Description

‘An immersive tale of muses, betrayal, sex and bad behaviour’ Daily Mail

‘Deliciously immersive . . . Think of [Haydock] as the art world’s answer to Philippa Gregory . . . I took Madame Matisse on a wet, grey holiday and it swept me into a world of startling, splashy colour’ Spectator

A GUNSHOT. A BETRAYAL. THREE LIVES HANG IN THE BALANCE…

Growing up with liberal parents in Paris just before the turn of the century, Amelie is a free spirit. When she meets an enigmatic young artist, she is drawn to the life of colour and passion he seems to promise.

Together, they share struggles and triumphs, heartbreak and joy, until they arrive on France’s sun-soaked Riviera. With them comes Marguerite, Matisse’s headstrong but courageous daughter.

But there too they meet Lydia, a young Russian emigree, who has fled her homeland following the revolution. Lydia also has her dreams. Her passions. And her ambition.

As their lives entangle, each woman must ask herself: what is she willing to sacrifice to follow her heart?

‘A stunning act of literary, historical and artistic reimagining, woven with incredible skill – and so beautifully written. It will stay with me for a long while’ Donal Ryan

*****

What readers say:

‘Well I adored this. Beautiful and resilient female characters that came to life off the page vividly and passionately. A sweeping story spanning the years that was addictive and intriguing.

‘Features lush, evocative prose that draws readers into the emotional depths of its characters’

‘A triumph… this novel is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, art history, and anyone captivated by the voices of women long silenced by history.’

‘This epic tale takes us from the narrow, dirty streets of Paris to the days of the Russian Revolution, with some time in China, to the hot French Riviera of the 1930s and the French Resistance of World War II. It is rich, it is beautiful and on more than one occasion it made me cry’

‘The scope of this book is terrific. The writing is superb. The characters are totally, utterly believable, with all their biases and peccadilloes’

‘An extraordinary story, about Henri Matisse and his work of course, but more-so these three remarkable, resilient women’

‘Once again, Sophie Haydock claims the lead in my Book of the Year listing. I loved it’

Publisher Review

Sophie Haydock delivers another sizzling story of the art world, where sidelined women take centre stage. It’s an immersive tale of muses, betrayal, sex and bad behaviour * Daily Mail * Deliciously immersive . . . Think of [Haydock] as the art world’s slightly spikier answer to Philippa Gregory . . . I took Madame Matisse on a wet, grey holiday and it swept me into a world of startling, splashy colour. * The Spectator * Enchanting, evocative… Sophie Haydock gets under the skin of three complex women in this absorbing read * Woman & Home * A stunning act of literary, historical and artistic reimagining, woven with incredible skill – and so beautifully written. It will stay with me for a long while * Donal Ryan * Madame Matisse is everything I want in a book: an evocative and thoughtful work, packed full of insights into the tumultuous world of the 1930s French art movement. Most crucially of all, it places the fascinating women who helped shape one of history’s most loved artists front and centre. * Harriet Constable, author of top ten bestseller, The Instrumentalist * Gorgeously evocative, ambitious in its scope, Madame Matisse sweeps through many of the major events of the twentieth century, whilst remaining laudably faithful to the true coordinates of people, places, artworks and events. A nuanced and humane portrait of three very different women who helped the artist achieve greatness. * Lucy Caldwell, author of These Days * Madame Matisse is a fascinating portrait of three extraordinary women whose lives were shaped by the conflicts, hardships and upheavals of early twentieth century Europe. Each of these distinctly different women are linked by the man they all loved, Henry Matisse. While he created a new aesthetic, they each carved their own rules, flying in the face of society’s restrictive expectations. Sophie Haydock, in her restrained and precise style, has written a worthy follow up to The Flames. * Elizabeth Fremantle, author of Queen’s Gambit * Haydock brings to life Europe at the turn of the 20th century seen through the eyes of Madame Matisse. Taking us on a journey starting at the painter’s uninspired beginnings to his soaring success and international acclaim. Following her hit novel, The Flames, Haydock brings us her gripping tale of obsession and sacrifice and firmly establishes herself as a novelist of great power and skill. * Paul McVeigh, author of The Good Son * Rich, based-on-real-life storytelling * Sainsbury’s Magazine * Haydock turns her penetrating gaze on three formidable women in Henri Matisse’s life . . . A work of vivid imagination, colour and verve * SAGA Magazine *