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piapaya's review
This rating really isn’t representative of what I think of Courtney Maum’s writing abilities. A diary is a tricky form to pull off for an entire novel. I find it very self-conscious so I’m never able to forget that I’m reading a fictional narrative and that can really drive me crazy. It’s a lot like watching a puppet show where the puppeteer is completely visible.
zoya_08's review
4.0
4.5 STARSS I DONG GET WHY YALL DONT LIKE IT
It is so good but I dont like how it ended and it doesnt feel like a diary when I read it. It feels more like a normal book
It is so good but I dont like how it ended and it doesnt feel like a diary when I read it. It feels more like a normal book
opossumprotector's review
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
womanhollering's review
1.0
I don’t know why I read this book, I hate the surrealism movement. A lot of weird pedophile vibes throughout as well.
candacesiegle_greedyreader's review
4.0
The narrator of this novel is a fifteen year old girl living in rural 1940's Mexico where her wealthy mother has gathered. a coterie of European surrealist artists to keep them out of Hitler's hands. Leonora Callaway is an American art collector who uses her influence to save artists and tote them to a remote village to keep them safe. She brings daughter Lara as well, even though the girl would much rather be with her father and brother, going to school.
As readers, we should be glad Lara did get hauled along on this trip. Her diary is tart, well-observed, and funny. Nearly all the rescued artists are awful, as is her mother. They're stressed-out, drunk, nasty, scared by a lack of information coming from Europe and dwindling art supplies. Leonora tried to get the Louvre to store her extraordinary modern art collection before leaving Paris. The museum sneered at her and called the collection trash, so now the result of her audacious collecting is on a ship heading to New York, dodging submarines and bombs, at least everyone hopes. The terror of losing this work shimmers across Costalegre.
Lara is a wonderful narrator, and the story is loosely based on Peggy Guggenheim and her rocky relationship with her daughter Pegeen. Peggy was responsible for funding efforts to save at-risk artists during the war, and she did ship her extraordinary art collection to New York after the Louvre refused to hide it. Besides that? Who can say.
Now come the treat of reading Courtney Maum's other novels. She is a fine writer and "Costalegre" is thoughtful and a pleasure to read. I look forward to reading her existing work and watching for her in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book.
~~Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader
As readers, we should be glad Lara did get hauled along on this trip. Her diary is tart, well-observed, and funny. Nearly all the rescued artists are awful, as is her mother. They're stressed-out, drunk, nasty, scared by a lack of information coming from Europe and dwindling art supplies. Leonora tried to get the Louvre to store her extraordinary modern art collection before leaving Paris. The museum sneered at her and called the collection trash, so now the result of her audacious collecting is on a ship heading to New York, dodging submarines and bombs, at least everyone hopes. The terror of losing this work shimmers across Costalegre.
Lara is a wonderful narrator, and the story is loosely based on Peggy Guggenheim and her rocky relationship with her daughter Pegeen. Peggy was responsible for funding efforts to save at-risk artists during the war, and she did ship her extraordinary art collection to New York after the Louvre refused to hide it. Besides that? Who can say.
Now come the treat of reading Courtney Maum's other novels. She is a fine writer and "Costalegre" is thoughtful and a pleasure to read. I look forward to reading her existing work and watching for her in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book.
~~Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader
toniak's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
arayo's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death and War
Minor: Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, and Abortion