Art-heist, romance, academic thriller, and peek into the tricks of the trade of painters and gallery owners - this novel was a fun page-turner. I loved the connection with the Isabella Stewart Gardener museum in Boston, one of my favorites.

Had some issues with the plot and story elements, but Xe Sands did a great job of narrating.

Opening Confession: Not sure why, but I have never liked any book set in the "art world." Is that because I find all them unrealistic, false, the work of someone expert in one world aping the language, norms, behavior, values, etc of another world in which they are a visitor? Or am I driven away from these for the same reasons I dropped out of my Art History MA program... I found the language, norms, behavior, values, etc unbearable on a daily basis?

Chicken? Egg?

That said: This book had too many plot holes, too many times the dialogue ran un-true, and the premise of it was based on too much invention supporting invention (as opposed to speculation filling gaps but built on substantiated fact) to hold together in a way that made it compelling. Either make it all up, or build your story out of a full array of facts. The epilogue that states THIS happened, THIS did not happen, THIS may have happened, THIS never happened is such a mishmash I ended up feeling as cheated on and lied to as the main character was by her dealer/lover.

This book is a little slow going. I'm going to set it aside. Maybe I'll find a paper copy and skip to the end.

Interesting story, especially if you like art and are interested in painting techniques. Claire is an artist with a small scandal in her past who is making a living painting reproductions of master works of art. An opportunity presents itself to copy a stolen Degas and of course things don't go as planned. The story unravels in bits and pieces as the author alternates between curent day events, a flashback to the events around the scandal, and letters from a wealthy lady to her niece about the Degas painting. Even though I didn't completely buy into the premise, it was an enjoyable read.

Not a bad book, but the meh writing kept it at 3 stars. The Boston setting was interesting bc I know the city well, and the actual heist itself is all-consuming to us art lovers. I just wish the story wasn't so pat, and that the characters were more complex.

Probably more like 3 1/2 stars really, but it gets better as it goes. Fun picturing all of this happening in and around the Gardner.

The Art Forger is an interesting look into the world of struggling artists, art collecting, and art forgery. Though a fictional book The Art Forger centers on the infamous 1990 art heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum which is still today the largest unsolved art theft in history. Claire, the art forger, or copyist as she calls herself (there is a difference) gets caught up in a scheme to forge the stolen Degas from the Gardner Museum for a chance to have her own one woman art show. Though Claire’s storyline was entertaining, I found the whole process of creating age in forgeries fascinating and learned a little about how artists look at light, color, and brush strokes. Enjoyable read.

I really, really enjoyed this book. Couldn't put it down and was just taken with it from the beginning. 4.5 stars. A wonderful story. Not the kind of thing I would have picked up on my own. Once again I am so thankful for bookclub!