4 stars for me. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC of The Painter's Daughters. I always appreciate a deep dive into a historical period or figures that I am not very familiar with and this novel delivered. The author does an impressive job of detailing the scenes, sounds, smells of that time period in a very realistic manner. The novel follows the daughters, Peg and Molly of Thomas Gainsborough, considered one of history's most famous portrait artists. The author does a great job capturing the sibling relationship and the mental illness struggles of Molly and how they would be perceived at that time (the author's note does give some insight into why Molly might have been suffering). I also loved the devide of the chapters from "Meg"'s point of view though I started to piece together who I thought Meg to be. I appreciate when a novelist can really help historical figures come to life and thought she did a great job.

Fascinating read. I enjoyed the writing style and found myself googling the family for more info and to see the portraits. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

The Painter's Daughters by Emily Howes is a beautiful novel of two sisters, Peggy and Molly, daughters of the painter, Thomas Gainsborough. Molly is not quite "right" and Peggy is her not just her sister and companion, but also her protector. When a man, Johann Fischer, comes into their lives, their lives are thrown off balance. Highly recommend!

I found this to be very uneven. I wish the epilogue would have been rewritten as a forward because through the entire book I was finding the story of Meg and Frederick to be unnecessary to the plot. The author tied it up at the end but it was too late for me. The story of Peg and Molly was so co-dependent that it was unhealthy for both of them. A very confusing family dynamic and history.

I absolutely loved this book. Thank you author,Emily Howes and NetGalley for the arc ebook. Many years ago,I had seen the original painting of The Blue Boy at the Pasadena Art Museum in CA and knew of it’s fame but nothing more.This book brings to light the background of it plus more information of it’s creation by Thomas Gainsborough and his family in the 1700’s in England. This book was more focused on his two daughters,Molly and Peggy and wife than he which made the whole story even more interesting. One daughter had a hereditary illness called,porphyria which was handed down through King George III. The story was so compelling that I had to keep looking at TG’s paintings of his daughters,etc and then reading his bio on Wikipedia after finishing the book. The descriptions by the author were superb making it easy to visualize everything.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book that I got from Netgalley. Howes has a way of writing that puts you right in the story and lets you feel what the characters are experiencing. I went into this book never knowing about a painter named Gainesborough, just thinking it was an historical novel and enjoyed the story of two sisters and their parents and all the hardships.

I also liked the side story of Meg and how that intertwined with the main plot. After finishing the book which I very much liked, and then reading the author's notes at the end saying it was based on real characters, I liked it even more. Very well done book and I will recommend it to others.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

I wasn't quite sure how I'd feel about this book before I started it - while I love historical fiction, I was slightly worried that the topic of two daughters of a painter I hadn't thought of in a number of years might bore me to tears, and after a string of very mediocre books in the past months, that was the last thing I wanted. I did not need to be concerned with this, at all, as I was excited to find out.

Seen mainly through the eyes of two characters, Peggy and Meg, both with their very own, yet very distinctly different troubles. Enough people simply regurgitate the plot line, but I will save you from reading it yet again.

The only possibly criticism I could see would be from purists who think the characters may sound a bit too modern. I didn't feel it was an issue for me, and helped me connect with the characters in a way that might not have been possible if they were speaking identically to those in the 1700's. And who knows - given the Victorian prude era hadn't yet begun, perhaps Meg's thoughts about her fling weren't far off from what she really thought.

I highly recommend this one to anyone with even a passing interest in historical fiction.

I really enjoyed this history lesson, a storyline focusing on Thomas Gainsborough, a painter in the 1700s, and his two daughters, Peggy and Molly. Peggy keeps Molly safe as the adults around them do not seem to notice Molly's forgetfulness. As the girls age and they become part of a different community, we begin to see what happens when outside influencers come into their lives and the impact that has on the sisters' bond. I enjoyed the trip back in time, and felt the author did an excellent job of comparing and contrasting all the different aspects of life and society, but also how well she placed the reader into the setting. I also appreciated the deep dive into familial bonds.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

This is the story of the daughters of Thomas Gainsborough, a famous painter in the 1700s, Peggy and Molly, as well as his life as a struggling artist as this begins.

The two girls are inseparable, and as they live in a fairly quiet location, surrounded by acres of fields to roam through and run through as they please, they live a fairly idyllic life. Their father, nearby, painting, their mother inside making sure the home is kept the way she wants it. A simple life.

Neither of the parents seem to be aware of the reason why the girls are inseparable, though. Only Peggy seems to be aware of how Molly seems to drift away, forgetting the simplest of things, including who she is, or where they are, at times. Peggy takes it upon herself to be Molly’s ever constant companion, sleeping beside her to make sure that Molly doesn’t wander off without her being aware of it.

In the midst of this, their parents decide to move to Bath, where they will no longer have the freedom they had before. They are now a part of a community which carries certain expectations, attending church, and taking part in community events. As Molly declines, it becomes harder and harder for Peggy to protect her from what will become of her as she continues to fade away from reality. Still, Peggy is determined to protect Molly as long as she can.

Then a young man, Johann Fischer, enters the picture, he catches the eye, and hearts, of both girls - unbeknownst to Peggy or Molly, he begins courting them both at first, but eventually Peggy questions his relationship with him, and her relationship with Molly, as well.

I loved this story of the bond of sisterhood, although it began to unravel a bit for me as the end approached.


Pub Date: 27 Feb 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Simon & Schuster

This book will make you want to read about the Gainsborough's on Wikipedia and see for yourself what the portraits of Molly and Peg look like. It's a fascinating depiction of life in England in the 17th century. You will not only see and feel the differences between classes and the contrast. between wealth and poverty. The differences in food, clothing, housing and yes, even odors are beautifully rendered and for the duration of the novel, you will be back in that time and place.

Molly, the elder by a year, suffers from intermittent bouts of mental illness. From their youngest days, Peggy, the younger sister, takes it upon herself to keep the secret of her sister's lapses from their parents, and to devise methods of bringing her back to normal behavior.

In between chapters about Sussex and Bath (where the family moves from country to city, there are interlude chapters titled "Meg". Who is Meg? You will not find out until almost the very end (unless you are very clever.
This tale is gripping and highly recommended. It will leave you thinking about love and self-sacrifice, about caring and self-destructiveness, and make you want to learn more about the painter and the period.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the interesting book.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. Having quite a number of sisters of my own, I am drawn towards books about sisters. This book jumps between the POV of Peg who tries to hide her sister Molly's mental lapses from her family and Meg who works as a barmaid for her abusive father. Peg and Molly's father is a painter who is content to let his daughters run around the fields and play, but their mother has higher ambitions for them. A book with the heartache of being unable to protect others or make their choices for them.