I was so excited to get a chance to read this book about a female painter whose work I have always loved! Judith Leyster is, in my opinion, far underrated. her paintings may not have the technical perfection of some of her contemporaries, but they are so lively! I was pleasantly surprised that her character in this book reflected the image I already had of her in my mind. If you like historical fiction, I highly recommend A Light of Her Own!

I am not usually a fan of historical fiction, but I was fascinated with Carrie Callaghan's debut novel. Beautifully written and compelling from the first page until the end. What a talented writer!

In 1633 Judith Leyster was admitted to the Haarlem Guild. The first and only female to attain this status. Judith Leyster is known to be the greatest female painter in history.
Even with small accounts of Judith Leyster’s life in existence the author has created a beautiful story around this outstanding female artist. The book reveals the struggles and obstacles faced by Judith as a woman of this time trying to pursue a career, to have her own apprentices and to be able to sell her paintings. The Guild to which she attained recognition was the controlling body for artists. Being admitted to the Guild would give an artist status, although there was still a pecking order depending on fame and those fameless would still struggle to make a living. Judith has a strong and fearless personality and seems to have boundless energy. She has a close friend Maria that as a teenage apprentice she shares a room with. Maria is the daughter of her employer and the complete opposite to that of Judith. The times are of the strong Protestant Church with those of the Roman Catholic Church having to hide their worship practices. Maria is a strong Catholic, Judith seems to be a non believer and while she doesn’t understand Maria’s religious obsessions she shows empathy to her friend who is a close to her as a sister. Judith’s family has left town owing money leaving one of their children behind, a son, Abraham who appears to live his life similar to his parents. The author has written parallel stories, the main one of Judith but the other one of Maria who has her own complex issues and through fate has her own misadventure. The descriptions of the environment and the towns with window boxes of flowers give the story added colour whilst the descriptions of everyday life and struggles, the polluted waters of the waterways and canals remind the reader that this was also a time of high infant deaths and when death through even minor sickness due to lack of hygiene and primitive medical practices was just around the corner.

Judith Leyster pioneered the female lead into the male dominated art world of the seventeenth century. As the child of irresponsible, absent parents and the older sister of a wayward, misguided younger brother, her daily life was often challenging on several fronts. In her favor were the facts that she was a talented artist and that she was able to secure an apprenticeship in a respectable workshop. Her independent spirit and commitment to her work enabled her to surmount the sometimes overwhelming obstacles to her success.
Carrie Callaghan ably and interestingly brings Judith's story to life, taking us inside the coup of established artists who attempted to shut out the work product of younger talent.
Although set in the 1600's, Ms. Callaghan's characters reveal unmistakable parallels with people form all walks of life, across time and distance.
The story introduces us to a relatively unknown artist and makes her very much like the rest of us in many respects.
Thanks to Netgalley and Amberjack Publishing for the opportunity to read and review A Light of Her Own.

This book is about Judith Leyster, a Dutch painter about whom I had not heard previously. I really enjoyed it, the book was full of rich and evocative language and the streets and guilds of the Netherlands were richly brought to life.
I would recommend it to any fan of historical fiction,

While I enjoy biographical fiction with well-known figures, I'm also drawn to portraits of lesser-known women, especially when written as artfully as Carrie Callaghan has done with Judith Leyster, a Dutch painter who hasn't always been given her full due, her work often credited to others. Vividly rendered, Judith's story is one of loyalty, independence, and finding her place in a world dominated by male artists like Rembrandt and Molenaer. Throughout, Judith has an unrelenting focus and often grapples with ambition, influencing both her undoing and her redemption. I feel fortunate to have met Judith Leyster through Carrie Callaghan’s well-crafted words.

I love historical fiction about art and artists, and A Light of Her Own was about Judith Leyster, a painter from the Netherlands I didn't know much about. The story held my interest and gave lots of details about the culture of the Netherlands at the time, and how the guild system worked.

"The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls." (Pablo Picasso)

Haarlem, Holland in February of 1633 is wrapped in the frigidity of brisk winds and icy streets. Judith Leyster peers on tiptoe through the smudged window of the rowdy tavern. She can hardly bend her frozen fingers, but she knows that she will readily feel the weight of a few coins in her outstretched hand. Judith waits anxiously for Lachine, a shady Frenchman, who has promised to sell one of her paintings to a patron. No Lachine. No coins.

Judith heads back to the workshop of Frans de Grebber. Frans is an art master who has apprenticed the twenty-three year old since she was thirteen. Judith and her younger brother, Abraham, have been on their own since their parents left the city banished with heavy debt. Judith shares a tiny room with Frans' daughter, Maria, a fellow artist. Both young women experience the solid walls of rejection for females who pursue the arts during this time period. Opportunities are few.

Judith's giftedness is stoked with the flames of persistence. It is this internal fire that eventually lights the way for Judith to become a member of the St. Luke Artists' Guild and later she reaches the level of master status. But none of this comes easily.

Carrie Callaghan presents a story rich in detail of the lives of two female artists living in a profession dominated by men. Haarlem provides an environment of ruthlessness and cunning as we will experience throughout these pages. Callaghan has quite the talent for imbuing her storyline with the sounds, the cadence, and the muddied surroundings of the city's crowded streets. Her characters shift back and forth from the lowliness of street dwellers to the loftiness of master artists. We feel the renowned presence of Rembrandt van Rijn and Johannes Verneer.

A Light of Her Own has the flavor of Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. But Carrie Callaghan creates a grittier atmosphere for Judith and Maria. I was delighted to find that a self-portrait of Judith Leyster can be found in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.. Although a debut novel for Callaghan, the richness of the prose will certainly link her to even greater experiences in the future.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Amberjack Publishing and to Carrie Callaghan for the opportunity.

Thank you Netgalley and Amberjack Publishing for the ARC.

A Light of Her Own follows the lives of two young Dutch woman in a time of religious conflict.
Haarlem 1633, city of Frans Hals and other Old Masters. Painter Frans de Grebber is Maria's father and Judith Leyster his apprentice. The girls have been friends for years, even though one is protestant and one catholic.
Maria needs to atone for an incident in her past and leaves home to recover an old relic for her father. We get to see a bit of Leiden and The Hague as well.
Meanwhile Judith longs to be a member of the painters guild running her own workshop. She achieves both, although being a woman doesn't make life easier.
The story tells of friendship, love and loss. All quite calm even though it's filled with tons of everyday events.
I enjoyed walking the city with the characters. The churches, the market, the laden carts, the canals, the smells, the dirt, the port and its merchants, but also the art world and the workings of the guild. Life is tough, poverty all around. It's hard to imagine those paintings now fetching at least six figures.
As the story unfolds the girls are drifting apart, until a devastating event brings them back together.
Beautiful descriptions of scenery throughout the book.
I appreciate the author's afterword on Judith Leyster's life as an artist. Definitely a Leading Star for many woman in centuries to come.