“The Painters Daughters” by Emily Howes is the story or Molly and Peggy, the beloved daughters of Thomas Gainsborough. Often immortalized in Gainsborough’s paintings. The two daughter were in separable and completely devoted to one enough with Peggy, the younger of the two, often taking control and hiding the fact that Molly is suffering from bouts of mental confusion.

Howes has crafted a well researched, atmospheric story set in 18th century England. This dual timeline story bounces between Meg, the grandmother, and Peggy and Molly, the granddaughters. While both stories were interesting, I wish that the due timelines were more connected so the reader could understand what Howes was trying to convey earlier on in the book. Some of the story was repetitive and the characters, especially Margaret, the mother, felt somewhat flat despite being an interesting character. Overall, a good book with a great atmospheric feel that most historical fiction readers would enjoy.

I could not get myself into the story. It was an interesting premise, and I even read the summary multiple times to remind myself why I chose it, but I just couldn't find myself caring about what was happening in the story.

I’ve struggled with how to review this book. I received it as an ARC from the publisher, and it started so strong. It was a title I was interested in by the description. I loved the historical setting and the dynamic of the sisters and their family, but I really struggled with the ending. I didn’t want to give this book a negative review because it’s an amazing book, but the ending broke my heart and not in an enjoyable way. You might think that heartbreak is intrinsically bad, but half good books will rip you apart. Ideally they put you back together again a little too, this one did not. It’s still well-written, and I would read another book by the author.

This historical fiction novel is written about Peggy and Molly Gainsborough - daughters of the famous portrait artist in the 1700s. Molly experiences mental confusion sometimes and her sister does everything she can to cover it up. This book follows their lives through childhood to adulthood.

The topic definitely interested me, but it was slow at times. I couldn't rush through this one, but it was good overall.

4.5 stars

Peggy and Molly are sisters and best friends growing up in the countryside of England in the 1700s, daughters of the soon-to-be prolific painter, Thomas Gainsborough. The two are always getting into trouble together, much to the chagrin of their mother, who wishes her daughters to be proper ladies. They idolize their father for his free spirit and indulgence in their sense of arventure.

Despite their ages, Peggy is forced to take the leadership role in their relationship when Molly begins exhibiting signs of mental illness. Fearful that if anyone finds out, Molly will be sent away, the girls swear to keep her issues a secret. But as Molly grows more and more erratic, Peggy falls further and further in her parents’ esteem in her attempts to cover for her sister. Eventually, the family departs for Bath, in hopes that the bustle of city life and introduction to high society will motivate the girls to more ladylike aspirations. However, the more people around, the more pressure on Peggy to keep Molly’s secret. And as the girls grow older and more marriageable, Peggy wonders how there can be room for any other type of love in their lives.

This story spans decades of the Gainsborough girls’ lives, and cuts back and forth between them and the story of Meg, a small-town innkeeper’s daughter and her overwhelming desire to escape her circumstances.

The writing is accessible but still fitting for historical fiction, and I found myself highlighting tons of lines. I particularly loved the descriptions and symbolism using colors and art styles, and how beautifully it depicted Peggy’s view of the world. The love and tension between the sisters and all of the characters’ growing disillusionment with men and the society they’ve built cuts so deeply, I’ll be thinking about it for a while. I am uncultured swine so didn’t realize until I’d finished the book and got to the author’s note that this was based on real people and their stories, so that made it even more of a gut punch. Beautiful story, beautiful writing, and I recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction. Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

An interesting read that focuses on the two daughters, Molly and Peg, of legendary painter Thomas Gainsborough. They were born a year apart, Molly being the older, and stayed inseparable. Indeed, Peg faithfully kept secret Molly’s secret of her numerous psychological problems (serious mental confusion and behaviors that if discovered quickly would have led to confinement in an asylum) and really became her caretaker supreme. Both the time period and the characters fascinated me, but I sometime felt myself slogging through this story, perhaps because it seemed to move woefully slowly in parts. All seemed very well researched, however, and overall this was a good read.

This was an interesting piece of historical fiction regarding the two daughters of famous painter Thomas Gainsborough in England's 1700s. He would often make them subjects of his paintings. The author drew from documented history to tell a story about two daughters born a year apart, with the eldest Molly having intermittent psychological issues. The mother had a secret heritage leading back to royalty so hoped for them to thrive in polite society. The younger daughter Meg was quite devoted to her sister acting as a caregiver and keeper of her secret. While Molly likely belonged in an asylum, the family closed ranks to navigate the choppy waters of her mental illness.

I loved reading about all the trappings of this time in England, from the countryside of Ipswich to the bustling streets of Bath. A favorite item to search on the internet was sedan chairs used by the wealthy when travelling through the narrow and filthy streets of the UK at the time. The normal future for a young, privileged girl at this juncture was enjoying "the season", wearing fancy clothes, attending balls- ultimately looking for a suitable husband. I also enjoyed reading about the servants who maintained the cozy kitchen that always had a comforting fire burning in the hearth and flagstone floors, as well as someone to help you dress and fix your hair.

There was a dueling storyline involving another Meg, a descendant of the girls that slowly reveals the royal heritage of the Gainsborough sisters. Unlike some dual storylines that serve to leave the reader a bit dizzy, both were a pleasure to read in equal measure. The famous British historical fiction author Hilary Mantel read the book and said it was "beautifully written", and I have to agree.

Thank you to the publisher Simon & Schuster who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

This is an excellently written character-driven historical fiction. There were several things that the author did wonderfully that made this read stand out for me.

This work follows Peggy and Molly from adolescence to adulthood. The author did an excellent job with their characterization and their growth throughout the read while still staying true to the original voices of the girls. The secondary characters were also strong despite not having much page time. Similarly, the setting came to life from the first page. Meaningful descriptions and interesting/relevant historical information were incorporated throughout the book, creating a vivid backdrop for this story.

The tone of this read was immaculate. It’s quite melancholy and the author’s writing played a big role in creating the perfect balance between lyrical and straightforward, aiding the tone. I did worry at the beginning that the writing would stray too far into purple prose, but that wasn’t the case at all.

I honestly feel like my review isn’t doing this book justice, it was that good for me. If you’re interested in a melancholic, character-driven historical fiction that explores sisterhood, protection versus control, and mental health, then I highly recommend this read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish this book and was sad about it. It has a great premise and sounded very interesting. The copy that I received was very disjointed (it was in a word format that didn't work well with my kindle). Because of the format I was unable to follow the complete story. I had to give up at about 25% because I was more frustrated than enjoying the story.

I have it on hold at my local library and am looking forward to completing the book once released.

Thomas Gainsborough is the mid 1700s portrait painter in the title. The story traces his two daughters’ lives as well as that of their maternal grandmother’s. I really loved the sense of time and place the author brought to the novel, especially in Bath regarding medical treatment (think bloodletting, mercury rubs, and mental health—recall Bedlam?) and sanitation, or more accurately, lack of. As for the story itself, a major theme seemed to concern the differences between love, obligation, selfishness. The youngest daughter is the best developed character as much is told from her POV. Reflecting back, I wish there had been more written about Mrs. Gainsborough as she was the link between the two story lines. It was enjoyable and informative.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC to read and review.

The Painter Daughters
By Emily Howes

A Touching Story of Mental Health, Sacrifice and Betrayal

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


SUMMARY
Peggy and Molly are the daughters of the renowned portrait artist Thomas Gainsborough. The two sisters are best friends and enjoy playing in the English countryside. They often spy on their father while he paints and rattles their mother's nerves with their mischief.

When Molly periodically suffers from episodes of mental confusion, forgetting who and where she is, Peggy feels responsible for covering for Molly. When the family moves to Bath, Molly's episodes become more frequent and challenging for Peggy to conceal.

In Bath, the girls are introduced to polite society, and Peggy ultimately falls in love with her father’s friend, Johann Fischer, a well-known composer. Her world is turned upside down by a betrayal. Peggy questions everything she has ever done for Molly as the betrayal unfolds. Should she have always covered for Molly? Now everyone will know…

REVIEW
THE PAINTER DAUGHTER is an interesting and informative historical fiction novel set in the 1700’s. Peggy and Molly’s touching story and the themes of mental health, sacrifice, and betrayal were captivating.

In addition to the two sisters, the novel intermittently introduces another character, Meg Grey, a young woman working in the kitchen of her father's inn in Harwich. Although Meg's story is compelling, without a connection, it interrupts the flow of the main story. I frequently reread pages to ensure I wasn't missing something in this family drama. Who is this Meg Grey?

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Publisher Simon & Schuster
Published February 27, 2024
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

The painters daughters is about a painting done by Thomas Gainsborough. It is a fictionalization of the life of the family of Thomas and the mother of his wife. It is not clear as you are reading the book how it fits together.. There is a lot of repetition but not very much substance in what seems to be the major themes of the book which are 18th century mental illness and society. I think it would help it some of the afterward was a prologue. I also think more detail about the mental illness would be helpful.
#netgalley #simonandshuster #thepaintedsisters #emilyhowes

The description of this book does not do it justice. Slow at first it quickly entangled you to the point that you don't want to put it down. Theain character Peggy is easy to love throughout most of the book while her sister Molly you feel empathy for. One of the best books I have read in awhile. Definitely recommend. Great author, great book, exceptional writing.

I've been deep into historical fiction lately and The Painter’s Daughters by Emily Howes did not disappoint. Howes managed to bring many paintings from Thomas Gainsborough, a renowned 18th century English painter, to life.

The story is about sisters, Peggy and Molly Gainsborough. While Molly is the older sisters, Peggy knows that she must protect her sister. Molly occasionally will have "mental confusion" While their mother thinks they should be proper ladies, the girls would rather be free and barefoot in the fields.

Molly's illness starts to progress and while Peggy tries to hide it from everyone, it's becoming harder to protect her.

And then a young man enters and destroys the sisters relationship because.....men.

I quite enjoyed this book Howes did an amazing job are setting the scene and bringing the reader into the almost pastoral setting.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

The Painter’s Daughters is an historical fiction that captures Peg and Molly Gainsborough, the daughters of the well known painter Thomas Gainsborough. Beginning in their youth, when they are wild impetuous children, it follows them through to their final days.
The title may use the word “daughters”, but the story really focuses on the younger daughter, Peg. Peg does not understand where Molly goes sometimes, how she drifts away, what her “funny spells” are. Still, she works hard to protect her sister. The family moves to Bath, so the young girls can become useful. “Accomplished, handsome, fashionable daughters can be useful to a man.” Howe perfectly captures the expectations for young ladies of the era. But also how easily they could be taken advantage of, how often they were pawns in a meaningless game. It makes some interesting points about love, self-sacrifice and obligations. The final meeting of Fischer and Peg was the best scene in the book.
There’s also a secondary plot line involving an innkeeper’s daughter and the Prince of Wales.
The story was a bit of a slog to get through. I was hoping for more about Gainsborough himself and his works. He is more of a shadow character, not often in the frame.
Howe does a good job of setting the stage as to time and place, especially their time in Bath. The remedies for madness seemed well researched.
Other than Peg, I didn’t feel any of the characters were fully fleshed out.
There is an Author’s Note in the beginning which might have provided some insight. Unfortunately, in the ARC I had, it was so messed up as to be unintelligible.
My thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.

In this excellent debut historical fiction novel, Emily Howes hits a home run with her depiction of the lives of Molly and Peggy Gainsborough, daughters of the portrait artist. It is an intriguing look into their lives and the secret the family tried to hide.

Children Mary (Molly) and Margaret (Peggy) Gainsborough lead a carefree life in the English countryside while their father Thomas tries to earn a living as a landscape artist. Realizing there is more money to be had as a portrait artist and bowing to his wife's wishes for a more societal life for their daughters, the family moves to Bath in the early 1700s. Success finds Thomas, but at what cost to his daughters? Molly's mental health declines, and Peggy, trying to keep the severity of it from her parents, vows to protect her from commitment to Bedlam. Little did Peggy know the implications of keeping this vow would have on her life.

This carefully crafted novel is beautifully written and transported me to 1700s English life. It is well-researched, resulting in an intimate look into the lives of the Gainsborough family and the society in which they moved. It is a fast-paced and engaging story that captured me from page one. Ms. Howes's next book is about the life of Mrs. Charles Dickens, and I can't wait. If you enjoy historical fiction or good storytelling, you should pick up this book. It's excellent.

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is February 27, 2024.

I really enjoyed THE PAINTER'S DAUGHTER. I was hooked from the start. It was a well written exceptional story I think many will enjoy.

Many thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for my gifted copy.

Beautifully written, I couldn't put this book down. I loved the exploration of family ties, especially between sisters. One of the best historical novels I've ever read. Getting to go inside the minds of two characters from the same family in different generations added the perfect balance of understanding the families history, without revealing too much. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book.

This will be one of the biggest historical debuts of 2024.

Intrigued by the amazing blurbs and endorsements this novel has received, I couldn’t wait to read this.

The painter Gainsborough’s daughters are two women forgotten by history — although their faces are in his most famous paintings. A tale of sisterly love, mental health, sacrifice, betrayal and essentially what it means to be a woman with limited choices. It had me gripped throughout.

A remarkable story that, according to the author's epilogue, is loosely based on historical documentation from the 1700-1800s in England. The story follows the two daughters of a portrait artist whose lives and experiences illustrate contrasting commitment in a society where, to choose a man could mean turning one's back on family. Mental illness and period associated stigma is wrestled with. The epilogue ties the story together. A thoroughly enjoyable read. Thanks!