Rodin's Lover

Camille Claudel is an aspiring sculptor in France. She is determined to join one of the famous art schools in Paris, the only thing stopping her are critics who cannot accept a woman as a sculptor. Her mother is one of her greatest critics, making her dream even more difficult to achieve. Camille has a breakthrough when Auguste Rodin agrees to make her an apprentice. Their passions inspire groundbreaking works for both of them. Camille must face critics who assume her work is derived from Rodin's, or worse, he is the true artist.

I received a free copy of this book from Penguin's First To Read Program in exchange for an honest review*. The synopsis of the book seemed interesting, and I was curious to read about a woman trying to make her way as an artist when it was not socially acceptable to do so. I thought this was an interesting story. Webb is a very descriptive writer, so you always feel as though you are in the moment with the characters. The plot focuses on the romance between Claudel and Rodin, so only read it if you are interested in that. I would personally have liked more details about Claudel that were not entwined with Rodin, but as the title tells you that is not the focus of this book.

There was an author's note at the end which explained what portions of the story were real, and what was fiction, or loosely based on reality. I always appreciate when an author does this. I liked that there were plenty of details in the note, but there was also information where to find more details for those that want to know more.

Camille Claudel is a fascinating character in this book, perhaps even more so because she is based on a real person. Webb writes Claudel as an intriguing figure, and one I would like to know more about. I enjoy having new topics or historical figures brought to my attention, and I am looking forward to learning more about this artist.

I read this as an ebook on my Nook, and had no problems with the format. The images showed up on the screen fine.

If you are interested in this time period or these artists, I would recommend reading this book.

*Receiving a free copy of this book does not change my review. It simply provides me with a copy of a book I would not have gotten to as soon, or heard about otherwise.