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A review by appletonkelli
Pictures at an Exhibition by Sara Houghteling
4.0
When I realized that this story of a Jewish art dealer's family would be taking me into the days of World War 2 occupation I almost put it aside. I just felt like I could not handle concentration camps and death and loss and heartbreak. It's hard enough to face it in nonfiction, I was not up to letting it take center stage in my escapist fiction literature too. But, true to my vow to myself that every book deserves at least 80 pages before I give up on it, I persevered. I was very glad that I did.
This author does treat the suffering of Parisians during German occupation with compassion and honesty, but the real center of this book is what became of the art. What became of the art in public museums and what became of the art owned by private citizens? If you believe that this topic is better left to the history books and would be a yawner of a subject for a novel, reconsider and give this book a chance to prove you wrong.
I really did not find anything objectionable in this book. It deals with the cruelty of German occupation, love in time of war, and family secrets.
This author does treat the suffering of Parisians during German occupation with compassion and honesty, but the real center of this book is what became of the art. What became of the art in public museums and what became of the art owned by private citizens? If you believe that this topic is better left to the history books and would be a yawner of a subject for a novel, reconsider and give this book a chance to prove you wrong.
I really did not find anything objectionable in this book. It deals with the cruelty of German occupation, love in time of war, and family secrets.