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mamap's review against another edition
3.0
PG-13. some moral attempted, but mostly just interesting.
stressedspidergirl's review against another edition
4.0
I still really enjoyed this. I read it before, even if Goodreads doesn't know that, but I am working to re-read and see what does or doesn't belong taking up space in my bookshelves.
I like that in many ways you find out so much about Cornelia and who she is, and her relationship with this painter, and you feel for her, and feel her pain, and then you come out of it with so much love for both her and her gruff jerk of a father, but at the same time, the story is so open ended.
I appreciate that the author was working to be historically purposeful and to add connections and give this woman a life and voice of her own and that once she disappears from history and history books there's not much that you can say or do to know anything about her life, but I didn't really see it as a love triangle type story, either, unlike how the dustjacket presents it.
She's relatively unworried about any of it, the characters and romance in so many ways don't feel like the point.
It seems like a daughter trying to find her father and understand why and who and how, and for them to come to each other in a positive way in spite of tragedy and the general circumstances of living with things like the black plague around.
I like that in many ways you find out so much about Cornelia and who she is, and her relationship with this painter, and you feel for her, and feel her pain, and then you come out of it with so much love for both her and her gruff jerk of a father, but at the same time, the story is so open ended.
I appreciate that the author was working to be historically purposeful and to add connections and give this woman a life and voice of her own and that once she disappears from history and history books there's not much that you can say or do to know anything about her life, but I didn't really see it as a love triangle type story, either, unlike how the dustjacket presents it.
She's relatively unworried about any of it, the characters and romance in so many ways don't feel like the point.
It seems like a daughter trying to find her father and understand why and who and how, and for them to come to each other in a positive way in spite of tragedy and the general circumstances of living with things like the black plague around.
libertyskies's review against another edition
4.0
I admit it, this book took a while for me to get into. (2 attempts at reading it previously). But after about 2 chapters I was drawn in. I loved the heroine- Cornelia- and she actually had real problems, which is more than I can say about some of today's teen romance books.
Cornelia van Rijn is Rembrant's daughter. Her father is a great painter, yet he stubbornly refuses to paint in the popular style and both he and Cornelia must suffer for it. Now that Cornelia's brother is getting married and moving away, Cornelia must look after her father, who seems to despise her, for reasons Cornelia is unsure. She keeps to herself, but there is still that nagging thought of Why?
The book follows through Cornelia's accounts of what happens and who she meets along her coming of age journey. I love the decisions she makes, and I think she made the right ones. Other reviews have critisised this book as being too predictable, I highly disagree with this view point, but seriously how many books aren't predictable ? In fact I think that the whole world LOVES and craves predictable books, who didn't know that Bella would, eventually, end up with Edward? Or that Clary would end up with Jace? And ultimately, I loved both of those books and I loved this one too. Perhaps more so as it was so unique. And I love an underdog.
I wonder why this book isn't as popular as other young adult books, but I suppose the historical factor deters most teens. I wish that weren't true.
Cornelia van Rijn is Rembrant's daughter. Her father is a great painter, yet he stubbornly refuses to paint in the popular style and both he and Cornelia must suffer for it. Now that Cornelia's brother is getting married and moving away, Cornelia must look after her father, who seems to despise her, for reasons Cornelia is unsure. She keeps to herself, but there is still that nagging thought of Why?
The book follows through Cornelia's accounts of what happens and who she meets along her coming of age journey. I love the decisions she makes, and I think she made the right ones. Other reviews have critisised this book as being too predictable, I highly disagree with this view point, but seriously how many books aren't predictable ? In fact I think that the whole world LOVES and craves predictable books, who didn't know that Bella would, eventually, end up with Edward? Or that Clary would end up with Jace? And ultimately, I loved both of those books and I loved this one too. Perhaps more so as it was so unique. And I love an underdog.
I wonder why this book isn't as popular as other young adult books, but I suppose the historical factor deters most teens. I wish that weren't true.
justmeandmybooks_'s review against another edition
3.0
I thought this book was quite enjoyable. It was super intriguing, and the history in it was fascinating. I simply found that it lacked that spark that makes a book great.
Although I wanted to know what happened, and for the most part it was interesting, at times I found I was a bit bored.
PLOT
The plot in this was really interesting. It was, as the title suggests, about Rembrandt's daughter, and she's been left to take care of her father all on her own.
They're broke, and Rembrandt, once a great painter, is now scorned by society. There's quite a bit going on, and there's some interesting plot twists, that never even crossed my mind.
Mostly though, this book was about the romance. Romances... aren't usually my thing. Not to mention there was A LOVE TRIANGLE! Love triangles... also not my thing.
However, the love triangle was actually quite well done.
It was also one of the few love triangles I've read where I couldn't predict the outcome from the start... at first I really thought she would end up with Carel... he just seemed like he was the obvious winner. Then she didn't. So that was sort of satisfying.
SETTING
This was set in the Netherlands, in the... seventeen hundreds? Maybe? Something like that anyways.
It isn't a place I've read much about, so it was super interesting. I'm glad I read it just for the history alone. It was just fascinating!
The setting felt really real as well. It had obviously been well researched, and it just felt so vivid.
Basically, I was impressed.
CHARACTERS
The characters were... I don't know. I liked them well enough, but none of them felt particularly well developed. I already addressed her love interests in the spoiler tag, and there really isn't anything else I feel I can say without spoilers, so I'm just going to completely not address them here. Other than that though...
-Cornelia... she was... I don't know. I had moments where I really liked her, but she wasn't very well developed, and felt like cardboard a lot of the time.
-Rembrandt was probably the best developed character. He actually had a really rich character, and although he wasn't very nice, I liked reading about him, because... he NEVER felt like cardboard.
-Titus was sort of half developed... he was a fairly small character, and he was okay-ly (Tis is definitely a word... Don't question me on this...) developed for the amount he was in it, but I would have loved if he was a bit more developed.
There was couple other characters I could address, but I think the risk of spoilers is just too big, and they don't seem important enough to bother with spoiler tags, so...
OVER ALL
I enjoyed this book well enough, the history was really interesting, and I think it was definitely worth reading. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to everyone, but I think it's worth a read if it's your sort of thing.
Although I wanted to know what happened, and for the most part it was interesting, at times I found I was a bit bored.
PLOT
The plot in this was really interesting. It was, as the title suggests, about Rembrandt's daughter, and she's been left to take care of her father all on her own.
They're broke, and Rembrandt, once a great painter, is now scorned by society. There's quite a bit going on, and there's some interesting plot twists, that never even crossed my mind.
Mostly though, this book was about the romance. Romances... aren't usually my thing. Not to mention there was A LOVE TRIANGLE! Love triangles... also not my thing.
However, the love triangle was actually quite well done.
Spoiler
At first I completely shipped her and Carel... I wasn't too impressed with Neel. As the book went on though, Neel started to grow on me. And Carel... well, he was actually something of a jerk.It was also one of the few love triangles I've read where I couldn't predict the outcome from the start... at first I really thought she would end up with Carel... he just seemed like he was the obvious winner. Then she didn't. So that was sort of satisfying.
SETTING
This was set in the Netherlands, in the... seventeen hundreds? Maybe? Something like that anyways.
It isn't a place I've read much about, so it was super interesting. I'm glad I read it just for the history alone. It was just fascinating!
The setting felt really real as well. It had obviously been well researched, and it just felt so vivid.
Basically, I was impressed.
CHARACTERS
The characters were... I don't know. I liked them well enough, but none of them felt particularly well developed. I already addressed her love interests in the spoiler tag, and there really isn't anything else I feel I can say without spoilers, so I'm just going to completely not address them here. Other than that though...
-Cornelia... she was... I don't know. I had moments where I really liked her, but she wasn't very well developed, and felt like cardboard a lot of the time.
-Rembrandt was probably the best developed character. He actually had a really rich character, and although he wasn't very nice, I liked reading about him, because... he NEVER felt like cardboard.
-Titus was sort of half developed... he was a fairly small character, and he was okay-ly (Tis is definitely a word... Don't question me on this...) developed for the amount he was in it, but I would have loved if he was a bit more developed.
There was couple other characters I could address, but I think the risk of spoilers is just too big, and they don't seem important enough to bother with spoiler tags, so...
OVER ALL
I enjoyed this book well enough, the history was really interesting, and I think it was definitely worth reading. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to everyone, but I think it's worth a read if it's your sort of thing.
mon_ique's review against another edition
2.0
Eh only liked Nell I think his name was... thats's it.
cianic22's review against another edition
3.0
I started this book with high expectations as it was a recommendation from one of my friends who, usually, has a very good taste in books.
I was let down, however, as i found the characters to be very plain and without substance, the descriptions towards the end were very poor and the end was rushed.
I rated this book 3.5 stars as I thouhgt that the concept of the book was great and Lynn Cullen's (unfortunate last name) writing at the start had me hooked!
I was let down, however, as i found the characters to be very plain and without substance, the descriptions towards the end were very poor and the end was rushed.
I rated this book 3.5 stars as I thouhgt that the concept of the book was great and Lynn Cullen's (unfortunate last name) writing at the start had me hooked!
voyage_of_a_time_wanderer's review against another edition
3.0
I'm a sucker for anything set in the Dutch Golden Age. Enjoyed this, but didn't realize it was meant to be middle-grade at first. Probably would have liked it more and found the plot a bit less predictable if I had read it when I was younger.