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A Piece of the World
October 2020: Other Books
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[Poll Ballot] A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline - 3 stars
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Set in the early 1900s to 1948, protagonist Christina lives on a farm with her parents and brothers in Cushing, Maine. Christina suffers from a rare muscle disease that increases in severity over time. Andrew Wyeth, an artist, lives nearby and enjoys creating paintings of the farm and its surroundings. This book is based on a real painting by Andrew Wyeth, “Christina’s World.” The author has created a fictional life for the woman in the painting. Christina narrates her life story in non-linear fashion, telling of her relationships, friendships, illness, and family dynamics.
I decided to read this book based on the reference to Andrew Wyeth, whose paintings I admire. I liked parts of this book, especially the segments about the art and the artist. The tone is melancholy. The pace is slow. At times it drifts into melodramatic territory. It is a sad story about a woman who leads a hard life without much hope for the future. I listened to the audio book, capably read by Polly Stone.