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The Art of Vanishing
A stunningly original love story between a museum employee and the man in a masterpiece hanging on the walls—a breathtaking debut about time, art, and the enduring power of love.
Jean’s life is the same day in and day out. Frozen in time by his painter father, the legendary Henri Matisse, Jean observes the ebb and flow of museum guests as they take in the works of his father and other masters like Renoir, Picasso, and Van Gogh. But his world takes a mesmerizing turn when Claire, a new museum employee, enters his life.
Night after night, Claire moves through the gallery where Jean's painting hangs, mopping the floors, talking softly to herself to stem her loneliness and gazing admiringly at the masterpieces above. The alluring man in the corner of the Matisse—is he watching her? Why does she feel a deepening pull to him, like he can see her truest self, her secrets? Did he just move?
In an extraordinary twist of fate, Claire discovers she can step through the frame of Jean's painting and into a bygone era, a lush, verdant snapshot of family life in France in the throes of World War I. She and Jean begin a seemingly impossible affair, falling in love against the backdrop of the gallery’s other paintings come to life—glittering parties, exhilarating horse races, and windswept beach bluffs, that they can move through together and where Claire is seemingly the only modern visitor, alone in possession of this gift.
But as their happiness is threatened by challenges both inside and outside the museum, Claire and Jean find themselves in a fight to preserve the love they’ve only dared to dream of. Will their extraordinary connection defy the confines of reality, or will the forces conspiring against them shatter their carefully curated happiness?
Jean’s life is the same day in and day out. Frozen in time by his painter father, the legendary Henri Matisse, Jean observes the ebb and flow of museum guests as they take in the works of his father and other masters like Renoir, Picasso, and Van Gogh. But his world takes a mesmerizing turn when Claire, a new museum employee, enters his life.
Night after night, Claire moves through the gallery where Jean's painting hangs, mopping the floors, talking softly to herself to stem her loneliness and gazing admiringly at the masterpieces above. The alluring man in the corner of the Matisse—is he watching her? Why does she feel a deepening pull to him, like he can see her truest self, her secrets? Did he just move?
In an extraordinary twist of fate, Claire discovers she can step through the frame of Jean's painting and into a bygone era, a lush, verdant snapshot of family life in France in the throes of World War I. She and Jean begin a seemingly impossible affair, falling in love against the backdrop of the gallery’s other paintings come to life—glittering parties, exhilarating horse races, and windswept beach bluffs, that they can move through together and where Claire is seemingly the only modern visitor, alone in possession of this gift.
But as their happiness is threatened by challenges both inside and outside the museum, Claire and Jean find themselves in a fight to preserve the love they’ve only dared to dream of. Will their extraordinary connection defy the confines of reality, or will the forces conspiring against them shatter their carefully curated happiness?
304 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2025
311 people are currently reading
35006 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 402 reviews
July 9, 2025
if you like ashley poston, then i think you’ll really enjoy this! it’s a fun little romance with magical realism aspects that add some flair, and it was such a unique storyline. loved our characters, loved their love (although not my absolute fav, i didn’t dislike it at all), loved the writing and the vibes. love a good cover, but love a good cover even more when it holds an actually great story!
pre read:
bought this at barnes as soon as i saw the cover... now everyone manifest it being a 10/10 story too 🫢🤝🏼
pre read:
bought this at barnes as soon as i saw the cover... now everyone manifest it being a 10/10 story too 🫢🤝🏼
July 9, 2025
2 Stars
One Liner: So… what’s the point?
Jean’s painter father froze him in time as a painting. He spends his days observing the guests at the museum, even if it gets boring.
Claire joins the museum as an employee. She mops the floor at night, talking to herself about loneliness and lovingly gazing at the paintings. She is drawn to the painting in the corner and feels as if the man is watching her.
One day, Claire discovers that she can step through the painting and enters France during the WWI era. She and Jean become close, but how can they have a future together when stuck in a painting and between two times?
The story comes in Jean and Claire’s first-person POVs.
My Thoughts:
Firstly, this is a NA book. The characters are around 19-21, which is way too apparent in their actions, dialogues, and everything. If there’s one age group in fiction that has rarely worked for me, it is the New Adult range. Sadly, this book is no exception.
Secondly, the book includes the Covid-19 pandemic in the second half. While there are no graphic descriptions, I know the topic can be a trigger for some readers, so I’m putting this at the top.
With a premise about a person in a painting and a modern human who can cross time through the painting, I was hoping for a magical, artsy, and delightful narration. I don’t need an explanation about it. The why can be simply called magic. But I need the rest of the story to be cohesive and have some reason or purpose.
There’s no denying that the concept is intriguing. The setting of an art museum on one side and France during WWI on the other should have given us a vividly contrasting yet alluring foundation. However, neither settings make an impact. The museum fares better marginally.
When I read the ages (thankfully, I didn’t have to wait for long), I quickly adjusted my expectations. However, the characters are so surface-level. In an attempt to keep certain information hidden, the FMMC is reduced to a tiny 21-year-old with a cute, messy bun and some tragic backstory she doesn’t want to share. By the time we know what it is, it’s too late to empathize with her.
Moreover, instead of being shown their conversations, we are told they spoke a lot about many topics. So, when the lead pair begins their whirlwind romance, it feels awkward, without much to support the development.
A few other plot threads are introduced but dropped like hot coal and never explored again. This makes me wonder about the discussions that happened during the book’s development. Were some key elements changed? If yes, why? Was the draft used as it is? If yes, why?
The second half and the last quarter seem to spiral into something else. It would have still worked, but the ending felt like an easy way out. It’s literally the simplest solution, as it requires minimum effort to sustain the initial premise.
Not everything is bad, despite my rant. Susie, the contract guide, is an interesting character, and so is Jamie. I like Linda and Luna too. The scenes with different types of visitors in the museum are fun to read.
The book is easy to read as it picks up pace after the initial slow start. You should be able to finish it in a couple of sittings.
To summarize, The Art of Vanishing has good potential but fails to make an impression. If you are more of a vibes person, the book might work better for you.
I know this is a debut book, and my review is harsh. The editing team should have spent more time structuring the plot and tying up the loose ends.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheArtOfVanishing
One Liner: So… what’s the point?
Jean’s painter father froze him in time as a painting. He spends his days observing the guests at the museum, even if it gets boring.
Claire joins the museum as an employee. She mops the floor at night, talking to herself about loneliness and lovingly gazing at the paintings. She is drawn to the painting in the corner and feels as if the man is watching her.
One day, Claire discovers that she can step through the painting and enters France during the WWI era. She and Jean become close, but how can they have a future together when stuck in a painting and between two times?
The story comes in Jean and Claire’s first-person POVs.
My Thoughts:
Firstly, this is a NA book. The characters are around 19-21, which is way too apparent in their actions, dialogues, and everything. If there’s one age group in fiction that has rarely worked for me, it is the New Adult range. Sadly, this book is no exception.
Secondly, the book includes the Covid-19 pandemic in the second half. While there are no graphic descriptions, I know the topic can be a trigger for some readers, so I’m putting this at the top.
With a premise about a person in a painting and a modern human who can cross time through the painting, I was hoping for a magical, artsy, and delightful narration. I don’t need an explanation about it. The why can be simply called magic. But I need the rest of the story to be cohesive and have some reason or purpose.
There’s no denying that the concept is intriguing. The setting of an art museum on one side and France during WWI on the other should have given us a vividly contrasting yet alluring foundation. However, neither settings make an impact. The museum fares better marginally.
When I read the ages (thankfully, I didn’t have to wait for long), I quickly adjusted my expectations. However, the characters are so surface-level. In an attempt to keep certain information hidden, the FMMC is reduced to a tiny 21-year-old with a cute, messy bun and some tragic backstory she doesn’t want to share. By the time we know what it is, it’s too late to empathize with her.
Moreover, instead of being shown their conversations, we are told they spoke a lot about many topics. So, when the lead pair begins their whirlwind romance, it feels awkward, without much to support the development.
A few other plot threads are introduced but dropped like hot coal and never explored again. This makes me wonder about the discussions that happened during the book’s development. Were some key elements changed? If yes, why? Was the draft used as it is? If yes, why?
The second half and the last quarter seem to spiral into something else. It would have still worked, but the ending felt like an easy way out. It’s literally the simplest solution, as it requires minimum effort to sustain the initial premise.
Not everything is bad, despite my rant. Susie, the contract guide, is an interesting character, and so is Jamie. I like Linda and Luna too. The scenes with different types of visitors in the museum are fun to read.
The book is easy to read as it picks up pace after the initial slow start. You should be able to finish it in a couple of sittings.
To summarize, The Art of Vanishing has good potential but fails to make an impression. If you are more of a vibes person, the book might work better for you.
I know this is a debut book, and my review is harsh. The editing team should have spent more time structuring the plot and tying up the loose ends.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheArtOfVanishing
August 22, 2025
how does it feel to live my dream (spend hours walking around in paintings)
June 17, 2025
♡ thank you to Ballantine Books and Morgan Pager for an ARC of this book! ♡
3/5 ⭐️
i was in love with this book up until about the 60% mark. the idea of this book was so interesting and the first 60% was PERFECT. a perfect love story with magical realism, a cozy & quick read for anyone looking for an escape! that being said, i felt there were holes in the plot and inconsistencies in the FMC claire.
i truly loved the premise of this book. i loved the writing style of Pager. this is the kind of book that makes you believe in love and feel all warm & fuzzy inside. overall, im still extremely happy i read this book, but it could've been better.
i felt Luna's character was integral to the story, but was left out until the half way mark, and then just thrown in with no build up. she had been around the entire time but never brought up? even though claire had explored most of her past? it didn't add up for me..
i was also extremely disappointed in the ending of this book. it felt very rushed and off beat from the plot of the beginning. i really do wish this book would have taken a different turn.
also, this gives such "night at the museum" vibes, which i LOVED. if that's your type of thing, this book will be such a ride for you!
3/5 ⭐️
i was in love with this book up until about the 60% mark. the idea of this book was so interesting and the first 60% was PERFECT. a perfect love story with magical realism, a cozy & quick read for anyone looking for an escape! that being said, i felt there were holes in the plot and inconsistencies in the FMC claire.
i truly loved the premise of this book. i loved the writing style of Pager. this is the kind of book that makes you believe in love and feel all warm & fuzzy inside. overall, im still extremely happy i read this book, but it could've been better.
i felt Luna's character was integral to the story, but was left out until the half way mark, and then just thrown in with no build up. she had been around the entire time but never brought up? even though claire had explored most of her past? it didn't add up for me..
i was also extremely disappointed in the ending of this book. it felt very rushed and off beat from the plot of the beginning. i really do wish this book would have taken a different turn.
also, this gives such "night at the museum" vibes, which i LOVED. if that's your type of thing, this book will be such a ride for you!
June 6, 2025
Did you like the movie The Night At The Museum? If so, this book is for you! The Art of Vanishing is about a museum employee, Claire who works the night shift. She starts to notice the subjects of the paintings are not always in the same spot. Jean, observes the world by day and roams the vast realms of art by night. He has formed a little crush on Claire and one evening decides to invite her into his world. Claire climbs into the painting and it's magic.
The pacing and feel of this book reminded me of Remarkably Bright Creatures and Tom Lake. It has the same cheery, easygoing vibe. I adored Jean. I found his energy and demeanor refreshing. He looked at Claire as if she were the masterpiece. I liked the juxtaposition of the two of them; Jean with an innocence about him and Claire living through the harsh realities of life. The contrast is what brought this charming story to life in and out of the painting.
Thank you Ballantine, Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for this eARC, in exchange for an honest review.
The pacing and feel of this book reminded me of Remarkably Bright Creatures and Tom Lake. It has the same cheery, easygoing vibe. I adored Jean. I found his energy and demeanor refreshing. He looked at Claire as if she were the masterpiece. I liked the juxtaposition of the two of them; Jean with an innocence about him and Claire living through the harsh realities of life. The contrast is what brought this charming story to life in and out of the painting.
Thank you Ballantine, Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for this eARC, in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2025
A lovely original story, reminiscent of a stand alone episode of Doctor Who or The Twilight Zone. Claire gets a great job cleaning an art museum and can't stop staring at the artwork, painting in the early 20th century. The tour guides are able to give people the background of the artists, painting their families, and the symbolism of the objects within the paintings. Claire has a good trainer, Linda, and takes a bit longer cleaning at night, until she realizes that she can see the people in the paintings move, which will remind you of the Harry Potter paintings at Hogwarts.
Like the magical paintings, the subjects are pulled into a painting world, do not sleep, and freeze in place during the day. But at night they come alive and can even visit worlds in the other paintings on the walls. Claire is unique in that she can step into the painting, and will fall in love with 19 year old Jean. She has some family secrets she isn't sure she wants to reveal about herself. But just as she is willing to open up, the covid pandemic happens and the painting subjects are completely confused as to why they have been abandoned, left in the dark. They surmise that the country is at war.
This debut novel is such a creative romantic premise, written simply and accessibly, for those that enjoy the magical realism and romantic genre. This is lighter on the romance and heavier on contemporary fiction and characterization. There are 3 storylines, Claire finding out about Jean in his world, the pandemic and what happens with Claire and her family during the 4 months they are apart, and a bit of a suspense/crime storyline at the end.
While some reviewers may not like the change in plot direction, I found it to be whimsical and clever. Jean is a relatable character, and Claire bringing her iPhone into the paintings and conversations about how different their worlds are is very humorous, smoking, technology, art and the appreciation thereof.
It is a bit of a doomed relationship for obvious reasons, but the best relationships teach us more about ourselves, even when they don't last forever.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC. Book to be published July 1, 2025.
Like the magical paintings, the subjects are pulled into a painting world, do not sleep, and freeze in place during the day. But at night they come alive and can even visit worlds in the other paintings on the walls. Claire is unique in that she can step into the painting, and will fall in love with 19 year old Jean. She has some family secrets she isn't sure she wants to reveal about herself. But just as she is willing to open up, the covid pandemic happens and the painting subjects are completely confused as to why they have been abandoned, left in the dark. They surmise that the country is at war.
This debut novel is such a creative romantic premise, written simply and accessibly, for those that enjoy the magical realism and romantic genre. This is lighter on the romance and heavier on contemporary fiction and characterization. There are 3 storylines, Claire finding out about Jean in his world, the pandemic and what happens with Claire and her family during the 4 months they are apart, and a bit of a suspense/crime storyline at the end.
While some reviewers may not like the change in plot direction, I found it to be whimsical and clever. Jean is a relatable character, and Claire bringing her iPhone into the paintings and conversations about how different their worlds are is very humorous, smoking, technology, art and the appreciation thereof.
It is a bit of a doomed relationship for obvious reasons, but the best relationships teach us more about ourselves, even when they don't last forever.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC. Book to be published July 1, 2025.
June 26, 2025
3 / 5 Stars
What a fun but very confusing ride! In “The Art of Vanishing,” Claire just started working at a museum as one of the night time cleaners. She admires all of the art with an eye on a particular painting by Matisse of his family. Claire discovers that she can step into the art and meets the man of the hour, Jean Matisse. (I believe it is this painting and Jean is our friend in the left corner). They start to fall for each other and try to navigate what love looks like between the artistic and real world.
The premise is really fun and I liked the whimsy of the book. If you like the magic of “Night at the Museum” or when Mary Poppins walks into art, you will like parts of this book. Just a touch of magic is fun to read and it felt like a nice change of pace for me.
I liked Jean and Claire’s sweet love. At times, the writing felt a little YA (with one open door sex scene) but that might be due to the fact that both Claire and Jean are young (early 20s). I left like they jumped to love pretty quickly but I am just writing that off to the fact that Jean is old timey and I don’t feel like it is instalove when it is in a historical setting (which his art is technically a historical setting? Just go with me on it).
I just found the genre of the book pretty confusing. For the first half, it is a low angst, easy, sweet romance. For the next quarter, it is historically accurate doom and gloom. And for the last quarter it is a hybrid mystery/heist. I just felt a little confused as to what I was reading and I think that made it hard to understand Claire as a character because her motivations and information about her kept changing based on the genre changes (Jean stayed steady). But if you like being surprised by a book, you might enjoy that aspect!
Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: July 1, 2025
____________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: It's giving Night at the Museum but a love story.
What a fun but very confusing ride! In “The Art of Vanishing,” Claire just started working at a museum as one of the night time cleaners. She admires all of the art with an eye on a particular painting by Matisse of his family. Claire discovers that she can step into the art and meets the man of the hour, Jean Matisse. (I believe it is this painting and Jean is our friend in the left corner). They start to fall for each other and try to navigate what love looks like between the artistic and real world.
The premise is really fun and I liked the whimsy of the book. If you like the magic of “Night at the Museum” or when Mary Poppins walks into art, you will like parts of this book. Just a touch of magic is fun to read and it felt like a nice change of pace for me.
I liked Jean and Claire’s sweet love. At times, the writing felt a little YA (with one open door sex scene) but that might be due to the fact that both Claire and Jean are young (early 20s). I left like they jumped to love pretty quickly but I am just writing that off to the fact that Jean is old timey and I don’t feel like it is instalove when it is in a historical setting (which his art is technically a historical setting? Just go with me on it).
I just found the genre of the book pretty confusing. For the first half, it is a low angst, easy, sweet romance. For the next quarter, it is historically accurate doom and gloom. And for the last quarter it is a hybrid mystery/heist. I just felt a little confused as to what I was reading and I think that made it hard to understand Claire as a character because her motivations and information about her kept changing based on the genre changes (Jean stayed steady). But if you like being surprised by a book, you might enjoy that aspect!
Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: July 1, 2025
____________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: It's giving Night at the Museum but a love story.
April 25, 2025
The perfect read for lovers of magical realism!
Jean has seen a lot from his spot in his families painting…but then he sees Claire. Claire has started a new job cleaning the museum overnight, and she’s drawn to the painting. They discover that Claire is able to jump between their worlds, where her and Jean are helpless to falling in love.
This book was intriguing and well worth the read. The story was very original, and it was a different sort of read for me so I had a lot of fun with it! I would definitely recommend it.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
Jean has seen a lot from his spot in his families painting…but then he sees Claire. Claire has started a new job cleaning the museum overnight, and she’s drawn to the painting. They discover that Claire is able to jump between their worlds, where her and Jean are helpless to falling in love.
This book was intriguing and well worth the read. The story was very original, and it was a different sort of read for me so I had a lot of fun with it! I would definitely recommend it.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
July 5, 2025
I hate to do this because I was so excited to read this but this book was…bad. The premise is so original but the writing was so terrible I actually can’t believe it was published. The characters were flat, the plot was all over the place - all of the sudden it was a COVID book then about a single mom, then about art theft?
I think that the trend of influencers writing novels needs to end. Not everyone can be a writer, and that’s ok!!
I think that the trend of influencers writing novels needs to end. Not everyone can be a writer, and that’s ok!!
August 20, 2025
When my friend described the premise of this one to me, I was intrigued and excited to give it a shot. But after only 30 pages, I had a feeling we'd end up here.
For me, it started with the writing. I don't know how to describe it other than it felt simpler than I was expecting. I'm always happy to discover something that's quick to read, but this leaned more into the "tell-not-show" variety of style, which is one of my absolute biggest pet peeves.
I think I could have looked past this, if the book either leaned deeply into the magical realism element, or deeply in the character development. As the book stood, we hardly understood any of the logistics of the magical realism. Claire can just hop into paintings, and we'll never learn why? Okay. Jean and the rest of his painting counterparts somehow always have food and will never age and don't know anything about their real-life selves? Jean never seems to be able to accurately keep the passing of time but Claire can? The logistics of this concept didn't seem thought through, in a way that made the magical realism not truly escapist to me. On the other hand, the characters felt underdeveloped. We know nothing about them despite the alternating first-person POV chapters. We also know next-to-nothing about the actual world they inhabit (what museum is this? what city is it in?) until much later into the book. So for a lot of reasons, I found it difficult to ground myself in this story.
Speaking of the alternating first-person POVs, Jean's and Claire's chapters were frustrating in different ways. Taken together, their voices weren't distinct. Jean, a man from 1917, is somehow able to use lingo he picks up on from around the museum in an inconsistent way. His narration read more like a vampire who assimilated to the present day than a figure stuck in a painting with a very limited way to interact with the outside world. Claire's chapters were opaque, despite being the character I think we needed to empathize with the most out of the two. I was confused as to why we don't get any of her true backstory until the second-half of the book, as I felt like it crumbled any trust we have in her character up until that point.
Instead, Claire's tragic past is used as a plot device spoilerin tandem with the pandemic, which goes unnamed. One of these things as a plot device I might have been fine with, but both of them being revealed to the reader simultaneously was a lot to take in. It felt like the story relied on these two simultaneous reveals to propel us towards the end, instead of diving deeper into its unique concept. After this bit of a left turn, we do return to some intrigue (a new piece of art to display, something of a mystery/heist situation), but that felt rushed near the end of the book, and led to what I'd describe as a lukewarm ending to the novel as a whole.
All-in-all, this book's concept is truly fascinating. I really thought I would have loved it based on the description alone. However, the writing, pacing, plot, and character development left a lot on the table to explore, and I wish we'd been able to!
For me, it started with the writing. I don't know how to describe it other than it felt simpler than I was expecting. I'm always happy to discover something that's quick to read, but this leaned more into the "tell-not-show" variety of style, which is one of my absolute biggest pet peeves.
I think I could have looked past this, if the book either leaned deeply into the magical realism element, or deeply in the character development. As the book stood, we hardly understood any of the logistics of the magical realism. Claire can just hop into paintings, and we'll never learn why? Okay. Jean and the rest of his painting counterparts somehow always have food and will never age and don't know anything about their real-life selves? Jean never seems to be able to accurately keep the passing of time but Claire can? The logistics of this concept didn't seem thought through, in a way that made the magical realism not truly escapist to me. On the other hand, the characters felt underdeveloped. We know nothing about them despite the alternating first-person POV chapters. We also know next-to-nothing about the actual world they inhabit (what museum is this? what city is it in?) until much later into the book. So for a lot of reasons, I found it difficult to ground myself in this story.
Speaking of the alternating first-person POVs, Jean's and Claire's chapters were frustrating in different ways. Taken together, their voices weren't distinct. Jean, a man from 1917, is somehow able to use lingo he picks up on from around the museum in an inconsistent way. His narration read more like a vampire who assimilated to the present day than a figure stuck in a painting with a very limited way to interact with the outside world. Claire's chapters were opaque, despite being the character I think we needed to empathize with the most out of the two. I was confused as to why we don't get any of her true backstory until the second-half of the book, as I felt like it crumbled any trust we have in her character up until that point.
Instead, Claire's tragic past is used as a plot device spoilerin tandem with the pandemic, which goes unnamed. One of these things as a plot device I might have been fine with, but both of them being revealed to the reader simultaneously was a lot to take in. It felt like the story relied on these two simultaneous reveals to propel us towards the end, instead of diving deeper into its unique concept. After this bit of a left turn, we do return to some intrigue (a new piece of art to display, something of a mystery/heist situation), but that felt rushed near the end of the book, and led to what I'd describe as a lukewarm ending to the novel as a whole.
All-in-all, this book's concept is truly fascinating. I really thought I would have loved it based on the description alone. However, the writing, pacing, plot, and character development left a lot on the table to explore, and I wish we'd been able to!
January 4, 2025
I enjoyed the genre-blending of TAOV and thought the concept was unlike anything I’ve read. It was clear that the author has an appreciation for art and museums which translated well into the story. I will definitely think of this book the next time I’m at a museum too!
However, the dialogue did not work for me (felt forced/overcompensating) and several pieces of the magical realism aspect left me confused. I felt that the relationship and characters were also underdeveloped/rushed and left me wanting more from each as well. Unfortunately, the direction the plot went in during the last 40% (covid, burglary) was not for me either.
The impact of art, perspective, and boundless love+
/connection was what stood out in this one! I think many readers will appreciate the escape this book provides.
Thank you Ballantine and Net Galley for the opportunity to be an early reader, and I will still look forward to Morgan Pagers next book!
2.5⭐️ rounded up
However, the dialogue did not work for me (felt forced/overcompensating) and several pieces of the magical realism aspect left me confused. I felt that the relationship and characters were also underdeveloped/rushed and left me wanting more from each as well. Unfortunately, the direction the plot went in during the last 40% (covid, burglary) was not for me either.
The impact of art, perspective, and boundless love+
/connection was what stood out in this one! I think many readers will appreciate the escape this book provides.
Thank you Ballantine and Net Galley for the opportunity to be an early reader, and I will still look forward to Morgan Pagers next book!
2.5⭐️ rounded up
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2025
2 stars
I was hoping for more of a slow burn love story full of longing given the premise but this was very insta-lovey (my least favorite thing.) It can be so hard to pull off magical realism and make it not corny, but I feel like this just wasn’t what I was looking for and was too whimsical for my expectations.
I was hoping for more of a slow burn love story full of longing given the premise but this was very insta-lovey (my least favorite thing.) It can be so hard to pull off magical realism and make it not corny, but I feel like this just wasn’t what I was looking for and was too whimsical for my expectations.
July 22, 2025
boring
July 6, 2025
From our very own @nycbookgirl and oh did I love this! More in my feed this week but it’s a love letter to art and museums and whimsy and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it! So unique. So magical. I didn’t want it to end!
January 28, 2025
I wanted to say that this was as beautiful as a painting, but it feels cliche. I was captivated by both worlds. The world in Jean’s painting and the real world that is Claire’s life. What a stunning and captivating debut from Morgan.
June 24, 2025
I’ve been following Morgan Pager, @nycbookgirl, on Instagram for years so I was really excited to hear that she had written her first book, “The Art of Vanishing”.
Claire is a newly hired night shift janitor at an art museum in Philadelphia, the Barnes Collection. Jean is a subject in one of the museum’s paintings and the son of Henri Matisse. He’s spent the last century observing museums patron who’ve come to admire the painting he lives in but has never been able to interact with any of them. Until he meets Claire. Jean and Claire learn that she has a special gift that allows her to enter the museum’s paintings each night, and from there a romance blossoms between the two.
Really cool plot, right? Perfect for any reader who grew up loving “From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler”? Kind of. The problem for me was that this book felt heavy on concept and light on heart. And the plot seemed to move faster than the character development. In fact, at many points the plot completely overshadowed character development to the point that you didn’t truly get to know the characters until 75% of the way through the book.
I’d also note that this book is partly set in 2020 and COVID-19 is a plot point, in case that’s something you’d like to avoid.
Anyway, I am sorry to say that I liked but didn’t love this book. I think with the help of a better editor it could have really been something special.
But I can’t think of any other books like this for readers who are also art and museum lovers, so I think for them this book will still hit the sweet spot because it is so unique. Also worth a read for fans of magical realism romances, another niche genre.
PS: Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Claire is a newly hired night shift janitor at an art museum in Philadelphia, the Barnes Collection. Jean is a subject in one of the museum’s paintings and the son of Henri Matisse. He’s spent the last century observing museums patron who’ve come to admire the painting he lives in but has never been able to interact with any of them. Until he meets Claire. Jean and Claire learn that she has a special gift that allows her to enter the museum’s paintings each night, and from there a romance blossoms between the two.
Really cool plot, right? Perfect for any reader who grew up loving “From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler”? Kind of. The problem for me was that this book felt heavy on concept and light on heart. And the plot seemed to move faster than the character development. In fact, at many points the plot completely overshadowed character development to the point that you didn’t truly get to know the characters until 75% of the way through the book.
I’d also note that this book is partly set in 2020 and COVID-19 is a plot point, in case that’s something you’d like to avoid.
Anyway, I am sorry to say that I liked but didn’t love this book. I think with the help of a better editor it could have really been something special.
But I can’t think of any other books like this for readers who are also art and museum lovers, so I think for them this book will still hit the sweet spot because it is so unique. Also worth a read for fans of magical realism romances, another niche genre.
PS: Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
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September 1, 2025a rating for this simply doesn't exist because the plot was also nonexistent...
(spoilers below)
whatever you think this book is about, you're wrong. i am a very big fan of the night at the museum movies so i thought this book would hold that type of charm. sadly this book was just full of rushed plot points and random twists. god forbid we focused on one thing at a time, no. we needed to have claire go into paintings, have past relationship trouble, be a teen mom, steal, go through covid, and move on ig...
based on my last sentence you can tell that this book just overwhelmed me. i thought claire's ability to go into painting would be spoken about more, every seemed to just accept it and there was not enough freaking out going on. it was hard to connect to claire because we spent more time in jean's head for some reason. like i would've been more interested in claire's personal life if she felt like the main character. jean very much gave main character except he was 100% boring.
I'm kinda sad this wasn't as good as i wanted it to be because i really wanted the uniqueness to work. so many books are being published right now and finding ones with cool ideas that seem brand new is the fun part of being a reader. i think if the covid plotline hadn't been involved i could've rated this, low but there would be a rating. i just think my confusion and dislike would make the rating really mean so i'm gonna leave it with none.
(spoilers below)
whatever you think this book is about, you're wrong. i am a very big fan of the night at the museum movies so i thought this book would hold that type of charm. sadly this book was just full of rushed plot points and random twists. god forbid we focused on one thing at a time, no. we needed to have claire go into paintings, have past relationship trouble, be a teen mom, steal, go through covid, and move on ig...
based on my last sentence you can tell that this book just overwhelmed me. i thought claire's ability to go into painting would be spoken about more, every seemed to just accept it and there was not enough freaking out going on. it was hard to connect to claire because we spent more time in jean's head for some reason. like i would've been more interested in claire's personal life if she felt like the main character. jean very much gave main character except he was 100% boring.
I'm kinda sad this wasn't as good as i wanted it to be because i really wanted the uniqueness to work. so many books are being published right now and finding ones with cool ideas that seem brand new is the fun part of being a reader. i think if the covid plotline hadn't been involved i could've rated this, low but there would be a rating. i just think my confusion and dislike would make the rating really mean so i'm gonna leave it with none.
July 21, 2025
Thank to the publisher for my copy!
I enjoyed this book a lot. It had a very strong start but I felt it took a while to get to the twist—which I LOVED. It was a beautiful, lovely, unique story and I look forward to more from Pager!!
I enjoyed this book a lot. It had a very strong start but I felt it took a while to get to the twist—which I LOVED. It was a beautiful, lovely, unique story and I look forward to more from Pager!!
July 7, 2025
Wielkie rozczarowanie
Zacznijmy od tego że książka zaczyna się jak fanfik i tempo w jakim idzie akcja również mogłabym do takiego porównać.
Uczucie pomiędzy dwójką bohaterów (zwłaszcza mężczyzny z obrazu) rozkwita w mgnieniu oka na podstawie jedynie obserwacji naszej głównej bohaterki. Zakochuje się w niej tak O XD bez jej wcześniejszego poznania więc później dochodzi bardzo szybko do ich zbliżeń.
Wmawiane jest czytelnikowi że mija trochę czasu a oni poznają się bardziej ale jest to parę zdań które nie wnoszą żadnej głębi do tej historii.
I może nie miałabym do tego problemu gdyby druga cześć tej książki była taka sama jak pierwsza - lekka, cozy i romantyczna xD ale nie bo po co, lepiej to spartolić jakimś z czapy napadem, przed tym jeszcze wrzucić KWARANTANNE COVIDOWĄ i zwinczować 5 letnią przerwą.
Luna była małym jak i dużym elementem w historii, wrzucono ją tam zbyt późno przez co dla mnie nie była integralną częścią tej opowieści i mocno przeszkadzała.
Końcówka bez sensu - nie wnosząca nic do tej książki i sprawiająca że czułam się jakbym zmarnowała czas przy czytaniu - bo dosłownie skończyło się takim niczym.
Zacznijmy od tego że książka zaczyna się jak fanfik i tempo w jakim idzie akcja również mogłabym do takiego porównać.
Uczucie pomiędzy dwójką bohaterów (zwłaszcza mężczyzny z obrazu) rozkwita w mgnieniu oka na podstawie jedynie obserwacji naszej głównej bohaterki. Zakochuje się w niej tak O XD bez jej wcześniejszego poznania więc później dochodzi bardzo szybko do ich zbliżeń.
Wmawiane jest czytelnikowi że mija trochę czasu a oni poznają się bardziej ale jest to parę zdań które nie wnoszą żadnej głębi do tej historii.
I może nie miałabym do tego problemu gdyby druga cześć tej książki była taka sama jak pierwsza - lekka, cozy i romantyczna xD ale nie bo po co, lepiej to spartolić jakimś z czapy napadem, przed tym jeszcze wrzucić KWARANTANNE COVIDOWĄ i zwinczować 5 letnią przerwą.
Luna była małym jak i dużym elementem w historii, wrzucono ją tam zbyt późno przez co dla mnie nie była integralną częścią tej opowieści i mocno przeszkadzała.
Końcówka bez sensu - nie wnosząca nic do tej książki i sprawiająca że czułam się jakbym zmarnowała czas przy czytaniu - bo dosłownie skończyło się takim niczym.
July 11, 2025
3.5 stars. Would've been 4 stars if not for a steamy romance scene I had to skip.
June 6, 2025
This book, with such an interesting concept, was uninteresting and felt like the plot was dragged on. The romance was cute but at the same time I felt emotionally detached from the relationship — it didn’t read or feel as if they were even in love. The characters were fine and the writing is pretty good.
I wanted to love this so bad, but the execution was severely lacking.
— 2 stars!
I wanted to love this so bad, but the execution was severely lacking.
— 2 stars!
July 2, 2025
Jarman Day and Jennifer Jill Araya brought this magical story to life in ways I couldn't have imagined from reading alone. Day's portrayal of Jean captured centuries of isolation with a voice that felt both timeless and achingly human, while Araya gave Claire such warmth that her financial struggles and love of art felt deeply personal to me.
I loved how the audio subtly shifted between the emptiness of the night-time museum and the rich, textured world inside the paintings.
I thought Pager's idea of building a romance around Matisse's son—a character barely documented historically—was brilliant. Jean's immortal existence, watching visitors come and go while he remained frozen, hit me right in the heart. I could hear his loneliness in Day's voice, even when surrounded by other portrait characters. It was such a good representation of immortality when everyone around you comes and goes.
Claire's observant nature and depth captivated me. I loved how the story revealed her complex life outside the museum, explaining her yearning for the escapism that time with Jean provided. Although her actions toward the end were a bit risky just to satisfy her curiosity.
This impossible romance had me stealing moments throughout my day to listen—I actually looked forward to folding laundry as an excuse to hear how their love might overcome such fundamental barriers.
The ending gave me that emotional satisfaction I crave without feeling forced. If you believe in art's power to transcend boundaries—physical, temporal, and emotional—you'll be captivated by this audiobook, especially with performances this immersive.
Special thanks to PRH Audio for providing the audiobook, though all opinions expressed are entirely my own.
I loved how the audio subtly shifted between the emptiness of the night-time museum and the rich, textured world inside the paintings.
I thought Pager's idea of building a romance around Matisse's son—a character barely documented historically—was brilliant. Jean's immortal existence, watching visitors come and go while he remained frozen, hit me right in the heart. I could hear his loneliness in Day's voice, even when surrounded by other portrait characters. It was such a good representation of immortality when everyone around you comes and goes.
Claire's observant nature and depth captivated me. I loved how the story revealed her complex life outside the museum, explaining her yearning for the escapism that time with Jean provided. Although her actions toward the end were a bit risky just to satisfy her curiosity.
This impossible romance had me stealing moments throughout my day to listen—I actually looked forward to folding laundry as an excuse to hear how their love might overcome such fundamental barriers.
The ending gave me that emotional satisfaction I crave without feeling forced. If you believe in art's power to transcend boundaries—physical, temporal, and emotional—you'll be captivated by this audiobook, especially with performances this immersive.
Special thanks to PRH Audio for providing the audiobook, though all opinions expressed are entirely my own.
June 24, 2025
Read This Book If…art museums are your favorite places to visit!
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
The Art of Vanishing by Morgan Pager
Genre: fiction with romance and magical realism
Spice Level: 2/5🌶, one cracked open door scene
Setting: art museum in Philly
POV: dual, 1st person, past tense
Tropes:
My Thoughts:
This was such a cute read! I really enjoyed the unique premise and the world of the paintings within the museum.
This does not follow your usual romance structure, so I was missing some key plot points. The first 50% felt like a cozy and sweet romance, then they spend a significant part of the book apart, and thennnn something big happens and suddenly it’s the end.
Overall, the pacing felt a little off and I wanted more emotional connection between our two lovers. The forced separation of our characters was an interesting conflict, but the ending was not satisfying to me.
If COVID was a particularly trying time for you, this book does cover that time period.
Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy!
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
The Art of Vanishing by Morgan Pager
Genre: fiction with romance and magical realism
Spice Level: 2/5🌶, one cracked open door scene
Setting: art museum in Philly
POV: dual, 1st person, past tense
Tropes:
My Thoughts:
This was such a cute read! I really enjoyed the unique premise and the world of the paintings within the museum.
This does not follow your usual romance structure, so I was missing some key plot points. The first 50% felt like a cozy and sweet romance, then they spend a significant part of the book apart, and thennnn something big happens and suddenly it’s the end.
Overall, the pacing felt a little off and I wanted more emotional connection between our two lovers. The forced separation of our characters was an interesting conflict, but the ending was not satisfying to me.
If COVID was a particularly trying time for you, this book does cover that time period.
Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy!
June 15, 2025
A delightfully whimsical love story between a young Frenchman who is within a painting of a NYC art museum and the young woman who can walk into the paintings. What surpasses is a pure and easy love until the challenges of the real world force their relationship into question. It’s a delightfully light story with reflection of love and purpose.
Read
January 9, 2025I was genuinely so excited to dive into this book. The premise of a museum janitor falling in love with the man in a famous painting is a great one, and I really was enjoying everything so much until the story ground to a COVID-induced halt. While I generally don't have qualms about pandemic-adjacent plots in books, this one felt almost claustrophobic in the way that it drew parallels between social isolation and the strange life those in the paintings were forced to live. This is a smart thing to do, but it just really made it hard for me to read, even though I genuinely tried before setting this one aside for good.
While this ultimately wasn't for me, I loved the magical aspects and both main characters so I am confident that this will work well for many.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
While this ultimately wasn't for me, I loved the magical aspects and both main characters so I am confident that this will work well for many.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 10, 2025
If only the book was as good as the idea.
December 24, 2024
The Art of Vanishing is a sparkling debut by Morgan Pager. I found myself utterly captivated by Jean’s world, a space of wonder and magic.
Claire felt so human, moving through her world and his as best as she could.
Their love is sweeping and magnetic amidst the most enigmatic of situations.
Morgan stunned with this multi-genre story — one of love between characters and for the art of museums as a whole. One of familial love and friendship.
I adored this story and it was perfect as-is, though I could have spent another 200 pages in that museum with them. I can’t wait to visit the museum that inspired their story.
10/10! ♥️
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine for my advanced reader copy. I devoured it in three sittings over two days. A true treat of a book!
Claire felt so human, moving through her world and his as best as she could.
Their love is sweeping and magnetic amidst the most enigmatic of situations.
Morgan stunned with this multi-genre story — one of love between characters and for the art of museums as a whole. One of familial love and friendship.
I adored this story and it was perfect as-is, though I could have spent another 200 pages in that museum with them. I can’t wait to visit the museum that inspired their story.
10/10! ♥️
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine for my advanced reader copy. I devoured it in three sittings over two days. A true treat of a book!
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March 2, 2025DNF @ 30%
Usually I enjoy magical realism, but for some reason I really could not suspend disbelief with the magic in this book. I also found it to be overly corny— it seemed like the main characters’ attraction to each other started out of nowhere? Really wanted to like this one, but it’s not for me
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback
Usually I enjoy magical realism, but for some reason I really could not suspend disbelief with the magic in this book. I also found it to be overly corny— it seemed like the main characters’ attraction to each other started out of nowhere? Really wanted to like this one, but it’s not for me
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback
August 20, 2025
Guys this book was so bad, I feel sort of mean writing this review, but alas. ITS MY OPINION!
My main qualm with this book is it’s soooooo YA/NA. These characters are like 18/19 and it was a tough read as a full blown adult, idk why but I was cringing. At one point, he kisses her on the cheek and you would think they just Eiffel towered or something by the way they both reacted. I DIGRESS.
The main thing with this book is the male lead character is trapped in a painting from 1917…… (hi Edward Cullen! deep cut sorry) but then as he talking throughout the book, he goes “Yeah its HELLA boring in here” ????? WHAT MAN FROM PRE-WW1 says HELLA? there are so many instances of this that drove me insane.
We never find out literally anything about Claire’s background really almost the entire book which was also odd, idk man I would be so concerned for my friend who voluntarily signs up to work the night shift mopping the floors of the local art museum after she called off her engagement
I get what the author was trying to do but…. try again. I’m only not giving this 1 star bc I’m nice but just know I almost did
My main qualm with this book is it’s soooooo YA/NA. These characters are like 18/19 and it was a tough read as a full blown adult, idk why but I was cringing. At one point, he kisses her on the cheek and you would think they just Eiffel towered or something by the way they both reacted. I DIGRESS.
The main thing with this book is the male lead character is trapped in a painting from 1917…… (hi Edward Cullen! deep cut sorry) but then as he talking throughout the book, he goes “Yeah its HELLA boring in here” ????? WHAT MAN FROM PRE-WW1 says HELLA? there are so many instances of this that drove me insane.
We never find out literally anything about Claire’s background really almost the entire book which was also odd, idk man I would be so concerned for my friend who voluntarily signs up to work the night shift mopping the floors of the local art museum after she called off her engagement
I get what the author was trying to do but…. try again. I’m only not giving this 1 star bc I’m nice but just know I almost did
July 8, 2025
A lovely magical realism made for any art fan!
What would you do if you found out you could slip into a painting? Which world would you choose to step into?
Claire is struggling. She gets a job as a janitor at her local art museum to help make ends meet. When training, she stares at the paintings in the gallery that she oversees. One day, she notices that the one person in the painting seems to be starring back at her... and even playing a violin? Here she notices that she can join the painting and join the world it was set around.
Jean is the man in the painting. Henri Matisse's son. He notices that Claire looks at the portrait and he thinks she is some sort of magic. One day, he chooses to get her attention. Their love story begins when she joins his painting and they can finally speak.
In balancing her real world life, and life with Jean, Claire experiences big things. Will she be able to see Jean again? How will he do?
It was giving Night at the Museum vibes but with the moving pictures from a popular fantasy series!
What would you do if you found out you could slip into a painting? Which world would you choose to step into?
Claire is struggling. She gets a job as a janitor at her local art museum to help make ends meet. When training, she stares at the paintings in the gallery that she oversees. One day, she notices that the one person in the painting seems to be starring back at her... and even playing a violin? Here she notices that she can join the painting and join the world it was set around.
Jean is the man in the painting. Henri Matisse's son. He notices that Claire looks at the portrait and he thinks she is some sort of magic. One day, he chooses to get her attention. Their love story begins when she joins his painting and they can finally speak.
In balancing her real world life, and life with Jean, Claire experiences big things. Will she be able to see Jean again? How will he do?
It was giving Night at the Museum vibes but with the moving pictures from a popular fantasy series!
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