A Light of Her Own

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A Light of Her Own

by Carrie Callaghan

Edition: ebook, ARC

Synopsis: In Holland 1633, a woman’s ambition has no place. 

Judith is a painter, dodging the law and whispers of murder to become the first woman admitted to the prestigious Haarlem artist’s guild. Maria is a Catholic in a country where the faith is banned, hoping to absolve her sins by recovering a lost saint’s relic. 

Both women’s destinies will be shaped by their ambitions, running counter to the city’s most powerful men, whose own plans spell disaster. A vivid portrait of a remarkable artist, A Light of Her Own is a richly-woven story of grit against the backdrop of Rembrandts and repressive religious rule.

Judith Leyster works hard and does whatever is needed to be admitted to the Artists Guild. As the only woman, she must overcome prejudice and disdain as she fights to prove she is as worthy as any man.

I found this to be a fascinating fictional look into a time period I know little about. The author did a phenomenal job of bringing the setting to life in her narrative. The day to day aspects of what this artist !at have had to deal with made the story more real.

On the other hand, we have Maria, the daughter of the artist who trained Judith. The author went with the premise that these two would have been friends. However, I found the chapters devotes to what Maria was dealing with uninteresting. No doubt she had her own trials, but it felt as though her story took away from Judith’s.

Overall, it is an excellent historical telling of a gifted artist. I would recommend it to readers with an appreciation for art.