This is a perfect pandemic book. When we cannot travel, The Art of Traveling Strangers provides a thin story where we can concentrate on the wonderful descriptions of beautiful cities and amazing museums and history. Claire and Viv have come together in a slightly bizarre way, and are traveling together. I felt there was too much of Claire's past, the therapist, etc., and I skimmed through that. Viv the student is bright but somewhat naive. For the most part, I enjoyed reading the descriptions of Europe, but the story itself did not hold much for me. Thank you to the author, the editor and Net Galley for a free ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This book was pure chaos, I don't know where to start. I will say that the research and details that went into the art history portion of the book were so thought out and meticulous to read, I thought was I was in Europe standing in front of every sculpture and painting described. The side stories ranged from divorce, affair, bookie, abandoned child, long lost brother, a short lived custody battle, AIDs, etc. phew... it was a lot and you felt no connection to any of it because it was thrown all into the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early review in exchange for my honest opinion on this book.

For armchair travelling purposes, The Art of Traveling Strangers absolutely hits the spot. The author is clearly knowledgeable and passionate about the artistic wonders that one can peruse in Italy, and this shone through in her art professor protagonist Claire. I had major career envy of Claire's work as a international art guide!

Unfortunately the book worked less for me as a piece of women's fiction, on the whole. All the right pieces were there - an international adventure with an unlikely companion, a divorce, an affair... but the piece didn't quite click all the way into place for me. Claire was persistently judgemental and dismissive of her companion Viv's interest in fashion, and while there were nods to her growing out of her exclusionary binary thinking of high vs. low art, it didn't feel fully realised. Likewise, the subplot of Viv's homophobia and Claire's reaction to it felt undercooked. I was expecting the relationship between Claire and Viv to grow into something more meaningful than it ever did, and it left me feeling somewhat emotionally under-satisfied (I won't go as far to say UNsatisfied!)

This was a fun diversion, especially perfect for anyone longing for a "cultured" holidays, featuring more museums than beaches!

🎨🎨🎨🎨 3.75/5

🍎 TO TEACH?
As I picked this book up, I vaguely thought about it as a source for extracts for studying historical fiction. It is set in the 1980s and while there are hallmarks of historical fiction, there's nothing that leaps out as a exemplar to use in the classroom, particularly. One for personal reading rather than classroom use.

Better than I thought it would be. Funny and engaging I haven't read a book like it in a long time. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC

Unfortunately, I did not finish this book. I had a hard time getting in to the story. I felt the characters were trivial and boring.

I was thrilled to read this book because of the title and the cover art. I like how the world building allows the main character and everyone else to explore different parts of the world. However, the character development and the plot could've been better executed for me to truly enjoy this book.

This is a contemporary fiction with an interesting blend of different emotions in it. The book focuses on the lead character named Claire. The plot takes the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions and feelings as we go along with our protagonist on a road of self discovery and development. The author has written down the an very interesting plotline where the plot focuses on the character development of the protagonist along with amazing characters and scenarios involved in it. The narration of the book is so smooth and easy that the readers are able to enjoy the spirit of the book. There are numerous characters involved yet each shines throughout the book as the author has well potraited each and every character. The book is being layered nicely with the situation and incidents that were quite interesting to read. The characters in the plot kept me hooked till the end. Each has been given sufficient scope to contribute to the plot. The language used is lucid. It is definitely a good read for all the readers.

I enjoyed this women’s fiction novel set in the 1980s. It felt like the Odd Couple’s European Tour, with art.
Claire Markham married young and put the needs of her family over her own. As her daughter grows older, she begins to question why she accepts her relationship with a controlling husband. Therapy sessions lead to an ill-advised affair and the break-up of her marriage. As an art history professor on a non-tenure track, her growing financial woes also weigh on her. When approached by Viv, a student in her class desperate to go on a summer European tour, she feels obliged to accept an offer that will pay her handsomely for organizing a private art tour through Italy and on to Paris.

What ensues is the strongest portion of the novel, with Claire intent on the delivering the perfect art tour of Milan, Varese, Florence and Rome, and a distracted Viv set to eschew almost every museum in favor of high-end shopping and exclusive hotels and clubs. The Italian and art descriptions are strong and really well-written, but I especially enjoyed Viv’s short attention span and ingenuous methods of evading churches and museums.

As different as these two women are, both have major issues to work through, and their unlikely friendship makes each of them stronger. This will appeal to readers of women’s fiction, especially those who enjoy segments on travel and art history.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this novel, in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed the art and travel in the book. Travel and art are huge passions of mine. Both have been missed terribly during the Covid 19 pandemic and I was happy to be able to travel vicariously while reading this book. The characters, on the other hand were not that appealing. I just was not interested in what they were saying and I found the main character rather unlikeable. Over all a good but not great read.
Thank to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am this book’s target audience: obsessed with art history and travel. I’ve even been to many of the places in Europe where the characters go. Unfortunately, The Art of Traveling Strangers didn’t strike the chord with me that I expected. Bouncing back and forth from factual monologues about art and introspective monologues about Claire’s loves lost, the story doesn’t find a cohesive rhythm. Firstly, the characters are introduced in the present time with little to no real introduction to the plot, then the author takes us back for a quarter of the book to the main characters failed marriage and affair. All other flashbacks are sudden and randomly spaced in the narrative. The end seemed a little too tidy, but necessary to wrap up what could only be described as slow, plodding, slice of life story. I would definitely read more from the author in the future, but felt a little let down by this debut.

This book had different layers to it. A marriage that was not working out and it gave you art and travel. It gave you things to look at.

I really saw the potential in this book and the target audience would enjoy this more than I did, though it didn’t do it for me, the pacing and the plot weren’t enjoyable and for that reason I didn’t finish the book entirely.

I enjoyed this book. I loved the writing, the story was much better than I thought it would be and I loved the well developed characters, who were relatable and likeable. A really good read.

This started with a catchy first few pages but then it went downhill and I just couldn’t relate to the characters. It got way too real when the MC started relating the entire conversation with her psychologist. That just got too real and I didn’t care for the rest of the story.

I was drawn to this title as I love travelling and want to learn more about art. The art side I found really interesting and I googled the buildings, statues and paintings as I went. The story of Claire unfortunately didn’t grab me as much as I’d hoped but I did enjoy Viv a little more and found her a fun character. Overall it was a quick easy read. Thank you to NetGalley and Amplify Publishing Group, Subplot Publishing for letting me read and review this book.

I must admit, I've never been a big fan of Medieval or Renaissance Art. Although I took a few art classes in college, I found paintings and sculptures from those time periods did nothing for me. But after reading this book, I've found that I've misjudged these important times in the art world. That's because Claire Markham, the lead character in this book, did a wonderful job of bringing famous Medieval and Renaissance sculptures and paintings alive to me, as she did for Viv, her unlikely companion and student on their trip through some of Europe's most famous art cities. I traveled vicariously with them to Milan, Venice, Ravenna, Florence, Siena, Rome, and Paris.Throughout the book, Claire wove stories and history about paintings like Giorgione's "The Tempest" and da Vinci's "Last Supper." She made the Byzantine mosaic "Theordora and Her Attendants" come alive through words on pages of the book. I got a new perspective on the purpose, function and hidden meanings behind some of the church architecture in Italy. Truthfully, I kept thinking "I would love to take a European art history tour with Claire!"

I wished the book had photos of some of the artwork that Claire describes to Viv! I kept putting the book aside to look up various paintings and and artwork, to see if they were as Claire described them!

But I digress, because the art history lessons are really just a backdrop to the main heme of the book: Claire's journey of discovery about herself, how she sees and feels about herself, and how the people in her life (like her manipulative husband) have treated her. That's the real story here--how she grows and truly discovers herself during this trip. It's interesting too, that her travel companion -- whose real reason to go to Europe was to shop at all the haute couture boutiques in Milan and Paris -- played an unexpected role in helping Claire gain the confidence to stand up to bullies like her husband.

I thought this was a very informative and interesting book, and one that I know I'll re-read again! It would be a great book to read while on the plane to Italy, to help one better understand the art and architecture that surrounds you in that lovely country.

Thank you to Netgalley and Author Zoe Disigny for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

We first meet Claire who seems to have sacrificed her career for her wifely and motherly duties, now it’s time for her to enhance her career however her husband seems to disagree even though it seems as if they always do things his way. Never once, that we see have they done what she wants to do, but – has she actually said this to him, have they actually communicated properly? So many relationships fail due to poor communication so it is difficult to see here if this is really the case.

We meet Viv and my automatic reaction is that she is too chatty and literally says every single thing to pop into her head. Her character annoys me straight away, bubbly and fun yes but also very annoying. This was my first impressions of Viv.

As the novel finally progresses (about 20 or so percent to get to the main point), we see how Claire got to where she is now. Although for someone that did ‘ruin’ her own life I would love to know why that particular element was not mentioned when she ‘ruined’ her life at that point in the novel? Instead she was just left with heartbreak but it was not mentioned. If you’ve read this you would know what I am referring to.

When she contemplates doing this Art Tour she made it sound like it’s a big decision, uhm what other choices did she have with her summer? To be alone, bored with no work over the summer or go and travel. Hello? Easy answer there. Claire complains so much, what she doesn’t realise is that a lot of her downfalls are her own fault. If she wasn’t so mopey and negative maybe things would have been better for her.

When we finally reach the main plot Viv becomes this bubbly person whereas Claire suspects shes out to sabotage this Art Tour. Claire needs to lighten up because she kept getting annoyed when she was rambling on about Art mumble jumble whilst Viv wanted to take in Italy not just the art stuff. She kept getting annoyed at Viv even though this is Viv’s trip so she can do as she frigging pleases. And Claire needs to get the stick out of her ass with her negative attitude. Maybe Viv wanted company to go to Italy to see only some elements of art. Italy is known for Fashion too you know, Claire so lighten up!

Why did this novel need to be set in the 1980’s? There wasn’t much reference to this time period as other novels would usually have this when you set a novel in a time period. It is just an American book (given Viv’s language in how it’s written).

The main character is not a likeable person, she’s a downer and makes terrible decisions. She might grow slightly but Viv is what made me keep reading this book.

I enjoyed Viv’s bubbly and exciting personality. I enjoyed travelling however I did feel this book was more artsy than travel. It was an interesting read.

In her novel, The Art of Traveling Strangers, Zoe Disigny combines art and travel with the story of a woman trying to reinvent herself and her life. The novel brings together two very different women, Claire an art history professor, and Viv, a woman who hires Claire to be her personal art guide through Italy. The characters begin to learn much about each other and their worlds through the art and fashion they are experiencing. Claire is a serious, schedule driven woman, whose life as she knew it fell apart right before this trip. Viv is a free spirit with her own unique views of the world, who offered Claire the trip of a lifetime at the exact right moment. At first they butt heads, but they soon realize that they can each learn much from the other.
I found the descriptions and interpretations of the art very interesting and enlightening, and while I enjoyed the story, I did find it a bit cliche at times. While the characters did learn and grow throughout the novel it seemed to be too much all at once. There was a rush to an enlightenment of some kind for both women. Overall it was an enjoyable, quick read.

I was intrigued by the description of this book, but once I started reading, I just couldn't really connect with the characters. The art knowledge was wonderful and the very best part of the book. Apart from that, I really didn't much enjoy it, but that's not to say someone else won't feel different.

The travel locations, museums and artwork were depicted in such detail, and the history was equally fascinating. A perfectly paced and beautifully observed story..