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Painting the Light
Martha’s Vineyard, 1898. In her first life, Ida Russell had been a painter. Five years ago, she had confidently walked the halls of Boston’s renowned Museum School, enrolling in art courses that were once deemed “unthinkable” for women to take, and showing a budding talent for watercolors.
But no more. Ida Russell is now Ida Pease, resident of a seaside farm on Vineyard Haven, and wife to Ezra, a once-charming man who has become an inattentive and altogether unreliable husband. Ezra runs a salvage company in town with his business partner Mose Barstow, but he much prefers their nightly card games at the local pub to his work in their Boston office, not to mention filling haystacks and tending sheep on the farm at home—duties that have fallen to Ida and their part-time farmhand Lem. Ida, meanwhile, has left her love for painting behind.
It comes as no surprise to Ida when Ezra is hours late for a Thanksgiving dinner, only to leave abruptly for another supposedly urgent business trip to Boston. But then something truly unthinkable happens: a storm strikes, and the Portland sinks. Ezra and Mose are presumed dead.
In the wake of this shocking tragedy, Ida must settle the affairs of Ezra’s estate, a task that brings her to a familiar face from her past—Henry Barstow, Mose’s brother and executor. As she joins Henry in sifting through the remnants of her husband’s life and work, Ida must learn to separate truth from lies and what matters from what doesn’t.
Painting the Light is an arresting portrait of a woman, and a considered meditation on loss and love.
But no more. Ida Russell is now Ida Pease, resident of a seaside farm on Vineyard Haven, and wife to Ezra, a once-charming man who has become an inattentive and altogether unreliable husband. Ezra runs a salvage company in town with his business partner Mose Barstow, but he much prefers their nightly card games at the local pub to his work in their Boston office, not to mention filling haystacks and tending sheep on the farm at home—duties that have fallen to Ida and their part-time farmhand Lem. Ida, meanwhile, has left her love for painting behind.
It comes as no surprise to Ida when Ezra is hours late for a Thanksgiving dinner, only to leave abruptly for another supposedly urgent business trip to Boston. But then something truly unthinkable happens: a storm strikes, and the Portland sinks. Ezra and Mose are presumed dead.
In the wake of this shocking tragedy, Ida must settle the affairs of Ezra’s estate, a task that brings her to a familiar face from her past—Henry Barstow, Mose’s brother and executor. As she joins Henry in sifting through the remnants of her husband’s life and work, Ida must learn to separate truth from lies and what matters from what doesn’t.
Painting the Light is an arresting portrait of a woman, and a considered meditation on loss and love.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2021
124 people are currently reading
5248 people want to read
About the author
Sally Cabot Gunning
20 books403 followersA lifelong resident of New England, Sally Cabot Gunning has immersed herself in its history from a young age. She is the author of six critically acclaimed historically themed novels: The Widow’s War, Bound, The Rebellion of Jane Clarke, Benjamin Franklin’s Bastard, Monticello: A Daughter and Her Father, and her latest novel, released June 2021, Painting the Light. Elected fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society and president of The Brewster Historical Society, she has created numerous historical tours of her village.
Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, and an assortment of short story anthologies.
She lives with her husband Tom in Brewster, Massachusetts.
Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, and an assortment of short story anthologies.
She lives with her husband Tom in Brewster, Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews
June 1, 2021
Martha’s Vineyard, 1898. Ida Russell attended Boston’s renowned Museum School, making her mark in watercolor. But once she arrives on the island and becomes Ida Pease, the married life becomes her destruction. Even the island’s serene landscape doesn’t help in continuing her passion. Suddenly, everything changes in an instant as her husband is among those who were on a ship bound for Boston, which crashes and all are presumed dead.
In flashbacks the story reveals how she meets her husband, which collides with the time when she is grieving a loss of her family. How quickly they drift apart and why. The peace that she saw in island’s descriptions presented by her husband while trying to woo her, quickly washes away. When she married her husband, she didn’t know much about him. And when the waters claim his life, it turns out that she didn’t learn much more about him while married to him. She is left pretty much penniless and that propels her to figure out how she can survive as an independent woman. Not only that, there are things that her husband didn’t reveal to her in hopes to fix them in certain time, which was cut short. And now, she is forced to deal with the consequences.
During this time, she hears about Julia Ward Howe making progress in suffrage movement which is on the rise. With such veracious leadership, women are voting in more states. It gives her an inspiration to rally the women on the island and fight for women’s right to vote. However, this is a very minor part of this story.
When she finds a respite in learning how to ride a bicycle, it unsettles some as what others may think of a married man teaching Ida to bike and her skirts flying around. Nevertheless, this gives her much needed freedom in a sense, which further opens her eyes to the beauty of the island and the colors, which further reawakes her passion for painting. Once feeling isolated and helpless, now she sees the island in a different perspective.
The story is character driven with well-defined place of rolling hills, dotted with sheep, and meeting the sea - a place where an artist can find an inspiration. The protagonist goes through that stage of awakening, where her vision is blurred at first, but then she starts seeing colors. The story takes time in revealing details of Ida’s life and her progression to become an independent woman and her finding the way back to her artistic side. It is written with a beautiful prose which makes you stay attached to the story.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com
In flashbacks the story reveals how she meets her husband, which collides with the time when she is grieving a loss of her family. How quickly they drift apart and why. The peace that she saw in island’s descriptions presented by her husband while trying to woo her, quickly washes away. When she married her husband, she didn’t know much about him. And when the waters claim his life, it turns out that she didn’t learn much more about him while married to him. She is left pretty much penniless and that propels her to figure out how she can survive as an independent woman. Not only that, there are things that her husband didn’t reveal to her in hopes to fix them in certain time, which was cut short. And now, she is forced to deal with the consequences.
During this time, she hears about Julia Ward Howe making progress in suffrage movement which is on the rise. With such veracious leadership, women are voting in more states. It gives her an inspiration to rally the women on the island and fight for women’s right to vote. However, this is a very minor part of this story.
When she finds a respite in learning how to ride a bicycle, it unsettles some as what others may think of a married man teaching Ida to bike and her skirts flying around. Nevertheless, this gives her much needed freedom in a sense, which further opens her eyes to the beauty of the island and the colors, which further reawakes her passion for painting. Once feeling isolated and helpless, now she sees the island in a different perspective.
The story is character driven with well-defined place of rolling hills, dotted with sheep, and meeting the sea - a place where an artist can find an inspiration. The protagonist goes through that stage of awakening, where her vision is blurred at first, but then she starts seeing colors. The story takes time in revealing details of Ida’s life and her progression to become an independent woman and her finding the way back to her artistic side. It is written with a beautiful prose which makes you stay attached to the story.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com
April 28, 2021
This is one of those books where I started slowing down at the end, because I didn’t want it to end. Women have always struggled to find a way to be themselves, without being completely lost in serving others (particularly men). Sally Cabot Gunning is a skilled writer and has wonderful character development in this compelling novel. Many of the characters are unlikeable, but they still resonate! In full disclosure, my thanks to Goodreads for this advanced readers copy. I have always been a huge fan of Gunning’s books, so I was very very pleased to see a new one!
August 29, 2021
Ida is an inspiring artist that is enrolled in the renowned museum of Fine Arts in Boston 1893. It is a must not for ladies. Only men should apply.
Ida is still grieving from the death of her father and brother who were lost in sea and her mothers untimely death by putting stones in her pocket and walking off the warf. She meets Ezra Pease, who convinces her to marry him and move to Martha’s Vineyard. Ezra is a sheep farmer. Ezra is not the man she thought he was. He is far from honest and attentive to Ida, he is full of lies and deceptions.
He disappears one day as he is on the ship the Portland which encounters a storm and is lost at sea. Ida is forced to maintain the sheep farm which she finds out, he doesn’t even own. He leaves her penniless, Ezra’s lies unfold one at a time.
Ida learns to ride a bicycle, it makes her feel freedom again. As she is riding she sees the beautiful landscapes.
This is the captivating story of a young women trying to find herself. After she becomes lost in a life she never wanted.
This book is set during a time when women had no rights. They couldn’t even vote. Ida gets involved in the Women’s Suffrage Movement, and eventually gets back to painting.
The setting in Martha’s Vineyard is breathtaking, I can just imagine sheep grazing in the meadows overlooking the sea.
The book is written with beautiful prose, but a little slow moving for me.
Thank you Goodreads and William Morrow for this advanced readers copy.
Ida is still grieving from the death of her father and brother who were lost in sea and her mothers untimely death by putting stones in her pocket and walking off the warf. She meets Ezra Pease, who convinces her to marry him and move to Martha’s Vineyard. Ezra is a sheep farmer. Ezra is not the man she thought he was. He is far from honest and attentive to Ida, he is full of lies and deceptions.
He disappears one day as he is on the ship the Portland which encounters a storm and is lost at sea. Ida is forced to maintain the sheep farm which she finds out, he doesn’t even own. He leaves her penniless, Ezra’s lies unfold one at a time.
Ida learns to ride a bicycle, it makes her feel freedom again. As she is riding she sees the beautiful landscapes.
This is the captivating story of a young women trying to find herself. After she becomes lost in a life she never wanted.
This book is set during a time when women had no rights. They couldn’t even vote. Ida gets involved in the Women’s Suffrage Movement, and eventually gets back to painting.
The setting in Martha’s Vineyard is breathtaking, I can just imagine sheep grazing in the meadows overlooking the sea.
The book is written with beautiful prose, but a little slow moving for me.
Thank you Goodreads and William Morrow for this advanced readers copy.
December 11, 2020
Reading this lovely book of historical fiction pleased me, not only because it was so well written, but because of the injection of significant material about the suffrage movement.
When Ida learns of her husband’s death in a shipwreck, she is left abandoned and poor. Despite being a talented artist, she is forced to run a sheep farm to survive. The unusual setting for this book is Martha’s Vineyard in the early 20th century.
The characters are well drawn, the plot interesting and the setting clearly defined. I really enjoyed this and recommend it to book groups where women will find a great deal to discuss.
Thank you Netgalley for this lovely novel.
When Ida learns of her husband’s death in a shipwreck, she is left abandoned and poor. Despite being a talented artist, she is forced to run a sheep farm to survive. The unusual setting for this book is Martha’s Vineyard in the early 20th century.
The characters are well drawn, the plot interesting and the setting clearly defined. I really enjoyed this and recommend it to book groups where women will find a great deal to discuss.
Thank you Netgalley for this lovely novel.
April 27, 2021
Martha's Vineyard 1898.
Ida Russell the painter is soon to be Ida Pease the sheep farmer's wife giving up her art courses at the Museum School.
It have been five years and Ida's husband Ezra is off doing his own thing leaving the hard work with raising sheep to his wife. He was supposed to be on the "Portland Ship", which went down in a storm
all were presumed dead.
Thinking herself as a widow, Ida went on living and working on the sheep farm and painting too.
Ida found out about Ezra's dishonesty and was able to sift out the truth from lies.
Ida found love in an old friend that never betrayed her.
I won this free book from Goodreads First reads.
Ida Russell the painter is soon to be Ida Pease the sheep farmer's wife giving up her art courses at the Museum School.
It have been five years and Ida's husband Ezra is off doing his own thing leaving the hard work with raising sheep to his wife. He was supposed to be on the "Portland Ship", which went down in a storm
all were presumed dead.
Thinking herself as a widow, Ida went on living and working on the sheep farm and painting too.
Ida found out about Ezra's dishonesty and was able to sift out the truth from lies.
Ida found love in an old friend that never betrayed her.
I won this free book from Goodreads First reads.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2021
Gratifying read!
I was somewhat tentative about Ida Pease’s story at the start. By the time I reached the last page I was utterly enthralled, at moments aghast, although rarely relieved.
Set in Martha’s Vineyard in the early twentieth century, Ida is a gifted portrait painter who before her forlorn marriage had gained a place at the Museum of Fine Arts School, Boston. Ida’s painting time slides away after she marries Ezra. During her marriage she’s devolved into a much put upon wife, a sheep farmer and unpaid worker, an unappreciated daughter-in-law, and finally a widow. Widowhood brings about both ownership rights problems and economic struggles. Ida discovers the scam artist her dead husband was. Her mother-in-law is a rigid tyrant. Idea grows into herself, a woman who seeks to find her voice in a society against women’s rights, and a cyclist—a gift bringing newly appreciated freedom, which includes a repositioned passion for painting.
As Ida slowly uncovers the degree of deceptiveness practised by her husband and his partner Mose Barstow, she comes into contact with Mose’s brother Henry. They work on unravelling both estates. Again more shocks! It’s Henry who introduces Ida to bicycles. Despite his assistance it’s up to Ida to make her own way as she wades through a mountain of deception, of opportunity and rejection.
Ida swirls. She’s coherent and incoherent. Sure of herself and then awkward. Too willing to appease others, scared to trust herself and closed off. Watching Ida grow is both exhausting and exhilarating. Her struggles giveaway to self awareness and renewed directions. There’s pathos and lost moments, alongside enlightening and delightful vignettes. A surprisingly satisfying dénouement.
A William Morrow and Custom House ARC via NetGalley
I was somewhat tentative about Ida Pease’s story at the start. By the time I reached the last page I was utterly enthralled, at moments aghast, although rarely relieved.
Set in Martha’s Vineyard in the early twentieth century, Ida is a gifted portrait painter who before her forlorn marriage had gained a place at the Museum of Fine Arts School, Boston. Ida’s painting time slides away after she marries Ezra. During her marriage she’s devolved into a much put upon wife, a sheep farmer and unpaid worker, an unappreciated daughter-in-law, and finally a widow. Widowhood brings about both ownership rights problems and economic struggles. Ida discovers the scam artist her dead husband was. Her mother-in-law is a rigid tyrant. Idea grows into herself, a woman who seeks to find her voice in a society against women’s rights, and a cyclist—a gift bringing newly appreciated freedom, which includes a repositioned passion for painting.
As Ida slowly uncovers the degree of deceptiveness practised by her husband and his partner Mose Barstow, she comes into contact with Mose’s brother Henry. They work on unravelling both estates. Again more shocks! It’s Henry who introduces Ida to bicycles. Despite his assistance it’s up to Ida to make her own way as she wades through a mountain of deception, of opportunity and rejection.
Ida swirls. She’s coherent and incoherent. Sure of herself and then awkward. Too willing to appease others, scared to trust herself and closed off. Watching Ida grow is both exhausting and exhilarating. Her struggles giveaway to self awareness and renewed directions. There’s pathos and lost moments, alongside enlightening and delightful vignettes. A surprisingly satisfying dénouement.
A William Morrow and Custom House ARC via NetGalley
October 27, 2021
What does it take to be a strong woman at a time when even learning to ride a bicycle was a radical thing? First book I’ve read by this author but it won’t be the last.
September 8, 2021
What a marvelous story! From the first pages I was immediately living the life of the protagonist, Ida Russell. I was sharing her losses, her anger, her frustrations, and her joys. I was transported to her world.
The back-breaking work of life on a sheep farm was skillfully rendered, and the animals added greatly to my own enjoyment of the novel. I also appreciated the friendships Ida made following Ezra's demise.
This historical novel had many serious themes such as betrayal, duplicity, loneliness, and the history of women's rights.
I will remember "Painting the Light" for a long, long, time. Highly recommended!
For my complete review of this novel visit: https://fictionophile.com/2021/09/09/...
The back-breaking work of life on a sheep farm was skillfully rendered, and the animals added greatly to my own enjoyment of the novel. I also appreciated the friendships Ida made following Ezra's demise.
This historical novel had many serious themes such as betrayal, duplicity, loneliness, and the history of women's rights.
I will remember "Painting the Light" for a long, long, time. Highly recommended!
For my complete review of this novel visit: https://fictionophile.com/2021/09/09/...
April 4, 2021
Another excellent book off the pen of Sally Cabot Gunning. This is her sixth historical novel: this time it's centered on Vineyard Haven. Ida Pease left her career as a watercolor artist in Boston to marry Ezra. a sheep farmer. Not long after her marriage Ezra and his business partner Mose board a ship headed for Boston. The ship sinks and Ida finds herself a widow coping with the hard work of raising sheep, lambing, haying and settling the complicated financial affairs of her husband. She finds out that her husband sold the farm to his sister before he died so the security she thought she had disappears. This novel is about love and loss and the long road to recovery. It gave me a lot to think about. Ms Gunning's writing was the icing on the cake. .
October 18, 2021
I don't really know how to rate this book. I could vividly imagine all the characters except the main one! I mean, shouldn't it be the other way around?? Was Ida a good painter?
I also couldn't figure out why this book was "historical fiction"? Which part was exactly historical??
And, as always, I can't understand why there has to be a happy ending love story. That gets annoying and kind of takes away from everything else. Not every book has to have a romance in it. It just doesn't.
Oh and while I am no stranger to long novels, this one could be about 100 pages shorter.
I also couldn't figure out why this book was "historical fiction"? Which part was exactly historical??
And, as always, I can't understand why there has to be a happy ending love story. That gets annoying and kind of takes away from everything else. Not every book has to have a romance in it. It just doesn't.
Oh and while I am no stranger to long novels, this one could be about 100 pages shorter.
January 23, 2025
Докато четях Painting the Light на Sally Cabot Gunning ми идваше да ме заливаха и гняв и мъка.И двете в равни дози. Съдбата на Айда Ръсел е съдбата на много жени. От края на който и век си поискате до днес. И днес. Грешните причини да се свържи една жена с мъж лъсват много скоро след брака. Понякога дори и преди него. Но ако погледът не е достатъчно остър и инстинктите за самосъхранение са притъпени, то реалността започва да изкрастилизира капка по капка, като топяща се пряспа сняг.
Има мъже, които смятат себе си за дар от Бога. С целия си пресметлив ум и хищна натура те се възползват от всеки з�� собствените си машинации. Там няма чувства, няма привързаности, няма дълг и съпричастност. Само лицемерие, присметливост и алчност. Резултатът е куп лъжи, измами, схеми и кражби.
Действието на кн��гата се развива в Мартас Винеярд през 1898 година. Но може да е и днес, в някой градски квартал. Лъжите по онова време са били създаването на злато от морска вода, прекарана през електроди. Лъжите днес са по телефона, изисквайки хвърлени няколко хиляди лева от балкона, за да се направи спешна операция на син /дъщеря. Нищо, че синът/ дъщерята благополучно съществуват без представа за машинациите върху техните майки и баби.
Айда Ръсел имаше цялото ми уважение! Талантлива млада жена, изгубила родителите и братята в морето, опустошена от мъка и самота, тя се доверява на Езра Прайз. И става Айда Прайз. Оттогава пряспата сняг в живота й започва бавно да се топи. А след изчезването на Езра, Айда разбира, че всеки ден човек може да открива лъжи, без да ги е заслужил. Че измамата и кражбата са изплели мрежа, в която може да се отгледа дете. И че няма никой наоколо, на когото може да се довери. Няма честност и откритост, а само задкулисие и заядливост. Всеки ден носи нова тайна, ново разочарование и още лъжи. Без никакъв изход от затънтената овцеферма, в която е оставена да работи като надничар на процент от печалбата. От собственото си ново семейство.
Айда Ръсел беше талантлива художничка със светло бъдеще. Разумна, обрана и упорита в работата, с която никога не е искала да се занима. Хладнокръвно обмисляше всяка ситуация и поемаше всеки нов удар така, сякаш знаеше, че ще дойде. Както й беше тръгнало ! Не се гневеше на пренебрежението на възрастната леля, която иначе мен би ме извадила от кожата ми. Не се отказа от овцете и продължи да поддържа целия процес във фермата, въпреки че трябваше да се учи в движение. Оглеждайки се , Айда не намери нито едно лице, на което може да се довери. Но пък и самата тя не се отвори към никого на острова от самото си пристигане на него. Може би защото вътре в себе си е чувствала, че мястото й не е там. С тези овце. С този Езра. С леля му Роуз и братовчедката Хати. С двамата братя, приятели на Езра. Аз поне много ясно виждах как цялата й изтънчена природа, произход и талант не биваше да се приближават до онова място. Защото никой, който се бори да оцелее в жестоките условия на този остров, изправен между силата на морето и изпитанията на фермите, няма как да разбере начина , по който един художник гледа на светлината.
* " I want you to listen to me carefully. In life, we only believe the people we trust. Do you know what trust is? It’s knowing that a person isn’t going to tell us lies. Most of the time, people know or find out when someone lies, and once they know, they don’t trust that person anymore. They don’t believe that person anymore. "
* “There are some things that are unforgivable,” he said. “There are some people . . . There are times when one must stop striving to forgive or understand or explain and simply move on. To open that door and step through it.”
Има мъже, които смятат себе си за дар от Бога. С целия си пресметлив ум и хищна натура те се възползват от всеки з�� собствените си машинации. Там няма чувства, няма привързаности, няма дълг и съпричастност. Само лицемерие, присметливост и алчност. Резултатът е куп лъжи, измами, схеми и кражби.
Действието на кн��гата се развива в Мартас Винеярд през 1898 година. Но може да е и днес, в някой градски квартал. Лъжите по онова време са били създаването на злато от морска вода, прекарана през електроди. Лъжите днес са по телефона, изисквайки хвърлени няколко хиляди лева от балкона, за да се направи спешна операция на син /дъщеря. Нищо, че синът/ дъщерята благополучно съществуват без представа за машинациите върху техните майки и баби.
Айда Ръсел имаше цялото ми уважение! Талантлива млада жена, изгубила родителите и братята в морето, опустошена от мъка и самота, тя се доверява на Езра Прайз. И става Айда Прайз. Оттогава пряспата сняг в живота й започва бавно да се топи. А след изчезването на Езра, Айда разбира, че всеки ден човек може да открива лъжи, без да ги е заслужил. Че измамата и кражбата са изплели мрежа, в която може да се отгледа дете. И че няма никой наоколо, на когото може да се довери. Няма честност и откритост, а само задкулисие и заядливост. Всеки ден носи нова тайна, ново разочарование и още лъжи. Без никакъв изход от затънтената овцеферма, в която е оставена да работи като надничар на процент от печалбата. От собственото си ново семейство.
Айда Ръсел беше талантлива художничка със светло бъдеще. Разумна, обрана и упорита в работата, с която никога не е искала да се занима. Хладнокръвно обмисляше всяка ситуация и поемаше всеки нов удар така, сякаш знаеше, че ще дойде. Както й беше тръгнало ! Не се гневеше на пренебрежението на възрастната леля, която иначе мен би ме извадила от кожата ми. Не се отказа от овцете и продължи да поддържа целия процес във фермата, въпреки че трябваше да се учи в движение. Оглеждайки се , Айда не намери нито едно лице, на което може да се довери. Но пък и самата тя не се отвори към никого на острова от самото си пристигане на него. Може би защото вътре в себе си е чувствала, че мястото й не е там. С тези овце. С този Езра. С леля му Роуз и братовчедката Хати. С двамата братя, приятели на Езра. Аз поне много ясно виждах как цялата й изтънчена природа, произход и талант не биваше да се приближават до онова място. Защото никой, който се бори да оцелее в жестоките условия на този остров, изправен между силата на морето и изпитанията на фермите, няма как да разбере начина , по който един художник гледа на светлината.
* " I want you to listen to me carefully. In life, we only believe the people we trust. Do you know what trust is? It’s knowing that a person isn’t going to tell us lies. Most of the time, people know or find out when someone lies, and once they know, they don’t trust that person anymore. They don’t believe that person anymore. "
* “There are some things that are unforgivable,” he said. “There are some people . . . There are times when one must stop striving to forgive or understand or explain and simply move on. To open that door and step through it.”
October 8, 2022
Thanks to William Morrow for providing this book via a Goodreads Giveaway.
Lovely story of a woman who marries hastily, lives to regret it for awhile and then is freed to pursue tentative friendships with people around her, to really "see" the island which nourishes her passion for painting. The descriptions of Vineyard Haven, the sheep farm, the sea are evocative. As I read Ida's flailing experience of learning how to ride a bike and then the feeling of success, I recalled my 8 year old self feeling the same thing. The author shows us how Ida grows to love the island enough to want it to play an important part in her future and to see that marriage isn't necessary.
As other reviews have said, there are many things for a book club to discuss: knowing yourself, how to deal with grief, destructive power of family secrets and lies, what's needed for places and people to grow on you, freedom, self-sufficiency and independence, open-mindedness, etc.
I liked the novel, however I would have like to have more background on the characters and their motivations. How did Ida became so modern in her thinking. She chafes at the restrictions that female artists face, she wants to vote, she thinks nothing of riding a bicycle or wearing pants or meeting alone with a married man?
Lovely story of a woman who marries hastily, lives to regret it for awhile and then is freed to pursue tentative friendships with people around her, to really "see" the island which nourishes her passion for painting. The descriptions of Vineyard Haven, the sheep farm, the sea are evocative. As I read Ida's flailing experience of learning how to ride a bike and then the feeling of success, I recalled my 8 year old self feeling the same thing. The author shows us how Ida grows to love the island enough to want it to play an important part in her future and to see that marriage isn't necessary.
As other reviews have said, there are many things for a book club to discuss: knowing yourself, how to deal with grief, destructive power of family secrets and lies, what's needed for places and people to grow on you, freedom, self-sufficiency and independence, open-mindedness, etc.
I liked the novel, however I would have like to have more background on the characters and their motivations. How did Ida became so modern in her thinking. She chafes at the restrictions that female artists face, she wants to vote, she thinks nothing of riding a bicycle or wearing pants or meeting alone with a married man?
May 10, 2021
*I received a free copy in a Goodreads giveaway.
Did a great job of setting the time period, setting, and developing characters.
The story dragged a bit in the beginning. The ending was the bigger problem, it completely changed tone; it went from being an immersive read to this is what happened.
Did a great job of setting the time period, setting, and developing characters.
The story dragged a bit in the beginning. The ending was the bigger problem, it completely changed tone; it went from being an immersive read to this is what happened.
May 30, 2021
An in-depth read where the realization that not all good or bad events and situations are always as they appear in the light of day.
February 19, 2023
We meet Ida Russell Pease in 1898. Having lost her family in Boston she marries Ezra and moves to his sheep farm on Martha’s Vineyard. Not a time period I enjoy, women have no rights, they can’t wear pants or vote and are unpaid subservient slaves to men. However the writing is pitch perfect for the time, evocative of the place and Gunning tells a wonderful story. Watching Ida change and grow was a pure pleasure despite the many obstacles in her path.
“ Of course, her inability to focus. even in Ezra‘s absence was not his fault, but so many other things were his fault that sometimes that one leapt aboard unnoticed.”
“ …there were only so many twists, and turns a five-year-old mind could execute and still keep to the road.”
“ Of course, her inability to focus. even in Ezra‘s absence was not his fault, but so many other things were his fault that sometimes that one leapt aboard unnoticed.”
“ …there were only so many twists, and turns a five-year-old mind could execute and still keep to the road.”
June 29, 2021
This is my favorite Sally Gunning book so far. Ida, artist turned sheep farmer via marriage, is a feisty character who doesn’t let the opinions of others rule her behavior. It isn’t long into her marriage that she realizes what a terrible mistake she’s made. She’s been used and left to tend the sheep on what she thinks is her husband’s farm on Martha’s Vineyard. So, when nothing is as it seems, what do you do? Acquire a bicycle and learn to be free. Since it’s 1898 and unseemly for a woman to ride a bicycle—at least in some people’s eyes—this isn’t such a bad idea. Riding the roads of the Vineyard turns out to be inspirational for an artist, and as Ida counts her mistakes in life, she also is able to see her mistakes in color, form, and perspective in her art.She grudgingly accepts some people as friends, even though her reception on the island has been far from cordial— maybe some of that is her own fault. Her schemer of a husband hasn’t helped matters much, so when he disappears, it’s good riddance, though she can’t entirely get rid of the bad rubbish. Helpful, but sometimes not all that helpful, is the brother of her husband’s partner, the source of the fabulous bicycle. Since the bike belongs to the estranged wife of this man, it becomes a strange sort of currency between Ida and him. She gives it back when she’s displeased with him, he brings it to her to earn her good graces. Sound complicated? It is, but winningly so, which is why Ida is such a wonderful character—smart, stubborn, vulnerable, and introspective, all in one.
April 12, 2021
Ida is a aspiring talented artist in Boston in 1898. After family tragedies she is wooed and marries Ezra. But after only a couple of years in marriage everything isn’t bliss. She is left running their sheep farm alone more and more as Ezra is gone with his partner Mose. She is widowed and faces the reality that her family money is gone and the farm she is on belongs to Ezra’s Aunt Ruth. It follows the story as she tries to make a life for herself and return to the artist she once was. I love he setting of Martha’s Vineyard and the comparisons to Boston. The time period is interesting too as Ida scandalously learns to ride a bike giving her some freedom on the island. The issue of women’s right to vote gets some mention too. The story is beautifully written but slow moving. Even though there were some surprises I took time to read two other books while reading this one. This is for lovers of historical fiction and there is much for book clubs to discuss. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
June 9, 2021
PAINTING THE LIGHT
Setting: Boston bustling city contrasts Martha’s Vineyard idyllic island
Subjects: Women’s rights, restrictions in early 20th century
Bourgeoisie vs. working class farmer
Artist and sheep farmer
Grief, loss, joy, change, discovery, self realization
Relationships: family, spouse, friend, lover, teacher, with animals, nature
Characters:
Ida middle class, educated, artistic, sophisticated, urban lady transforms to country sheep farmer who discovers who she really is
Ezra her scheming husband
Henry- engineer, business partner with Ezra, Ida’s love interest
Ruth & Hattie Ezra’s aunt & cousin old fashioned and withholding
Lem big hearted sheep expert helper
This is a beautifully written historical novel. I savored every word. I have read all of Gunning‘s novels and they are extraordinary.
Setting: Boston bustling city contrasts Martha’s Vineyard idyllic island
Subjects: Women’s rights, restrictions in early 20th century
Bourgeoisie vs. working class farmer
Artist and sheep farmer
Grief, loss, joy, change, discovery, self realization
Relationships: family, spouse, friend, lover, teacher, with animals, nature
Characters:
Ida middle class, educated, artistic, sophisticated, urban lady transforms to country sheep farmer who discovers who she really is
Ezra her scheming husband
Henry- engineer, business partner with Ezra, Ida’s love interest
Ruth & Hattie Ezra’s aunt & cousin old fashioned and withholding
Lem big hearted sheep expert helper
This is a beautifully written historical novel. I savored every word. I have read all of Gunning‘s novels and they are extraordinary.
May 2, 2021
I received an ARC of this book through Goodreads giveaway.
I’m not a great writer so I’m hesitant to put my thoughts in a review.
Out of all the characters, I enjoyed Lem the most. He was very honest and I liked how he cared for everyone regardless of if he approved of their attitudes or actions.
I struggled with Ira because I feel like the story tried to show her as strong and independent but yet she was frequently fooled into accepting whatever was handed her.
I thought the artistic details for drawing and painting were very well done. Often I felt like I could see the colors and art work Ira was working on or describing.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and the story it told.
I’m not a great writer so I’m hesitant to put my thoughts in a review.
Out of all the characters, I enjoyed Lem the most. He was very honest and I liked how he cared for everyone regardless of if he approved of their attitudes or actions.
I struggled with Ira because I feel like the story tried to show her as strong and independent but yet she was frequently fooled into accepting whatever was handed her.
I thought the artistic details for drawing and painting were very well done. Often I felt like I could see the colors and art work Ira was working on or describing.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and the story it told.
July 28, 2021
Not sure if I just missed the “point” of this book other than Ida’s reinvention of herself and finding her way back to painting, but I felt like it fell flat in many ways. The author created different plot points that were never completed, and a twist in the middle felt out of place. I liked the setting of the book, but overall not my favorite.
May 9, 2021
character driven. Place is very well defined (Nantucket Sheep Farm). Loved the bicycle riding, the painting and the small sub plot on women's suffrage.
July 9, 2021
Not my favorite...
July 13, 2023
My sister described the writing in this book as slow and quiet and she was exactly right. Taking place in 1898 Martha’s Vineyard, the characters grew on you, page by page. I loved Ida’s spunk. She was dealt a bad hand (all women were in this time period), but she came out the other side, standing tall. The book was atmospheric and it was easy to imagine yourself inside the story. “That most months of the year the water and sky and even the farm itself pressed in and down and around Ida like a grave; that she was trapped in a life that she could never claim as hers and from which she could never escape.”
February 15, 2025
Painting the Light is not something I would normally pick up, but I was drawn to the cover and colors.
Ida is dealing with a lot in life. A really crappy husband is the root of her current problems. This leads to deception, strained relationships with extended family members, and a need for women's rights.
The characters were realistic. Lem was favorite. None of them were perfect. The bicycle aspect was fun. I related to Ida dealing with society thinking less of women.
This is a great read if you are looking for something historical and filled with vibrant characters.
Ida is dealing with a lot in life. A really crappy husband is the root of her current problems. This leads to deception, strained relationships with extended family members, and a need for women's rights.
The characters were realistic. Lem was favorite. None of them were perfect. The bicycle aspect was fun. I related to Ida dealing with society thinking less of women.
This is a great read if you are looking for something historical and filled with vibrant characters.
October 14, 2021
...rounding up to 4.5. This is a great portrait of a woman suffering from the limitations placed upon women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I would love to see a sequel in which Ida's efforts for women's rights including sufferage are dealt with in more detail. More than 100 years later women shamefully still do not have full equality with their male counterparts.
September 15, 2021
4.5
Rounding up to 5 since this is a really good story full of interesting characters and really good writing. With women's rights in jeopardy once again, it's a relief to be reminded that women have more choices now, in spite of the fact that we STILL don't enjoy full equality. Numerous times throughout this book, I wanted to stand up and applaud Ida for bucking the system in spite of the circumstances that held her back. When I saw that Gunning had a new book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I wasn't disappointed.
Rounding up to 5 since this is a really good story full of interesting characters and really good writing. With women's rights in jeopardy once again, it's a relief to be reminded that women have more choices now, in spite of the fact that we STILL don't enjoy full equality. Numerous times throughout this book, I wanted to stand up and applaud Ida for bucking the system in spite of the circumstances that held her back. When I saw that Gunning had a new book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I wasn't disappointed.
June 25, 2021
When you find an author who includes the Boston Beaneaters in her narrative, you know you've found a kindred soul. Sally Cabot Gunning's newest historical fiction sweeps us off Cape Cod to 1893 Martha's Vineyard. In the middle of the island we meet Ida Russell Pease, a Boston Museum School trained painter who has traded in her brushes, easels, and palettes for hayracks, shears, and a bicycle. After learning her husband is lost at sea, the Widow Pease, (much like Lyddie Barry in Gunning's The Widow's War) sets out to redefine her life on her terms. From glimpses of the suffrage movement to the direct symbolism of the bicycle as a means to achieve movement and freedom, Painting the Light reveals buried strengths and resolves for women to march forward. Ida's success in overcoming difficult relationships and one family tragedy after another emboldens her. Gunning captures the setting of island life in New England with vivid sensory detail making the pages blend into a masterpiece fit for framing.
June 6, 2021
Thank you to William Morrow and Goodreads for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Painting the Light by Sally Cabot Gunning is an engaging historical fiction novel about a woman whose husband unexpectedly dies in a shipwreck. Ida is a certified painter who took art courses at schools that were only for men. Once she gets married, however, her husband restricts what she can do and spends their money gambling. One day, she gets news that her husband perished in a shipwreck. What will she do with her newfound freedom? Will she finally pursue her art? How will she generate an income in this male-dominated world?
Here is an excerpt from the prologue when Ida attempts to enroll in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston in 1893:
"Childish, yes, but it burned, burned like a careless hand on a hot iron, that when she'd tried to enroll in the class she'd been told by the Museum School registrar that it "wasn't for ladies." She'd gone straight to the dean, and when he'd said "unthinkable" in response, she'd foolishly interpreted it to mean that it was unthinkable for a woman to be barred from the class."
And here's is an excerpt from Chapter 1, which takes place 5 years later, after Ida marries her husband Ezra:
"Ida looked at the clock again. Quarter to five. Not that she needed to wonder where her husband was - his usual route home ran through the back room at Duffy's where he played cards and "did his part to fill the spittoon, as he told Ida back in the days when she'd bothered to ask what took him."
Overall, Painting the Light is an interesting historical fiction novel with some surprises in the plot I wasn't expecting. Read on to see how Ida deals with her predicament as a newly-liberated widow after a terrible marriage. Will she be able to survive on her own? Will she return to her roots as a painter? I did take off 1 star because I don't typically enjoy historical fiction. That's not the book's fault. I'm just explaining why it wasn't a 5-star read for me personally. If you're intrigued by the excerpts above or if you're a fan of historical fiction, I highly recommend that you check out this book, which was just released this week!
Painting the Light by Sally Cabot Gunning is an engaging historical fiction novel about a woman whose husband unexpectedly dies in a shipwreck. Ida is a certified painter who took art courses at schools that were only for men. Once she gets married, however, her husband restricts what she can do and spends their money gambling. One day, she gets news that her husband perished in a shipwreck. What will she do with her newfound freedom? Will she finally pursue her art? How will she generate an income in this male-dominated world?
Here is an excerpt from the prologue when Ida attempts to enroll in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston in 1893:
"Childish, yes, but it burned, burned like a careless hand on a hot iron, that when she'd tried to enroll in the class she'd been told by the Museum School registrar that it "wasn't for ladies." She'd gone straight to the dean, and when he'd said "unthinkable" in response, she'd foolishly interpreted it to mean that it was unthinkable for a woman to be barred from the class."
And here's is an excerpt from Chapter 1, which takes place 5 years later, after Ida marries her husband Ezra:
"Ida looked at the clock again. Quarter to five. Not that she needed to wonder where her husband was - his usual route home ran through the back room at Duffy's where he played cards and "did his part to fill the spittoon, as he told Ida back in the days when she'd bothered to ask what took him."
Overall, Painting the Light is an interesting historical fiction novel with some surprises in the plot I wasn't expecting. Read on to see how Ida deals with her predicament as a newly-liberated widow after a terrible marriage. Will she be able to survive on her own? Will she return to her roots as a painter? I did take off 1 star because I don't typically enjoy historical fiction. That's not the book's fault. I'm just explaining why it wasn't a 5-star read for me personally. If you're intrigued by the excerpts above or if you're a fan of historical fiction, I highly recommend that you check out this book, which was just released this week!
July 6, 2021
While this was a historical novel set in 1898, it told a beautiful story of a woman who has lost herself and finds herself through the presumed death of her husband. The former painter from Boston is charmed amidst her grief and finds herself a sheep farmer on the island of Martha's Vineyard.
Set in a time where women couldn't vote and were still expected to do as told, this story pits Ida against the tides as she learns to advocate for herself while tending farm and her late husbands estate, all the while learning what to hold onto and what to let go of, what secrets we keep and what truths we're willing to face.
Obviously I was rooting for Ida throughout this whole book and I felt her character was developed in a way that I could identify with her thoughts and actions. I was angry when I felt she was stifled, and found myself thinking "yes!" whenever she spoke her mind or found her confidence.
Only when she really admitted what she wanted was she able to find joy in her life. And only when she was willing to admit to herself that the measure of her worth wasn't dependent upon anyone else was she able to finally let go. Great book!
Set in a time where women couldn't vote and were still expected to do as told, this story pits Ida against the tides as she learns to advocate for herself while tending farm and her late husbands estate, all the while learning what to hold onto and what to let go of, what secrets we keep and what truths we're willing to face.
Obviously I was rooting for Ida throughout this whole book and I felt her character was developed in a way that I could identify with her thoughts and actions. I was angry when I felt she was stifled, and found myself thinking "yes!" whenever she spoke her mind or found her confidence.
Only when she really admitted what she wanted was she able to find joy in her life. And only when she was willing to admit to herself that the measure of her worth wasn't dependent upon anyone else was she able to finally let go. Great book!
March 14, 2021
I have been a fan of Sally Gunning's since "The Widow's War," and was thrilled to learn that she had written a new historical novel. Set on Martha's Vineyard in 1898, this book features another strong and sympathetic Gunning heroine: Ida Pease, a one-time painter turned sheep farmer's wife. The compelling story touches on many of the author's familiar themes - society's and family's expectations, women's rights and the search for freedom and identity - against multiple historical backdrops: the Boston art scene; life on a sheep farm; shipwrecks and salvage; the fight for women's suffrage. Additionally, there is more than one love story. There's a lot going on here (perhaps a little too much?) but once I settled in, I found this book fascinating and extremely readable. I understand that the author is also a mystery writer, but I hope she keeps the historical fiction coming! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing the ARC of this title with me.
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