**I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinions. I was in no way compensated for this review.**
Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough
Release Date: March 6, 2018
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Summary: **TW: rape**
"When I finished this novel, I knew I would be haunted and empowered by Artemisia Gentileschi's story for the rest of my life." --Amanda Lovelace, award-winning author of the princess saves herself in this one
Her mother died when she was twelve, and suddenly Artemisia Gentileschi had a stark choice: a life as a nun in a convent or a life grinding pigment for her father's paint.
She chose paint.
By the time she was seventeen, Artemisia did more than grind pigment. She was one of Rome's most talented painters, even if no one knew her name. But Rome in 1610 was a city where men took what they wanted from women, and in the aftermath of rape Artemisia faced another terrible choice: a life of silence or a life of truth, no matter the cost.
He will not consume
my every thought.
I am a painter.
I will paint.
Joy McCullough's bold novel in verse is a portrait of an artist as a young woman, filled with the soaring highs of creative inspiration and the devastating setbacks of a system built to break her. McCullough weaves Artemisia's heartbreaking story with the stories of the ancient heroines, Susanna and Judith, who become not only the subjects of two of Artemisia's most famous paintings but sources of strength as she battles to paint a woman's timeless truth in the face of unspeakable and all-too-familiar violence.
Both free verse poetry and the historical genre are not what I typically read. While it took me a bit to get into this book, once I did, I read all of it in a couple of hours. It's short and succinct, but it packs so much power into so small a novel. Below are some pictures of quotes that I loved so I hand-lettered them:
(click for a bigger picture)
Artemisia's journey as she finds her own power in a world dominated by men is so important today; it parallels the recent movements to end sexual harassment and to believe victims. This connection allows us to read Blood Water Paint and remember the systemic degradation of women across time. But we can fight inch and nail to take our place at the table, to gain power in any way, as Aremisia did. She embraced her dream and refused to give it up. She spoke her truth, and although her rapist did not face the punishment he should have, her braveness in the face of torture shows us, centuries later, the importance of standing up for what is right.
About the Author: Joy McCullough writes books and plays from her home in the Seattle area, where she lives with her husband and two children. She studied theater at Northwestern University, fell in love with her husband atop a Guatemalan volcano, and now spends her days surrounded by books and kids and chocolate. Blood Water Paint is her debut novel.
More dates on the Blood Water Paint blog tour:
WEEK ONE
2/28 – The Fox’s Hideaway – Review
3/1 – Kaitbooktopia – Author Guest Post – Favorite Artemisia Painting
3/2 – JustAddaWord – Review
WEEK TWO
3/5 – Novel Ink – Review
3/6 – Adventures in YA Publishing – Q&A
3/7 – Bi Bookish Babe – Q&A
3/8 – Megan Write Now – Q&A
3/9 – Howling Libraries – Review
WEEK THREE
3/12 – Magical Reads – Review + Creative (hand lettering quotes)
3/13 – Crimson is Blogging – Review
3/14 – The Fandom – Author Guest Post – Her road to publication
3/15 – Wanderer in Neverland – Review
Didn't see a like button so i'm just posting this comment so you know i stopped by lol. Nice review and I really loved this book, so glad i picked it up :)
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