Staff Pick
Joy McCullough produces a searing blend of poetry and prose in her tale of Artemesia Gentileschi, a Roman artist who lived in the early 1600's. Daughter of artist Orazio Gentileschi, Artemesia inherited and surpassed her father's talent, but as a woman, she had no autonomy, no ability to support herself, and no recognition of her genius. She did, however, have an art teacher; he betrayed her trust, raped her, and ruined her reputation, her ability to marry, and her sense of the world.
Releasing this book at the height of the "Me Too" movement is not lost on this reader. Artemesia is a strong, willful character, and she is keenly aware of her status as a second class citizen compared to the men in her life. Using the stories her mother told her — and subjects of her own future paintings — Susanna and Judith guide her toward healing and redemption. McCullough has written an inspired historical fiction that feels like today's headlines, but reads as an urgent plea for help and justice. Beautiful. Recommended By Dianah H., Powells.com
Joy McCullough produces a searing blend of poetry and prose in her tale of Artemesia Gentileschi, a Roman artist who lived in the early 1600s. Daughter of artist Orazio Gentileschi, Artemesia inherited and surpassed her father's talent, but as a woman, she had no autonomy, no ability to support herself, and no recognition of her genius. She did, however, have an art teacher; he betrayed her trust, raped her, and ruined her reputation, her ability to marry, and her sense of the world. Releasing this book at the height of the #MeToo movement is not lost on this reader. Artemesia is a strong, willful character, and she is keenly aware of her status as a second-class citizen compared to the men in her life. Using the stories her mother told her — and subjects of her own future paintings — Susanna and Judith guide her toward healing and redemption. McCullough has written an inspired historical fiction that feels like today's headlines, but reads as an urgent plea for help and justice. Beautiful. Recommended By Dianah H., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
"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.
I will show you
what a woman can do.
"A captivating and impressive debut about a timeless heroine." Booklist, starred review
"Belongs on every YA shelf." SLJ, starred review
Review
"[An] incandescent retelling both timeless and, alas, all too timely." Kirkus
Review
"McCullough's stunning, immersive debut tells a timely story that's sure to stay with you long after you finish." Buzzfeed
Review
"A haunting, stirring depiction of an unforgettable woman, Artemisia's story will resonate deeply with readers today and beyond." Publishers Weekly, starred review
Review
"Tragically relevant and unflinchingly feminist, Blood Water Paint is the kind of book all historical fiction should aspire to be." Mackenzi Lee, New York Times bestselling author of The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue
Review
"An impassioned, lushly described account of a young woman who refuses to dwell in secret shame. Blood Water Paint fits smoothly into the current conversation surrounding the #MeToo movement." Chicago Tribune
Synopsis
"Haunting ...
teems with raw emotion, and McCullough deftly captures the experience of learning to behave in a male-driven society and then breaking outside of it."--
The New Yorker "I will be haunted and empowered by Artemisia Gentileschi's story for the rest of my life."--Amanda Lovelace, bestselling author of the princess saves herself in this one
A William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist
2018 National Book Award Longlist
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.
I will show you
what a woman can do.
★"A captivating and impressive."--Booklist, starred review
★"Belongs on every YA shelf."--SLJ, starred review
★"Haunting."--Publishers Weekly, starred review
★"Luminous."--Shelf Awareness, starred review
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.