Mademoiselle Victorine
Debra Finerman
Reviewer Barb Radmore
Mademoiselle Victorine takes place in Paris in the 1860s. It was the time that the Impressionist movement in art was beginning, a change in art forms that altered painting styles forever. It is this setting that Debra Finerman uses to tell the story of Victorine Laurent, a young girl who rises up from poverty to become the premier, if infamous, courtesan of her time.
Victorine realizes that as a girl without family or protection she must fend for herself. She knows that the best way to survive is to have the attention of a wealthy man who will take care of her. She is beautiful and intelligent enough to make this happen. But she is unprepared for the feelings that arise when she meets the scandalous artist Edouard Manet. He has riled the august panel of The Salon with a style of painting not seen before, one not deemed acceptable for public viewing. She agrees to pose for him, realizing that it was a huge step but agreeing none the less. It is from this that her fame grows through out the city. She is able to gain her dream- a wealthy man who houses and clothes her, takes care of her and even attempts ot have her accepted into Court society. But Paris is on the brink of upheaval, the tumultuous times affect her future as well.
This historical fiction is researched to the last detail. Finerman is able to translate the setting and characters into a story that is both fascinating and enjoyable. The combination of two real people of the time- Manet's model Victorine Meurent and the famous courtesan La Castiglione lends a strong sense of truth to the tale. The many famous people of Paris also pepper the book from Degas to Zola to Bismark., playing various roles from background to major plot twists. Again this adds the strong note of authenticity to the novel. Finerman combines suspense, history and romance into a first novel that shines. While the setting is a pivotal strength for both the plot and its development, she has also created strong characters, both real and fictional. She then blends both characters and plot with a finesse not usually seen in debut works.
Two of the paintings by Edouard Manet of
Victorine Meurent which are included in the plot of the book:
Olympia
Luncheon on the Grass