What do you think?
Rate this book
The Artist
All Joseph wants is to be let into Tartuffe's world. All Ettie wants is to escape it.
The year is 1920. The place is a remote farmhouse in Provence, home to the reclusive painter Edouard Tartuffe and his niece, Ettie. Into this strange, silent house walks a young journalist hoping to write an article about Tartuffe. But the more he entangles himself in the peculiar household, the more Joseph's curiosity grows . . .
Ettie cooks and cleans for her uncle. She prepares his studio, scrubs his paintbrushes, and creates the perfect environment for him to work. She has never gone further than the local village. She is sharp-eyed and watchful. But beneath her cool exterior, Joseph senses something simmering. Ettie, Joseph and Tartuffe circle each other throughout the hot, crackling summer, until finally they collide.
The Artist is about two people grabbing the other by the hand and pulling each other into life.
The year is 1920. The place is a remote farmhouse in Provence, home to the reclusive painter Edouard Tartuffe and his niece, Ettie. Into this strange, silent house walks a young journalist hoping to write an article about Tartuffe. But the more he entangles himself in the peculiar household, the more Joseph's curiosity grows . . .
Ettie cooks and cleans for her uncle. She prepares his studio, scrubs his paintbrushes, and creates the perfect environment for him to work. She has never gone further than the local village. She is sharp-eyed and watchful. But beneath her cool exterior, Joseph senses something simmering. Ettie, Joseph and Tartuffe circle each other throughout the hot, crackling summer, until finally they collide.
The Artist is about two people grabbing the other by the hand and pulling each other into life.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 30, 2025
480 people are currently reading
13519 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Steeds
1 book144 followersLucy Steeds is a novelist and a graduate of the Faber Academy and the London Library Emerging Writers Programme. She has a BA in English Literature and a Masters in World Literatures from the University of Oxford. She has lived in London, Paris, Amsterdam and Singapore.
The Artist is her first novel.
instagram.com/lucysteeds
The Artist is her first novel.
instagram.com/lucysteeds
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 543 reviews
September 18, 2024
Reading a book written by your sister is strange, not because it's clear she's a genius (I already knew that), but because of how familiar it all feels. It's Lucy in a book, from the woman creating something amazing in secret just to prove she can, to the long odes to wild boar. I love it, and her :)
August 28, 2024
A fantastic book—layered, deep, and beautifully written. A must-read for 2025. The Artist is a story set in 1920 France, told from two perspectives: Joseph, a young British journalist who arrives in a Provençal village to write an article about a renowned yet enigmatic painter, Eduard Tartuffe, and Ettie, the painter’s niece, who has spent her entire life serving both his work and Tartuffe himself. Ettie is quiet and withdrawn, unfamiliar with the world, and has never received a formal education. Yet, over time, Joseph begins to realize that the greatest mystery of the small Provençal cottage isn't really the reclusive painter but a woman living under the same roof.
I must start by saying that this book is a must-read not only for art lovers but also for those seeking a deep sensory experience—you can literally feel the scent of the Provençal summer, see the colors of the paintings, taste the food, and experience the emotions the characters are going through. This is truly the fantastic value of this novel.
The book includes a mystery element, but the author doesn't aim to shock the reader—we can guess what’s really happening from the early pages. The real goal is to accompany the characters as they discover themselves, learn what art means to them, and understand how much they are willing to sacrifice to feel free and break away from the hardships of the past. Getting to know the characters and following their growth is really the essence of this story, with everything else serving as a tool to achieve this goal. That being said, it doesn't mean that the book can't surprise you. When I first picked up this novel, I expected a well-written but fairly simple story about an artist and a young man admiring his work, with the rest being secondary details. However, the author took the plot in a less obvious direction. With each page, I became more convinced that this is, above all, Ettie's story.
What particularly moved me in this book was the depiction of the experience of the Great War—so different for Ettie and Joseph, yet deeply traumatic for both. The psychological trauma following this conflict is a topic of interest to me, and I greatly appreciate how the shadow of war added an additional layer to the already complex experiences of the main characters.
I highly recommend this book and eagerly anticipate the author’s future works, as she shows great potential in the historical fiction genre.
Thank you to NetGalley and John Murray Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I must start by saying that this book is a must-read not only for art lovers but also for those seeking a deep sensory experience—you can literally feel the scent of the Provençal summer, see the colors of the paintings, taste the food, and experience the emotions the characters are going through. This is truly the fantastic value of this novel.
The book includes a mystery element, but the author doesn't aim to shock the reader—we can guess what’s really happening from the early pages. The real goal is to accompany the characters as they discover themselves, learn what art means to them, and understand how much they are willing to sacrifice to feel free and break away from the hardships of the past. Getting to know the characters and following their growth is really the essence of this story, with everything else serving as a tool to achieve this goal. That being said, it doesn't mean that the book can't surprise you. When I first picked up this novel, I expected a well-written but fairly simple story about an artist and a young man admiring his work, with the rest being secondary details. However, the author took the plot in a less obvious direction. With each page, I became more convinced that this is, above all, Ettie's story.
What particularly moved me in this book was the depiction of the experience of the Great War—so different for Ettie and Joseph, yet deeply traumatic for both. The psychological trauma following this conflict is a topic of interest to me, and I greatly appreciate how the shadow of war added an additional layer to the already complex experiences of the main characters.
I highly recommend this book and eagerly anticipate the author’s future works, as she shows great potential in the historical fiction genre.
Thank you to NetGalley and John Murray Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 21, 2024
A luminous story of seeing and being seen. You can almost taste the peaches and honey, almost touch the thick paint and sweating skin. A joy to read with a cracking, crackling end.
July 25, 2025
Winner of the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize 2025
Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025
"Here was the man who could create beauty from nothing. Here was an artist who had dined with Van Gogh and argued with Cezanne, Who had expanded the boundaries of paint and colour and light itself." This evocative quote sets the stage for Lucy Steeds' debut novel, The Artist, a captivating historical fiction that transports readers to the scorching landscapes of 1920s Provence.
The novel centres around Edouard Tartuffe, a renowned but reclusive and excentric painter, who never gives interviews. Tartuffe's reclusion is disrupted by the arrival of Joseph, a young English journalist seeking to consolidate his career by interviewing the great painter. Soon Joseph understands this interview will come with a cost. Joseph will have to pose for Tartuffe as a model for what will become his most famous work of art. While Joseph pursues his professional ambitions, the true heart of the story lies in the awakening of Ettie, Tartuffe's niece and a young woman yearning for a life beyond the confines of her uncle's isolated world.
The romance between Joseph and Ettie unfolds slowly and deliberately, allowing for a nuanced exploration of their individual desires and the societal constraints they face. While some may find the pacing slow, it allows for a deeper immersion in the atmosphere and a more profound understanding of the characters' internal struggles. The story is never dull. Steed wastes no word.
The Artist is more than just a historical romance; it's a thoughtful exploration of artistic inspiration, the pressures of fame, and the search for one's own identity in a rapidly changing world. Steeds' prose is both elegant and evocative, capturing the details of 1920s Provence with vivid imagery. It is hard to fathom this is a debut and I will be reading more of her work.
I would highly recommend The Artist for readers who appreciate character-driven historical fiction, particularly those with an interest in art, the complexities of human relationships, and the enduring impact of historical events.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025
"Here was the man who could create beauty from nothing. Here was an artist who had dined with Van Gogh and argued with Cezanne, Who had expanded the boundaries of paint and colour and light itself." This evocative quote sets the stage for Lucy Steeds' debut novel, The Artist, a captivating historical fiction that transports readers to the scorching landscapes of 1920s Provence.
The novel centres around Edouard Tartuffe, a renowned but reclusive and excentric painter, who never gives interviews. Tartuffe's reclusion is disrupted by the arrival of Joseph, a young English journalist seeking to consolidate his career by interviewing the great painter. Soon Joseph understands this interview will come with a cost. Joseph will have to pose for Tartuffe as a model for what will become his most famous work of art. While Joseph pursues his professional ambitions, the true heart of the story lies in the awakening of Ettie, Tartuffe's niece and a young woman yearning for a life beyond the confines of her uncle's isolated world.
The romance between Joseph and Ettie unfolds slowly and deliberately, allowing for a nuanced exploration of their individual desires and the societal constraints they face. While some may find the pacing slow, it allows for a deeper immersion in the atmosphere and a more profound understanding of the characters' internal struggles. The story is never dull. Steed wastes no word.
The Artist is more than just a historical romance; it's a thoughtful exploration of artistic inspiration, the pressures of fame, and the search for one's own identity in a rapidly changing world. Steeds' prose is both elegant and evocative, capturing the details of 1920s Provence with vivid imagery. It is hard to fathom this is a debut and I will be reading more of her work.
I would highly recommend The Artist for readers who appreciate character-driven historical fiction, particularly those with an interest in art, the complexities of human relationships, and the enduring impact of historical events.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
June 10, 2025
HARD stop at calling this a romance. Saw someone say it was a slow burn romance. Spare me 🤦🏻♀️
This is about art, its creators, all under the shadow of war. You can literally feel the artwork as Steed describes everything so vividly, without sounding too complex. You can taste and smell the rotting fruit as it’s being drawn.
So happy I found this book.
After two mediocre reads, quite frankly getting annoyed by quite a few. I’ve decided to start with Booker lists, Women’s Prizes, etc. I have not been let down since starting books with actual substance.
This is about art, its creators, all under the shadow of war. You can literally feel the artwork as Steed describes everything so vividly, without sounding too complex. You can taste and smell the rotting fruit as it’s being drawn.
So happy I found this book.
After two mediocre reads, quite frankly getting annoyed by quite a few. I’ve decided to start with Booker lists, Women’s Prizes, etc. I have not been let down since starting books with actual substance.
March 18, 2025
If you enjoy quiet, slow-burn romances, this is the book for you. More thoughts soon...
ORIGINAL POST 👇
Delighted to see this nominated for the Women's Prize for Fiction, as it was already on my wish list.
Just ordered it from blackwells.com because it's not out until May in the States (where it's titled The Artist and the Feast).
ORIGINAL POST 👇
Delighted to see this nominated for the Women's Prize for Fiction, as it was already on my wish list.
Just ordered it from blackwells.com because it's not out until May in the States (where it's titled The Artist and the Feast).
August 16, 2025
“In his book about Francis Bacon, the French philosopher Gilles Deleuze writes about “the painting before painting.” There is no such thing as an empty canvas, something is always already there—historical ways of painting, contemporary ways of painting, your own way of painting, clichés, the culture’s entire repertoire of motifs and methods. If you are going to paint a man or a chair in front of you, you have to force your way through the whole thicket of inner images, as the painting has to emerge in its own right, and for this to happen it can’t be governed by what was there before, it has to be present in the moment. All art, I dare to affirm, is about getting to that point. And here self-doubt and inadequacy offer an access. Not being able, not knowing—that is the starting point of creation.”
~ Karl Ove Knausgård on the painter Celia Paul
First, I would like to formally apologize to Lucy Steeds for having followed in Richard Flanagan’s footsteps. Any book following “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” and “Question 7” was going to suffer in comparison. Timing is (often) everything.
The first half of “The Artist” felt slow and very flat to me, bogged down in too much lavender and the chirps of crickets. As a French person, I certainly recognized the South of France, but the writing was painfully mired in too many clichés and repetitions. It felt as sticky and sweet as Tartuffe’s fingers stuck in his jar of honey.
Then halfway through, a certain Peggy G. appeared and the novel unfurled like a night-blooming cereus, the Queen of the Night, a hauntingly beautiful flower which only opens its large, white blooms at night, setting the landscape on fire.
From there on the writing surged, got more urgent and more precise, shed its clichés like snake skin, and questions about painting, art, personhood, agency, perception, subservience and creativity came fully into view in arresting scene after arresting scene.
I raced through the last hundred pages with rapture and sheer delight, witnessing a character’s inner unraveling turn into the most radical act of self-creation. Like Nicole Kidman at the end of “The Portrait of a Lady”. Incandescent and lit up from within.
And it was perfect.
~ Karl Ove Knausgård on the painter Celia Paul
First, I would like to formally apologize to Lucy Steeds for having followed in Richard Flanagan’s footsteps. Any book following “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” and “Question 7” was going to suffer in comparison. Timing is (often) everything.
The first half of “The Artist” felt slow and very flat to me, bogged down in too much lavender and the chirps of crickets. As a French person, I certainly recognized the South of France, but the writing was painfully mired in too many clichés and repetitions. It felt as sticky and sweet as Tartuffe’s fingers stuck in his jar of honey.
Then halfway through, a certain Peggy G. appeared and the novel unfurled like a night-blooming cereus, the Queen of the Night, a hauntingly beautiful flower which only opens its large, white blooms at night, setting the landscape on fire.
From there on the writing surged, got more urgent and more precise, shed its clichés like snake skin, and questions about painting, art, personhood, agency, perception, subservience and creativity came fully into view in arresting scene after arresting scene.
I raced through the last hundred pages with rapture and sheer delight, witnessing a character’s inner unraveling turn into the most radical act of self-creation. Like Nicole Kidman at the end of “The Portrait of a Lady”. Incandescent and lit up from within.
And it was perfect.
August 6, 2025
"A captivating novel of love, art, food, desire and thwarted ambition, which builds propulsively over one scorching French summer in 1920s Provence."
Set against the backdrop of post World War I France, Joseph Adelaide is a journalist who travels to Provence to observe and write about legendary painter Edouard Tartuffe whose niece Ettie lives with him and caters to his every whim. Tartuffe is controlling with an explosive temper and volatile personality. He has raised Ettie since she was seven years old. Both Joseph and Ettie are struggling from the ramifications of their experiences during the Great War.
This novel is an artist's masterpiece, and Lucy Steeds brilliantly paints her canvas using words and paper. She creates beautiful imagery and engages all your senses. You can see the paintings, taste and smell the food and gardens, feel the surroundings, and hear everything going on in the scene. The prose and narrative is lush, evocative, emotional, and riveting with richly drawn characters. It is a feast for the senses. I was completely immersed in the story and characters. Themes of love and desire, art and ambition, freedom, and women's place in society are brilliantly explored. It's one of the best books I've read this year! I highly recommend this must-read novel! Lucy Steeds, you have set the world on fire and I am here for whatever you write!
Set against the backdrop of post World War I France, Joseph Adelaide is a journalist who travels to Provence to observe and write about legendary painter Edouard Tartuffe whose niece Ettie lives with him and caters to his every whim. Tartuffe is controlling with an explosive temper and volatile personality. He has raised Ettie since she was seven years old. Both Joseph and Ettie are struggling from the ramifications of their experiences during the Great War.
This novel is an artist's masterpiece, and Lucy Steeds brilliantly paints her canvas using words and paper. She creates beautiful imagery and engages all your senses. You can see the paintings, taste and smell the food and gardens, feel the surroundings, and hear everything going on in the scene. The prose and narrative is lush, evocative, emotional, and riveting with richly drawn characters. It is a feast for the senses. I was completely immersed in the story and characters. Themes of love and desire, art and ambition, freedom, and women's place in society are brilliantly explored. It's one of the best books I've read this year! I highly recommend this must-read novel! Lucy Steeds, you have set the world on fire and I am here for whatever you write!
April 15, 2025
This book (as The Ministry of Time did in 2024 and in Memoriam did in 2023) has set the benchmark for the year for 5 star books! For the rest of the year I will be asking myself 'is it as good as The Artist?' before I dish out the 5 stars.
It was just so beautifully written and conjures up immediate images of specific time and place. I felt like I was in France in 1920 and could almost feel the layers of paint, the warmth of the sun, the smell of the peaches...
Telling the story of 'monster artist' Tartouffe from the points of view of a visiting writer and his niece, The Artist offers a memorable mix of historical fiction, mystery and undeniably lovely romance. It was also, despite the subject matter, really easy to read.
The book spans one summer, but is filled with remembrances of the recent war that has a lasting impact on the characters and I loved the slow way the memories infused the story.
I really just LOVED this book (in case that wasn't clear!) Would wholeheartedly recommend to everyone and look forward to reading more Lucy Steeds in the future.
It was just so beautifully written and conjures up immediate images of specific time and place. I felt like I was in France in 1920 and could almost feel the layers of paint, the warmth of the sun, the smell of the peaches...
Telling the story of 'monster artist' Tartouffe from the points of view of a visiting writer and his niece, The Artist offers a memorable mix of historical fiction, mystery and undeniably lovely romance. It was also, despite the subject matter, really easy to read.
The book spans one summer, but is filled with remembrances of the recent war that has a lasting impact on the characters and I loved the slow way the memories infused the story.
I really just LOVED this book (in case that wasn't clear!) Would wholeheartedly recommend to everyone and look forward to reading more Lucy Steeds in the future.
August 17, 2025
✰ 2.5 stars ✰
The prologue was not necessary; it completely took away the element of surprise and made the anticipation of waiting for the anvil to land more of the purpose of the read, rather than allowing the build-up. If we know literally what the final intention will be, it serves very little purpose to reading it. 😒
I found it interesting that as the narrative continued, Ettie's chapters significantly became longer and Joshua Adelaide's shortened; for once the twenty-year-old aspiring art writer saw Tata for the monster he was rather than The Artist hailed as a master of the light - the man who could create beauty from nothing - a recluse whose paintings have garnered widespread acclaim, who guards his creative approach like a protective secret, when Joshua no longer served as the model as the Young Man with Orange, it took away the meaningful impact of his arrival in this remote French countryside. 😔
“This is the price we must pay for art.”
I did feel bad for Ettie and the secluded life she was forced to endure. 💔 Being the sole outlet for Edouard Tartuffe's cruel disdain over women being artists or even having a life outside of household chores, spiteful jealousy of her own talents, and his outward loathing over his sister's betrayal and ability to ruin his chance for a more successful artistic career took away the essence of her own self - of her spirit - her own ambition. Her yearning to escape - the freedom Joshua offered was the final push she needed to enact the decision she lacked the resolve to pursue. 🥺
Yet two-thirds into the novel, I was skimming. I felt like the story was taking too long to get anywhere - that once the veil had been lifted, the flowery descriptions were more noticeable and the trauma now more monotonous rather than impactful. 😮💨 Even Ettie and Joshua's burning desire for each other was lukewarm. The figurative imagery of Tata's food obsession lost its appeal; one could almost say that once the gig was up, the story had reached a stalemate.
For the more the author continuously painted Ettie's past as a childhood of having things taken away from her, the more it felt like it was an attempt to justify her actions. 😕 It was merely a countdown to when either would make their move, or rather when Tata would realize that perhaps the ones he had invited into his home, may very well be planning to overthrow him.
“If you try to put a painting into words you’ll have to lose something of it. You have to accept what you’ll lose.”
So when the final flame was lit, it didn't really lay an impact; I was numb to it, because I was already aware of it - expectant of it. I was actually annoyed with Ettie for how she behaved in order to gain the upper hand, at the expense of Joshua's own well-being. 🤨
And the sad thing is that when it did happen - the author chooses to abruptly end it! 🤦🏻♀️ One would justify that there is no reason to dance on someone's pain, when all is said and done, but as a reader, I needed to feel some certain vindication or completion to Ettie's conquest of coming out of the shadows.
For these two lost Caged Songbirds breaking free and reclaiming that desire to escape one’s circumstances, that should have had a more visceral reaction. When it was not even touched upon and glazed over, it felt like a cheap shot of avoiding the necessity of writing out the follow-up to the implosion. 🙍🏻♀️
So, perhaps if we did not obviously already know at the start of the novel what Ettie planned to do - it just might have been a more compelling story, rather than a predictable one. 🤷🏻♀️ But, it lost its steam when it became apparent that Tata was the rightful villain and that even Joshua's own self-destruction at his hand would not get a righteous ending. I felt that this really was not all that engaging a read as it could have been. 😞
“Most people only ever see what they want to see.”
The prologue was not necessary; it completely took away the element of surprise and made the anticipation of waiting for the anvil to land more of the purpose of the read, rather than allowing the build-up. If we know literally what the final intention will be, it serves very little purpose to reading it. 😒
I found it interesting that as the narrative continued, Ettie's chapters significantly became longer and Joshua Adelaide's shortened; for once the twenty-year-old aspiring art writer saw Tata for the monster he was rather than The Artist hailed as a master of the light - the man who could create beauty from nothing - a recluse whose paintings have garnered widespread acclaim, who guards his creative approach like a protective secret, when Joshua no longer served as the model as the Young Man with Orange, it took away the meaningful impact of his arrival in this remote French countryside. 😔
“This is the price we must pay for art.”
I did feel bad for Ettie and the secluded life she was forced to endure. 💔 Being the sole outlet for Edouard Tartuffe's cruel disdain over women being artists or even having a life outside of household chores, spiteful jealousy of her own talents, and his outward loathing over his sister's betrayal and ability to ruin his chance for a more successful artistic career took away the essence of her own self - of her spirit - her own ambition. Her yearning to escape - the freedom Joshua offered was the final push she needed to enact the decision she lacked the resolve to pursue. 🥺
Yet two-thirds into the novel, I was skimming. I felt like the story was taking too long to get anywhere - that once the veil had been lifted, the flowery descriptions were more noticeable and the trauma now more monotonous rather than impactful. 😮💨 Even Ettie and Joshua's burning desire for each other was lukewarm. The figurative imagery of Tata's food obsession lost its appeal; one could almost say that once the gig was up, the story had reached a stalemate.
For the more the author continuously painted Ettie's past as a childhood of having things taken away from her, the more it felt like it was an attempt to justify her actions. 😕 It was merely a countdown to when either would make their move, or rather when Tata would realize that perhaps the ones he had invited into his home, may very well be planning to overthrow him.
“If you try to put a painting into words you’ll have to lose something of it. You have to accept what you’ll lose.”
So when the final flame was lit, it didn't really lay an impact; I was numb to it, because I was already aware of it - expectant of it. I was actually annoyed with Ettie for how she behaved in order to gain the upper hand, at the expense of Joshua's own well-being. 🤨
And the sad thing is that when it did happen - the author chooses to abruptly end it! 🤦🏻♀️ One would justify that there is no reason to dance on someone's pain, when all is said and done, but as a reader, I needed to feel some certain vindication or completion to Ettie's conquest of coming out of the shadows.
For these two lost Caged Songbirds breaking free and reclaiming that desire to escape one’s circumstances, that should have had a more visceral reaction. When it was not even touched upon and glazed over, it felt like a cheap shot of avoiding the necessity of writing out the follow-up to the implosion. 🙍🏻♀️
So, perhaps if we did not obviously already know at the start of the novel what Ettie planned to do - it just might have been a more compelling story, rather than a predictable one. 🤷🏻♀️ But, it lost its steam when it became apparent that Tata was the rightful villain and that even Joshua's own self-destruction at his hand would not get a righteous ending. I felt that this really was not all that engaging a read as it could have been. 😞
July 22, 2025
The Artist and the Feast is set at (fictional artist) Edouard Tartuffe’s cottage and studio in 1920s Provence. The Great War has recently ended but its effects linger on. A young journalist, Joseph Adelaide, arrives at the farmhouse hoping to write an article about the reclusive artist. There, he meets Ettie, Tartuffe's niece, who appears to do everything for her uncle. Joseph is allowed to stay if he will pose for one of Tartuffe’s paintings, “Young Man with Orange.” It soon becomes apparent that this story is as much or more about Ettie as Tartuffe, and Joseph will serve as a catalyst for change.
It is beautifully written, and includes vibrant descriptions of art, food, and nature. One of the primary themes is thwarted ambition. Tartuffe comes across as an egomaniac who expects Ettie’s total devotion without regard to her own aspirations. Joseph has also been limited in his ambitions by a forceful father who wanted to dictate his son’s life. It is a striking debut that combines historical fiction with the artistic process, gender dynamics, and the hidden stories of those who have supported famous artists. A delightful novel!
4.5
It is beautifully written, and includes vibrant descriptions of art, food, and nature. One of the primary themes is thwarted ambition. Tartuffe comes across as an egomaniac who expects Ettie’s total devotion without regard to her own aspirations. Joseph has also been limited in his ambitions by a forceful father who wanted to dictate his son’s life. It is a striking debut that combines historical fiction with the artistic process, gender dynamics, and the hidden stories of those who have supported famous artists. A delightful novel!
4.5
March 15, 2025
I listened to The Artist on audio and, although initially it took me a little while to get into, from the halfway point I became heavily engrossed in it and it's superb finale upped it from a four star to a five star read/listen.
I loved the growth of Ettie throughout the book. I found the chapters where we learned more about her past rather emotional, and I loved to see her becoming a stronger and feistier character. A book that fights against the suppression of women's talent and women in general is always going to be a winner in my eyes!
The Artist is full of atmosphere, love and hate, emotion and grief and loss, and great characterisation. A brilliant debut, wonderful storytelling and has a highly deserved place on the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist.
I loved the growth of Ettie throughout the book. I found the chapters where we learned more about her past rather emotional, and I loved to see her becoming a stronger and feistier character. A book that fights against the suppression of women's talent and women in general is always going to be a winner in my eyes!
The Artist is full of atmosphere, love and hate, emotion and grief and loss, and great characterisation. A brilliant debut, wonderful storytelling and has a highly deserved place on the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist.
February 19, 2025
Slightly overwritten in parts and a bit repetitive, but for the most part I enjoyed the writing style. It really evoked the time and place and there were some beautiful descriptions of food in particular. But the characters didn’t quite get there for me. It felt like I was told who they were rather than shown.
August 29, 2025
Atmospheric, passionate, pacey, this was a gripping read. I really enjoyed Lucy's writing about how art feeeeels, the slow reveal of character back stories, the hot summer setting and the romance.
I did (and don't usually) guess all the plot twists before they were spelled out, felt like Tata could have been developed further than a sad monster
I did (and don't usually) guess all the plot twists before they were spelled out, felt like Tata could have been developed further than a sad monster
August 26, 2025
An incredibly vivid debut, I feel as if I'm inside every painting described. The female rage is absolutely exquisite, and this honestly doesn't feel like a debut novel. It's an absolute masterpiece.
July 25, 2025
Now the Waterstones Debut Book of 2025.
I was consumed by this novel from the first few pages. Set in the isolation of a rural home in Provence, France, the characters of Tata, Ettie and Joseph are so convincingly depicted.
Beautifully atmospheric and brimming with life and light and energy, the author's writing is vivid and polished.
Perfectly plotted, from beginning to end there was never a relief to the relentless pace.
I highly recommend The Artist.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
I was consumed by this novel from the first few pages. Set in the isolation of a rural home in Provence, France, the characters of Tata, Ettie and Joseph are so convincingly depicted.
Beautifully atmospheric and brimming with life and light and energy, the author's writing is vivid and polished.
Perfectly plotted, from beginning to end there was never a relief to the relentless pace.
I highly recommend The Artist.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
March 22, 2025
The Artist is a masterclass in beautifully crafted sentences and deliciously paced storytelling. To think this is a debut novel is astounding and I can see why it has been nominated for this years Women’s Prize! I was lucky enough to see Lucy in person talking about her book, too, thank you Lucy for such a wonderful story.
April 2, 2025
I have no notes. This was absolutely perfect.
March 8, 2025
Oh Ettie.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2025
Was hooked - finished it on a 20 hour journey!
April 24, 2025
I first heard about Lucy Steeds’ debut novel, The Artist, at the Durham Book Festival but decided against it because I felt that the theme of women living in the shadow of famous male artists had been overdone. I picked it up again after reading a number of positive reviews and seeing that it had been longlisted for the Women’s Prize. The first half of the novel seemed to confirm all my original fears. [The next part of this review discusses a plot point that I don’t believe to be a spoiler as it is HEAVILY signalled in the novel’s prologue and the writer herself has talked about it when discussing the book. However, it is not in the novel’s blurb, so I have spoiler tagged it.] On the other hand, it is fair to say that while The Artist is incredibly skimmable, it does manage to gradually build an atmosphere, sustained by the summer heat, the rotting food Tata depicts, and the parched countryside (‘The sunflowers are gone. The summer has turned: the once-golden flowers have withered, their saffron petals shrivelling to black in the heat. All that remains is a stretch of darkness.') So it works, if you don’t think about it too carefully, but I’m glad this didn’t make the Women’s Prize shortlist.
August 6, 2025
this is a difficult one to rate as i really enjoyed the writing, it’s honestly some of the most gorgeous prose i’ve ever come across. however, it took me ages to get into the story and by the end i felt a little underwhelmed.
March 25, 2025
This novel was full of beautiful imagery and evocative language. Some delicious personification!
The book was about being invisible at the expense of other people's success and desire to draw attention. How sometimes when egos shine others fade. It was also about trauma leading to becoming a facsimile of yourself.
And what it means to be truly alive!
The book was about being invisible at the expense of other people's success and desire to draw attention. How sometimes when egos shine others fade. It was also about trauma leading to becoming a facsimile of yourself.
And what it means to be truly alive!
March 18, 2025
Very evocative descriptions of the French countryside, and I liked the obsession with the shapes and colours of food as they rot. It started out very strong but lost me a little in the middle / end. Would read something else by her though!!
February 10, 2025
DNF at 44%
This just wasn't for me. I was drawn in by the title because I love Art but this is outside of my usual genre. I loved the imaginary of all the artwork and painting but overall I'm bored this just isn't my thing.
This just wasn't for me. I was drawn in by the title because I love Art but this is outside of my usual genre. I loved the imaginary of all the artwork and painting but overall I'm bored this just isn't my thing.
March 16, 2025
Gorgeous, thrilling, and richly evocative. I laughed and cried both and fell in love with Ettie and Joseph. I've heard lots of people talk about how powerful the descriptions of art and food were in this book, and for sure they were, but for me it was the landscapes and places that stood out as most absorbingly described. From the first chapter I felt completely plunged into the thick, heady heat of summer in Provence. I could hear the cicadas and smell the olive groves. Wonderful.
February 4, 2025
I knew a decent amount about this story going in, including a few major reveals/plot points you could consider "spoilers", having heard dribs and drabs from the author herself over the last year and a half. That didn't inhibit my enjoyment of the journey though, because The Artist is a joy to read from start to finish, with luscious, sensual, textured writing, a steady drum-beat of tension and three main characters you love right away. I found myself shouting "Cézanne! Cézanne!" at the book while alone in my living room and missing my bus stop and going 5 minutes in the wrong direction. Thrilled to see Lucy's awesome intellect out in the world for all to enjoy :)
November 30, 2024
I loved this book. It’s beautiful, luminous and the writing is evocatively crafted. Like Provence, where it takes place, the novel is full of life, light, passion and captures even the scent and dust of a hot summer.
Young British journalist Joseph travels to the south of France to interview the reclusive and tyrannically aging artist Tartuffe. What Joseph doesn’t expect is to meet Ettie, the artist's niece who is treated nearly as a slave by her dominant uncle. As the heat of summer grows and pressure builds passion alights burning secrets long held.
The chapters alternate between Joseph and Ettie. At first I thought this was going to be Joseph's story, but really it’s Ettie’s story that lights the way.
I won’t say anything more other than to highly recommend reading this beautiful novel. It will linger in your heart for days and weeks after.
My thanks to John Murray Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Young British journalist Joseph travels to the south of France to interview the reclusive and tyrannically aging artist Tartuffe. What Joseph doesn’t expect is to meet Ettie, the artist's niece who is treated nearly as a slave by her dominant uncle. As the heat of summer grows and pressure builds passion alights burning secrets long held.
The chapters alternate between Joseph and Ettie. At first I thought this was going to be Joseph's story, but really it’s Ettie’s story that lights the way.
I won’t say anything more other than to highly recommend reading this beautiful novel. It will linger in your heart for days and weeks after.
My thanks to John Murray Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
August 4, 2025Longlisted for the 2025 Women’s Prize in Fiction
pretty proud of myself for reading 11 of the 12 from the longlist I want to read, the day the prize will be announced!
in our library but listened to the audiobook first, definitely will reread the print later this year. absolutely cannot believe that this wasn’t shortlisted, it’s so wonderful. for sure at the top, maybe second place, of my own rankings!!
pretty proud of myself for reading 11 of the 12 from the longlist I want to read, the day the prize will be announced!
in our library but listened to the audiobook first, definitely will reread the print later this year. absolutely cannot believe that this wasn’t shortlisted, it’s so wonderful. for sure at the top, maybe second place, of my own rankings!!
November 15, 2024
A lovely read set in a sultry hot summer in Provence in the 1920s. Enjoyed the art, war, character and historical perspectives just felt the writing was a bit simplistic and predictable. Can tell it's the authors debut but enjoyed it nevertheless. For lovers of art, history and books set over the span of a hot summer.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 543 reviews