I struggled a bit with this. I liked the overall concept but think I wasn’t patient enough to fully appreciate it.

This was an odd one to figure out how I felt about it. It's not a heavily plot drive book but there's an undercurrent of mystery and secrecy through it that kept me compelled. Despite that, I was a little frustrated by the slow start and how long it took us to start revealing much about these characters. It also has shifts in perspective which worked well in some places and which I found jarring in others, particularly in the shift into the second section Vincent. I briefly found myself myself unmoored, not quite sure who I was following.

I did really enjoy how art was inweaved throughout almost everything. It expresses quite a bit about sex and the body and beauty through the medium of art. The inclusion of models for classes as characters and how their bodies are observed was particularly thought provoking and interesting.

Otherwise this focuses mainly on family dynamics, especially the relationships each family member has and how it effects everyone else. The father Bert is a domineering figure, pushy in what he wants and fairly distant from his family except in art. Overall I didn't manage to care much about these characters and it's hard to tell if that's mainly driven by Bert's character. I didn't discover much emotional depth, much of it feels observed and detatched rather than experienced by the characters. Thankfully Sonata was often a way in, her young angst and passion making itself heard.

I don't want to spoil too much about it but it does make for an interesting read, both about the art world and as a family drama even if it didn't totally land with me.