Of Flowers and Shadows

Portraits #2

by Anna Kirwan

Like the captivating bestseller, GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING, this exciting new series explores the stories behind the girls featured in some of the world's most dazzling paintings.

The year is 1879. Beautiful and headstrong orphan Aurelia Sandborn has no family to call her own. Fleeing from her sinister guardian, Aurelia finds herself in a Massachusetts village, where the townsfolk seem all too curious about her mysterious background. When Aurelia meets a charming boy named Wayland, she would like nto open her heart to him, but feels she cannot. Surprisingly she finds herself confiding the artist Winslow Homer, who is painting her portrait. And Homer himself may hold the key to the very truth about Aurelia's past...and future.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade, Art, Young Adult

192 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2005

About the author

Anna Kirwan is the best-selling author of two titles in The Royal Diaries series, Victoria, May Blossom of Britannia. She is an accomplished poet as well, and her work has appeared in a number of anthologies, including The Alchemist"s Retort and Alphabestiary. Anna Kirwan lives in Sunderland, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Iris Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing story woven around a painting. The characters and their personalities provided enjoyable reading of life from another time. Excellent dialogue exchange in their daily activities of living.

[Drucilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I think this book embodies what the Portrait series was meant to be. The painting and painter do figure into the story, but it is merely a small part of Aurelia's story. While some readers may think that the ending is wrapped up a bit too neatly, I like to think it just happens to be one of those weird life coincidences. I do have to admit though, with the throwing around of names towards the end, for a time, I thought Wayland was Aurelia's cousin, which would have made the blossoming romance between them very awkward and I am still confused about Mr.Grunreiter presence when Aurelia was shipwrecked. The only way the book could have been better would have been for the reader to see the confrontation scene of Mr.E. Hancock. .

[Shrilata Jonnalagadda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book’s plot is mediocre at its best. It entails Miss Aurelia Sandborn’s discovery of her family post a shipwreck which disconnects the teenager from her parents. Sadly, the synopsis itself is a spoiler. That’s all there is to it except for a tiny and negligible plot twist. But in case you indulge in Historical Fictions, do place this book on your list. It will surely take you on a safe, companionable and quiet journey. And the next time you ever happen to revisit the 1879 painting, you are sure to undergo a rather sweet train of thought.

[Sarah Frick · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Anna Tenório · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming, clean, and well written.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️❤️❤️

[James Crawford · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story starts out in 1879 with a girl around thirteen whose name is Aurelia Sandborn. Or, at least, that's the name she currently has. She survived a shipwreck when she was a baby, and her mother died in that accident. As a result, she was found, her real name unknown, but taken into a family.

She ends up having to flee the place she is living in when an older guy tries to make advances towards her. She settles elsewhere, starting life over as a housemaid. In this existence she meets the painter Winslow Homer, and ends up becoming a model for one of his paintings.

There's a lot of detail about the kind of life she leads, and the hard work that she does. In the end, though, everything works out fine and she even locates the family she really belongs with.

This is another of the series that basically takes an established work of art and tries to develop a story to explain how that piece of artwork actually came into being.

It's an interesting book, although perhaps a little too contrived in its nature of events.

[Shreya=Drastically Random. Find the emoticon. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was so cool..it was like a puzzle. You would get little bits and pieces of the plot, then it would all fit together at the end. Aurelia was a really interesting character to see, and so was Winslow. I hate mystery usually...but it was amazing in this book!

[Noor · Rating 2 out of 5]

wasn't a very inspiring story! it had a bit history about Massachusetts, which could make a good book on history of the said place rather than playing with the characters in the book and turning it into a novel. it barely had any story snd very little information about history of the place.

[Sarina Tuell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderfully written. Being an art fanatic, I loved this fictional story with a realistic background to the beautiful painting "Girl and Laurel" by Winslow Homer. Recommend to anyone who loves art, history and a search for family.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I checked this book out because I liked the art connection, but I didn't enjoy the plot as much as I'd hoped. Still, it was an interesting story and I enjoyed the art aspect. 04/05/2006

[Ashley Thompson]

Of Flowers and Shadows by Anna Kirwan (2005)

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice segway from art to story line for teens. I kept reading but the author could do better writting.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well it wasn't necessarily a bad book, absolutely nothing happened. At all. It was basically plotless (and didn't make up for it in any other areas either).

[Sheila Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

will have to see if I can't get this book I love these kinds of books when they are based on true stories.