In her latest novel, The Muralist (one of our November picks), B.A. Shapiro crafted another great piece of historical fiction about the art world. 
Goodreads offers the following description:
“Alizée Benoit, an American painter working for the Works Progress Administration (WPA), vanishes in New York City in 1940 amid personal and political turmoil. No one knows what happened to her. Not her Jewish family living in German-occupied France. Not her artistic patron and political compatriot, Eleanor Roosevelt. Not her close-knit group of friends, including Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Lee Krasner. And, some seventy years later, not her great-niece, Danielle Abrams, who while working at Christie’s auction house uncovers enigmatic paintings hidden behind recently found works by those now famous Abstract Expressionist artists. Do they hold answers to the questions surrounding her missing aunt?”
About a year ago, two of my aunts recommended I read B.A. Shapiro’s The Art Forger – a fictional account of the events surrounding the theft of thirteen pieces of art from the Gardner Museum in Boston in 1990. I finally picked it up a few months ago and found it difficult to tear myself away from the text. To say that the story was gripping would be an understatement. Throughout the course of the novel, I had to remind myself that I was reading a work of fiction.
Compared to my obsession with The Art Forger, I found The Muralist to be less exciting. I read it because I was looking for another thrilling read. Do not misunderstand, it was a good book, but a different book. I have always found historical fiction to be a touchy genre. I enjoy reading books that take place in a historical setting with fictional characters, but I do not love pieces that fictionalize historical characters (especially if I am not terribly familiar with them).
Ultimately, I found The Muralist to blur the line between fact and fiction too much. If you love historical fiction, I am sure you will enjoy this novel. However, if you are a bit more particular (like me), you may walk away from the book a little disappointed. If you are hesitant, read The Art Forger instead.
Did you get a chance to read it? What is your reaction? Leave a comment below with your thoughts and be sure to tag your copy of the book on instagram with #TWTBookshelf – and get your copy here.
Live, Love, Learn,
Candice & The Write Teacher(s)