Madame Picasso

September 22, 2014
Twists and turns of fate are the hook for this intriguing story of love and loss. In 1911 Paris, Pablo Picasso feels uneasy, even though he's on the verge of wealth and fame as an artist. His longtime relationship with Fernande Olivier, who calls herself Madame Picasso although they're unmarried, is fraught with tension and infidelity. When Pablo meets Eva Gouel, a witty, ambitious seamstress at the famed Moulin Rouge, he becomes obsessed with her. Pablo and Eva embark on a passionate affair and a rich, cultured lifestyle in Paris with the best and brightest of the eraâGertrude Stein, Georges Braque, Henri Matisse, and Max Jacob. Eva is Pablo's muse, the one woman who understands him and his radical artwork. Happiness, however, is short-lived as they faced an escalating series of challenges, grappling with betrayal, decaying friendships, World War I, and a devastating illness. Girard creates a wonderful period piece, aptly conveying the spirit and irreverence of pre-WWI Paris. She impresses with her insight into the enigmatic, "renegade" Spanish expatriate during his cubist period; Picasso is characterized as kind and generous, as well as dark and difficult. Girard successfully captures the essence of an iconic figure during a brief, but pivotal, period of his life.

February 1, 2015

Leslie Carroll's dramatic narration of this fictionalized portrayal of Eva Gouel brings the waning world of la belle epoque to life. Gouel flees the mundanity of her suburban home to avoid an arranged marriage and ends up in Paris as a seamstress and costumer backstage at the risque Moulin Rouge. Here she meets and is befriended by a mercurial Mistinguett and soon draws the attention of Picasso, a noted roue then in his Cubist period and at the beginning of his blazing fame. They become lovers, he proclaims her his muse, and they plan to marry but tragedy intervenes. Appearances by such real-life figures as Henri Matisse, Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas, and Georges Braque enliven the novel. Beginning- and end-of-CD announcements make the audiobook easier to use. VERDICT Recommended for art lovers, historic fiction fans, and those who like a good romantic tale.--David Faucheux, Lafayette, LA

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