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Portrait of a Girl
In the summer of 1896, a grand Swiss spa hotel becomes a refuge for Nika, a penniless beauty whose tortured past has left her unable to speak. While working in the manicured gardens, she becomes a muse to the celebrated painter Giovanni Segantini, who takes her under his wing.
Although he’s married, the two bond closely, and beneath his gaze Nika blossoms. She opens her heart to Segantini, serving as the muse for his luminous masterwork La Vanità, and through his patience recovers her voice. The secret between them is her sole material possession: a golden locket with clues to her mysterious heritage.
How will Nika learn the hidden secrets of the locket and uncover her origins? And what path awaits her once the facts are revealed? As her ties to Segantini grow ever more complex, her search for love and truth becomes as perilous as the quest for an alpine summit—and her destiny is rewritten on the journey.
362 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
221 people are currently reading
1560 people want to read
About the author
Dörthe Binkert
22 books12 followersDörte Binkert, born in Westfalia, studied German, Art History and Politics in Frankfurt.
She has been working as chief editor for various German publishers and is now living as a free-lance author and agent in Zurich.
Dr. phil. Dörthe Binkert wurde 1949 in Hagen in Westfalen geboren und wuchs in Frankfurt am Main auf. In Frankfurt studierte sie auch Germanistik, Kunstgeschichte und Politik. Nach ihrer Promotion arbeitete sie dreißig Jahre lang für große deutsche Publikumsverlage, u.a. als Cheflektorin. Sie veröffentliche zahlreiche Sachbücher, vor allem zu Frauenthemen.
Seit 2007 ist sie als freie Autorin tätig. Dörthe Binkert zog 1975 nach Zürich, wo sie bis heute lebt und arbeitet. 2008 erschien ihr erster historischer Roman Weit übers Meer, der zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts auf einem Ozeandampfer spielt.
She has been working as chief editor for various German publishers and is now living as a free-lance author and agent in Zurich.
Dr. phil. Dörthe Binkert wurde 1949 in Hagen in Westfalen geboren und wuchs in Frankfurt am Main auf. In Frankfurt studierte sie auch Germanistik, Kunstgeschichte und Politik. Nach ihrer Promotion arbeitete sie dreißig Jahre lang für große deutsche Publikumsverlage, u.a. als Cheflektorin. Sie veröffentliche zahlreiche Sachbücher, vor allem zu Frauenthemen.
Seit 2007 ist sie als freie Autorin tätig. Dörthe Binkert zog 1975 nach Zürich, wo sie bis heute lebt und arbeitet. 2008 erschien ihr erster historischer Roman Weit übers Meer, der zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts auf einem Ozeandampfer spielt.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
May 24, 2016
Complicated narrative about the goings on in a posh Swiss spa in 1896. The characters range from locals employed at the hotel to guests to hotel management to a famed artist. Love among the mountains.
I had a hard time getting through this one. Initially i was intrigued even though the pace was slow. But somewhere along the way, I was too mired in the shallow and petty to give the needed attention to the young girl who the book title was about.
The author also kept slipping in slang that was definitely not of that time period.If you're doing a period piece, better editing. I got through it, although I admit to some speed reading. I know I'm in the minority. Most reviews were absolutely glowing. Just not my cup of tea.
I had a hard time getting through this one. Initially i was intrigued even though the pace was slow. But somewhere along the way, I was too mired in the shallow and petty to give the needed attention to the young girl who the book title was about.
The author also kept slipping in slang that was definitely not of that time period.If you're doing a period piece, better editing. I got through it, although I admit to some speed reading. I know I'm in the minority. Most reviews were absolutely glowing. Just not my cup of tea.
August 3, 2014
Portrait of a Girl by Dörthe Binkert is a delightful story set in the Swiss Alps at the end of the 19th century. Originally published as Bildnis Eines Mädchens in German in 2010 by Dt. Taschenbuch-Verl, it has been beautifully rendered into English by Margot Bettauer Dembo, and explores the lives of people taking shelter at a luxurious and imposing Swiss spa hotel.
Heartfelt but funny, tense but delightful, author Binkert created an eclectic and impressive cast of characters whose lives entwined at the spa, not sparing even the staff. But the main protagonist in the story is a young mute girl Nika with a tortured past which left her in the condition she is in when the story begins. She becomes the muse of a renowned painter Giovanni Segantini, and the story follows their relationship as the main thread of the book while also diverging into other threads.
Delightful, poignant and enjoyable, you will be absorbed into the story as Nika delved deep into her past to discover who she really is.
Heartfelt but funny, tense but delightful, author Binkert created an eclectic and impressive cast of characters whose lives entwined at the spa, not sparing even the staff. But the main protagonist in the story is a young mute girl Nika with a tortured past which left her in the condition she is in when the story begins. She becomes the muse of a renowned painter Giovanni Segantini, and the story follows their relationship as the main thread of the book while also diverging into other threads.
Delightful, poignant and enjoyable, you will be absorbed into the story as Nika delved deep into her past to discover who she really is.
August 22, 2014
This is the story of a girl, Nika, and her quest to find out where she came from. Her story is entwined with other colorful characters that make up the essence of the novel. All of the characters are well written and during intervals take center stage. The story creates great scenery between the different places up in the mountains or out in the streets of Venice. It is a story with a bittersweet ending but a good look into the soul of its characters.
It was a captivating read straight from the beginning.
I received this book through a giveaway on goodreads.
It was a captivating read straight from the beginning.
I received this book through a giveaway on goodreads.
October 16, 2016
Took me longer than normal to finish reading this book because it didn't really keep my attention but I was interested in it long enough to see what happened to the characters. I never formed an emotional attachment to the characters, and the action wasn't all that exciting. The book kept shifting the story's focus on various characters, and I think it would have been more effective if written in the first person from each character's perspective. This is touted as a book of historical fiction, but except for one character who actually existed, this could have taken place at anytime and in any place. Violence and sexual content implied but is not explicit. (Review also posted on Amazon)
September 2, 2014
I am absolutely in awe of Dorthe Binkert's ability to ensnare me into a storyline. I wont this book from a First Reads giveaway, and though I had read and loved her first book, I kept putting this one off. But once I started it, I was hooked!
I love that both of her books that I've read have had a similar style (She Wore Only White and Portrait of a Girl). There is an overall mystery character that is at the center of her novels. In Portrait of a Girl, the main character is Nika. Nika's life is a mystery. Who is she? Where did she come from? What will happen to her? While the whole novel revolves around this central mystery, you meet many other interesting characters and follow any number of side plots that add to the overall intrigue of the story line. Eventually, the book wraps back in on itself in the most clever and unpredictable way to solve the mystery of Nika. Just an amazing read! I CANNOT wait until Binkert releases a new novel and this time I won't procrastinate!
I love that both of her books that I've read have had a similar style (She Wore Only White and Portrait of a Girl). There is an overall mystery character that is at the center of her novels. In Portrait of a Girl, the main character is Nika. Nika's life is a mystery. Who is she? Where did she come from? What will happen to her? While the whole novel revolves around this central mystery, you meet many other interesting characters and follow any number of side plots that add to the overall intrigue of the story line. Eventually, the book wraps back in on itself in the most clever and unpredictable way to solve the mystery of Nika. Just an amazing read! I CANNOT wait until Binkert releases a new novel and this time I won't procrastinate!
July 22, 2014
I received Portrait of a Girl as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
A tale of the intertwined lives of guests and staff of a hotel in the Swiss Alps at the end of the 19th century, including the painter Segantini and the mute young woman who becomes his muse, as well as a wealthy young woman torn between her fiance and the dashing English gentlemen she meets while receiving medical treatment at the hotel spa.
The synopsis is somewhat misleading, as it makes one think this is a love story between two people with very few secondary characters. However, that isn't the case. It's a beautifully populated world of characters from all walks of life, getting into messy romantic entanglements, and falling in and out of love. I'll grant you, some parts can seem a little melodramatic, and the stories don't intertwine very harmoniously, but it's a fun read, with a good balance of drama and lightness.
A tale of the intertwined lives of guests and staff of a hotel in the Swiss Alps at the end of the 19th century, including the painter Segantini and the mute young woman who becomes his muse, as well as a wealthy young woman torn between her fiance and the dashing English gentlemen she meets while receiving medical treatment at the hotel spa.
The synopsis is somewhat misleading, as it makes one think this is a love story between two people with very few secondary characters. However, that isn't the case. It's a beautifully populated world of characters from all walks of life, getting into messy romantic entanglements, and falling in and out of love. I'll grant you, some parts can seem a little melodramatic, and the stories don't intertwine very harmoniously, but it's a fun read, with a good balance of drama and lightness.
August 18, 2014
I got this book via Amazon's Kindle First program.
Lots of random characters are introduced, many of whom have no bearing on the story of the main character, a girl named Nika. The relationship with the famous painter, which is supposed to be the centerpiece of Nika's story, is unfulfilling and fails to get off the ground in any meaningful way. And even though Nika locates her family, even that is a rip off, because she is called a liar and a thief by her grandfather. All in all, it just fails to deliver.
Lots of random characters are introduced, many of whom have no bearing on the story of the main character, a girl named Nika. The relationship with the famous painter, which is supposed to be the centerpiece of Nika's story, is unfulfilling and fails to get off the ground in any meaningful way. And even though Nika locates her family, even that is a rip off, because she is called a liar and a thief by her grandfather. All in all, it just fails to deliver.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2014
Awkward and unsatisfying
The storyline was very disjointed and much of the dialogue was awkward. Perspective changed constantly. Very amateurish. It read like a poorly written first novel. I barely made it to the unsatisfying end. Very disappointing. I can't believe this was an Amazon.com Prime monthly selection.
The storyline was very disjointed and much of the dialogue was awkward. Perspective changed constantly. Very amateurish. It read like a poorly written first novel. I barely made it to the unsatisfying end. Very disappointing. I can't believe this was an Amazon.com Prime monthly selection.
July 14, 2016
I don't read a lot of Historical Fiction, unless it's about WWII for some reason. I read two of Dorthe Binkert's books this past week, neither of them are on WWII. Needless to say, I like her books. I liked Portrait of a Girl because it was a story set in the Swiss Alps in the late 19th century.
September 5, 2020
I really enjoyed
She Wore Only White
so i followed Dörthe on Amazon and when this came up on sale for £1 i really couldn't resist.
And what a bargain.
It's similar in a lot of ways to She Wore Only White in that we have a true historical setting, with true historical characters, that Dörthe uses as a canvas upon which to paint her fictional story. And also in that we have a young woman who is adrift in the world trying to find where she can belong.
All very well written with good characters, a good plot, and the perfect level of scene setting. Dörthe does a wonderful job of taking us back in time, to Switzerland in late 19th century, and giving us a glimpse of the disparity of wealth between the local peasantry and the rich and wealthy, European elite who descend upon the valley each summer.
This is the second book that Dörthe has had translated into English and i do hope that there will be many more in the future.
And what a bargain.
It's similar in a lot of ways to She Wore Only White in that we have a true historical setting, with true historical characters, that Dörthe uses as a canvas upon which to paint her fictional story. And also in that we have a young woman who is adrift in the world trying to find where she can belong.
All very well written with good characters, a good plot, and the perfect level of scene setting. Dörthe does a wonderful job of taking us back in time, to Switzerland in late 19th century, and giving us a glimpse of the disparity of wealth between the local peasantry and the rich and wealthy, European elite who descend upon the valley each summer.
This is the second book that Dörthe has had translated into English and i do hope that there will be many more in the future.
August 28, 2021
This book wasn’t really what I expected! I did like how Nika, the main character’s, story turned out.
Several side stories didn’t seem to make sense during most of the book, but the did weave together in the end. It meandered in a way that I was not used to.
I listened to most of it as an audio book, and that could have contributed to my confusion….the section breaks weren’t clearly marked/divided, so he’d be reading about another character and I didn’t often catch on right away.
I was also confusing character names up til the end. Again, that could be because I was listening while doing other things, not necessarily because of the writing.
Several side stories didn’t seem to make sense during most of the book, but the did weave together in the end. It meandered in a way that I was not used to.
I listened to most of it as an audio book, and that could have contributed to my confusion….the section breaks weren’t clearly marked/divided, so he’d be reading about another character and I didn’t often catch on right away.
I was also confusing character names up til the end. Again, that could be because I was listening while doing other things, not necessarily because of the writing.
July 28, 2023
I picked this up as a Kindle First Read years ago and finally got around to reading it. The beginning was a little confusing with the introduction of so many characters that seemed to veer from the protagonist, Nika. Overall, the story kept me reading as I wanted to find out more about Nika and what would happen with all the other people, though much of it felt like a soap opera.
This historicity of this novel was addressed in the author's note. Most of the characters were not real people and those who were had many liberties taken to include them in the story. Read as a period piece, it was fine. I don't know how much may have been lost in translation from the original German.
Content advisory: Not much language, sexual content, violence that was implied but not graphic.
This historicity of this novel was addressed in the author's note. Most of the characters were not real people and those who were had many liberties taken to include them in the story. Read as a period piece, it was fine. I don't know how much may have been lost in translation from the original German.
Content advisory: Not much language, sexual content, violence that was implied but not graphic.
August 14, 2021
Coming of Age type story...
I was going through my books and noticed I never reviewed this book. It was one of the 3 first 'ebooks' i ever got! and it was free!
Not my normal genre but the giveaway was a new thing. I was quite surprised that I actually enjoyed It as I normally wouldn't read this kind of book. It was a period piece so things were done differently!! The characters jumped off the page with a descriptive flair and I liked all but one of them... You'll know which one! (There were actually a couple of them but motives are taken into account...)
I was going through my books and noticed I never reviewed this book. It was one of the 3 first 'ebooks' i ever got! and it was free!
Not my normal genre but the giveaway was a new thing. I was quite surprised that I actually enjoyed It as I normally wouldn't read this kind of book. It was a period piece so things were done differently!! The characters jumped off the page with a descriptive flair and I liked all but one of them... You'll know which one! (There were actually a couple of them but motives are taken into account...)
February 25, 2019
An interesting artistic read.
If you are a fan of painters and the romanticism of spa hotels in the later part of the 19th century then you may well enjoy this.
It does jump around a bit and there are a lot of characters and subplots to negotiate.
All in all it is quite interesting and I enjoyed reading it.
If you are a fan of painters and the romanticism of spa hotels in the later part of the 19th century then you may well enjoy this.
It does jump around a bit and there are a lot of characters and subplots to negotiate.
All in all it is quite interesting and I enjoyed reading it.
April 28, 2020
This book was originally written in German. It's the story of Nika, a young girl who was found as a baby and runs away from the farm she was raised on to find a better life. There were a few subplots that also took place. It was an interesting book and the translation was very well done. Many times the writing doesn't flow in a different language but not with this book. I enjoyed it.
March 3, 2017
Intriguing tale
Very nice story about a young woman seeking her family and all the other characters that she interacts with, and how their stories all blend together. It kept me interested from start to finish.
Very nice story about a young woman seeking her family and all the other characters that she interacts with, and how their stories all blend together. It kept me interested from start to finish.
March 17, 2021
I don't know if it was because this was noted as a Translator copy, but it was difficult to follow some of the character changed and I just couldn't find the interest to push through to the end. I was unable to finish the book.
September 9, 2022
The story of an orphan contract girl in the employ of a cruel contract farm family becomes a mute due to mistreatment. Her fortunes begin to change after she escapes and begins work in a luxury spa hotel.
February 26, 2023
In general the plot is interesting and shows the life of people at the time that were in the Spa. However, there are many stories linked, some without much sense. Also, I find it a little weak on the development of the love interests of the female characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2017
Meh
Perhaps it lost something in translation, but the story did not move me either positively or negatively. Hence the down the middle rating of three stars.
Perhaps it lost something in translation, but the story did not move me either positively or negatively. Hence the down the middle rating of three stars.
August 24, 2017
very slow start to the story. Glad it all tied up by the end but it really took a long time in trying to get there.
October 29, 2017
It was okay, not great. Somewhat disappointing over expectations.
January 17, 2019
Too many characters and too much description of scenery. A lot of reading to get to a predictable ending.
March 30, 2020
Riveting story.
I suggest making a list of characters. The story twist s and turns nut is always interesting. Enjoyed it very much.
I suggest making a list of characters. The story twist s and turns nut is always interesting. Enjoyed it very much.
Read
November 26, 2020I did finish the book. Tried to read it twice.
November 12, 2014
The Hotel Spa Maloja, a ritzy venue high in the Swiss Alps, is the scene for life-changing encounters and romantic entanglements during the summer of 1896. In her uneven but ultimately worthwhile second novel, Binkert sets up an interesting convergence of personalities and social classes, with a vast gap between the wealthy hotel guests, there for a health cure or to photograph the views, and the impoverished, proud locals.
The large cast includes a flirtatious Englishman and his best friend, a young woman with bad lungs, a family of mountain farmers, Italian pastoral painter Giovanni Segantini, and a bitchy American socialite who could have sprung from a Jackie Collins book. The main plotline centers on Nika, a mute stranger with striking strawberry-blond hair who endured a traumatic childhood and who’s searching for her true identity. Readers follow her on her journey of self-discovery, which is alternately helped and impeded by the men who fall in love with her.
I found the novel rough going early on. The translation has some odd phrasings for a historical novel (“he didn’t suck up to people”). The story jumped from viewpoint to viewpoint with abandon, and few people felt distinct. Fortunately, after enough time in the clear mountain air, they and their motives began to sharpen, and the reading became smoother. My interest was also piqued after discovering the novel imagines the backstory of a real painting, Segantini’s La Vanità (which looks nothing like the demure image on the book’s cover!).
Binkert is gifted at describing the beautiful Engadine region and evoking her characters’ deep, swirling emotions. Another strong point is her depiction of a master artist at work in his preferred element, outdoors, where he can mix the perfect palette of colors and “capture the harmony of light.” Overall, a good choice for readers in search of thoughtful escapism.
This review first appeared in November's Historical Novels Review.
The large cast includes a flirtatious Englishman and his best friend, a young woman with bad lungs, a family of mountain farmers, Italian pastoral painter Giovanni Segantini, and a bitchy American socialite who could have sprung from a Jackie Collins book. The main plotline centers on Nika, a mute stranger with striking strawberry-blond hair who endured a traumatic childhood and who’s searching for her true identity. Readers follow her on her journey of self-discovery, which is alternately helped and impeded by the men who fall in love with her.
I found the novel rough going early on. The translation has some odd phrasings for a historical novel (“he didn’t suck up to people”). The story jumped from viewpoint to viewpoint with abandon, and few people felt distinct. Fortunately, after enough time in the clear mountain air, they and their motives began to sharpen, and the reading became smoother. My interest was also piqued after discovering the novel imagines the backstory of a real painting, Segantini’s La Vanità (which looks nothing like the demure image on the book’s cover!).
Binkert is gifted at describing the beautiful Engadine region and evoking her characters’ deep, swirling emotions. Another strong point is her depiction of a master artist at work in his preferred element, outdoors, where he can mix the perfect palette of colors and “capture the harmony of light.” Overall, a good choice for readers in search of thoughtful escapism.
This review first appeared in November's Historical Novels Review.
January 3, 2015
I received this book as a Kindle free download, and the plot seemed intriguing - a mysterious girl struggling to uncover her mysterious past, set on a historical backdrop.
After the first few chapters, I still didn't feel attached to the characters, and from there I pushed myself to finish. The book was worth finishing; it was nice to know how the story ended. However, it was not a page-turner.
I think problem #1 was the extraneous storylines. I am fine with a book having many plotlines and characters, as long as there is some purpose or point to it. It took me a long time to figure out how the lives of Kate, James, Edward, and Mathilde related to Nika. They really don't interact at all. The only thing I can think of is that they parallel her search for self. However, their stories just weren't as compelling for a long time and distracted from Nika's journey. Nika didn't even observe and ponder their actions...nothing to tell me why they were there.
Problem #2, related to problem #1, was the story seemed to meander, much like the Alpine paths the characters walked. In capturing the quiet, secluded town that has become a tourist hot spot, the author created a quiet plot that didn't compel one to keep reading.
Hidden gem: I was excited to discover that the painter Segantini is indeed real, and his paintings are really as beautiful as the characters in the book describe them as. I looked him up, and enjoyed very much discovering a new artist.
Unfortunate side effect: This book is a translation, and it's been my experience so far in life that something ALWAYS gets lost in translation. There were some beautiful quotes I highlighted to look back on, but I wonder if some of the drier moments in the book aren't just due to things getting "lost in translation." If I could have read the original in German, would I have enjoyed it more?
Still, 3 stars. Good, just not GREAT...
After the first few chapters, I still didn't feel attached to the characters, and from there I pushed myself to finish. The book was worth finishing; it was nice to know how the story ended. However, it was not a page-turner.
I think problem #1 was the extraneous storylines. I am fine with a book having many plotlines and characters, as long as there is some purpose or point to it. It took me a long time to figure out how the lives of Kate, James, Edward, and Mathilde related to Nika. They really don't interact at all. The only thing I can think of is that they parallel her search for self. However, their stories just weren't as compelling for a long time and distracted from Nika's journey. Nika didn't even observe and ponder their actions...nothing to tell me why they were there.
Problem #2, related to problem #1, was the story seemed to meander, much like the Alpine paths the characters walked. In capturing the quiet, secluded town that has become a tourist hot spot, the author created a quiet plot that didn't compel one to keep reading.
Hidden gem: I was excited to discover that the painter Segantini is indeed real, and his paintings are really as beautiful as the characters in the book describe them as. I looked him up, and enjoyed very much discovering a new artist.
Unfortunate side effect: This book is a translation, and it's been my experience so far in life that something ALWAYS gets lost in translation. There were some beautiful quotes I highlighted to look back on, but I wonder if some of the drier moments in the book aren't just due to things getting "lost in translation." If I could have read the original in German, would I have enjoyed it more?
Still, 3 stars. Good, just not GREAT...
August 29, 2014
I wasn't sure if I should rate this a 3 or 4. I opted for 4 in the end because the ending was believable. Then, I started thinking and truly the whole book is pretty believable. Many times, I read books that I can be certain of how it will end and right up until the end I still was not sure of how exactly things might turn out. That being said, this was not a fast paced page turner. I think it would make a good book club book because there are themes and character development worthy of exploration and discovery. However, I also felt that it was lacking in character development (with some characters more than others) at times. Perhaps, this was intended by the author?? To give the reader something to think about and turn over again and again, trying to make sense of this situation/action or that? It was an enjoyable read, but definitely not one of those books that you finish, put down, take a deep breath, and know that you'll be different because of reading it. In fact, one of the most charming things about it is that the story isn't adventurous with a fairy tale ending. Instead, these are average people with some interesting stories of certain points in their lives. I'm really unsure of the best way to describe it so I'll just leave it at this: It's like asking you grandparents ( or great or great-great) how they met, about their parents, their first job, where they were born, etc. and getting something more interesting/surprising out of the afternoon of chit chat. It sounds like a story your elderly next door neighbor might tell you--that at one point they were on a quest, had loved and lost, found their birth parents, gained a career on a stroke of luck and uncharacteristic whim.
September 15, 2014
I received Portrait of a Girl from a Goodreads giveaway.
I really liked this book. I've never read anything like it and the intertwining story lines really went together and, in my opinion, didn't get confusing or tangled up at all.
The reason I gave this 3 stars is because I had a few issues with this book. First, I don't know if this is because it's a translation from German into English but at some points it read a bit awkward. Second, there were a few times where it didn't sound like something someone in the 1890's would say or how they would talk which kind of took me out of the story a little bit.
Third there are a couple of characters in this book that I couldn't stand one more then the others. First there's Kate who was supremely annoying and self centered and I was so happy when she left. Second Segantini who is a major character in this book. He let me down. I was really sad when it came to his character. To me the way he treated the people in his life was terrible and I honestly couldn't see any good quality about him and I couldn't understand why all of these people liked him because about a fourth of the way into the book I started to dislike him and I started to become disappointed in him. Third, and this is the big one, Andrina, I wanted to crawl through the book and slap this girl. She was conniving, selfish, and self centered to name a few things. This is the first character in a long time that I actually hated and every time she came up in the book I had to roll my eyes.
Overall this was a good book when looking past the things that I mentioned above. I wish I could give this book 4 or 5 stars but I can't.
I really liked this book. I've never read anything like it and the intertwining story lines really went together and, in my opinion, didn't get confusing or tangled up at all.
The reason I gave this 3 stars is because I had a few issues with this book. First, I don't know if this is because it's a translation from German into English but at some points it read a bit awkward. Second, there were a few times where it didn't sound like something someone in the 1890's would say or how they would talk which kind of took me out of the story a little bit.
Third there are a couple of characters in this book that I couldn't stand one more then the others. First there's Kate who was supremely annoying and self centered and I was so happy when she left. Second Segantini who is a major character in this book. He let me down. I was really sad when it came to his character. To me the way he treated the people in his life was terrible and I honestly couldn't see any good quality about him and I couldn't understand why all of these people liked him because about a fourth of the way into the book I started to dislike him and I started to become disappointed in him. Third, and this is the big one, Andrina, I wanted to crawl through the book and slap this girl. She was conniving, selfish, and self centered to name a few things. This is the first character in a long time that I actually hated and every time she came up in the book I had to roll my eyes.
Overall this was a good book when looking past the things that I mentioned above. I wish I could give this book 4 or 5 stars but I can't.
November 24, 2014
This book is about a group of characters whose lives and interactions revolve all around each other for a season in the Swiss Alps. I loved the imagery that the author used when describing Segantini's artwork, and the hotel and the surrounding environment. I also liked how the characters seemed believable and how the interactions felt like they could have happened even though some of the characters were fictional while some were real. I did feel like the story was a big disjointed at times, like we only got part of the story that was happening before we moved onto another interaction. I also feel like the characters themselves could have been defined a bit better. We got a good sense of some of them, like James and Edward and Nika, but others were there, and contributed to the story, kind of, Gian, Andrina, Kate but if they definitely lacked any real story. And the conclusion felt a bit rushed to me. I wanted more of the story of the friends meeting back up at the end of it for dinner. We never did find out if Mathilde was pregnant, the real story between Nika and Fabrizio etc. It was a nice overall story but feel like it could have been more complete for me to give it more stars.
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