*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"It's hard telling what you want and what you should want."

It's truly stunning that the picture painting prose of the stirring emotional historical fiction, The Painter's Daughters by phenom author Emily Howes, is her debut novel.

This deeply thoughtful look into the conflicted lives of the daughters of renowned English 1700s portrait painter Thomas Gainsborough (his most famous work is The Blue Boy) is filled with real life family drama, betrayal, mental illness, illicit affairs and a sisterly bond that was often bent but never broken.

Peg, the younger sister feels a responsibility for her big sister Molly, who from a young age, shows signs of mental confusion; often found wandering at night with no memory of leaving her bed. Her father ignores the signs saying, "Things will fix themselves."

Moving from their country home to the city Peg feels her life is now "dismantled" like the furniture. Their father, who once immortalized them in his paintings, no longer asks them to sit for him. In time Molly gets worse and both her and Peg have hidden resentments for their parents, and sadly, each other.

Voice actresses Louise Brealey and Gemma Lawrence are Peg and Molly with their authentic pain, fear, wants and desires. Every few chapters we follow Meg, the daughter of an abusive bar owner, and her pregnancy out of wedlock. Her connection to the sisters is a jaw dropping reveal.

The writer, with poetic empathy, exposes the cruelty of mental illness on the sufferer and their loved ones. Reading and listening to the writing, the creativity and the disturbing twists in the lives of these sisters left me in awe of the author painting a truly bittersweet story of sibling love.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own

It’s obvious that this is a very well-researched book. I enjoyed the author’s writing style, & liked how the two story lines were woven together. The fictional aspects of this story that revolve around the historical characters feel plausible.
My heart broke knowing how much Peg did to love & protect Molly. It’s a lifelong account of the fear, frustrations, & sacrifices made while caring for a beloved sibling who suffers from mental illness.
I feel like Meg’s storyline is also an example of making sacrifices to care for another. Her escape to a better life becomes more about her daughter’s than her own. It never gets easy to read about just how stacked against women the world has been through history.
I thought the final chapters were very touching. The epilogue is a perfect tie-up to merge the stories.
I appreciate it when authors of historical fiction include a few interesting notes @ the end like this. Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy via NetGalley.

Imagine being the daughters of the most famous portraitist of his era. Imagine being a subject for you famous father's paintings. Imagine living in a time where not being like everyone else could get you admitted to Bedlam.

Peg and Molly Gainsborough are the daughters of Thomas Gainsborough. Their childhood seems idyllic, their father painting, their mother keeping the household together, as they run and play, with seemingly little to worry them. Peg is younger, but Molly exhibits the tendency to 'lose herself'. Peg knows if she tells about these 'spells' that Molly has, Molly will be taken away. Peg becomes Molly's caretaker, making sure her sister's issues aren't focused on. When they leave their childhood home and relocate with their family to Bath, it becomes more difficult to keep Molly 'sane'.

This historical fiction portrayal of the daughters of Gainsborough follows them through their lives. We know them as I the subjects of his portraiture but little about them as people. This was an interesting book, although sometimes hard to follow. The book began slowly for me and at times had to force myself to continue. There was an alternating storyline that was confusing until I realized what was happening, then the book moved more quickly.

I was happy to learn more about the time period and have to say I'm glad I live now rather than then. Pulling Peg and Molly front and center and leaving Thomas Gainsborough in the background was disappointing, but I can see writing about his talent would overshadow the story of his children. That is probably the point!

I'll give this book 31/2 stars popping it up to 4 since my inability to get into the book is on me.

The Painter’s Daughter by Emily Howes

Artist Thomas Gainsborough has two lovely daughters. He enjoys painting the girls for himself and for others who want to commission him for their portraits. He also enjoys landscapes. It’s 1770s England and mental illness is something to be hidden.

Daughters Mary (Molly) and Margaret (Peggy) are extremely close and play together almost exclusively. Their mother Margaret wants to prepare them for marriage, while father Thomas indulges their playfulness. The entire household carries the secret of Molly’s spells, endeavoring to keep things under wraps, especially by Peggy.

The book has a couple of story lines going, which may confuse the reader, but it all is clarified by the ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this story for the novelty of the way the author presents the intersecting lives of the family. I thank Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this title, which I give five stars. All opinions are my own.

4.75/5: I’m no history buff but I will be looking into this Thomas fellow because of this book. This story has my heart breaking for so many reasons. I loved the sister bond so much. As an older sister, I would die for my sisters and I would also give up my life to protect them. Peggy did what any sister would do! The relationship between father and daughter in this book resonated with me so deeply. I will be thinking about this one for a while. A long while.

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Setting is in the England in the 1700's. Peg and Molly Gainsborough are sisters and daughters of a famous artist named Thomas. Molly suffers from a mental condition where she forgets where she is at and Peg covers for her terrified that an asylum would be in the cards for Molly.

This is such a good story line, and I loved the interactions between the sisters, especially when love is in the air when Peg meets Johann. The big question is where does that leave Molly?

This is a historical fiction that I would highly recommend as I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

With THE PAINTER'S DAUGHTERS, Emily Howes has brought to life the lives of the two daughters of 1700s painter Thomas Gainsborough, captured in the portrait of his beloved Molly and Peggy chasing butterflies, the youngest daughter impetuous and reaching for the beauty and the elder hanging back a little, apprehensive. In spare, lyrical prose, Howes evokes a family fraught with the pressure to be perfect, to conform to rigid standards while the painter husband and father masters his art and changes their lives even as the girls mature and change themselves. While the writing was spare and elegant, Howes' deft hand rendered characters in full-bodied, wholehearted living color, from madness to the struggles to thrive. Once I fell into the rhythm of the story, I imagined the people, felt the sun on my shoulders, the richness of plump berries, the harsh fear in a mother's scolding. A truly lovely experience featuring art and creativity wrought in the middle of real life. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

This is a wonderful and lush historical novel. It’s obvious how much research Emily Howes has done in order for it to feel as authentic and immersive as it does. There are brilliant little touches and details peppered throughout.

If there’s one author who I am always going to take seriously when I see that they have blurbed a book it’s Hilary Mantel (I mean, who else do you need to endorse your historical novel, really?), so that piqued my interest even before I was pulled in by the novel’s premise.

The Painter’s Daughters follows the two daughters of English portrait and landscape painter Thomas Gainsborough, Peggy and Molly, during their youth in Ipswich. Molly, who suffers from periods of intense mental illness, depends on the generosity and dedication of Peggy to ensure her well-being.

While there’s so much to like about this novel, I do wish there had maybe been a bit more space given to develop these characters. That might sound cruel, as Peggy and Molly are distinct from each other, with lots of fantastic dialogue between the two of them (especially in the first half), but I still wished for a bit more. Maybe had this novel been shorter I wouldn’t have minded quite how invested I felt in the final chapters, but this novel rings in at over 350 pages, which is room enough for a bit more nuance and depth, surely.

Overall though, this is a lovely book. I can’t imagine anyone who enjoys historical fiction not enjoying this.

The Painter's Daughters are Peg and Molly and the painter is Thomas Gainsborough. In the beginning they are being raised in the country and are kind of wild children. Eventually they move to Bath hoping that the girls will become more refined and lady like. There is something different about Molly and the story focuses on Peg taking care of and protecting her older sister. There was a back story of a bar maid that gets pregnant by Frederick, the future king of England. What was confusing was she was Margaret but called Meg, her daughter was also Margaret, Peg was Margaret and Molly was Mary. The two stories tie together in the end but I did not feel that any of the characters were developed. I didn't feel a sense of place other than a lot of mud and it was very slow and I felt the writing was choppy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with a digital copy.

This is the story of Peggy and Molly Gainsborough—the daughters of one of England’s most famous portrait artists of the 1700s and the frequent subject of his work. They are best friends who run wild outdoors, spy on their father as he paints, and even more importantly, Peggy takes care of her sister. Molly periodically experiences bouts of mental confusion, even forgetting who she is, and Peggy instinctively knows she must help cover up her sister’s condition. When the family moves to Bath, it’s not so easy to hide Molly’s slip-ups. There, the sisters are thrown into the whirlwind of polite society, where the codes of behavior are crystal clear. Molly dreams of a normal life but slides deeper and more publicly into her delusions. By now, Peggy knows the shadow of an asylum looms for women like Molly, and she goes to greater lengths to protect her sister’s secret. But when Peggy unexpectedly falls in love with her father’s friend, the charming composer Johann Fischer, the sisters’ precarious situation is thrown catastrophically off course. Her burgeoning love for Johann sparks the bitterest of betrayals, forcing Peggy to question all she has done for Molly, and whether any one person can truly change the fate of another.

I confess I know very little about art and the artists themselves, although I do love to read about them. I had never heard of Thomas Gainsborough before, so I was unfamiliar with his story, or that of his daughters. I thought the premise sounded interesting, so I dove in. Unfortunately, I was disappointed to find that this book just wasn't for me. It was told in the alternating viewpoints of Meg (a tavern owner's daughter) and Peggy. There was no reference anywhere as to why there was a second storyline with Meg, and it wasn't until the very end that it tied the two storylines together. As it was, it felt almost like I was reading two separate books, and it was hard to stay engaged in the storylines for that reason.

"Some are born mad, some achieve madness, and some have madness thrust upon 'em." (Emilie Autumn)

You'll never look upon Thomas Gainsborough's The Blue Boy or his bountiful portraits of the aristocratic again without seeing something far more intricate and far more profound. Gainsborough painted quite a few works of his own daughters as well. We see them as sisters arm in arm chasing butterflies and, even moreso, chasing their own sense of identity.

Thomas Gainsborough did not enjoy instant success. It was a long time in coming. He and his family resided in the countryside in Ipswich. His wife, Margaret, tended the books, but she was a tightly wound individual who could easily fly off at the smallest thing. She grew frustrated at not being able to control her daughters, Molly and Peg, who constantly took to the fields as two unruly and curious sisters.

Margaret begged Thomas to move to the city of Bath where the girls would have more opportunities to be presented to society. We have hints that Margaret, herself, comes from more regal beginnings. Thomas agrees as the move may advance his career opportunities. And it does. However, the girls still possess flighty dispositions which put a heavy strain on Margaret. We'll experience the difference in their parenting styles. That leads us to a heavier kettle of fish.

Peg and Molly are only a year apart in age. Peg, though younger, displays far more maturity and control. And as the story unfolds, we'll soon notice that Molly's episodes are not solely due to immaturity. There is something far darker and deeper happening within Molly. Both parents are in denial. And with that, Peg steps up as her sister's care giver. No amount of hand squeezing or locking doors will ever contain Molly. Love cannot draw a curtain over these happenings.

Emily Howes presents a well written and well researched glimpse into the Gainsborough family and the story behind the butterfly portrait of these pale, fragile young girls. Howes brings emotion into sharp-ended words. Her descriptions are spot-on in regard to this hidden situation. Peg remarks early on in regard to her sister Molly: "She is not in her face." The observation of one still a child and hardly in possession of the ability to express her own bewilderment.

Howes parallels a story thread of Meg, a young twenty year old woman, working in her father's inn and tavern. Meg is brutally mistreated by her slovenly father. She only wishes to escape to a better life even if it takes her on a long journey to London without a means of supporting herself. As readers, we're more than curious as to how Meg's story finds its way into that of the Gainsborough family. It does and it eventually bends events at the fork in the road.

The Painter's Daughters is a must read for art lovers and also for those who just enjoy a richly written journey into hidden stories of the past. The face that gazes from the canvas certainly has so much more to tell.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Simon & Schuster and to the talented Emily Howes for the opportunity.

"The Painter's Daughters" by Emily Howes is set in 1700s England, focusing on sisters Peggy and Molly Gainsborough, daughters of the renowned portrait artist Thomas Gainsborough. The story explores their close bond and individual journeys, especially when a man threatens to come between them. Howes skillfully weaves themes of sisterhood, love, and personal growth into the narrative.

One of the highlights of "The Painter's Daughters" is its exploration of the complexities of sisterhood, as Peggy and Molly navigate their close relationship while also striving to discover their own identities. I enjoyed the unique perspective on family dynamics and the historical context of the famous painter's family. The novel is engaging and well-written, and offers a compelling perspective on family dynamics and the bonds that hold us together (and also, at times, can drive us apart). I would highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction and stories of family and sisterhood.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for access to this arc.

I know a bit about Thomas Gainsborough, as I love his portraits, but when I saw the blurb for this book I realized I know zip about his daughters even though I’ve seen Gainsborough’s portraits of them. Overall, I found this novelization of their lives to be well written and interesting though a bit uneven at times.

I found the first part to be the most interesting. Peggy is a child of ~ eight and the way she describes her life feels that age. Later during the early years in Bath – while she’s still supposed to be fairly young – her voice feels older than it should to me. I would have preferred life in the country too, wandering fields, picking blackberries, and playing in a stream rather than Bath, no matter how interesting the people or sights.

During the second half of the book, I felt more ill at ease but also a little bored. It’s endless rounds of parties for the sisters who are now back from their six years at a school. As their portraits had when they were children, their adult social activities were meant to serve as accessories for their father’s career. But also I knew that the Event that nearly separated the sisters as well as Molly’s final descent into mental illness were around the bend.

The descriptions of 18th century life are not prettied up. This is particularly evident in the parts with the sisters’ grandmother. Her life was grim but she did find a cleared-eyed way out of it. Thoughts regarding how she did this might differ but she had a goal and she got it. Early in the book, Peggy mentions a series of eight (Hogarth) prints that the family has which (from her description) are illustrating Bedlam. This horrible place is how we begin to see what might happen to Molly if she’s deemed to be “mad” and why Peggy works so hard to cover up her sister’s symptoms. But yes, there is a degree of becoming her sister’s keeper involved as well. I can also understand – as it’s shown – why Molly might have tried to throw over the traces at one point in order to try to live a normal life.

The sparse details of their lives and the possible backstory of their mother and grandmother are wound into an interesting explanation of the sisters’ lives. I like that the events for which there is no evidence other than the known personalities of the people involved are mentioned in the afterwards note. It’s sad that Peggy’s and Molly’s lives couldn’t remain as happy as they were as children chasing a white butterfly in a garden as their father painted them.

This debut from Emily Howes is a work of art 🤩🖼️

I’ve really been loving historical fiction lately, especially when it tackles heavier themes in a suspenseful way. While it is on the slower side, the pacing is steady, and I found myself riveted by our two female perspectives 👏🏻

While both Meg and Peggy’s stories kept me engaged, it was Peggy’s that truly captured my full attention. We know that Molly, Peggy’s older sister, is not quite right and is experiencing bouts of “madness.” 😢 Peggy takes it upon herself to hide this secret from everyone and, in her eyes, protect her sister from being found out and subsequently sent to an asylum. She’s ill-equipped to handle this as a child herself, but the bonds of sisterhood run deep, and she sees it as a necessary sacrifice and act of love and devotion.

This brings into question larger ideas of love vs. sacrifice and protection vs. control that are illuminated in greater detail towards the end of the book when we finally get some insight into Molly’s views on her life 💔 The sisters’ interactions amongst themselves, family and eventually polite society are all fraught with tension, suspense and unease waiting for the other shoe to drop, and this added shadow and depth to the underlying tone of the book 📖

If you’re a fan of art history or loved the Netflix show Queen Charlotte and how it captured mental illness, I think you’ll find this book fascinating!

Thank you Simon Books for my #gifted copy of The Painter’s Daughters! #simonbooksbuddy #ThePaintersDaughters

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐄𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐇𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

★★★★✰(4.5)

What a debut! I fell in love with how beautifully written this was and had a hard time putting it down. I always admire books that are character driven and also involve a lot of research. It is evident that the author took great care to research and accurately depict the characters and time period. I remember learning about Thomas Gainsborough in an art history class in college, but do not recall much besides his name and the time period. One of the reasons I love historical fiction so much is that I get to learn about a person or period, and I’m so grateful I picked up this book. Once I finished, I found myself looking up some of the paintings by Gainsborough and researching more about him and his family.

My copy of The Painter’s Daughters contained a note to the reader from the author. I loved learning more about the ‘why’ behind this book and the passion Howes has for women’s mental health. It’s these types of connections that really show in the writing throughout the book.

I really enjoyed the focus on sisterhood and the relationship between Peggy and Molly. Howes truly painted a portrait with this one. If you are lookin for a character driven historical fiction novel, this one is for you!

🖌️Historical Fiction
🖌️Sisterhood
🖌️An Element of Mystery
🖌️Mental Health

Posted on Goodreads on February 24, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around February 27, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on February 27, 2024
**-will post on designated date

This debut novel combines Thomas Gainsborough’s numerous paintings of his two daughters with some historical facts to create a literary accounting of Molly and Peggy Gainsborough’s life. According to Emily Howes, theirs was a melancholy life, stifled by an overbearing mother, a distracted father, and a swinging-door household with Gainsborough’s clients ever present. Throw in mental health issues, extreme naivete, unrequited love, and a side story that seemed to have no relevance—you can understand why some found this story lacking.
Howes excelled in her depiction of life in 18th century England. Her descriptions of the bucolic Ipswich, the bustling Bath and finally London are good. Jane Austen fans will love this.
I personally struggle with novelists dissecting historical paintings. I had the same reaction many years ago to Chevalier’s “The Girl with a Pearl Earring” for the same reason. I wonder what the great artists from the past would think of 21st century novelists putting their masterpieces into words? Just a thought.
My thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an advanced copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
3.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this historical fiction tale of Peggy and Molly Gainsborough, the daughters of one of England’s most famous portrait artists of the 1700s, Thomas Gainsborough.

Peg and Molly are best of friends, playmates and very close sisters. The story opens with their idyllic childhood in the countryside playing while their father paints, and their mother strives for a more proper life. But not is all well with the sisters as Molly periodically experiences bouts of mental confusion, even forgetting who she is. Peggy instinctively knows she must help cover up her sister’s condition. Things become more complicated when the family moves to Bath with their mother's plans on the girls entering society.

I loved the setting in the 1700s of England, from the countryside of Ipswich to the bustling streets of Bath. The story is beautifully written and includes a duel story of another Meg and her connection to the Prince of Wales. Both stories dovetailed nicely at the end. Highly recommend!!!

This debut historical fiction novel paints a dark and dreary picture of how life and love can be cruel. I enjoy a good book about artists and their paintings, but I had a hard time connecting with this one and would be hard pressed to recommend it.

Set in 18th century England, the settings in this story have a very Old World feeling and seem to be always filled with mud. The story started off rather slow and I waited and waited for it to get better. Though the chain of events in the lives of Thomas Gainsborough's daughters, Peggy and Molly, were interesting, it was the other storyline about the innkeeper's daughter and her life that I found to be very distracting. Back and forth the chapters would switch from the two Gainsborough girls to a different time period and the other woman. At 50% into this secondary story, I still had no clue what connection it had to the Gainsborough family. Things were often alluded to rather than being explained and I felt too often that many questions were left unanswered.

Overall, I liked this story about sisterly love, betrayal, and devotion. I just didn't love it.

The Painter's Daughters" by Emily Howes is a captivating exploration of art, family, and the intricate relationships that shape us. Howes skillfully weaves a narrative that revolves around the lives of the titular daughters, bringing depth to their characters and their connection to the world of art. The story unfolds with a delicate balance of emotion and intrigue, drawing readers into the complex dynamics of the painter's family. Howes' writing style is evocative, painting vivid scenes that linger in the mind. While the pacing may vary, the overall narrative remains engaging, making "The Painter's Daughters" a compelling read for those who appreciate a nuanced portrayal of familial bonds and the world of art.

Potatoes and Paperbacks 3 ⭐️
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Thank you @simonandschuster for the arc!
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Following the lives of painter Thomas Gainsborough’s daughters Peggy and Molly, this novel chronicled their unusual family circumstances as well as Molly’s descent into mental illness.
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💭 Thoughts 💭
This book was very well written, and I was intrigued to see how life would turn out for them. The family was very protective of their own, even if they had to resort to unusual ways to do so.
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⏳ Favorite Moment ⌛️
The bond between the sisters was strong.. almost too strong at times. But, it was great to see the family stick together in the face of difficulty.
This book was strange but captivating and discussed a time that I did not know much about.