A completely unique and magical story about a night custodian at an art museum who finds that she can step into the painting on the wall. My only complaint is that the ending felt a bit abrupt, and I was left with a few unanswered questions.

Mature, but don't age
Stuck, immortal

Art of Vanishing
By Morgan Pager
Release Date: 7.1.25

Thank you @Randomhouse for the e-ARC of The Art of Vanishing. This was a fun, quirky, nostalgic read.

Claire begins her new job at the local Art Museum as an overnight Janitor. While cleaning one night, she finds herself believing that the people in the art have moved position.

This was a fun storyline with hints of magical realism and low steam romance. I like the two main characters and their interactions. For fans of Night at the Museum and Mary Poppins, this one will make you believe in magic and love.

I enjoyed the world that the author "paints" for Claire to explore within the art, but wanted more of a cross over by Jean on the other side. Without giving away spoilers, I also felt that a supporting character in the end that had a similar shared talent was capable of more. The ending left me a bit sad with the lack of story. Parts seamed to be missing in the second half of the book. Still, it was a fun book to escape into.

This was a unique and whimsical premise, and I love that it primarily takes place in an art museum. I liked the alternating timelines- the only way I think this could be successful. The plot development was fine, nothing really surprised or moved me. But overall, it was a sweet, magical story to spend some time with.

Cute romance with a magical element! As an art lover I loved the premise of this book. The romance was very sweet and I really enjoyed the characters!

*Thank you to the publisher, Random House Publishing| Ballantine for E-ARC via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review*

3.5 ⭐️

When I picked up The Art Of Vanishing I wasn’t sure what to expect. I enjoyed the fact that it featured art, and from the summary, it sounded like a unique idea. I love the idea of someone who can travel through paintings, a unique twist on time travel. I couldn't help but be curious about the story and wondering how things would work out between Claire and Jean, given that Jean is part of a painting. I enjoyed the first half of the book, especially the relationship between Jean and Claire, even though I felt it moved too quickly. I felt Jean and Claire didn't really get to know each other, and the next thing I know, they're falling in love. However, I adored the bond that the two of them formed and the way they traveled through the other paintings. It always left me wondering where the two of them would go next.

I loved the premise of the book, and the writing style. The Art of Vanishing reminded me of Night Of Museum; except this was on more romance level. I adored that it took place in museums, I adore art and museums. I loved how the author weaved together real artwork, which I ended up looking up once I finished the book. There was a connection between Claire and Jean, but I felt that there should have been more emotional connection between the two of them, and I felt that the dialogue between the characters was sometimes forced. I enjoyed the dual POV, which allowed me to feel more connected to each of the characters. I enjoyed both characters’ perspectives, but I felt a stronger connection to Jean's than Claire's.

The second half of the book was slower and seemed rushed at times. There were some interesting points, but it didn't keep my attention like the first half of the book did. I loved the atmospheric vibes. I adored the concept of this book. The Art Of Vanishing was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. It made me want to investigate other books that combine art, history, and museums. Readers who enjoy romance, magical realism, and art history will enjoy this book.

This is a really charming debut from one of bookstagram's favorite OGs, and it was a great delight to read. It's a touch magical and full of lovely descriptions of art, but also deals with heavier issues like the pandemic and Claire's home situation.

What a delight! I've followed Morgan as @nycbookgirl for years, and I was so excited to read her debut novel. I don't read many magical realism novels, but a story about a woman who learns she can jump into paintings sounds intriguing. The story of Jean and Claire was endearing, and I liked how conflict emerged in the narrative, particularly the hiccups that didn't directly relate to the main plot (e.g., Claire lives in modern society and falls for a man from another time, as depicted in a painting).

This was an absorbing novel that explores how we examine art, our claim to it, and how art brings people together. I really enjoyed this, and it made me want to go to an art gallery immediately. I found myself thinking about it and craving its magic as I went about my life.

I loved the premise of this book, and I think anyone who finds joy in an art museum will, too. That being said, I found the book a bit hard to get into. The characters were not set up in the beginning in a believable way. In particular, I didn't feel like I knew enough about Claire to be bought into her crush on a man in a fauvist-style painting. And then when she entered the "art" world I felt a disconnect between the way some aspects of that world were described as still looking "painting-like" (for example, the brushstrokes still evident on Jean) while other things like wine seemed to take on the full characteristics of the "real" world. Despite this, I think it was a nice enough romp around a fictional world.

The Art of Vanishing by Morgan Pager was an amazing take on the museum novel.
A stunning debut that sparkled with whimsical exploration of magical realism.
A super sweet and cozy romance story.
This story was so delightful!
I found the writing to be so endearing, the descriptions so vivid, and the characters were a lot of fun... I got so lost in the story.
Pager did a phenomenal job with her debut title.
I can’t wait to pick up her next one.

Things I loved: sweet and cozy love story, the magical realism part of the story, Jean and his endearing qualities, the absolute love of art shown throughout these pages, the concept overall!

Didn’t love: plot holes (especially as relates to Claire’s ex? That truly felt superfluous), unresolved nature of the final “big event” in the book despite multiple leads in a certain direction, several inclusions that were unnecessary to the plot, the rushed pacing at the end, and the portion of the book set during COVID.

Overall: this was a lovely debut with an amazing concept, but fell a bit flat for me, and there were several issues I just couldn’t overlook. However, it was a sweet read, and as someone who appreciates art, I loved the clear love of art throughout.

Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up to 4

A sweet story about a museum employee who meets and falls in love with a man in a painting.

Whimsical, magical realism (think Mary Poppins or Night at the Museum) with a side of mystery surrounding the theft of an artifact on display in the gallery.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Claire, a newly-hired museum janitor, learns she can step inside the paintings and falls in love with Jean, the subject of Matisse’s “The Music Lesson.” I don’t read much magical realism, so this was a fun change of pace for me.

I loved the premise, but some of the plot and most of the dialogue felt very young and juvenile. If you enjoy art history or have ever wondered what it’d be like to inhabit one of a musueum’s paintings, this one’s for you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨4.5/5
Book: The Art of Vanishing by Morgan Pager
Genre: Magical Realism / Fiction

If you were obsessed with Night at the Museum or ever dreamed of walking into an art painting like in Harry Potter, the book The Art of Vanishing is pure magic. As someone who has spent hours getting lost in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, MoMA, and the Natural History Museum in New York City, this book made me feel like I was right there again, soaking in the stillness and wonder… except in this story, the people in the paintings are not so still.

The main female character, Claire, is a quiet night shift worker who starts to notice that the man in the Matisse painting, Jean, is watching her a little too closely. And somehow, impossibly, she steps into his painting. I absolutely loved the dreamy, whimsical energy of it all and how their romance unfolded inside and outside the art frames. The blend of historical art settings, a slow burn love story, and that undercurrent of longing really worked for me. It felt cozy, a little sad, a little magical, and completely captivating.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Morgan Pager, Ballantine Books, and Random House Publishing Group for the lovely eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. 💙

A sweet and immersive story from a beloved bookstagrammer who has demonstrated here that she can write fiction in addition to discussing it online.

I loved the premise of this. In a way it feels like a long after the initial action sequel to From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler, sort of like if Claudia lost her way for a while and then found her way back at a different museum.

The bones of this are a lot like Leanna Renee Hieber’s Natalie Stewart books, though this is contemporary and slots more as Women’s Fiction than YA Gothic. I loved that Pager used the Barnes Foundation rather than a more popular museum, and the way she imagines entering and traveling between paintings is both creative and fantastical but also concrete enough that it feels just plausible enough to be possible. I could have done with a novel that existed entirely within the confines of the paintings, though the protagonist’s life outside the museum is important to the story.

To that end, I didn’t love said backstory, though it does feed the narrative well. I think Clare could have used more character depth, or maybe just a bit more nuance. The people in the paintings were more interesting than the living people in this, though that’s an observation rather than a criticism.

If there is a criticism to be made of this story it’s that the pacing is pretty uneven, making the transition from the slow burn romance in the first half to the quickly actioned and quickly solved heist in the second half feel disjointed, capped off by a rather abrupt ending. I also thought this would be a more literary read, but I don’t know that it necessarily needed to be.

Two things really stand out: One is the wildly creative and dreamy world of the paintings, which is gorgeously imagined and written. The other is that this is the only truly good use of the pandemic that I’ve seen in fiction to date.

In all, a light, enjoyable read for dreamers. We need more books that are well-written but have a light touch like this one, and I look forward to whatever world Pager decides to imagine us into next.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group for this arc.

I was utterly charmed by the description of this book. The reality was a let down. I struggled to stay interested as it had so much telling rather than showing. But as one character was literally stuck in a painting when the other was present, I shouldn’t be surprised. The dialog was flat and boring and when Claire first appears and Jean instantly knows that she’s “special” I think I actually groaned. Listening to Claire talk to herself in an empty museum room was painful. The pair of them come across as mid-teens, sneaking glances at each other and wondering if s/he likes me. I also don’t want to read anything about Covid. Sorry but this one is not working for me. DNF.

dnf around 30%

the premise of “woman works at museum, falls in love with man in a painting” sounded so interesting and had so much potential, but this was such a let down. the writing is so choppy and a lot of telling, not showing. there’s 0 chemistry between the MCs but somehow they think they’re in love when we don’t really know anything about either of them. also the FMC just said “hella boring” and that gave me the ick.

First thank you to random house and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨3.75 stars

Synopsis: Claire is a custodian at a museum when she discovers the secret that she can escape into a painting. She starts a relationship with a man in the painting. A global pandemic separates them for a while but a new discovery welcomes them when they are back

What I liked: I really like the premise and it was such a nice romance with them since he was from several centuries ago. There was a great amount of art history and information included. The magical realism was perfect for this story

The Art of Vanishing is a wonderful charming novel.As a fan of magic realism this was a wonderful read full of interesting characters a new author to follow. #netgalley #randomhouse

The Art of Vanishing by Morgan Pager was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025 and it did not miss for.

Henri Matisse painted his son Jean into a painting and over 100 years later, Jean is trapped inside this painting, watching the days go by as his likeness hangs in a museum. When an employee at the museum realizes that she can cross into the painting, and into Jean's world, we get to explore the early 20th century through her eyes.

I loved the originality of the premise and will look forward to what Pager writes next.

Jean is the subject of a painting. Claire is a janitor at the gallery his painting is hung in. He watches her clear from within his world of paint. She's fascinated by him. This was a beautiful, interesting, unique premise for a love story.
I had questions that I felt like needed to be answered sooner, and the pacing didn't quite work for me. The book felt almost slice-of-life but with enough hanging over them (largely the questions about Claire's background and the risk of getting caught) that I felt a bit off kilter—I think I needed either more stakes/urgency or slightly less. Overall though, I think the issues that made me DNF were on my end, not necessarily an issue with the book. I have friends I think would enjoy it, and to whom I'll be recommending it.