Although it touches on mental health issues that could be triggering for some, I still highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about familial relationships, societal pressures, parental expectations and sisterhood from a romantic bygone era that time hasn’t really changed. It is also very beautifully written with vivid descriptions of the fascinating and mysterious world of painting. And if you are a fan of historical fiction and art, this book will transport you to a bustling Bath, England and prior to that, an idyllic Ipswich in the 1700s where sisters Peggy and Molly, both daughters of prominent painter, Thomas Gainsborough, grew up.
What I like about this novel is its short chapters that switches back and forth between the story of Peggy and that of the mysterious Meg, who will later on be identified in the book.
I also like the writer’s accessible language and her wit as well shines through in the book that one can’t help but laugh out loud when they get to the comical scenes.
Conversely, the book deals with a heavy theme, as mentioned, mental health, which is probably the greatest conflict in the book and which Molly suffers from.
The book ends on a poignant note though and from what I understand, poses a question for us all, do we really have freedom over our lives if our choice entails that we relinquish it for the sake of others? That and the question of whether love really is sacrifice, is what I believe, the writer wants to ask of us and reveal to us in the layered manner of a pentimento, in this book.
