso after reading this book. Thanks for stopping by and entering!
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Sounds like an interesting read.
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Thanks for stopping by and entering!
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I would like to read this because I don’t know much about Picasso’s personal life and this seems to be a very interesting version of part of his history.
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I really didn’t know anything about his life before I read this book and I found him to be really fascinating. Thanks so much for stopping by and entering!
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I want to win! : )
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Love your enthusiasm! Thanks so much for stopping by.
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I have always admired Picasso’s art but recall very little about his personal life. Artists (no matter the medium) always seem to have the most tumultuous love lives and thus make for interesting subjects of films or books, so long as the story balances that drama with biographical details regarding their work. Sounds as though MRS. PICASSO does so … would love to check it out!
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If you like historical fiction you will love this book! There were so many great details about his life and art and Paris in the early 20th century. Thanks so much for entering!
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I would love to win this! Another amazing art history novel is Christopher Moore’s “Sacré Bleu.”
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It is a great book, I think you will enjoy it! Thanks so much for the recommendation, I will check it out 🙂
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