While it was more a more literary and fictional approach than the title suggested, but it was absolutely beautifully written!

Donna Russo's "Vincent's Women: The Untold Story of the Loves of Vincent van Gogh" offers a captivating exploration of the artist's tumultuous life and relationships through the lens of Johanna van Gogh Bonger, his sister-in-law. This fictionalized yet meticulously researched narrative challenges established views of van Gogh's existence, delving into the emotional complexities and influences of the women who shaped his art and his soul.

Russo's narrative grips the reader with its cinematic portrayal, vividly reimagining van Gogh's struggles against a backdrop of poverty, societal expectations, and his relentless pursuit of artistic expression. Through Johanna's perspective and interspersed with excerpts from Vincent's letters to Theo, the novel presents a poignant exploration of love, passion, and the profound impact of these relationships on van Gogh's creative genius.

The book's strength lies in its authenticity derived from extensive research, including forensic and police records, which underpin the narrative with historical credibility. Russo effectively humanizes van Gogh, offering readers a fresh understanding of his complexities beyond the clichés of mental illness and self-destruction. By giving voice to the women in van Gogh's life, Russo not only corrects historical misinterpretations but also enriches our appreciation of the artist's artistic legacy.

"Vincent's Women" is a compelling blend of historical fiction and biographical insight, inviting readers to reconsider their perceptions of van Gogh's life and art. It's a must-read for those captivated by van Gogh's brilliance and the untold stories behind his iconic canvases. Russo's narrative mastery ensures that by the end of the journey, readers feel intimately connected to van Gogh and the women who shared his turbulent life.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Next Chapter Magnum Opus for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"Vincent's Women" by Donna Russo offers a fresh and intriguing perspective on Vincent van Gogh's life, told through the eyes of the women who shaped him. Narrated by his sister-in-law Johanna van Gogh Bonger, the story alternates between her reflections and the experiences of key women in Vincent's life, including his mother Anna, Sien, and Kee.

The novel challenges many myths about Van Gogh, exploring his sexuality, the loss of his ear, and the circumstances of his death. It provides a deeply personal and emotional look at his volatility, vulnerability, and genius. Russo's character development is masterful, making each woman feel real and integral to Vincent's story.

Set against the backdrop of Western Europe, the settings frame Van Gogh's various occupations and homes. This well-researched historical fiction is both complex and empathetic, capturing the essence of Van Gogh through the female gaze.

The cover of the book is gorgeous, perfectly capturing the beauty and complexity of the story within. *Vincent's Women* is a captivating read that humanizes Van Gogh and gives voice to the often overlooked women in his life, providing a novel perspective on the famous painter's tumultuous journey.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great historical fiction read! I enjoy learning about Vincent Van Gogh. Plenty of his history and art enthrals me. This heartbreaking tale was a different take and theory on his life. It kept me engaged and was artfully written.

DNF.

There is a lot we know about Van Gogh's art, but little we know about the man himself.

I was hoping to learn more about him and what shaped his perspective on the world and influenced his art. However, the plot was really slow and left me unengaged. The writing itself focused so much on his relationships with women, as well as his problematic viewpoints towards them, and of course, his delusional fantasies.

The author painted him out as this naive, tortured, tragic soul who thought every woman who glanced his way wanted to be his wife. I truly could not empathize or feel for him in any way.

I was rather disappointed on how the book solely focused on the women in his life—some of whom had little relevance to his life. I learned little about him as a person, and even less about his art.

I made it about 40% through before calling it quits.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have always like the works of Vincent van Gogh. I was given the opportunity to read this book via NetGalley. I really liked the book. It gave a different insight to Vincent and what contributed to his world view and how he viewpoints were shaped. I also liked the focus on the women in his life. I would recommend this book for people who want to know a little more about Vincent.

This was beautiful and heartbreaking and I know its a fictionalized telling of Vicent Vangogh's life but the masterfully way this was written wraps you and makes you believe every single world.
I as many others, am a huge VV fan, and I feel comfort in his work so reading this (even if it's fiction) gave me more of that feeling plus made me love it more. Also made me appreciate Jo a lot more.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was obsessed with the writing style of this book! The premise was intriguing and I'm glad I picked it up. I would definitely recommend to anyone who's interested in a fictionalized life of Vincent Van Gogh.

Donna Russo's 'Vincent's Women' is the untold story of Vincent's how they shaped his life, his art, and his death. It writes against the 'myths, ' exploring the possibility that none of them are true. It is the only novel to bring into question his sexuality, how he lost his ear, who he lost it for, and how he might have died, all through the eyes of a woman. We learn of Her; we learn all of it through Her. The story is guided by Johanna van Gogh Bonger, Vincent's sister-in-law, as she decides to reveal the truth about Vincent to her son. We are then taken on a journey through Vincent's life, each section bringing a pivotal moment of Vincent's life alive while showing us the part she played in bringing it about. Between each woman, our guide, Johanna, gives us the transitional periods, right up to his death, which is now in question. Hundreds of the nearly thousand letters between Vincent van Gogh and his brother Theo, now considered one of the greatest documents of the human experience, were used to help construct this novel, its narrative, and dialogue, especially the dialogue of Vincent himself. Vincent van Gogh is one of the most well-known artists of all time. The world knows of his madness, traumas, and suicide. But what if all that we know isn't true? What if this knowledge is based on rumors and nothing more? What if his true story is vastly different when based on factual material and forensic information? What if the truth of Vincent's life-his madness and his genius-is defined by his never-ending search for love?

Gives you a whole new perspective on the mind of Van Gogh. I found this book to be very informative and intriguing. I am a fan of Van Gogh and his works.

I have not stopped thinking about this book since I finished reading it. Like many others, Vincent van Gogh is my favourite artist of all time. I've read numerous accounts of his life over the years, but nothing has been as thought-provoking as Donna Russo's Vincent's Women: The Untold Story of the Loves of Vincent Van Gogh.

Russo's work of fiction is masterfully executed and it is unmistakably evident that she invested a substantial amount of time into the research that went into the writing of this book. The author has gathered fragments of Vincent's life story and artfully woven in the missing pieces, making the reader think deeply about van Gogh's true life story.. The author's skillful character building throughout the book adds tremendous realism to the storyline. Vincent's character was exactly as I have always imagined him and it was surreal to read about him "brought to life" in the pages of Russo's book.

The author's ability to blur the line between fact and fiction makes the story seem so believable that the reader might begin to question if Russo has unearthed new information about Vincent's life through her extensive research for this book. It is intriguing, captivating, and an absolutely heartbreakingly beautiful read.

Massive thanks to Donna Russo, Next Chapter | Magnum Opus, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this compelling book.

I loved this account of van Gogh's life through the eyes of his sister-in-law, Johanna van Gogh Bonger. The complexities of the artist's life and the myths surrounding him are all explored by Russo; including the women he was involved with and how they shaped his craft and his life. 5 Stars.
Thank you to Magnum Opus and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book.

This one really surprised me -- I've always been interested in the story and narrative surrounding Vincent Van Gogh, especially after watching the Becoming Vincent film from a few years back. There's so much more to his story than we typically see, and Vincent's Women doesn't shy away from that. I've never seen a book center itself in the women that are behind a man we remember as so iconic and great, and Russo does so perfectly here. Highly recommend for anyone who wants a different perspective of a story and artist we know so well, centered in a women's perspective.

I found this a very interesting read. Van Gogh is one of my favourite artists and I have always been interested in his life. Very well-researched and written and I definitely learnt a lot. Thank you so much, NetGalley for allowing me to read this.

Donna Russo is one of the most talented authors I have EVER come across. Three years ago I read early chapters of this book and was thoroughly unimpressed. I have now read the newly released version and am in awe of what Russo accomplished. This is not a book readers will read but one they will feel. The extensive research used for this book provided a perspective unlike any other when it comes to Vincent van Gogh's life. Readers do not get a straightforward biography of Vincent but an analysis of the forces that molded him. Russo challenges readers to question the accepted truths of Vincent. Was Vincent was indeed "mad" or was his reaction to his underwhelming relationships simply to unconventional for people to understand?
One cannot dismiss the homage this book paid to the otherwise forgotten women who touched Vincent's life. Their stories provided significant context for understanding Vincent's environment. Russo successfully utilized Vincent's correspondence to get readers inside his head to see how he interpreted each of those relationships. While history wants to blame these women for Vincent's demise, they in turn were also impacted greatly by their relationships Vincent.
Allow yourself an open mind and explore an interpretation of Vincent van Gogh that you haven't ever imagined. You won't be disappointed.

The life of Vincent van Gogh is told from the perspective of his sister-in-law as told to her son in the form of stories about the various women in Vincent's life. Some of the women were love interests, others were lovers and some, such as a boarding house owner and a Catholic nun were involved in attempts to protect him. Johanna van Gogh also includes herself and Vincent's mother as influential women. The author managed to base her fictional account on actual letters between Vincent and his brother, Theo. Using facts gleaned from her research, Donna Russo also brings several well-known rumors and myths into question.
This book was a very interesting account of van Gogh's life. I was unaware of his many love interests and involvement with several women over the course of his short and tragic life. it became obvious through reading this book that he certainly suffered from mental illness but the circumstances around his supposed self.-mutilation of his ear and death by suicide are brought into question. I enjoyed the book and learned much more about my favorite artist, even though some of the revelations were disappointing for me. My only criticism is that while I very much appreciate the amount of research put into the book, I did find it to be too long and bogged down in detail at times and speculation at other times.

So beautifully written book can't touch your soul. Many years ago I read another book about Vincent van Gogh but this one represented him from totally different perspective. Like many greatest artists he was very sensitive person, and the author successfully showed how that worked in his everyday life and work. Not easy childhood and constant state of being misunderstood for the very intelligent and gifted person, kept him looking for better position, better place never able to find it.

So, this story is narrated by Johanna Van Gogh and she decides to tell her son the truth about his uncle, Vincent Van Gogh.
We hear about his childhood and the loves of his life, right up to his death. Most of the story is taken from facts that the author found and used within the book.
I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it, but to be honest, once I started to read this , I couldn’t stop! The pages just kept turning!!. I found it really interesting and enjoyable.
Many thanks to Next Chapter for the opportunity to read this advance copy for review consideration via Netgalley. My opinion my own.
#Netgalley, #NextChapter, #AuthorDonnaRusso.

Vincent Van Gogh is one of the world's most famous artists, and through his thousands of letters to his brother, we learn more about the artist, not as a painter, but a person.

Donna Russo's writing style is immediately gripping. While the name van Gogh pulls you in, Russo keeps you hooked by setting the scene and carrying you through it in seamless fashion. I'm not someone who usually reads nonfiction-adjacent works, but Russo clearly dictates a timeline, a focus, and although it's impossible to know him personally, I feel like I do. Vincent's life was by no means a walk in the park, and though his return to nature runs parallel to his small bouts of peace, to watch the disastrous events in his life unfold one after another was a gutting experience altogether.

Van Gogh is most known for his landscape and some portraiture work, but I deeply appreciated the ode to some of his most well-known paintings by adding them into the setting and making them a part of his life. The loves throughout his life all carry their own setting and story, and reading was like adding a piece to the puzzle that is his entire collection of works. His desire for love is something great that is clear in looking at his art, but to know the background to these pieces is something else entirely.

The writing style of this book was not for me but loved the story. I'm a huge fan of Van Gogh, I probably re-read when my mood and mind are more into the writing style.

I have great doubts if there is anyone who can stop looking at the magical paintings like The Starry Night without feeling something stirred inside the heart. Although not widely appreciated during his lifetime, Vincent Van Gogh is now famous for the great vitality of his works which are characterized by expressive and emotive use of brilliant colour to create something mysterious.

This is my first Donna Russo and I picked this up just because it bears the name of an enigma, Vincent Van Gogh! And, I am happy that I started reading this amazing book.

The author has done extensive research based on various forensic records and correspondence between the artist and his friends/family, especially with his brother Theo. The fictionalized version where the story is told by Van Gogh's sister-in-law- Johanna, is very compelling and interesting. The most interesting part for me was the moment when the artist chose himself to be known as only Vincent!

The book deals mostly with the women in the unlucky soul's life and how they shaped his thoughts, life and art. His early relationship with his mother wasn't a very smooth one and in later life he always held his heart in his sleeves and got entangled in various passionate relationships.

Not getting enough attention or recognition in his life has in fact pushed the painter towards more ingenuity. He ended up creating over 2000 paintings in around a decade, what a talent!

Thank you @netgalley @authordonnarusso for this ARC.

This book is available from March 26th 2024 on the both online and offline bookstores.

#historicalfiction #vincentswomen #NetGalley #netgalleyarc