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The Painting
A young Hungarian woman confronts her family's past in an engrossing quest for a stolen painting.
When Anika Molnar flees her home country of Hungary not long before the break-up of the Soviet Union, she carries only a small suitcase - and a beautiful and much-loved painting, of an auburn-haired woman in a cobalt blue dress, from her family's hidden collection. Arriving in Australia, Anika moves in with her aunt in Sydney, and the painting hangs in pride of place in her bedroom. But one day it is stolen in what seems to be a carefully planned theft, and Anika's carefree life takes a more ominous turn. Sinister secrets from her family's past and Hungary's fraught history cast suspicion over the painting's provenance, and she embarks on a gripping quest to uncover the truth. Hungary's war-torn past contrasts sharply with Australia's bright new world of opportunity in this moving and compelling mystery.
When Anika Molnar flees her home country of Hungary not long before the break-up of the Soviet Union, she carries only a small suitcase - and a beautiful and much-loved painting, of an auburn-haired woman in a cobalt blue dress, from her family's hidden collection. Arriving in Australia, Anika moves in with her aunt in Sydney, and the painting hangs in pride of place in her bedroom. But one day it is stolen in what seems to be a carefully planned theft, and Anika's carefree life takes a more ominous turn. Sinister secrets from her family's past and Hungary's fraught history cast suspicion over the painting's provenance, and she embarks on a gripping quest to uncover the truth. Hungary's war-torn past contrasts sharply with Australia's bright new world of opportunity in this moving and compelling mystery.
259 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 15, 2021
11 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
About the author
Alison Booth
9 books42 followersAlison Booth's sixth novel, The Painting, was published by RedDoor Press in July 2021. Set in Sydney and Cold War Budapest, The Painting is a compelling story of a traumatised young woman who confronts her family’s past in a quest for a stolen painting. See: https://www.alisonbooth.net/single-po... . Read early industry reviews here: https://www.alisonbooth.net/single-po...
Booth's fifth novel, The Philosopher's Daughters, takes place in1890s London and outback Australia. Published by RedDoor Press in April 2020, it has been described as 'wonderfully evocative' (The Canberra Times), 'a page-turner in the best sense' (Newtown Review of Books), and 'A beautifully immersive story celebrating a journey into the wonderful landscape of Australia with intriguing characters that wrestle with its wildness and their own self-discovery' (The Reading Desk).
Alison's fourth novel A Perfect Marriage, was published by RedDoor in March 2018. 'A cleverly-constructed story' (Sydney Morning Herald) of love, family and secrets, this domestic noir novel is structured tround dual timelines that represent 'an intricate plaiting of past and present that both tantalises and beguiles' (Marion Halligan).
Alison’s dazzling debut novel, the best-selling Stillwater Creek, is set in a beautiful NSW coastal village and is an unforgettable, heart-warming novel about love and loss, betrayal and hope. Published by Random House Australia in 2010, it was Highly Commended in the 2011 ACT Book of the Year Award. Her best-selling second book, The Indigo Sky - a bighearted tale of family and friendships - followed a year later. The enchanting Jingera trilogy concluded with the publication in June 2012 of A Distant Land, a heart-rending but life-affirming story of love and the callous twists of fate.
Born in Melbourne and brought up in Sydney Australia, Alison obtained her PhD from the London School of Economics. Until the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, she divided her time between the Australian National University and the UK. Over the years, she has published a number of short stories, as well as many academic journal articles and several nonfiction books.
Learn more about Alison Booth's fiction at: http://www.alisonbooth.net/ and about her academic work at: https://researchers.anu.edu.au/resear...
Booth's fifth novel, The Philosopher's Daughters, takes place in1890s London and outback Australia. Published by RedDoor Press in April 2020, it has been described as 'wonderfully evocative' (The Canberra Times), 'a page-turner in the best sense' (Newtown Review of Books), and 'A beautifully immersive story celebrating a journey into the wonderful landscape of Australia with intriguing characters that wrestle with its wildness and their own self-discovery' (The Reading Desk).
Alison's fourth novel A Perfect Marriage, was published by RedDoor in March 2018. 'A cleverly-constructed story' (Sydney Morning Herald) of love, family and secrets, this domestic noir novel is structured tround dual timelines that represent 'an intricate plaiting of past and present that both tantalises and beguiles' (Marion Halligan).
Alison’s dazzling debut novel, the best-selling Stillwater Creek, is set in a beautiful NSW coastal village and is an unforgettable, heart-warming novel about love and loss, betrayal and hope. Published by Random House Australia in 2010, it was Highly Commended in the 2011 ACT Book of the Year Award. Her best-selling second book, The Indigo Sky - a bighearted tale of family and friendships - followed a year later. The enchanting Jingera trilogy concluded with the publication in June 2012 of A Distant Land, a heart-rending but life-affirming story of love and the callous twists of fate.
Born in Melbourne and brought up in Sydney Australia, Alison obtained her PhD from the London School of Economics. Until the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, she divided her time between the Australian National University and the UK. Over the years, she has published a number of short stories, as well as many academic journal articles and several nonfiction books.
Learn more about Alison Booth's fiction at: http://www.alisonbooth.net/ and about her academic work at: https://researchers.anu.edu.au/resear...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
July 12, 2021
The painting, which had been a gift from her father, to give to her aunt in Australia when Anika Molnar left Hungary, had hung on the wall in Anika’s bedroom for so long, she hardly noticed it. Aunt Tabilla hadn’t wanted the painting even though it had been her husband’s – the memories were such she wanted Anika to have it. After taking the painting to an art gallery in Sydney to be valued, the painting was stolen from Tabilla’s house; from Anika’s bedroom. The police investigated but had no luck in finding it.
When Anika met with two different men who both seemed overly interested in her painting, she grew mistrustful of them both. She decided to go back to Hungary over the Christmas period, when her work was shut down for the festive season, for three weeks, visiting her parents, her brother and her beloved grandmother. It had been a long time since she’d seen them, and Hungary had changed. Embarking on the secrets of the painting, the past, and getting answers caused Anika many sleepless nights. By the time she headed back to Australia after her holiday, she had some answers. But was it enough?
The Painting by Aussie author Alison Booth is an intriguing mystery set around a painting from the past. Anika was a well-crafted character who had trouble getting over her past and the horrors she was put through before she escaped to Australia, while Tabilla’s memories kept her safely in Australia, determined never to return to the country she’d been born in. I always enjoy Ms Booth’s writing – this one is no exception. Highly recommended.
With thanks to the Author for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
When Anika met with two different men who both seemed overly interested in her painting, she grew mistrustful of them both. She decided to go back to Hungary over the Christmas period, when her work was shut down for the festive season, for three weeks, visiting her parents, her brother and her beloved grandmother. It had been a long time since she’d seen them, and Hungary had changed. Embarking on the secrets of the painting, the past, and getting answers caused Anika many sleepless nights. By the time she headed back to Australia after her holiday, she had some answers. But was it enough?
The Painting by Aussie author Alison Booth is an intriguing mystery set around a painting from the past. Anika was a well-crafted character who had trouble getting over her past and the horrors she was put through before she escaped to Australia, while Tabilla’s memories kept her safely in Australia, determined never to return to the country she’d been born in. I always enjoy Ms Booth’s writing – this one is no exception. Highly recommended.
With thanks to the Author for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2022
2-1/2*
Anika has fled Hungary and is living with her aunt in Sydney, Australia. On leaving Hungary her parents gave her a painting saying it belonged to her aunt but her aunt does not want the painting saying it holds too many sad memories.
In 1989 Anika takes the painting to be appraised only to find that it is actually a very valuable painting.
Anika’s quest is to find out how the painting came to be in her family’s possession but then the painting is stolen from Anika’s bedroom.
There is a bit of Hungarian/Soviet Union history spliced into the story but also a great deal of other non-essential material about Anika’s job which has nothing to do with the story of the painting. There is also the sub-plot of the two men courting Anika.
Like Anika I was interested in the story of the painting and how it came to be in her family – was it stolen or looted art? While these questions are eventually answered I had to wade through too much other uninteresting stuff to get there.
Anika has fled Hungary and is living with her aunt in Sydney, Australia. On leaving Hungary her parents gave her a painting saying it belonged to her aunt but her aunt does not want the painting saying it holds too many sad memories.
In 1989 Anika takes the painting to be appraised only to find that it is actually a very valuable painting.
Anika’s quest is to find out how the painting came to be in her family’s possession but then the painting is stolen from Anika’s bedroom.
There is a bit of Hungarian/Soviet Union history spliced into the story but also a great deal of other non-essential material about Anika’s job which has nothing to do with the story of the painting. There is also the sub-plot of the two men courting Anika.
Like Anika I was interested in the story of the painting and how it came to be in her family – was it stolen or looted art? While these questions are eventually answered I had to wade through too much other uninteresting stuff to get there.
June 1, 2021
“When something was over, you couldn’t have regrets or dwell on the past. Yet the past was not always so willing to let you go. Even though you did all you could to kick it behind you, it could bounce back when you least expected it and knock you hard.”
The Painting is the sixth novel by Australian author, Alison Booth. She only had a small suitcase when she left Budapest, but Anika Molnar’s father insisted she take the painting with her to Australia. A portrait of an auburn-haired woman in a blue dress, it was only small and had an indistinct signature, but it represented home to Anika, having hung on her Nyenye’s wall for as long as she could remember.
As Uncle Tomas’s widow, Aunt Tabilla was the rightful owner, but she immediately gave it to Anika: she had cast off her old life and didn’t need any reminders: she lives in Sydney now. When Tabilla points out the Art Gallery of NSW notice about their regular open day for establishing the authenticity of paintings, her suggestion that Anika take the chance to find out more is not really optional.
The curators are very interested, claiming it is the work of French Impressionist, Antoine Rocheteau, and want to know its provenance; Anika can’t really say with any certainty, but Daniel Rubinstein offers to help her get a valuation. Jonno, the man behind her in the queue, is also interested (in her or the painting?)
Tabilla’s old acquaintance, 137 Gallery owner, Julius Singer has a very strange reaction when she shows him, also questioning provenance. With just one remark, Singer casts doubt on the ownership of the painting. But that all becomes academic when the painting is stolen.
It is only from the press article about the theft that Anika and Tabilla learn just how valuable it is. Anika wonders how her uncle, a mere engineering student, or his family with their butcher’s shop, could possibly have afforded it in the post-war years.
Soon, she is resigned to never seeing the painting again, but Singer’s remark lodges in her brain and, coupled with disturbing observations from Daniel and Jonno, Anika feels compelled to find out the truth. The opportunity to do so presents a few months later, as borders are relaxed, and Anika steps onto a plane to Budapest with some difficult questions for her family.
Booth easily evokes late-1980’s Sydney and Budapest, and her characters, their dialogue and mindset feel authentic. Anika is an interesting protagonist, with background that fosters mistrust: “In a war, soldiers wore uniforms and the enemy could be easily identified. But in a totalitarian regime like theirs, the enemy could have been anyone. It was necessary always to be careful and always to trust no one. Maybe distrust like hers was a scar that she would never be rid of.”
The story is cleverly plotted and keeps the reader guessing until the final neat twist that results in a very satisfactory conclusion. Booth is skilled at descriptive prose: ” If only she could empty her head but thoughts kept crowding in, as if there was a party going on that they simply had to attend.” Art theft, architecture, and family secrets add up to a fascinating, thought-provoking and heart-warming read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Red Door Books and the author.
The Painting is the sixth novel by Australian author, Alison Booth. She only had a small suitcase when she left Budapest, but Anika Molnar’s father insisted she take the painting with her to Australia. A portrait of an auburn-haired woman in a blue dress, it was only small and had an indistinct signature, but it represented home to Anika, having hung on her Nyenye’s wall for as long as she could remember.
As Uncle Tomas’s widow, Aunt Tabilla was the rightful owner, but she immediately gave it to Anika: she had cast off her old life and didn’t need any reminders: she lives in Sydney now. When Tabilla points out the Art Gallery of NSW notice about their regular open day for establishing the authenticity of paintings, her suggestion that Anika take the chance to find out more is not really optional.
The curators are very interested, claiming it is the work of French Impressionist, Antoine Rocheteau, and want to know its provenance; Anika can’t really say with any certainty, but Daniel Rubinstein offers to help her get a valuation. Jonno, the man behind her in the queue, is also interested (in her or the painting?)
Tabilla’s old acquaintance, 137 Gallery owner, Julius Singer has a very strange reaction when she shows him, also questioning provenance. With just one remark, Singer casts doubt on the ownership of the painting. But that all becomes academic when the painting is stolen.
It is only from the press article about the theft that Anika and Tabilla learn just how valuable it is. Anika wonders how her uncle, a mere engineering student, or his family with their butcher’s shop, could possibly have afforded it in the post-war years.
Soon, she is resigned to never seeing the painting again, but Singer’s remark lodges in her brain and, coupled with disturbing observations from Daniel and Jonno, Anika feels compelled to find out the truth. The opportunity to do so presents a few months later, as borders are relaxed, and Anika steps onto a plane to Budapest with some difficult questions for her family.
Booth easily evokes late-1980’s Sydney and Budapest, and her characters, their dialogue and mindset feel authentic. Anika is an interesting protagonist, with background that fosters mistrust: “In a war, soldiers wore uniforms and the enemy could be easily identified. But in a totalitarian regime like theirs, the enemy could have been anyone. It was necessary always to be careful and always to trust no one. Maybe distrust like hers was a scar that she would never be rid of.”
The story is cleverly plotted and keeps the reader guessing until the final neat twist that results in a very satisfactory conclusion. Booth is skilled at descriptive prose: ” If only she could empty her head but thoughts kept crowding in, as if there was a party going on that they simply had to attend.” Art theft, architecture, and family secrets add up to a fascinating, thought-provoking and heart-warming read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Red Door Books and the author.
July 15, 2021
“Trust dies but mistrust blossoms” – Sophocles
I have to admit that this book didn’t really take me in the direction, or on the journey I had thought it was going to, as I incorrectly assumed from the premise that this was going to be an investigation by the authorities into a missing work of art and its possible subsequent retrieval.
However, whilst the painting was still clearly the focal point of the premise, the story was much more a unique and unconventional work of cultural fiction, driven and directed by the detective skills, of Anika, the owner of this work of art, as its disappearance piques her interest and curiosity about its past identity and heritage, almost to the point where it becomes an all-consuming obsession for her, from which, only the truth will set her free from the terrible places her thoughts lead her and the wartime atrocities she imagines her family might have been involved in.
Anika’s story was packaged beautifully and fitted very neatly into a relatively short book, where there were no wasted words or lengthy passages to grapple with. Yes, at times it did feel a little formulaic and I might have enjoyed a much more leisurely reminiscence about Anika’s Hungarian family life, pre-Australia. However, taken as a whole, it said all it needed to and offered a short, but insightful glimpse into a vignette of a country once at war and fighting for its very existence against its much larger subversive aggressors and the overwhelming force used on an already bruised and battered population; whilst highlighting the determination and steadfastness of a family to survive, against all the odds, with the hope of finding an increasing sense of peace, calm and safety in the months and years to come.
Anika’s journey to join her aunt, who has built a new life for herself in Australia, is poignant and inspirational. For whilst Anika is homesick, it is not for her previous life, but entirely for her family, who she misses with all her heart. News from Hungary though, does portend better days of freedom ahead, when perhaps, as well as her making the trip home to see them, there may come a time when the family can make the journey across the ocean and visit Australia, to see for themselves the life and opportunities Anika is creating for herself.
The dual location aspect of the story worked exceptionally well, especially the way in which it was formatted into two distinct halves, rather than switching back and forth. The fact that the timeline remained ‘real-time’ constant throughout also added to the realism and authenticity of the journey, although I had to keep reminding myself that this was very much a story of the late 1980s and not from a more modern time, especially as the author did such an amazing job of keeping the narrative and descriptions authentic and true to the era.
Meanwhile, the emotional trauma from the loss of the painting troubles Anika so much, that despite all the difficulties she might have to overcome to make such a trip, she is unable to rest until she returns for a short holiday to the country of her birth, to discover for herself the secrets of her grandmother’s treasured ‘gallery of art’ and the origins of the painting which was gifted to her via her deceased uncle and which was the subject of the subsequent cruel theft.
This well structured story became more multi-layered and textured as it progressed, as new and alternative options became available to Anika in her search and quest for the truth about her ‘stolen’ painting. The emotional intensity of the narrative and dialogue was palpable, the air was constantly crackling with tension, as the stress and strain ratcheted up notch by notch for Anika, especially when she doesn’t know who to trust, so ends up by trusting no-one, which leaves her feeling isolated, alone, highly vulnerable and susceptible to being taken advantage of, which she soundly is, by the ever dubious motives of the story-seeking press, who push a truly naive Anika to her limits and intrude into the private life of her family, with complete disregard for their feelings. Along with the lies and duplicitous nature of his cavalier behaviour, that Jonno also toys with Anika’s feelings and emotions only serves as a point of fact about the press truly deserving the dubious reputation, which so often precedes them.
Such behaviour also makes Anika even more sceptical when the attentions of another potential suitor are turned on her. Can she trust her own feelings, or his actions. Are his intentions towards her genuine, or is he also playing silly self-centred games with her fragile state of mind? Once Anika can clear her head of some of the negativity she has heaped upon herself, she can take some valuable time to work out where her life is going and how she wants to embrace her future.
The narrative was observationally descriptive and rich in detail, whilst the dialogue was intuitive, fluid and perceptive, offering a real sense of time and place to the point where I could imagine myself shadowing Anika on her travels, eavesdropping on her conversations and sitting quietly whilst she wrestles with her own personal demons in quiet solitude.
My suspect list for the perpetrator of the crime was continually expanding and changing, and although I hadn’t quite worked out every detail and nuance of their motive, also in spite of the several red herrings thrown into the mix, I did identify the culprit some time before the official reveal. In fact the name I had in the frame didn’t appear to feature on anyone else’s radar at all, which was more than a little surprising!
The almost complete disinterest of the police to the burglary, despite the subsequent valuation of the painting, was staggering to say the least and if the ending hadn’t happened quite as it did, I have no doubt that this would have remained an unsolved case for a very long time!! Alison did an excellent job of really making me dislike them all to a man, almost to the point where if I could have got my hands on any one of them, a resounding kick up the rear end would have been obligatory!
The rest of the characters, although well drawn and defined, were really not easy to connect with or relate to and I never found myself totally investing in them. Each carried their own emotional baggage, which made them very guarded, complex and often very vulnerable, as raw passion ran deep and keeping closely guarded secrets was second nature to them, each for their own reasons. Aunt Tabilla was probably the most well adjusted of this diverse character cast, and she is, as she always has been, Anika’s mentor and champion
The conclusion of Anika’s story and brief journey into the world of high finance art, was brought to a natural and satisfying conclusion, where there were no real winners or losers, any indications of wrong-doing were set to rights in a way which was filled with heartfelt and compassionate empathy for everyone concerned. Anika of course, walked away with her own prize, but you need to read her story for yourself to discover what that was!
To find out more about the author and to share a few memorable extracts from the book, visit...
https://www.fiction-books.biz/reviews...
I have to admit that this book didn’t really take me in the direction, or on the journey I had thought it was going to, as I incorrectly assumed from the premise that this was going to be an investigation by the authorities into a missing work of art and its possible subsequent retrieval.
However, whilst the painting was still clearly the focal point of the premise, the story was much more a unique and unconventional work of cultural fiction, driven and directed by the detective skills, of Anika, the owner of this work of art, as its disappearance piques her interest and curiosity about its past identity and heritage, almost to the point where it becomes an all-consuming obsession for her, from which, only the truth will set her free from the terrible places her thoughts lead her and the wartime atrocities she imagines her family might have been involved in.
Anika’s story was packaged beautifully and fitted very neatly into a relatively short book, where there were no wasted words or lengthy passages to grapple with. Yes, at times it did feel a little formulaic and I might have enjoyed a much more leisurely reminiscence about Anika’s Hungarian family life, pre-Australia. However, taken as a whole, it said all it needed to and offered a short, but insightful glimpse into a vignette of a country once at war and fighting for its very existence against its much larger subversive aggressors and the overwhelming force used on an already bruised and battered population; whilst highlighting the determination and steadfastness of a family to survive, against all the odds, with the hope of finding an increasing sense of peace, calm and safety in the months and years to come.
Anika’s journey to join her aunt, who has built a new life for herself in Australia, is poignant and inspirational. For whilst Anika is homesick, it is not for her previous life, but entirely for her family, who she misses with all her heart. News from Hungary though, does portend better days of freedom ahead, when perhaps, as well as her making the trip home to see them, there may come a time when the family can make the journey across the ocean and visit Australia, to see for themselves the life and opportunities Anika is creating for herself.
The dual location aspect of the story worked exceptionally well, especially the way in which it was formatted into two distinct halves, rather than switching back and forth. The fact that the timeline remained ‘real-time’ constant throughout also added to the realism and authenticity of the journey, although I had to keep reminding myself that this was very much a story of the late 1980s and not from a more modern time, especially as the author did such an amazing job of keeping the narrative and descriptions authentic and true to the era.
Meanwhile, the emotional trauma from the loss of the painting troubles Anika so much, that despite all the difficulties she might have to overcome to make such a trip, she is unable to rest until she returns for a short holiday to the country of her birth, to discover for herself the secrets of her grandmother’s treasured ‘gallery of art’ and the origins of the painting which was gifted to her via her deceased uncle and which was the subject of the subsequent cruel theft.
This well structured story became more multi-layered and textured as it progressed, as new and alternative options became available to Anika in her search and quest for the truth about her ‘stolen’ painting. The emotional intensity of the narrative and dialogue was palpable, the air was constantly crackling with tension, as the stress and strain ratcheted up notch by notch for Anika, especially when she doesn’t know who to trust, so ends up by trusting no-one, which leaves her feeling isolated, alone, highly vulnerable and susceptible to being taken advantage of, which she soundly is, by the ever dubious motives of the story-seeking press, who push a truly naive Anika to her limits and intrude into the private life of her family, with complete disregard for their feelings. Along with the lies and duplicitous nature of his cavalier behaviour, that Jonno also toys with Anika’s feelings and emotions only serves as a point of fact about the press truly deserving the dubious reputation, which so often precedes them.
Such behaviour also makes Anika even more sceptical when the attentions of another potential suitor are turned on her. Can she trust her own feelings, or his actions. Are his intentions towards her genuine, or is he also playing silly self-centred games with her fragile state of mind? Once Anika can clear her head of some of the negativity she has heaped upon herself, she can take some valuable time to work out where her life is going and how she wants to embrace her future.
The narrative was observationally descriptive and rich in detail, whilst the dialogue was intuitive, fluid and perceptive, offering a real sense of time and place to the point where I could imagine myself shadowing Anika on her travels, eavesdropping on her conversations and sitting quietly whilst she wrestles with her own personal demons in quiet solitude.
My suspect list for the perpetrator of the crime was continually expanding and changing, and although I hadn’t quite worked out every detail and nuance of their motive, also in spite of the several red herrings thrown into the mix, I did identify the culprit some time before the official reveal. In fact the name I had in the frame didn’t appear to feature on anyone else’s radar at all, which was more than a little surprising!
The almost complete disinterest of the police to the burglary, despite the subsequent valuation of the painting, was staggering to say the least and if the ending hadn’t happened quite as it did, I have no doubt that this would have remained an unsolved case for a very long time!! Alison did an excellent job of really making me dislike them all to a man, almost to the point where if I could have got my hands on any one of them, a resounding kick up the rear end would have been obligatory!
The rest of the characters, although well drawn and defined, were really not easy to connect with or relate to and I never found myself totally investing in them. Each carried their own emotional baggage, which made them very guarded, complex and often very vulnerable, as raw passion ran deep and keeping closely guarded secrets was second nature to them, each for their own reasons. Aunt Tabilla was probably the most well adjusted of this diverse character cast, and she is, as she always has been, Anika’s mentor and champion
The conclusion of Anika’s story and brief journey into the world of high finance art, was brought to a natural and satisfying conclusion, where there were no real winners or losers, any indications of wrong-doing were set to rights in a way which was filled with heartfelt and compassionate empathy for everyone concerned. Anika of course, walked away with her own prize, but you need to read her story for yourself to discover what that was!
To find out more about the author and to share a few memorable extracts from the book, visit...
https://www.fiction-books.biz/reviews...
July 8, 2021
‘The painting stands for home. And you gave it to me.’
Anika Molnar flees from her home country of Hungary to Australia just before the collapse of the Soviet Union. She cannot take much with her, but her father insists that she take a painting: a small portrait of an auburn-haired woman in a blue dress. Her father tells her that the painting belongs to her Aunt Tabilla in Sydney. Anika moves in with her aunt and the painting, which her aunt gifts her, is hung on her bedroom wall.
Neither Tabilla nor Anika know much about the painting. They do not know who it represents or who painted it. So, when an opportunity arises to take it to Art Gallery of New South Wales to learn more about it including whether it is genuine or a forgery, Tabilla is keen for Anika to do so. The curators are interested in the painting but want to know more about its provenance. They think it might be a work by French Impressionist Antoine Rocheteau.
Anika takes the painting to a gallery owner, an old friend of Tabilla’s, for advice. His reaction is strange and sudden, and he questions ownership of the painting. Anika is perplexed and takes the painting home. Not long after, the painting is stolen from Anika’s bedroom wall. It seems, from the press coverage after the theft, that the painting is valuable.
Thus begins an intriguing journey. What is the story behind the painting? How could Anika’s family have afforded such a painting? Who took it from Annika’s wall, and why? Anika’s quest for answers will take her into her family history, into Hungary’s turbulent past. Anika has an opportunity to return to Hungary and she does so to try to find answers.
Anika’s quest will not be easy. Sydney and Budapest represent different worlds: many in Sydney are there having fled the past whereas those in Hungary are surrounded by it. The need to survive with an inherent mistrust in authority can result in uncomfortable choices and secrets.
I kept reading, wondering how this story would end, thinking about the choices people made and wondering what I would do in similar circumstances. And the ending? It was perfect.
This is Ms Booth’s sixth novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I enjoyed the Jingera trilogy (‘Stillwater Creek’, ‘The Indigo Sky’ and ‘A Distant Land’) and will add ‘A Perfect Marriage’ and ‘The Philosopher’s Daughters’ to my reading list.
Note: My thanks to Ms Booth and RedDoor Press for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Anika Molnar flees from her home country of Hungary to Australia just before the collapse of the Soviet Union. She cannot take much with her, but her father insists that she take a painting: a small portrait of an auburn-haired woman in a blue dress. Her father tells her that the painting belongs to her Aunt Tabilla in Sydney. Anika moves in with her aunt and the painting, which her aunt gifts her, is hung on her bedroom wall.
Neither Tabilla nor Anika know much about the painting. They do not know who it represents or who painted it. So, when an opportunity arises to take it to Art Gallery of New South Wales to learn more about it including whether it is genuine or a forgery, Tabilla is keen for Anika to do so. The curators are interested in the painting but want to know more about its provenance. They think it might be a work by French Impressionist Antoine Rocheteau.
Anika takes the painting to a gallery owner, an old friend of Tabilla’s, for advice. His reaction is strange and sudden, and he questions ownership of the painting. Anika is perplexed and takes the painting home. Not long after, the painting is stolen from Anika’s bedroom wall. It seems, from the press coverage after the theft, that the painting is valuable.
Thus begins an intriguing journey. What is the story behind the painting? How could Anika’s family have afforded such a painting? Who took it from Annika’s wall, and why? Anika’s quest for answers will take her into her family history, into Hungary’s turbulent past. Anika has an opportunity to return to Hungary and she does so to try to find answers.
Anika’s quest will not be easy. Sydney and Budapest represent different worlds: many in Sydney are there having fled the past whereas those in Hungary are surrounded by it. The need to survive with an inherent mistrust in authority can result in uncomfortable choices and secrets.
I kept reading, wondering how this story would end, thinking about the choices people made and wondering what I would do in similar circumstances. And the ending? It was perfect.
This is Ms Booth’s sixth novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I enjoyed the Jingera trilogy (‘Stillwater Creek’, ‘The Indigo Sky’ and ‘A Distant Land’) and will add ‘A Perfect Marriage’ and ‘The Philosopher’s Daughters’ to my reading list.
Note: My thanks to Ms Booth and RedDoor Press for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
March 12, 2023
I couldn’t put this book down, it drew me in completely, the descriptive writing was well done, and had me able to imagine the people and places where this story took place, as well as being able to see ‘The Painting’ that Anikar loves and which causes so much drama for her and those around her.
This novel had two aspects I enjoy, a good mystery and history written in a way I can appreciate, empathise and learn from. I love learning as I read. Set in 1989, in Sydney, Anika, who immigrated from Hungary 5 years previously, during the time of the Soviet Union, the Berlin Wall and all that came with it, has escaped a past she tries to forget, but which is a constant in her life, from tapped telephone calls to her family, memories of being arrested by the secret police and a constant distrust of letting people in. I admit to not knowing as much as I feel I should about this time in history and I appreciate novels that can give me insight into this time and place, I was 14 in 1989 and I knew next to nothing about what was going on on the other side of the world, and what people had to endure during this time.
When Anika left Hungary to live with her aunt Tabilla, who had escaped over the border into Austria many years before, after the death of her husband and immigrated to Australia, she brings with her a painting of an auburn-haired woman in a cobalt blue dress, that was once her uncle’s possession. This painting is the catalyst for everything that happens secrets, lies, theft and distrust, as Anika’s life is thrown into the centre of a mystery about where the painting came from, who owns it and who is telling the truth. Anika starts to doubt everything her parents and her grandmother have told her about the painting as questions about its providence arise, it is stolen, and someone discloses a secret from his past.
I could really feel Anika’s struggle as she meets the three men that will turn her world around. Daniel, a curator from the art gallery of NSW, offers to help her get the painting valued, but he also seems interested in her as a person, Jonno, who she meets at the art gallery doesn’t seem trustworthy and turns out to be a journalist, and Julius, a friend of her aunt’s, an art collector, who is more than a little weirded out when he sees the painting. Anika already struggles to trust people and open up to them and when the painting is stolen, she doesn’t know who to trust, each man seems to have a motive and each one is suspicious in his behaviour in some way. I myself wasn’t sure who could be trusted and though I initially liked Daniel, I wasn’t completely sure about him.
Things that come to light after the painting is stolen, the history of the Nazis and the Russian’s looting and stealing artworks, and her own family’s secretiveness around the painting, cause Anika a great deal of stress and when the Iron Curtain falls and she is able to return safely to Hungary to visit her parents, she goes determined to uncover the mystery and get some answers.
It is during this trip that she also learns to trust and to heal and right one of the wrongs of the past.
This paragraph from near the end of the novel really spoke to me:
Her thoughts floated free. Free of drag, free of resistance, and she felt an expanding sense of detachment. Not only was she seeing the earth from a different vantage point but she was seeing her life in a new way too. Generations of her family had been scarred by upheavals, and their stories were multiplied millions and millions of times all over the globe. Everywhere there were people like them. Damaged people, displaced people. But there were survivors too.
This was a fabulous read and I will be looking to catch up on this author’s backlist if this book is anything to go by, I am sure I will enjoy them.
This novel had two aspects I enjoy, a good mystery and history written in a way I can appreciate, empathise and learn from. I love learning as I read. Set in 1989, in Sydney, Anika, who immigrated from Hungary 5 years previously, during the time of the Soviet Union, the Berlin Wall and all that came with it, has escaped a past she tries to forget, but which is a constant in her life, from tapped telephone calls to her family, memories of being arrested by the secret police and a constant distrust of letting people in. I admit to not knowing as much as I feel I should about this time in history and I appreciate novels that can give me insight into this time and place, I was 14 in 1989 and I knew next to nothing about what was going on on the other side of the world, and what people had to endure during this time.
When Anika left Hungary to live with her aunt Tabilla, who had escaped over the border into Austria many years before, after the death of her husband and immigrated to Australia, she brings with her a painting of an auburn-haired woman in a cobalt blue dress, that was once her uncle’s possession. This painting is the catalyst for everything that happens secrets, lies, theft and distrust, as Anika’s life is thrown into the centre of a mystery about where the painting came from, who owns it and who is telling the truth. Anika starts to doubt everything her parents and her grandmother have told her about the painting as questions about its providence arise, it is stolen, and someone discloses a secret from his past.
I could really feel Anika’s struggle as she meets the three men that will turn her world around. Daniel, a curator from the art gallery of NSW, offers to help her get the painting valued, but he also seems interested in her as a person, Jonno, who she meets at the art gallery doesn’t seem trustworthy and turns out to be a journalist, and Julius, a friend of her aunt’s, an art collector, who is more than a little weirded out when he sees the painting. Anika already struggles to trust people and open up to them and when the painting is stolen, she doesn’t know who to trust, each man seems to have a motive and each one is suspicious in his behaviour in some way. I myself wasn’t sure who could be trusted and though I initially liked Daniel, I wasn’t completely sure about him.
Things that come to light after the painting is stolen, the history of the Nazis and the Russian’s looting and stealing artworks, and her own family’s secretiveness around the painting, cause Anika a great deal of stress and when the Iron Curtain falls and she is able to return safely to Hungary to visit her parents, she goes determined to uncover the mystery and get some answers.
It is during this trip that she also learns to trust and to heal and right one of the wrongs of the past.
This paragraph from near the end of the novel really spoke to me:
Her thoughts floated free. Free of drag, free of resistance, and she felt an expanding sense of detachment. Not only was she seeing the earth from a different vantage point but she was seeing her life in a new way too. Generations of her family had been scarred by upheavals, and their stories were multiplied millions and millions of times all over the globe. Everywhere there were people like them. Damaged people, displaced people. But there were survivors too.
This was a fabulous read and I will be looking to catch up on this author’s backlist if this book is anything to go by, I am sure I will enjoy them.
May 12, 2021
My goodness, how I enjoyed this enchanting book! Author Alison Booth writes gorgeous prose with a refreshing uniqueness, almost like a different language or spellbinding piece of music. Mostly set in 1989, the story takes readers into two different worlds, Hungary and Australia. In Eastern and Central Europe there is a lot of unrest and strife so Anika Molnar flees just before the Soviet Union split. She moves in with her aunt Tabilla in Australia and they have a very close relationship. Naturally, Anika misses her home and family so sometimes Tabilla creates delicious Hungarian dishes and they enjoy bits of Hungary together. Anika brought her most beloved possession with her from Hungary, a painting, but knows little about it. Still, she loves it and it is her piece of Hungary.
Household finances are strained and Anika takes her painting to experts to ask whether they knew who painted it and later tries to discover its worth, if anything, though the provenance is murky. Daniel and Jonno enter the picture but Anika is very cautious, borderline paranoid, due to her communist memories of Hungary. Trust is difficult for her. After her painting disappears, she and her aunt are understandably rattled, not only about the theft itself but feeling violated and wondered who would...and could...do such a thing. Anika's questions take her where she wouldn't expect as she discovers layer upon layer of secrets.
Not only was the mystery good but there is so much more to the book than that...it is about trust, loyalty, love and hope. I am enamoured with Eastern and Central Europe so feel a connection that way but even if I hadn't, this would be a book I would adore. It firmly fits into the 5 star category as it is individual with cultural details and history and has that something special about it which elevates it.
My sincere thank you to RedDoor Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this amazing, amazing gem of a book! What a treat.
Household finances are strained and Anika takes her painting to experts to ask whether they knew who painted it and later tries to discover its worth, if anything, though the provenance is murky. Daniel and Jonno enter the picture but Anika is very cautious, borderline paranoid, due to her communist memories of Hungary. Trust is difficult for her. After her painting disappears, she and her aunt are understandably rattled, not only about the theft itself but feeling violated and wondered who would...and could...do such a thing. Anika's questions take her where she wouldn't expect as she discovers layer upon layer of secrets.
Not only was the mystery good but there is so much more to the book than that...it is about trust, loyalty, love and hope. I am enamoured with Eastern and Central Europe so feel a connection that way but even if I hadn't, this would be a book I would adore. It firmly fits into the 5 star category as it is individual with cultural details and history and has that something special about it which elevates it.
My sincere thank you to RedDoor Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this amazing, amazing gem of a book! What a treat.
March 9, 2025
An excellent read
July 16, 2021
“She smiled at him and he beamed back. He looked years younger. ‘Never Better,’ she said. ‘This is the right thing to do.’”
Anika leaves her home country of Hungary just before the break up of the Soviet Union. When she arrives in Australia she has a small suitcase and a painting that holds sentimental value. She will be living with her aunt while she studies and works.
She hangs her pride and joy in her room and marvels at it until the day it’s stolen from right under her nose. On a quest to uncover the truth Ainka digs deeper into its origins and begins to uncover her family secrets. Secrets can sometimes have deadly consequences if exposed.
A story of finding your way, hope, love, family and doing what’s right. This was my first Booth novel and won’t be my last. If you love art, historical fiction and Hungary’s war torn past this ones for you.
Anika leaves her home country of Hungary just before the break up of the Soviet Union. When she arrives in Australia she has a small suitcase and a painting that holds sentimental value. She will be living with her aunt while she studies and works.
She hangs her pride and joy in her room and marvels at it until the day it’s stolen from right under her nose. On a quest to uncover the truth Ainka digs deeper into its origins and begins to uncover her family secrets. Secrets can sometimes have deadly consequences if exposed.
A story of finding your way, hope, love, family and doing what’s right. This was my first Booth novel and won’t be my last. If you love art, historical fiction and Hungary’s war torn past this ones for you.
May 13, 2021
I dont want to spoil anything for anyone and a full review will be coming up on my blog so for now I will just say that the author writes refreshingly neautiful prose and the settings were described so well I thought like I was there. the characters were well developed in this tale of love, hope, loyalty and trust. It has everything from good narrative, good setting, good characterisation, culture, history and so much more.
September 10, 2022
I am an avid thriller/ mystery reader and on first glance, I really didn't expect to like this book. The initial tone is more of a story about the past and of answers lost in time throughout the generations of a family and from another country a world away. Which is the basic premise but once I began to read, I could not stop. It was finished in a day! From page 1, the feeling you'll get from this book is warmth and love. It's a complex tale, which goes in directions that you'd never have expected and takes you across the world. It has love and romance mixed in with mystery and drama. When everyone is hiding something then who do you believe?!as a mystery fan, I was kept guessing until the end and the end couldn't come soon enough to find out just what had gone on! And it wasn't anything I'd guessed lol. As I said, I am obsessed with mysteries which always have a much darker and more sinister tone so it was actually a revelation to have a mystery that is so engrossing and yet also the book is so beautifully written and the whole story just has such warmth and love to it. It really does just make you think of the beautiful colours, culture and architecture of Hungary..... but in words! The author has an amazing way with words to set the scene so clearly and to really paint the most vivid images in your mind as you read with very little effort from the reader. It is very cleverly written and manages to be both a historical story, a romance, a woman trying to find the truth about her family history, a mystery, and just a feel good fiction novel! The characters are very well written and you'll find yourself recognising your own family members/ friends in them. There is something very relatable and real about these people and you do genuinely feel for them and the situations/ suspicions that they're facing. It's also steeped in enough historical accuracy to make it quite a fascinating and educational read about living in these circumstances that hopefully none of us ever have to experience and the fears and dangers and extremes that people had to go to to survive them. I couldnt speak highly enough of this book and it has definitely opened my eyes to what a "mystery/ thriller" can be! It's nice to take a step away from the usual who dunnits which can all get a bit samey after the while but this was just so new and fresh. It really wasn't what I had expected or anticipated however I have no complaints about that and this will definitely be either the perfect summer read or the perfect escape for the current pandemic drama
July 24, 2021
Thank you to Helen Richardson for my invitation to the tour and to Red Door Press for my copy of the book in return for a fair and honest review.
The story begins with Anika taking a painting to a gallery, the painting has travelled with her from her native Hungary and now is on the wall in her bedrooom. The painting of a beautiful woman with auburn hair turns out to be by an artist called Antoine Rocheteau a French Impressionist. Given to her by her Uncle Anika takes it to an Art Gallery in New South Wales on the insistence of her Aunt Tabilla who she now lives with in Australia. The gallery are shocked at the painting and tell her to get in valued but she also must have provenance which she does not.
Her Aunt gives her the number of a man called Julius Singer who she knows and owns a gallery and when Anika shows him the painting his reaction is very different to that of Daniel in the first gallery. This shocks Anika and she vows not to make contact with him again.
Anika’s family are still in Hungary where savings where not allowed by the Communist Party. As she tries to uncover the truth about the painting, it becomes more complex and the story of how her aunt left Hungary and the lives her family who still live there have.
Anika has been dating Daniel who she met at the first gallery and one night when she return home she finds the painting has been stolen. She knew that the painting must be important for her parents to have given it to her to bring to Australia but can she find out the truth about it ?
This is a slow burner but it really steps up the pace and I really enjoy a book that gives me an insight to an area in history I am not familiar with. It is apparent that Anika and her family have experienced many atrocities in Hungary which haunt her and she trusts no-one. This is a really well researched and engrossing read and I really love a story set around a precious art work and this one ticked all the boxes for me. Secrets and the past of a painting all come to light in this wonderful book.
4.5 Stars ****.5
The story begins with Anika taking a painting to a gallery, the painting has travelled with her from her native Hungary and now is on the wall in her bedrooom. The painting of a beautiful woman with auburn hair turns out to be by an artist called Antoine Rocheteau a French Impressionist. Given to her by her Uncle Anika takes it to an Art Gallery in New South Wales on the insistence of her Aunt Tabilla who she now lives with in Australia. The gallery are shocked at the painting and tell her to get in valued but she also must have provenance which she does not.
Her Aunt gives her the number of a man called Julius Singer who she knows and owns a gallery and when Anika shows him the painting his reaction is very different to that of Daniel in the first gallery. This shocks Anika and she vows not to make contact with him again.
Anika’s family are still in Hungary where savings where not allowed by the Communist Party. As she tries to uncover the truth about the painting, it becomes more complex and the story of how her aunt left Hungary and the lives her family who still live there have.
Anika has been dating Daniel who she met at the first gallery and one night when she return home she finds the painting has been stolen. She knew that the painting must be important for her parents to have given it to her to bring to Australia but can she find out the truth about it ?
This is a slow burner but it really steps up the pace and I really enjoy a book that gives me an insight to an area in history I am not familiar with. It is apparent that Anika and her family have experienced many atrocities in Hungary which haunt her and she trusts no-one. This is a really well researched and engrossing read and I really love a story set around a precious art work and this one ticked all the boxes for me. Secrets and the past of a painting all come to light in this wonderful book.
4.5 Stars ****.5
May 30, 2021
What a lovely, interesting and important read. I really enjoyed this book, the characters were believable though I didn't like all of them, I was wary of the three main male characters right until the end.
This story really transports you where you can picture the setting and put your self in that scene. There was enough background historical information to make sure you kept on top of the importance of the plot but it didn't drown the story. It is tricky to get the correct balance.
I really enjoy historical fiction and this didn't disappoint, I would happily recommend this book to friends and fellow book readers.
Congratulations to Alison, it's going to be a best seller.
This story really transports you where you can picture the setting and put your self in that scene. There was enough background historical information to make sure you kept on top of the importance of the plot but it didn't drown the story. It is tricky to get the correct balance.
I really enjoy historical fiction and this didn't disappoint, I would happily recommend this book to friends and fellow book readers.
Congratulations to Alison, it's going to be a best seller.
July 14, 2022
This was a very enjoyable and well written book.
I like architecture, so I loved the fact that our main character was an architect, or atleast studying to become one.
I also liked the fact that some of the story took place in Hungary, a country I'm not overly familiar with.
It was very tense, and there were plenty of times when I had no idea who could be trusted and who couldn't.
Thank you to Alison Booth, NetGalley and publishers RedDoor Books (RedDoor Press) for the chance to read this book.
I like architecture, so I loved the fact that our main character was an architect, or atleast studying to become one.
I also liked the fact that some of the story took place in Hungary, a country I'm not overly familiar with.
It was very tense, and there were plenty of times when I had no idea who could be trusted and who couldn't.
Thank you to Alison Booth, NetGalley and publishers RedDoor Books (RedDoor Press) for the chance to read this book.
June 10, 2021
Inspired by a newspaper article in 2014, Booth imagined writing a novel about a young and traumatized Hungarian immigrant who ends up in Australia in the mid-1980s not long before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. She imagined her carrying an impressionist painting of an auburn-haired woman of unknown provenance from her grandmother’s collection. As finances get dismal in her new country, the young Hungarian would be forced to have the painting appraised with the intent of selling. At the appraisal, Booth imagined that her character would admit to not knowing it’s provenance and shortly after having it appraised, it would be stolen in a well-planned theft.
Booth’s story came together, and she named the girl in her 20s, her protagonist, Anika Molnar. In an effort to know the truth about the painting, Anika sets off for Budapest to find out how and why her grandparents came to possess a priceless French Impressionist painting. She can’t understand how her Uncle Tomas, an engineering student from a butcher’s family, could afford such a painting. It leads her on a quest to uncover hidden secrets in her family’s past.
Although I have visited Hungary, I was ignorant of its history. I was unaware that Russia had invaded in November 1956 to quash an uprising. Many had managed to cross the border into Austria during the revolution and take shelter in refugee camps. Eventually, some of these refugees ended up in Australia. Anika’s Aunt Tabilla, was one of these immigrants. What came through very clearly for me was the lack of trust that Anika displayed. I discovered that new immigrants from Communist countries struggled with suspicion and trust. When I understood what her family had been through, I understood where this attitude came from.
“In a war, soldiers wore uniforms and the enemy could be easily identified. But in a totalitarian regime like theirs, the enemy could have been anyone. It was necessary always to be careful and always to trust no one.”
I loved the juxtaposition and contrasts in Booth’s writing! The war-ravaged Hungary set against the new land of opportunity, Australia, lent itself to a compelling story featuring a painting that symbolized the journey.
The thread running through the well-plotted story is that in order for Anika to succeed in her new, chosen country, she must address her past as well as the secret past of her family.
You’ll love this unique story set in Hungary and Australia written with the perfect balance of romance, mystery, political unrest, art, architecture, and historical facts.
To be published July 15, 2021, I don’t think it’s coincidence that “The Painting” is to be published on the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Soviet Union.
I was gifted this advance copy by Alison Booth, Red Door Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Booth’s story came together, and she named the girl in her 20s, her protagonist, Anika Molnar. In an effort to know the truth about the painting, Anika sets off for Budapest to find out how and why her grandparents came to possess a priceless French Impressionist painting. She can’t understand how her Uncle Tomas, an engineering student from a butcher’s family, could afford such a painting. It leads her on a quest to uncover hidden secrets in her family’s past.
Although I have visited Hungary, I was ignorant of its history. I was unaware that Russia had invaded in November 1956 to quash an uprising. Many had managed to cross the border into Austria during the revolution and take shelter in refugee camps. Eventually, some of these refugees ended up in Australia. Anika’s Aunt Tabilla, was one of these immigrants. What came through very clearly for me was the lack of trust that Anika displayed. I discovered that new immigrants from Communist countries struggled with suspicion and trust. When I understood what her family had been through, I understood where this attitude came from.
“In a war, soldiers wore uniforms and the enemy could be easily identified. But in a totalitarian regime like theirs, the enemy could have been anyone. It was necessary always to be careful and always to trust no one.”
I loved the juxtaposition and contrasts in Booth’s writing! The war-ravaged Hungary set against the new land of opportunity, Australia, lent itself to a compelling story featuring a painting that symbolized the journey.
The thread running through the well-plotted story is that in order for Anika to succeed in her new, chosen country, she must address her past as well as the secret past of her family.
You’ll love this unique story set in Hungary and Australia written with the perfect balance of romance, mystery, political unrest, art, architecture, and historical facts.
To be published July 15, 2021, I don’t think it’s coincidence that “The Painting” is to be published on the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Soviet Union.
I was gifted this advance copy by Alison Booth, Red Door Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
June 23, 2021
Keen for a historical fiction read and after being gifted this copy of 'The Painting' I was keen to step back in time.
Here are my thoughts as I read:
-'Fake or Fortune' vibes
-I like the mystery of the story, there is a good slice of tension threaded throughout
- Alarm bells were certainly ringing for a number of characters especially Daniel and Julius. These also seemed too obvious to be the robbers.
-The sentimental nature of paintings and the emotional attachments that people have to them is clear throughout the story.
-Julius' connection to the painting seemed so co-incidental. The connection between her aunty and Julius never seemed to be explained. I'm not sure why, when he told his story, he wasn't met with suspicion. What was it about Julius that she believed his story?
- The message of art being an sense of escapism especially in a post-war world was insightful.
-I have learnt lots of new things about Hungary as well as the concept of keeping art as an asset instead of money to avoid looking suspicious.
-Nazi's stealing and looting art isn't new but the story made it more personal.
-Jonno is still super creepy to me. I'm also not rooting for Daniel though. There was an attempt at a love triangle but it fell short for me.
-Psychological scars of living under a communist regime are so evident and how living under the regime can transfer into life after the regime afterwards.
Overall, I wasn't thrilled by the ending. I'm glad Anika returned to Hungary and was reunited with her family and was able to learn more about her uncle Tomas and see her grandmother again. I still feel uneasy about Julius and Daniel but glad to find out what happened to the painting.
Memorable quotes were on pages 12, 234 and 249.
Here are my thoughts as I read:
-'Fake or Fortune' vibes
-I like the mystery of the story, there is a good slice of tension threaded throughout
- Alarm bells were certainly ringing for a number of characters especially Daniel and Julius. These also seemed too obvious to be the robbers.
-The sentimental nature of paintings and the emotional attachments that people have to them is clear throughout the story.
-Julius' connection to the painting seemed so co-incidental. The connection between her aunty and Julius never seemed to be explained. I'm not sure why, when he told his story, he wasn't met with suspicion. What was it about Julius that she believed his story?
- The message of art being an sense of escapism especially in a post-war world was insightful.
-I have learnt lots of new things about Hungary as well as the concept of keeping art as an asset instead of money to avoid looking suspicious.
-Nazi's stealing and looting art isn't new but the story made it more personal.
-Jonno is still super creepy to me. I'm also not rooting for Daniel though. There was an attempt at a love triangle but it fell short for me.
-Psychological scars of living under a communist regime are so evident and how living under the regime can transfer into life after the regime afterwards.
Overall, I wasn't thrilled by the ending. I'm glad Anika returned to Hungary and was reunited with her family and was able to learn more about her uncle Tomas and see her grandmother again. I still feel uneasy about Julius and Daniel but glad to find out what happened to the painting.
Memorable quotes were on pages 12, 234 and 249.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2021
This book had so many twists and turns that it kept me guessing and captivated throughout its entire read. I can truly say that it's been one of my favourite novels I've read so far this year.
Anika is infatuated with a painting that has been in her family for as long as she can remember. After her aunt's encouragement, Anika brings the painting to an art gallery to have it examined with hopes that it can be identified as money has become tight since she has fled the communist reign in Budapest for refuge in Australia. It is during the examination that Anika discovers that the painting was not painted by a Hungarian artist as she once thought, but rather by a French Impressionist. The curator implores Anika to have its provenance in order to show that it truly is hers.
Searching for the provenance of the painting becomes much more difficult when the painting is stolen one evening while Anika and her aunt are out. An already distrustful Anika will have to learn to open herself up in order to solve the mystery of the painting and unlock the secrets that her family cannot and will not speak about..
Anika is infatuated with a painting that has been in her family for as long as she can remember. After her aunt's encouragement, Anika brings the painting to an art gallery to have it examined with hopes that it can be identified as money has become tight since she has fled the communist reign in Budapest for refuge in Australia. It is during the examination that Anika discovers that the painting was not painted by a Hungarian artist as she once thought, but rather by a French Impressionist. The curator implores Anika to have its provenance in order to show that it truly is hers.
Searching for the provenance of the painting becomes much more difficult when the painting is stolen one evening while Anika and her aunt are out. An already distrustful Anika will have to learn to open herself up in order to solve the mystery of the painting and unlock the secrets that her family cannot and will not speak about..
January 4, 2022
ARC received in exchange for an Honest Review
Thank you to Red Door Press and NetGalley!
"Once you crossed the ocean you were always on the wrong side. That was the lot of the immigrant, belonging everywhere but nowhere"
The Painting by Australian novelist, Alison Booth is a novel set in 1989, the same year the Iron Curtain was broken and the Berlin Wall was taken down on live television. Anika Molnar has fled her native Budapest and in the changing times, she wonders if she will ever see her family again. Luckily for her, she is not alone. Anika lives with her aunt that fled Hungary after the Revolution of 1956 that took the life of her husband, Anika's uncle. The only thing these two women have to remind them of him is a painting that Anika took with her from Budapest. Until the painting goes missing. Until more people heard about it. Until several men are around Anika inquiring on the precedence of such an expensive painting coming from Budapest under the communist regime when no paintings could have been bought in a legal way. That is when Anika starts looking back, asking her always secretive family to remember the horrors of war and occupation under Germans and Russians.
Honestly, The Painting is a novel about family, war, immigration, and how to move forward after living vigilant and guarded your whole life. The painting is an excuse to take you in these themes, but for me, what I valued the most about this novel was that it showed me how little I knew about Hungary and the extent of communism in other countries. Historical fiction often focuses only on Germany and France when exploring these years of pain, but Alison Booth presents us with a fresh take, focusing on Hungary and Australia, both left to the side, but that formed part of the story that for some reason, we are always trying to reduce. 1989, that is not that far away. 1989 was 32 years ago. There are men and women in their 30's that probably have parents living with war trauma in Budapest, and I think it is disrespectful that more books don't address them as victims as much as we do with other countries. I am thankful Booth is remembering and honoring them while teaching people like me about the history of Hungary and the brave lives that were taken. For that, I think this novel should be read and incite you to read more about the topic.
*SPOILER
However, I found the beginning kinda slow and the mystery of who took the painting kinda unnecessary to the end. As I said, the painting is just an excuse for Anika to be pushed into investigating her family and the truth, so there was no need to be brought back at the end.
*END OF SPOILER
The writing style is a little bit repetitive and slow at the beginning for my taste (the painting takes forever to be stolen for example) but once we are taken to Budapest, I was enchanted with the story and the way Booth portrayed the trauma that the characters lived with, and the pain memories caused them.
Moreover, my copy had several typing mistakes (nothing too scandalous, but that I hope the end result will not have) and often felt repetitive due to some expressions that were overused in my opinion. This is all personal opinion of course, and I don't know if the published novel will have these issues.
Be sure to check my youtube channel and other social media for more book recommendations at Isabel's Digest
Thank you to Red Door Press and NetGalley!
"Once you crossed the ocean you were always on the wrong side. That was the lot of the immigrant, belonging everywhere but nowhere"
The Painting by Australian novelist, Alison Booth is a novel set in 1989, the same year the Iron Curtain was broken and the Berlin Wall was taken down on live television. Anika Molnar has fled her native Budapest and in the changing times, she wonders if she will ever see her family again. Luckily for her, she is not alone. Anika lives with her aunt that fled Hungary after the Revolution of 1956 that took the life of her husband, Anika's uncle. The only thing these two women have to remind them of him is a painting that Anika took with her from Budapest. Until the painting goes missing. Until more people heard about it. Until several men are around Anika inquiring on the precedence of such an expensive painting coming from Budapest under the communist regime when no paintings could have been bought in a legal way. That is when Anika starts looking back, asking her always secretive family to remember the horrors of war and occupation under Germans and Russians.
Honestly, The Painting is a novel about family, war, immigration, and how to move forward after living vigilant and guarded your whole life. The painting is an excuse to take you in these themes, but for me, what I valued the most about this novel was that it showed me how little I knew about Hungary and the extent of communism in other countries. Historical fiction often focuses only on Germany and France when exploring these years of pain, but Alison Booth presents us with a fresh take, focusing on Hungary and Australia, both left to the side, but that formed part of the story that for some reason, we are always trying to reduce. 1989, that is not that far away. 1989 was 32 years ago. There are men and women in their 30's that probably have parents living with war trauma in Budapest, and I think it is disrespectful that more books don't address them as victims as much as we do with other countries. I am thankful Booth is remembering and honoring them while teaching people like me about the history of Hungary and the brave lives that were taken. For that, I think this novel should be read and incite you to read more about the topic.
*SPOILER
However, I found the beginning kinda slow and the mystery of who took the painting kinda unnecessary to the end. As I said, the painting is just an excuse for Anika to be pushed into investigating her family and the truth, so there was no need to be brought back at the end.
*END OF SPOILER
The writing style is a little bit repetitive and slow at the beginning for my taste (the painting takes forever to be stolen for example) but once we are taken to Budapest, I was enchanted with the story and the way Booth portrayed the trauma that the characters lived with, and the pain memories caused them.
Moreover, my copy had several typing mistakes (nothing too scandalous, but that I hope the end result will not have) and often felt repetitive due to some expressions that were overused in my opinion. This is all personal opinion of course, and I don't know if the published novel will have these issues.
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June 13, 2021
A story that will linger in one's mind long after finishing the book. I found the settings of Sydney in 1989, and Budapest, just as the USSR was losing its grip on Eastern Europe particularly compelling.
Anika Molner is a powerful character, as she delves deep into the provenance of a painting she has smuggled out of Communist Hungary.
This is an emotional rollercoaster, full of suspenseful moments; love, fate and history creating a masterpiece. A novel not to be missed.
Anika Molner is a powerful character, as she delves deep into the provenance of a painting she has smuggled out of Communist Hungary.
This is an emotional rollercoaster, full of suspenseful moments; love, fate and history creating a masterpiece. A novel not to be missed.
May 30, 2021
In the late 1980s, Hungarian-born Anika fled her country, which, at the time, was controlled by the Soviet Union, to start a new life in Sydney. With her, she brought only a few belongings and a beautiful painting her family had given her. After taking the painting to be valued, Anika discovers that she has been harbouring a highly valuable original piece by a famous artist. Whilst trying to uncover its provenance after the painting is stolen from her, she unearths some dark family secrets.
I loved reading The Painting. I found it to be beautifully written. The plot was very straightforward which wasn’t a bad thing on the whole, but at times it became a little repetitive. After the painting was stolen, Anika’s suspicion and mistrust of everyone emanated off the pages. Mystery and historical fiction are among my favourite genres and The Painting expertly blends the two together.
I instantly warmed to Anika. In many ways, she reminded me of myself; a young woman who made the life changing decision to move from Europe to Sydney. She mentions often, of her missing home and not being able to go back to visit, which I can completely empathise with.
What I found fascinating, and yet shocking at the same time, was just how controlled communications in and out of Hungary were under Communist control. Anika talks about how her letters and calls home were monitored by the state, so any chance of talking openly about contraband paintings could have left her family in serious trouble.
Overall, this is a great read if you’re looking for a relatively uncomplicated, yet page turning mystery, with a side of Eastern European history.
I loved reading The Painting. I found it to be beautifully written. The plot was very straightforward which wasn’t a bad thing on the whole, but at times it became a little repetitive. After the painting was stolen, Anika’s suspicion and mistrust of everyone emanated off the pages. Mystery and historical fiction are among my favourite genres and The Painting expertly blends the two together.
I instantly warmed to Anika. In many ways, she reminded me of myself; a young woman who made the life changing decision to move from Europe to Sydney. She mentions often, of her missing home and not being able to go back to visit, which I can completely empathise with.
What I found fascinating, and yet shocking at the same time, was just how controlled communications in and out of Hungary were under Communist control. Anika talks about how her letters and calls home were monitored by the state, so any chance of talking openly about contraband paintings could have left her family in serious trouble.
Overall, this is a great read if you’re looking for a relatively uncomplicated, yet page turning mystery, with a side of Eastern European history.
May 27, 2021
After the flight from Hungary, which was then (1989) still iron curtain country, Anika Molnar lives in Australia with her aunt Tabilla. All that she brought from home was a little suitcase and a beautiful painting, the family heritage.
When she starts to inquire into the provenance and potential price of the painting, significant events happen with far-reaching consequences.
The novelist weaved a marvelous story about young woman and her quest for better life in the new continent, culture and language. For fresh start, she has to confront not only her past, but also the past of all her family.
Anika's struggle is thoroughly described and the reader feels for her and family members who survived WW2 and communist regime. The painting is the symbol of everything that people went through, all emotions, from love to hate and above all trust and hope.
Enthralling read.
When she starts to inquire into the provenance and potential price of the painting, significant events happen with far-reaching consequences.
The novelist weaved a marvelous story about young woman and her quest for better life in the new continent, culture and language. For fresh start, she has to confront not only her past, but also the past of all her family.
Anika's struggle is thoroughly described and the reader feels for her and family members who survived WW2 and communist regime. The painting is the symbol of everything that people went through, all emotions, from love to hate and above all trust and hope.
Enthralling read.
June 15, 2022
A well written and intriguing story about a beautiful painting and a lovely Hungarian immigrant trying to find her self in a new country. Great characters and a wonderful sense of place permeate this enjoyable novel. There is a shadow of the dark European history that contrasts with the bright possibility and promise of Anika’s new life in Sydney. There are family secrets she must uncover before she can breathe freely. Loved this book.
July 19, 2021
When Anika Molnar fled her home country of Hungary for freedom beyond the Iron Curtain in Australia, she was looking forward to a life full of opportunity without the suspicion that clouds the existence of all living under the watchful eye of Soviet masters. So far, her new life has been just what she was hoping for, apart from the usual struggles of a newly arrived immigrant: living with her Aunt Tabilla in a quiet Sydney suburb, she is studying to be an architect, and working to view life in a more positive way, but she misses her family terribly and cannot imagine how she will ever see them again.
Other than a small suitcase, Anika brought with her very little in the way of possessions, apart from a small painting of an auburn-haired woman in a cobalt blue dress which once belonged to her Uncle Tomas, that she intended to give to her aunt as a reminder of her late husband. Since the painting only reminds Tabilla of all she has lost in Hungary following the death of Tomas, and her own traumatic flight after the Hungarian Revolution, she gifts the painting to Anika instead. Anika places the picture on her bedroom wall as a reminder of the things she too has lost.
One weekend, Anika decides to take the painting to an event at The Art Gallery of New South Wales hoping they will be able to tell her something about its history. Her grandmother always told her it was by a Hungarian artist and Tomas acquired it during WWII, but she knows nothing else about it, not even the name of the artist. When she discovers that this painting is actually by a famous French Impressionist her life is turned upside down, and she is left with many questions she has no answers to. How can she ever find out the truth when the only people she can ask are trapped thousands of miles away?
When the painting is stolen from Anika's bedroom wall one afternoon, seemingly in a well planned operation, she struggles with the fact that she may never know the truth about not only this painting, but the others that hang away from prying eyes in her grandmother's apartment back home in Hungary. The only way to find her answers, and settle her worries about her family's past is to head back to Hungary and ask some uncomfortable questions to her loved ones - and with the fall of the Berlin Wall, her chance has finally come.
The Painting is a slow burning, and complex, genre busting combination of mystery, thriller and romance, which beautifully contrasts the idea of what it means to be free by comparing life in Australia with that under the weight of the oppressive regime in Hungary during the Cold War - and in doing so, takes us on a journey filled with raw and uncomfortable truths that have been kept as closely guarded family secrets for so long.
While I am not about to delve into what Anika discovers about the painting, her family, and herself in her quest to uncover the truth, I can tell you that this compelling and well-researched novel will take you to some dark places. Alison Booth writes movingly about the horrific events that took place in Hungary during WWII in those terrible days when Nazi occupation was replaced with an equally brutal new regime in the form of the Russian army, and the way this affected the lives of those forced to endure what followed.
Interestingly, she does not do this with a blow by blow account of events, but rather through the gradual unveiling of the truth through the interactions of Anika with her family members, highlighting how their lives were shaped by events and exploring the disparity between their outlooks and behaviours. In many ways, the painting itself is not the central theme here, but rather a device to show the understanding that comes with openness, to acknowledge the pain of the past, and to to bring about redemption and forgiveness, which I found intriguing.
Inevitably, this is a story full of poignant echoes of grief and loss in many forms, but it is also thrums with the deep love of family, and examines the myriad ways in which we remember the past. It's evocative, emotional and engrossing, with an ending that ties up all the loose ends with a lovely message of hope.
Other than a small suitcase, Anika brought with her very little in the way of possessions, apart from a small painting of an auburn-haired woman in a cobalt blue dress which once belonged to her Uncle Tomas, that she intended to give to her aunt as a reminder of her late husband. Since the painting only reminds Tabilla of all she has lost in Hungary following the death of Tomas, and her own traumatic flight after the Hungarian Revolution, she gifts the painting to Anika instead. Anika places the picture on her bedroom wall as a reminder of the things she too has lost.
One weekend, Anika decides to take the painting to an event at The Art Gallery of New South Wales hoping they will be able to tell her something about its history. Her grandmother always told her it was by a Hungarian artist and Tomas acquired it during WWII, but she knows nothing else about it, not even the name of the artist. When she discovers that this painting is actually by a famous French Impressionist her life is turned upside down, and she is left with many questions she has no answers to. How can she ever find out the truth when the only people she can ask are trapped thousands of miles away?
When the painting is stolen from Anika's bedroom wall one afternoon, seemingly in a well planned operation, she struggles with the fact that she may never know the truth about not only this painting, but the others that hang away from prying eyes in her grandmother's apartment back home in Hungary. The only way to find her answers, and settle her worries about her family's past is to head back to Hungary and ask some uncomfortable questions to her loved ones - and with the fall of the Berlin Wall, her chance has finally come.
The Painting is a slow burning, and complex, genre busting combination of mystery, thriller and romance, which beautifully contrasts the idea of what it means to be free by comparing life in Australia with that under the weight of the oppressive regime in Hungary during the Cold War - and in doing so, takes us on a journey filled with raw and uncomfortable truths that have been kept as closely guarded family secrets for so long.
While I am not about to delve into what Anika discovers about the painting, her family, and herself in her quest to uncover the truth, I can tell you that this compelling and well-researched novel will take you to some dark places. Alison Booth writes movingly about the horrific events that took place in Hungary during WWII in those terrible days when Nazi occupation was replaced with an equally brutal new regime in the form of the Russian army, and the way this affected the lives of those forced to endure what followed.
Interestingly, she does not do this with a blow by blow account of events, but rather through the gradual unveiling of the truth through the interactions of Anika with her family members, highlighting how their lives were shaped by events and exploring the disparity between their outlooks and behaviours. In many ways, the painting itself is not the central theme here, but rather a device to show the understanding that comes with openness, to acknowledge the pain of the past, and to to bring about redemption and forgiveness, which I found intriguing.
Inevitably, this is a story full of poignant echoes of grief and loss in many forms, but it is also thrums with the deep love of family, and examines the myriad ways in which we remember the past. It's evocative, emotional and engrossing, with an ending that ties up all the loose ends with a lovely message of hope.
July 7, 2021
The Painting - Alison Booth
When Anika Molnar flees her home country of Hungary not long before the break-up of the Soviet Union, she carries only a small suitcase - and a beautiful and much-loved painting of an auburn-haired woman in a cobalt blue dress from her family's hidden collection. Arriving in Australia, Anika moves in with her aunt in Sydney, and the painting hangs in pride of place in her bedroom. But one day it is stolen in what seems to be a carefully planned theft, and Anika's carefree life takes a more ominous turn. Sinister secrets from her family's past and Hungary's fraught history cast suspicion over the painting's provenance, and she embarks on a gripping quest to uncover the truth.
There is such a contrast in this story between war torn Hungary, where you can trust no-one and Australia, free and safe. The descriptions were beautifully evocative which I loved.
Anika has clearly had a difficult time in Hungary and no one is forthcoming with information when she tries to discover more about her painting and her families history. She is quite naive and trusting in her relationships, but she has taken a liking to Daniel and another man Jonny seems interested in her too. I liked Anika but I was very mistrustful of a lot of the male characters! There seemed to be a lot of hidden agendas. Aunt Tabilla seems kind but won’t speak about the painting, Anikas parents are still in Hungary and watched. Any phone calls are listened in to - I didn’t know where this was going and the eventual unmasking of the thief was a surprise. Anika has to confront the ghosts of her families history, I loved the connection with her grandmother, this felt really special and reminded me of my own family connections
‘When you were born and bred under communism, you didn’t think of insurance.’
An evocative but thoughtful mystery, The Painting made me think more about our history, how badly humans treat each other and it made me think about how and who we trust.
For me, this book felt ultimately about family and love. To be able to spend time with your loved ones and talk, really talk and listen is so important and this really brought this home to me.
[AD-PR PRODUCT]
Thank you to Helen Richardson PR, Alison Booth and Red Door Books for my copy of the book
When Anika Molnar flees her home country of Hungary not long before the break-up of the Soviet Union, she carries only a small suitcase - and a beautiful and much-loved painting of an auburn-haired woman in a cobalt blue dress from her family's hidden collection. Arriving in Australia, Anika moves in with her aunt in Sydney, and the painting hangs in pride of place in her bedroom. But one day it is stolen in what seems to be a carefully planned theft, and Anika's carefree life takes a more ominous turn. Sinister secrets from her family's past and Hungary's fraught history cast suspicion over the painting's provenance, and she embarks on a gripping quest to uncover the truth.
There is such a contrast in this story between war torn Hungary, where you can trust no-one and Australia, free and safe. The descriptions were beautifully evocative which I loved.
Anika has clearly had a difficult time in Hungary and no one is forthcoming with information when she tries to discover more about her painting and her families history. She is quite naive and trusting in her relationships, but she has taken a liking to Daniel and another man Jonny seems interested in her too. I liked Anika but I was very mistrustful of a lot of the male characters! There seemed to be a lot of hidden agendas. Aunt Tabilla seems kind but won’t speak about the painting, Anikas parents are still in Hungary and watched. Any phone calls are listened in to - I didn’t know where this was going and the eventual unmasking of the thief was a surprise. Anika has to confront the ghosts of her families history, I loved the connection with her grandmother, this felt really special and reminded me of my own family connections
‘When you were born and bred under communism, you didn’t think of insurance.’
An evocative but thoughtful mystery, The Painting made me think more about our history, how badly humans treat each other and it made me think about how and who we trust.
For me, this book felt ultimately about family and love. To be able to spend time with your loved ones and talk, really talk and listen is so important and this really brought this home to me.
[AD-PR PRODUCT]
Thank you to Helen Richardson PR, Alison Booth and Red Door Books for my copy of the book
July 17, 2021
I really enjoyed this story of family secrets and the hunt for a lost painting.
Anika fled her homeland Hungary to escape the horror of Soviet Union rule, and is now living in Sydney with her aunt Tabilla. When her aunt encourages her to get a painting which she brought over from Hungary evaluated, she realises that it is worth a lot more than expected - and she has no idea where her family got it from. When the painting is stolen from her home, it leads her to unravel a family history tainted by war and loss, taking her home to Hungary in light of the collapse of the Berlin Wall. But with so many people suddenly interested in her, Anika has no idea who she can trust - even in her own family…
I’d call this a bit of a historical mystery, but certainly not in a creepy way. There’s so much incredible historical detail about life in Hungary under the Soviets, and about the terrible abuses suffered by the Hungarian people that I didn’t know enough about.
Anika can be a difficult character to warm to as she’s quite guarded, but as we find out more about her past it’s clear that she’s had to be - and I love her ‘pluck’ for going back to Hungary to investigate the provenance of the painting and confront her family.
The only part which I struggled with a little was the dialogue with the two men who enter her life at the time that she goes to get the painting evaluated - it didn’t feel especially natural, and in any normal scenario their behaviour should’ve thrown up a hundred red flags and had her running the other way rather than forming connections with them. But of course, what is any story without a little romance?
My biggest joy in reading this, aside from the brilliant suspense the author creates, is the Sydney setting. Hearing of all these familiar places took me right back to one of my favourite places and for that I’m always grateful!
Anika fled her homeland Hungary to escape the horror of Soviet Union rule, and is now living in Sydney with her aunt Tabilla. When her aunt encourages her to get a painting which she brought over from Hungary evaluated, she realises that it is worth a lot more than expected - and she has no idea where her family got it from. When the painting is stolen from her home, it leads her to unravel a family history tainted by war and loss, taking her home to Hungary in light of the collapse of the Berlin Wall. But with so many people suddenly interested in her, Anika has no idea who she can trust - even in her own family…
I’d call this a bit of a historical mystery, but certainly not in a creepy way. There’s so much incredible historical detail about life in Hungary under the Soviets, and about the terrible abuses suffered by the Hungarian people that I didn’t know enough about.
Anika can be a difficult character to warm to as she’s quite guarded, but as we find out more about her past it’s clear that she’s had to be - and I love her ‘pluck’ for going back to Hungary to investigate the provenance of the painting and confront her family.
The only part which I struggled with a little was the dialogue with the two men who enter her life at the time that she goes to get the painting evaluated - it didn’t feel especially natural, and in any normal scenario their behaviour should’ve thrown up a hundred red flags and had her running the other way rather than forming connections with them. But of course, what is any story without a little romance?
My biggest joy in reading this, aside from the brilliant suspense the author creates, is the Sydney setting. Hearing of all these familiar places took me right back to one of my favourite places and for that I’m always grateful!
April 4, 2025
The Painting tells the story of a young Hungarian woman Anika who fled her home to Australia to live with her aunt in the 1980s. Hungary is still very much under the control of the Soviet Union with phone lines tapped and letters opened by officials. She flees with very little possessions but she travels with a beautiful painting of an auburn haired woman in a cobalt blue dress from her family's hidden collection. However, Anika doesn't realise the true value of this painting until one day she gets it priced in a local art museum. Soon after this the painting is stolen from her home and Anika must piece together her family's past and the importance of the painting along with the truth of who took the painting.
I enjoyed but didn't love this book! It took me quite a while to get into it and I found the pacing a little slow hence the three stars. If the pacing was a little faster I would have enjoyed this more as I felt it dragged a little in parts. Elements I did love were the relationship between Anika and her aunt Tabilla. They had such a loving relationship and I loved when Tabilla opened up about her resistant past in Hungary and why she had to flee to Australia. I would have loved to have read more on this especially her fleeing experience, it briefly touches it but doesn't go into too much detail. I think that's the issue I had with this book it goes into too much detail for the mundane everyday life of Anika and her job but then big moments like this and when Anika's grandmother opens up about life under the soviet's is just briefly mentioned and then moved on. When I wanted to read more on them as they were such interesting elements. It does give a different perspective of life after WWII especially for countries under the control of the soviets and I enjoyed this element. I loved the chapters where Anika travels back to Hungary to learn more about her family's past, these were my favourite chapters and I would have loved more information in those chapters.
Overall, I enjoyed this one but didn't love it but it was a quick read!
I enjoyed but didn't love this book! It took me quite a while to get into it and I found the pacing a little slow hence the three stars. If the pacing was a little faster I would have enjoyed this more as I felt it dragged a little in parts. Elements I did love were the relationship between Anika and her aunt Tabilla. They had such a loving relationship and I loved when Tabilla opened up about her resistant past in Hungary and why she had to flee to Australia. I would have loved to have read more on this especially her fleeing experience, it briefly touches it but doesn't go into too much detail. I think that's the issue I had with this book it goes into too much detail for the mundane everyday life of Anika and her job but then big moments like this and when Anika's grandmother opens up about life under the soviet's is just briefly mentioned and then moved on. When I wanted to read more on them as they were such interesting elements. It does give a different perspective of life after WWII especially for countries under the control of the soviets and I enjoyed this element. I loved the chapters where Anika travels back to Hungary to learn more about her family's past, these were my favourite chapters and I would have loved more information in those chapters.
Overall, I enjoyed this one but didn't love it but it was a quick read!
July 18, 2021
Anika flees from Hungary to Australia with a painting which is a gift from her father and hangs it in the living room of her aunt's house. The painting seems to have a known value. However, the painting gets stolen and the painting seems to have a history spanning during the WWII years to Hungarian Revolution.
The plot sounded interesting to me. In the beginning, it was a little bit boring, but in the middle part of the book, the story gets interesting with the painting being stolen and the history behind the painting fascinated and intrigued me at the same time. Nonetheless, the story was set when Berlin Wall collapses and the end of Soviet Union with Hungary having their first elections after years of communism rule so the author did a good job researching about the history. The writing was great however and so are the characters.
Overall, it was actually a good book--worth three and a half stars in my opinion. I haven't read any books from this author but I would like to read more books from her in future.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
The plot sounded interesting to me. In the beginning, it was a little bit boring, but in the middle part of the book, the story gets interesting with the painting being stolen and the history behind the painting fascinated and intrigued me at the same time. Nonetheless, the story was set when Berlin Wall collapses and the end of Soviet Union with Hungary having their first elections after years of communism rule so the author did a good job researching about the history. The writing was great however and so are the characters.
Overall, it was actually a good book--worth three and a half stars in my opinion. I haven't read any books from this author but I would like to read more books from her in future.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
September 20, 2021
Last year I had the great pleasure of reading Alison Booth’s The Philosopher’s Daughters; thought-provoking historical fiction in a writing style I found captivating. For this reason, I was already inclined to read whatever she published next. That her latest release couples an art mystery with an exploration of the migrant experience, both topics I am particularly drawn to, was just an added bonus.
From the opening lines of The Painting readers are treated to Booth’s trademark evocative literary style:
"Aunt Tabilla was banging about downstairs, rattling crockery and crashing saucepan lids like cymbals, an early morning concerto that only Anika could hear."
Booth has a real knack of drawing out the musicality of the everyday and bringing an artist’s eye to the most mundane aspects of urban living. Continue reading >> https://www.bookloverbookreviews.com/...
From the opening lines of The Painting readers are treated to Booth’s trademark evocative literary style:
"Aunt Tabilla was banging about downstairs, rattling crockery and crashing saucepan lids like cymbals, an early morning concerto that only Anika could hear."
Booth has a real knack of drawing out the musicality of the everyday and bringing an artist’s eye to the most mundane aspects of urban living. Continue reading >> https://www.bookloverbookreviews.com/...
July 24, 2021
Having not read anything by Alison Booth before I was excited to read The Painting.
This was such an engrossing read. It is written in a beautiful and descriptive way depicting loyalty, trust and love.
Set c.1989 between Sydney, Australia and Hungary. Annika Molar having fled Hungary just before the break up of the Soviet Union now lives with her Aunt Tabilla in Sydney, Australia. She brought with her one of her most treasured possessions, a painting of an auburn haired woman from her grandmother's collection but with an unknown provenance. Her aunt encourages Anika to get the painting valued - it seems it is worth quite a bit of money. However, the painting gets stolen from their home and this in turn forces Anika to address secrets from her family's past. But who can she trust?
I loved the subtle tension running through the storyline and the mystery surrounding the painting.
From a historical aspect this book was able to show the psychological scars experienced by so many who had lived under a communist regime.
Enlightening and enjoyable.
This was such an engrossing read. It is written in a beautiful and descriptive way depicting loyalty, trust and love.
Set c.1989 between Sydney, Australia and Hungary. Annika Molar having fled Hungary just before the break up of the Soviet Union now lives with her Aunt Tabilla in Sydney, Australia. She brought with her one of her most treasured possessions, a painting of an auburn haired woman from her grandmother's collection but with an unknown provenance. Her aunt encourages Anika to get the painting valued - it seems it is worth quite a bit of money. However, the painting gets stolen from their home and this in turn forces Anika to address secrets from her family's past. But who can she trust?
I loved the subtle tension running through the storyline and the mystery surrounding the painting.
From a historical aspect this book was able to show the psychological scars experienced by so many who had lived under a communist regime.
Enlightening and enjoyable.
Read
July 27, 2021 On reflection, this book draws me in because it includes, or touches upon, so many areas of real life. We move from the simple pleasure of sharing the vividly described setting, familiar to me as a Sydneysider of that era, to the darker layers of fear and memory a world away...and yet, is it really so foreign? Mystery and misunderstanding, perspectives of different ages and intentions, all these elements are interwoven as Anika moves through the places and situations of this story. Sometimes she needs to revise her stance, re-think, even apologise...this is something we can identify with, understand as part of how life happens.
Finally, we are left reflecting on loyalty, the need for truth and the importance of beauty in our lives. For me, this adds up to a book that can be enjoyed more than once, and its gifts of thought and image are a recurring delight.
Alison's work is always a rewarding read and this one is my current favourite!
Finally, we are left reflecting on loyalty, the need for truth and the importance of beauty in our lives. For me, this adds up to a book that can be enjoyed more than once, and its gifts of thought and image are a recurring delight.
Alison's work is always a rewarding read and this one is my current favourite!
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