Rossetti: The Novel

by Steve Phillips

Rossetti is based on true story about the Pre-Raphaelites. Dante Rossetti is a handsome charismatic young artist who falls in love with Lizzie Siddal. After some persuasion she agrees to sit for him exclusively. He has many admirers that invariably sour their relations. But he is not the only Pre-Raphaelite that has difficulty with his relationships. Millais falls in love with art critic John Ruskin?s wife. And Hunt gets engaged to Annie Miller, but she finds that he is no longer happy with her as he used to be. Hunt and Millais decide to go to work in Palestine, but they have not invited their good friend Rossetti along with them. Rossetti goes to visit Hunt only to find he has already left for the east. Annie invites him in and they share their troubles with one another. But Lizzie cannot take anymore of her lover?s nonsense, she goes where she pleases and does whatever she likes. She goes to Paris without him. Christina Rossetti?s life although is different to that of her two brothers Dante and William and sister Maria, it is nevertheless fascinating. She writes poetry, she falls in and out of love with various suitors. Her friends are mostly feminist artists and poets who do the most daring things. But not all do so without severe consequences. Artist Anna Howitt for example is dealt with most sternly by Ruskin whose moral high standing is not all it seems. Review So, Rossetti finished! A very touching conclusion, I feel as though a group of friends I?d got to know well have suddenly packed up and emigrated to the Far East. All those interwoven lives and fortunes, ending as it began with Christina, and famous people presented in their day to day affairs. I haven?t read a book quite like it. George Miller Author of The Buzzards of Zinn

Genres: Historical Fiction, Art

216 pages, Paperback

First published February 14, 2012