Happy Wednesday everyone, I hope this week is being good to you so far. I’m on the blog tour today for The Huntingfield Paintress by Pamela Holmes, sharing my review and I’d like to thank Kelly at Love Books Tours for the invite and the publishers, Urbane Books for the review copy.
About the book
Plucky and headstrong Mildred Holland revelled in the eight years she and her husband, the vicar William Holland, spent travelling 1840s Europe, finding inspiration in recording beautiful artistic treasures and collecting exotic artifacts. But William’s new posting in a tiny Suffolk village is a world apart and Mildred finds a life of tea and sympathy dull and stifling in comparison. When a longed-for baby does not arrive, she sinks into despondency and despair. What options exist for a clever, creative woman in such a cossetted environment? A sudden chance encounter fires Mildred’s creative imagination and she embarks on a herculean task that demands courage and passion. Defying her loving but exasperated husband, and mistrustful locals who suspect her of supernatural powers, Mildred rediscovers her passion and lives again through her dreams of beauty. Inspired by the true story of the real Mildred Holland and the parish church of Huntingfield in Suffolk, the novel is unique, emotive and beautifully crafted, just like the history that inspired it.
The Huntingfield Paintress can be purchased here – Amazon
My thoughts
The Huntingfield Paintress is set during the 1800’s and tells the story of Mildred Holland and her husband William. After travelling Europe they have finally been given the chance to return to Suffolk to run the parish.
Having travelled for so long Mildred finds it difficult to settle, after seeing so many different places and experiencing so many delightful things she finds rural life boring and after longing for a child with no luck she falls into a bit of a depression.
Mildred is quite different to the locals so really finds it difficult to fit in which makes her very lonely, she sees things differently and her ideas aren’t welcomed with open arms. I felt incredibly sad for Mildred as some locals do their damnedest to make life difficult for her.
Having read a few fast paced books back to back, The Huntingfield Paintress I found had a much slower pace but it wasn’t too long before I was swept up and transported back to 1800’s along with Mildred. The author has done a wonderful job of really bringing that era to life, the difficulties families faced, the disease and how Village life can be really challenging.
It wasn’t until I’d finished the story that I found out it was based on the real Mildred Holland who did create the beautiful art work inside the church that can still be seen today.
The Huntingfield Paintress is a beautiful evocative read that really shows that Mildred, I believe, was a real feminist of her time and it’s a story that I’m so glad I’ve read.
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Great review!I love it when I discover the book is based on a real person.
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