The Painted Girls is the result of Buchanan's meticulous research and it is a wonderful novel of historical fiction that is also a lovely tribute to a girl many would otherwise never know. Buchanan creates a vivid world – that of Paris during the early years of the Belle Époque (see 'Beyond the Book'). This...
Beyond the Book
The more than forty year period from the early 1870s to the beginning of World War I saw peace across much of Europe. Fueled by the continuing advancements of the Industrial Revolution, the era was marked by optimism and prosperity - for some. In France, this period is known as La Belle Époque, 'the beautiful age', a description applied to it in hindsight after the horrors of the First World War. During this time, the arts flourished. Theater, music, visual arts and literature evolved and gained worldwide attention.
Many well-known...
