The Sculptress

Trigger warnings: war, abortion, disfigured soldiers, suicide

Emma Lewis Swan is a sculptress who makes masks for disfigured World War I soldiers.

The beginning of the novel is set in America, both in Vermont and Massachusetts. The story revolves around Emma Lewis' young life as she begins to study sculpture with the most prominent artist in the country. Her mother is displeased with the vulgarity (nudity) displayed in art and thinks that her daughter will end up a poor degenerate if she pursues art seriously.

When tragedy strikes her family, Emma is forced to give up her dreams of art school. She eventually marries Tom, who she's not in love with but provides her with a comfortable living. Emma Lewis Swan continues to sculpt and draw and her pieces are displayed and sold in a gallery.

Through the gallery, Emma meets a blind painter who she decides to use as a model because of his attractiveness. Rumors swirl around the pair, including rumors that he is homosexual and that Emma is having an affair with the man.

Emma decides to travel to France to escape the rumors and do some good instead of creating art for herself. Her new line of work is to create masks for soldiers who have disfigured faces.

Emma's past decisions come back to haunt her while she is in France, and she must choose how she wants to live her life going forward.

There are some cringy sex scenes in the novel worthy of a mention in Men Write Women but other than that the writing is adequate. The story is a bit plot-light so it becomes a slog in certain chapters.

Sarah Mollo-Christensen has a calming voice that sounds like she'd be an excellent narrator for self-help or meditation. Unfortunately, this means it's easy for the reader's attention to drift away from the story.

Recommended only for avid readers of war fiction.

V. S. Alexander enjoys history, music, literature, and art. V.S. also writes under the names Michael Meeske and Vincent Wilde. He lives in Florida.

Publisher: Kensington (print); HighBridge Audio

Narrator: Sarah Mollo-Christensen

Running Time: 14 hours, 35 minutes

Length: 400 pages

Release Date: February 23, 2021

I received an electronic audio recording of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.