Review of ‘Louise and Vincent’ by Diane Byington
Release date: August 15th, 2023
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing LLC
🎨
Like the author of Louise and Vincent, I am a huge fan of Vincent van Gogh’s artwork and it has inspired some of my own writing. I loved this novel by Diane Byington immensely. It goes in a direction that presents Vincent in a more positive light. At least, the last months of his life. And I thank the author for writing it this way. Also, the cover of Vincent’s Starry Night Over The Rhone is gorgeous and, in many ways, reflects some of the novel’s beauty.
First and foremost, this is a work of fiction dotted with true aspects of Vincent’s life. We have all wondered what really happened to this man who received a gunshot wound. We know the fact that complications followed the horrid event and ended his life. Was his death an accident or a deliberate vile act imposed by another? Or was it suicide? Some theories present the notion that Vincent was protecting someone which is why he never revealed what happened. Ms Byington explores this idea he might have been protecting someone he loved: a woman. Without giving anything away, this well fleshed out concept becomes quite believable through the power of story-telling. Ms Byington has filled in the missing details of history imagining a possible scenario in Vincent’s story. Her own passion for his artwork comes shining through. And the result is a well-crafted beautiful story that gives us a mostly gentle man who may have loved a woman so much he needed to protect her by not revealing the truth.
French Louise Ravoux is a closet artist. But she is also a married woman who shares an Innkeeper role with her husband. Their relationship, though, is a very painful one. She is married to an awful man who repeatedly abuses her in every way possible. He is violent and possessive and she is often a victim of his angry fists. It is easy to feel compassion for Louise and understand her desire to get away from the person who constantly tortures her. But this proves no easy task—especially with two children, one very young and the other a teenager. The older daughter Adeline plays a fairly large part in the story and it is not always pretty. Her loyalty to her father and eventual fear become motivating factors of her actions.
Louise, on the other hand, always has my admiration. She is a wonderful lead character who is bold, brave, courageous and re-discovers herself and strength through loving Vincent. Yes, I wanted her to flee her abusive husband and to re-indulge in her artwork and to be free to love someone who truly cares about her. She deserves to be loved properly and Vincent in this story is the one who does. They have a strong spiritual and creative connection. Along with their love of art, there is a powerful physical attraction, too. He becomes her teacher but so much more as her beloved.
Other noteworthy characters are her friends Danielle and Gerard who offer the support she needs during some rough patches. Of course, the artist’s brother makes an appearance. But another person that cannot be overlooked is Louise’s mother. She carries a secret and a surprise not revealed until after her passing. Without giving any of the plot away, I can say Louise is initially angered by what she learns, and also moved by one of her mother’s actions. Yet these unexpected ‘gifts’ eventually free Louise. But not before she endures a cartload of grief.
I could not put this book down and was totally invested in the lives of the characters. There are some surprise twists in the novel, even though there are a few breadcrumb hints along the way. We all know Vincent dies after he is shot but what course do the fictional characters take? I can tell you Ms Byington offers some fantastic dramatic outcomes.
A Vincent van Gogh novel is not complete without some extensive research into his life and art. And Ms Byington faithfully covers these areas and sticks to and utilises well the historical narrative. Some of the books she has drawn upon for inspiration and facts are in my own library. I totally agree with Ms Byington’s recommendation to check out the books she lists. If you are a lover of Vincent van Gogh, you will enjoy these excellent references.
There have been a number of Vincent inspired fiction books this past year, some of which I have read and reviewed (and a few others I have not tackled yet and will). But this one is very high on my list. Ms Byington’s Louise and Vincent focuses on the last months of the artist’s life, the potential love he might have found and what could have caused his death. The scenes with Vincent mostly show a compassionate gentler side of him and make him appear very human and reachable. The quotes by Vincent at the beginning of each chapter are absolutely brilliant and act as a guidepost for each chapter’s events. Beautifully done, tenderly delivered and profoundly memorable. I loved this novel completely. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Red Adept Publishing, BooksGoSocial and Netgalley for my review copy.
