100 Pages A Day...Stephanie's Book Reviews

Camille Claudel aspires to be an artist, a profession in which women did not often practice in 1890's France.  With a disapproving mother, but supportive father, the family moves to Paris so Camille can attend an art school which will accept women under the advice of sculptor Alfred Boucher, who sees a great talent in Camille.  With schooling, Camille's talent flourishes but she also becomes obsessed with her work.  When her tutor, Alfred Boucher must leave, he asks Auguste Rodin to take over instruction for Camille.  At this point, Camille's work becomes inspirational, but a love affair with Rodin causes her to lose her grip with reality. 

I wasn't quite sure that I would enjoy the subject matter of this book, but I liked the time period that Rodin's Lover was set in and I enjoyed Becoming Josephine, so I gave it a try.  I ended up loving it.  I was completely captured by Camille's character.  She is a little wild and fiercely independent, she does not care at all for the standards of women at her time.  At first, she just seems like a woman born into the wrong time period.  As Camille begins to become absorbed in her artwork and she begins an affair with Rodin, we see a gradual dissent into illness.  There is a created tension of what Camille believes and what is actually happening that adds a layer of suspense.  In addition to just learning about Camille's life, I was also thrown into Belle Epoque Paris as Camille and Rodin visit different Salons and encounter other artists of the time. Most of all, after reading this book I appreciated learning about Camille's life and was inspired to look at more of her artwork.

This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.

Mental Illness square for bookish bingo: