The Painter

by Libby Hathorn

A compelling story of a young man's struggle to find his true calling set alongside a heart-breaking account of Vincent van Gogh's last years.

Is there a moment, Bernard wondered, when your life changes forever?

The room fairly sang to him...

It sang colours such as he'd never seen before.

It sang freedom, madness, joy! And the future was clear and certain.

Bernard is an aspiring but alienated young artist living in the French city of Arles. He finds himself in conflict with his teacher who disapproves of his painting style, his contemporaries who are suspicious of him, and most of his family who do not understand. Only Bijou, his beloved grandmother, appreciates his originality and sensitivity. However, Bernard's life changes irrevocably when he meets the great Vincent van Gogh, and his real struggles - and perhaps his real life - begin.

'THE PAINTER is full of emotion and detail and is a very enjoyable read. ... this book will inspire you.' - ABC's The Rap

Celebrating 25 years of Libby Hathorn, acclaimed author of the Australian young adult classic THUNDERWITH.

'A powerful novel about hope and the human spirit's ability to finally win through.' - COURIER MAIL, Brisbane on THUNDERWITH

161 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Libby Hathorn is an Australian writer who produces poetry, picture books, drama, novels, short stories, and nonfiction for children, young adults, and adults. Best known in the United States for her critically acclaimed novel Thunderwith, Hathorn has created works ranging from serious stories of troubled youth to lighthearted, fast-paced comedies. She writes of powerful female characters in her novels for junior readers, such as the protagonists in All about Anna and The Extraordinary Magics of Emma McDade; or of lonely, misunderstood teenagers in novels such as Feral Kid, Love Me Tender, and Valley under the Rock. As Maurice Saxby noted in St. James Guide to Children's Writers, "In her novels for teenagers especially, Hathorn exposes, with compassion, sensitivity, and poetry the universal and ongoing struggle of humanity to heal hurts, establish meaningful relationships, and to learn to accept one's self—and ultimately—those who have wronged us."

Reviews

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. Informative yet captivating. A story that pulls one in, tugging at my art-strings with inspiration! The author did very very well to capture images without a single brush stroke; I could really visualize every picture.
Nicely done. Highly recommend.

[Mada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good read! I just read through it so swiftly, having read 5 pages without even realising it! It was beautifully and skillfully written.