19 February 2018

Character-Driven With Exquisite Detail | A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline

ABOUT THE BOOK

“Exquisite. A must-read.” –Kristin Hannah
 
This paperback edition includes a color reproduction of Andrew Wyeth’s painting Christina’s World, along with a Q&A with bestselling author Kristin Hannah and a bonus short story, “Stranded in Ice.”

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the smash bestseller Orphan Train, a stunning and atmospheric novel of friendship, passion, and art, inspired by Andrew Wyeth’s mysterious and iconic painting Christina’s World.

“Later he told me that he’d been afraid to show me the painting. He thought I wouldn’t like the way he portrayed me: dragging myself across the field, fingers clutching dirt, my legs twisted behind. The arid moonscape of wheatgrass and timothy. That dilapidated house in the distance, looming up like a secret that won’t stay hidden.”

To Christina Olson, the entire world is her family farm in the small coastal town of Cushing, Maine. The only daughter in a family of sons, Christina is tied to her home by health and circumstance, and seems destined for a small life. Instead, she becomes Andrew Wyeth’s first great inspiration, and the subject of one of the best-known paintings of the twentieth century, Christina’s World.

As she did in her beloved bestseller Orphan Train, Christina Baker Kline interweaves fact and fiction to vividly reimagine a real moment in history. A Piece of the World is a powerful story of the flesh-and-blood woman behind the portrait, her complicated relationship to her family and inheritance, and how artist and muse can come together to forge a new and timeless legacy.

Follow the TLC blog tour.

MY REVIEW

I may not have been familiar with Andrew Wyeth or his well-known painting, Christina’s World, before reading A Piece of the World, but I enjoyed Christina Baker Kline’s beautiful story nonetheless. It focuses on the painting’s subject, Christina Olson, and meandering between her present and her past, she shares her experiences growing up in the small town of Cushing, Maine, limited by her health and family circumstance. There’s pain and heartbreak and bitterness, but through it all, Christina remains a fiercely independent, strong character, and Kline brings her story to life in exquisite detail. Engaging, transporting, A Piece of the World is an excellent, character-driven read, and I recommend it to readers of historical fiction. 

★★★★

Thanks to TLC Book Tours, I received a complimentary copy of A Piece of the World and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christina Baker Kline is the author of six novels, including the #1 New York Times bestseller Orphan Train as well as A Piece of the World. She lives outside New York City and spends as much time as possible on the coast of Maine. 

2 comments:

  1. "transporting" is a perfect adjective for Christina's World...I thought about this book for a while.
    Enjoyed your review!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for being a part of the tour!

    ReplyDelete