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A review by maria_hossain
The Art of Traveling Strangers by Zoe Disigny
5.0
After a long, long time, I read a woman's fiction novel of my heart. From the beginning to the end, I never once felt bored or irritated or confused. I've never read anything by the author, Zoe Disigny, but from now on, I will. This is a book that celebrates female friendship, liberation, and dreams. Not once it preaches feminist mottos, but not once does it stop supporting all that I mentioned above.
THE ART OF TRAVELING STRANGERS is a woman's fiction novel set in the 1980s about an art history professor, Claire Markham, whose marriage is in some deep trouble. Her husband, Kurt, is low-key mentally, psychologically, and emotionally abusive, to the point he leaves her and his nine-year-old daughter to the cold. He constantly tries to manipulate, belittle, and control Claire to the point she's a mousy doormat whenever she's around him. This forces Claire, a love-starved lonely woman, to start an affair with her married psychiatrist, Alec, who proves to be a coward in the end. On top of that, Claire is also underappreciated and underpaid at her work, where her male colleagues of lesser skills get more than they deserve. Heartbroken and disappointed, Claire accepts an offer from one of her students, another married woman and a mother of one, Scarlet Vivien Chancey, to become her art guide on a tour to several cities in France and Italy. While touring the museums and shopping malls equally, Claire comes to learn that Viv is not the ditzy, floozy, dumb blonde she assumed at first, and that all that you see on the surface are not what you get when you dive deeper.
What I loved about this book comes multifold. As someone who loves to travel but hates the physical labor of traveling, this book is for me. I lived vicariously through this book and its simple yet vivid descriptions of beautiful cities in France and Italy. Claire and Viv embrace all the opportunities that present themselves to them while on this trip. Their visits to some of the world's most famous paintings, murals, and sculptures told me a lot about the art history of Europe. As an art historian herself, the author describes everything about the various periods in simple language that you won't need a dictionary to understand. Even the historical context of the things Claire and Viv visit are fascinating to learn. On top of that, the art descriptions aren't fillers or showoff. They provide valuable context and encouragement to the main story itself. The tales of several powerful women of Europe's history help with Claire and Viv's character arcs.
Another thing I loved about this book is how it champions female friendship, liberation, and dreams. Claire and Viv aren't like each other in most ways. Claire is an academic while Viv is a shopaholic who only finds pleasure from clothes, makeup, shopping, and likewise. Claire is a pessimist while Viv is an optimist. Claire prefers artistic things while Viv would like nothing but the luxuries of life. In many more ways, they aren't the same. However, deep down, they are. Both are protective mothers and affection-starved daughters. They both love their families and would go to any lengths to protect and take care of them. I also loved how, despite their surface differences, Claire and Viv come to learn more about each other and support, uplift, and help each other during their individually difficult times. Viv helps Claire face her abusive husband, her emotionally distant mother, the turbulent history of her parents, and the heartbreaking tale of her affair with Alec. Meanwhile, Claire helps Viv reconcile with her estranged brother, learn to appreciate art, and realize the gray shades of life. They both grow and help each other grow, no cat-fights or snide remarks about each other. I love how refreshing it is, especially for a book set in the 1980s.
I also love how it discusses female dreams and liberation. Although not physically abusive, Claire's husband abuses her a lot. Claire finds liberation from a toxic marriage and saves herself and her daughter from a life of oppression and manipulation. She also comes to learn more sides of her skills and expands her dreams. Claire begins to break out of the shell Kurt had imprisoned her once and learn to appreciate her dreams more, to the point she's ready to move from one continent to another. I love it when women do not give up on their dreams and instead pursues them single-mindedly and passionately. Why should men only get to pursue their dreams?
Thank you, NetGalley and Amplify Publishing Group, Subplot Publishing, for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
THE ART OF TRAVELING STRANGERS is a woman's fiction novel set in the 1980s about an art history professor, Claire Markham, whose marriage is in some deep trouble. Her husband, Kurt, is low-key mentally, psychologically, and emotionally abusive, to the point he leaves her and his nine-year-old daughter to the cold. He constantly tries to manipulate, belittle, and control Claire to the point she's a mousy doormat whenever she's around him. This forces Claire, a love-starved lonely woman, to start an affair with her married psychiatrist, Alec, who proves to be a coward in the end. On top of that, Claire is also underappreciated and underpaid at her work, where her male colleagues of lesser skills get more than they deserve. Heartbroken and disappointed, Claire accepts an offer from one of her students, another married woman and a mother of one, Scarlet Vivien Chancey, to become her art guide on a tour to several cities in France and Italy. While touring the museums and shopping malls equally, Claire comes to learn that Viv is not the ditzy, floozy, dumb blonde she assumed at first, and that all that you see on the surface are not what you get when you dive deeper.
What I loved about this book comes multifold. As someone who loves to travel but hates the physical labor of traveling, this book is for me. I lived vicariously through this book and its simple yet vivid descriptions of beautiful cities in France and Italy. Claire and Viv embrace all the opportunities that present themselves to them while on this trip. Their visits to some of the world's most famous paintings, murals, and sculptures told me a lot about the art history of Europe. As an art historian herself, the author describes everything about the various periods in simple language that you won't need a dictionary to understand. Even the historical context of the things Claire and Viv visit are fascinating to learn. On top of that, the art descriptions aren't fillers or showoff. They provide valuable context and encouragement to the main story itself. The tales of several powerful women of Europe's history help with Claire and Viv's character arcs.
Another thing I loved about this book is how it champions female friendship, liberation, and dreams. Claire and Viv aren't like each other in most ways. Claire is an academic while Viv is a shopaholic who only finds pleasure from clothes, makeup, shopping, and likewise. Claire is a pessimist while Viv is an optimist. Claire prefers artistic things while Viv would like nothing but the luxuries of life. In many more ways, they aren't the same. However, deep down, they are. Both are protective mothers and affection-starved daughters. They both love their families and would go to any lengths to protect and take care of them. I also loved how, despite their surface differences, Claire and Viv come to learn more about each other and support, uplift, and help each other during their individually difficult times. Viv helps Claire face her abusive husband, her emotionally distant mother, the turbulent history of her parents, and the heartbreaking tale of her affair with Alec. Meanwhile, Claire helps Viv reconcile with her estranged brother, learn to appreciate art, and realize the gray shades of life. They both grow and help each other grow, no cat-fights or snide remarks about each other. I love how refreshing it is, especially for a book set in the 1980s.
I also love how it discusses female dreams and liberation. Although not physically abusive, Claire's husband abuses her a lot. Claire finds liberation from a toxic marriage and saves herself and her daughter from a life of oppression and manipulation. She also comes to learn more sides of her skills and expands her dreams. Claire begins to break out of the shell Kurt had imprisoned her once and learn to appreciate her dreams more, to the point she's ready to move from one continent to another. I love it when women do not give up on their dreams and instead pursues them single-mindedly and passionately. Why should men only get to pursue their dreams?
Thank you, NetGalley and Amplify Publishing Group, Subplot Publishing, for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.