This is the first book I finished this February 2022 and here's my book review! Special thanks to Netgalley for this ARC.

Admittedly, it was a slow read for me and I almost DNF-ed this book, but there's something about this gorgeous cover and the way Claire and Viv interact with one another that made me finish the book. I'm glad I did because I loved how things ended up for Claire in the story.

This book follows the story of art historian Claire Markham, who had a fair share of heartbreaks and losses in life. With an career almost going off hook, she made a choice to become a personal art guide for the rich and sassy Viv Chancey. Both of them have their own struggles in life and while they spend more time together in a foreign land, they discover more about themselves and about each other.

There are things that I abhor in this book and at the same time, there are moments that hooked me still.

Full review at my book blog: https://semicolonreads.wordpress.com/2022/03/02/book-review-the-art-of-traveling-strangers/

Sorry, but this novel still feels like it’s in a straightjacket. It reads as too ‘constructed’ and is riddled with inconsistent characters and unconvincing and implausible prose.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amplify Publishing for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Based on its blurb, I was expecting that The Art of Traveling Strangers would be right up my street, combining travel and art history with a character narrative, but sadly I found that it didn't live up to my expectations.

Author Zoe Disigny certainly has the professional credentials to back up the subject matter of the book - she's a qualified Art History professor of several decades' standing and has also run numerous art-based educational tours in Europe. Having studied Art History myself and having visited all but one of the locations featured in the book (sadly, I haven't yet made it to see the Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna), I can attest to the accuracy of her depictions and found many of her descriptions very evocative. However, I felt that the narrative often resembled chunks of content from a guidebook, which, while in itself well-written, was not sufficiently integrated with the underlying character-based narrative.

And then we come to the characters. There are two main protagonists, Long Beach CA. based Art-History professor and recently-single mother Claire Markham and her travel companion, fashion-obsessed and dubiously well-heeled Vivian Chancey. After Claire's guided summer tour of European art is cancelled by her college due to lack of numbers, Viv approaches her to undertake a one-on-one tour with only herself as a student/client. Needing the money after the break-up of her marriage with sports jock Kurt, Claire reluctantly agrees, and finds herself aggravated by Viv's constant inane chatter and evident lack of interest in art, virtually from the outset.

After a running start with our odd couple on a plane headed out of LAX, the narrative bizarrely backtracks for the next several chapters (encompassing approximately a quarter of the book), giving a blow-by-blow account of Claire's dissatisfaction with her marriage, her decision to see a therapist, her subsequent florid affair with that therapist, the resulting breakdown of the marriage and unanticipated rejection by the new (married) boyfriend. Added to the recent sudden death of her mother and reduction of her teaching load (and hence future income) at her college, Claire's life is a bit of a mess... Despite all this, I never found her a particularly sympathetic or relatable character and found it difficult to feel engaged with her wallowing and soul-searching over the course of the novel.

I found Viv a more vibrant character generally, and appreciated the two women's frustrations with each other as travel partners. However, I felt there was just too much going on in terms of plot twists and provocations to further soul-searching and forced bonding. To me, Claire's imagined interplay between the subject matter and messages of the artworks they're seeing and the issues in her own life often seem laboured. Similarly, Viv's dawning understanding of some aspects of Renaissance art appeared simply a mechanism to draw more of the author's own artistic revelations into the narrative, and inconsistent with the character depicted up to that point. The frequent heated debates between the characters around whether particular artists were homosexual or not, and how relevant that is to their work, were to me just jarring and unnecessary, in spite of the 1980s setting of the book and later character revelations.

I really wish that I'd liked The Art of Traveling Strangers more, as I think it has the bones of an excellent light-hearted romp with some well-placed arty snippets. However, the balance between factual information and the character narrative to my mind just isn't completely successful in its execution. Similarly, I was confused by the intended tone and genre of the book as a whole - was it meant to be a humorously snippy travelogue or a more serious exploration of women searching for meaning in their lives and confronting major life events? At 288 pages, I just don't think there was sufficient room for it to achieve both convincingly, and as a result it comes across as a bit of a hot mess. I think this could have been a much improved book with some more judicious editing and the simplification of several aspects of the plot development.

I hope that Zoe Disigny will keep writing, as she clearly has talent in storytelling as well as a great breadth of knowledge in European art and travel. There's certainly a large pool of potential readers out there who, like myself, would lap up well-executed light fiction that allows us to indulge in some armchair travel.

Thanks to the author, publisher Amplify Publishing Group, Subplot Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

This title caught my eye because it promised to be a story about travel. With my real life travels sadly nil, I looked forward to a novel in which the protagonist travels to Milan, Venice, Ravenna, Florence, Siena, Rome, and Paris. I have been to five of these cities so looked forward to experiencing some nostalgia while also (virtually) traveling to a couple of new places.

Of course, though, this is a novel and not a travel guide so there is more to the book than noting what to see. Protagonist Claire is running away and so moves toward Viv. What happens to these two makes up this art filled story. Their relationship is not always easy but readers will hope for them and want them to have the lives that they want.

This author lends authenticity to her book. She clearly knows her art and is a good travel companion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Claire's life is falling apart. Her marriage is in shambles and her job has been canceled for the summer leaving Claire unsure of what to do next. When the opportunity to become an art tour guide through Italy and France for Viv Chancey is offered, Claire really has no choice but to take it. The unlikely duo arrive in Europe and Claire quickly learns Viv has her own agenda to spend less time in museums and more time tearing through the high end fashion boutiques. As Claire and Viv tour around Italy they attempt to help one another heal while surrounded by lessons from the past. To be completely honest, if this hadn't been a gifted book I received in exchange for a review I probably wouldn't have finished it. There are so many trigger warnings to go along with this: emotional/mental abuse, infidelity, divorce, loss of a parent, loss of a child, addiction, mental illness, homophobia...the list goes on. I understand that this book is set in the 80s so there are certain behaviors and slang that was used in that decade that is no longer used today but yikes. The language used, especially in conversations around homophobia, is just shocking to read published in 2022. The few redeeming qualities of "The Art of Traveling Strangers" are the beautiful descriptions of the art Claire and Viv see throughout Italy and Paris, the fashion and art history thrown in and the way that you feel you are traveling the streets with these two women. (I miss traveling.) Maybe there is a target reader out there for this book but it certainly wasn't me.

Before I even turned the first page of this book I wanted to love it, it was about a life changing journey through the art filled cities of Italy and Paris, a trek I have done and was looking forward to revisiting, however, I found the first quarter of this book very tedious. The realities of Claire’s marriage to a man that walked all over her and her affair with her therapist – who I didn’t get the impression she even liked after their first session – who suddenly became her whole life and reason to live, was depressing and extraordinarily negative and really did not give me any empathy for Claire at all. While I understand this narrative set the scene for who Claire was and where she was emotionally in her life, this, and the continuing thread of this throughout the book, really put a downer on the story for me. What I thought was marvelous about this book was the burgeoning relationship between two very different women and the lessons they taught each other as they traversed across Italy and into Paris immersing themselves in art and shopping with both growing as people.
The descriptions of the streets and plazas of Milan, Florence, Rome, and Paris took me back to my own memories of walking those same avenues and the descriptions and discussions of the art had me reaching for my own guidebooks and photographs for closer inspection and a deeper awareness of the art I had experienced before, especially of the four David’s (I know which is my favourite!). Those discussions neatly highlighted the differences between Viv and Claire but also as the trip continued their discussions showed their flourishing understanding and awareness of themselves and each other.
I think the story in Europe gave Claire the opportunity for her growth without having to immerse us in such negativity to start with. She got there in the end as displayed by this quote, “I never forgave myself for my mistakes. I let them define me and kept searching for someone to fix me, make me into a perfect whole. I never realized I was already whole just the way I was.”
The story finishes nicely with Viv quoting Coco Chanel (as she would) “If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing.”
I received an ARC of this from #netgalley and leave this review voluntarily

I was disappointed that this was just an ok read for me. I enjoyed the travels in Italy and Paris and the discussions of the artwork seen but I just didn't connect with the two main characters so the story fell a bit flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC.

The Art of Traveling Strangers is an interesting story, but not special. The characters and their journey definitely take a back seat to the art and sights of Europe which they explore. This was an enjoyable read for me but not much more.

The title and the premises of the book is what initially drew me in. Traveling and Art? Sign me up. However this book ended up not being my cup of tea. I loved the idea of it but it did not grab my attention the way I thought it would have. I can see why others love it, but I couldn't connect with the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amplify Publishing Group for providing my with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of the book, two traveling strangers, was intriguing, and I generally enjoy a travel memoir and books of the like, but I struggled a bit with this one. The book was clearly well-researched, and I appreciated the descriptions of various locations and pieces of art. Having seen some of the works being described myself made it easier to appreciate the dynamic between the characters and the way in which the analysis of the artworks connected to the plot and character development. I definitely struggled more with the pieces I was unfamiliar with, and wonder how being able to see them would enhance the story. As far as the plot and characters go, this is where I struggled. I had a hard time connecting with either character, and struggled a bit with how some pieces of Claire’s story played out. In general, the descriptions of locations around Europe and the art history was the most enjoyable part of the book for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amplify Publishing Group for providing my with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book starts with a vivid introduction of our MC and how much her life has fallen apart which sets the tone right away. The reader is given bits and pieces throughout the beginning chapters of just how things went wrong for Claire and how she ended up on a flight across the Atlantic ocean with a stranger. The exploration of relationships, loss, and new connections are prevalent in this story & there were many moments where I could empathize but sometimes I felt disconnected from the characters.

To me, at times, it was a little slow and/or disjointed but that may have been exactly what the author was trying to portray of Claire’s mindset during this trip & the events leading up to it. One of the main highlights of this book that I enjoyed is all the history and facts about sights/art/locations in general throughout their stops in Europe. It felt like I was there with them seeing it all through the eyes of an art historian and of course, a fashionista.

Wouldn't we all like to escape to Europe after some kind of heartbreak?

Blurb-
It’s the 1980s, and art historian Claire Markham reels from a series of heartbreaking losses. Desperate to escape her shattered reality, she becomes an art guide in Europe for quirky stranger Viv Chancey and embarks on a life-changing journey through the art-filled cities of Milan, Venice, Ravenna, Florence, Siena, Rome, and Paris. Once abroad, Claire tries to hide her woes by focusing on Viv’s art education, but Viv—who is not who she seems—has a different learning experience in mind. Frustrated and wanting to reimagine her life, Claire embraces the idea of reality as illusion and finds herself slipping into the tales of art and history. When threatened with one more crushing loss, Claire must learn from the spirit of her eccentric companion and the lessons from the art they encounter to take charge of her life or lose the most precious thing in it. The Art of Traveling Strangers is a journey of self-discovery and personal empowerment inspired by the great art masterpieces of Italy and France. It’s a tale of female bonding and the amazing powers of perception. After all, reality, like art, is just an illusion.

First off the descriptions of the places and the works of art were **chefs kiss** great. I understand the setting of the 80s is likely due to the author's time spent doing tours in Europe and she’s pulling from her experiences but there were some bits and pieces that I thought could have been addressed differently for today's readers. The female characters were not as likable as I hoped they’d be so I wasn't really invested in their bonding and journey as I’d like to have been.

Overall it was a nice read, especially if you enjoy traveling or art history.

Thank you NetGalley and Zoe Disigny for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s very clear that the author is an actual art historian. Claire/Disigny’s explanations of the various artworks in the story are fascinating. You can request a pamphlet with pictures of the art from the publisher, or do as I did and do a web search and zoom in in details as you go. I was thrilled that Claire and Viv visited some of my very favorite artworks.

The story is set in the ‘80s, so I also think Claire is an absolute champion for driving around Europe without benefit of GPS! Seriously though, I think the main purpose of setting the story in that decade is because of the attitudes toward mental health and homosexuality that existed in that decade—notable for the AIDS crisis. This becomes important later in the book.

Claire is, at first, rather unlikeable. A wet dishrag. A doormat. Her husband has dominated her life, and she has allowed it, mostly out of a desire to be the kind of wife she thinks she should. Her one act of rebellion was teaching college art history after their daughter is born.

And then things fall apart, on multiple levels. Claire, desperate for money, agrees to accompany Viv around Europe and teach her about art. Much of the time Viv is far more interested in shopping at Italy’s best designers than in the art, but she comes to appreciate learning about many of the pieces and places they visit.

I wouldn’t say Claire and Viv bond, exactly, over their adventures and past trials, but they do come to understand an appreciate each other. More importantly, Viv helps Claire to grow a backbone and stand up to her husband in a crisis. And Claire helps Viv to reunite with her estranged brother.

The story ends on an optimistic note. I am curious, though, why Claire is certain she’ll never see or speak to Viv again. I do think some of the resolution of both Claire’s and Viv’s problems comes a bit too easily.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Cursing, including multiple instances of the F word, used in a non-sexual way. Infidelity. Divorce. Prostitution. Discussions of nudity and various bits of anatomy—you can’t talk about some very important artworks without noticing the nudity! Drinking. Mental illness. Homosexuality and AIDS.

Who Might Like This Book:
Art lovers. People who like to see women become stronger and recover from deep trials. People who like eccentric characters.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2022/02/an-art-tour-of-italy.html

The book had made me traveled through time since its setting is during the 80s. Well, surprisingly this is based on the author’s personal experience. Having said that, I enjoyed the idea of traveling with a stranger which made me interested to read this book. The reading experience was engaging. I enjoyed daydreaming with this book because it carried me away to have an imaginative trip to art museums, learn some art history and wander in the beautiful cities in Europe. I was glad that I took this great opportunity to be open-minded and hit the road with Claire and Viv.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amplify Publishing Group for providing my with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Claire, an art history teacher with a crumbling marriage, is hired by Viv, a woman with emotional baggage, on a 3 week art tour of Italy and Paris. The woman could not be more different, yet they help each other while enjoying an art and shopping tour, as well as learning about themselves.

I’ve come to the conclusion that this book is just not for me. I found the characters unlikable, didn’t mesh well with the writing style, and couldn’t get into it. I was drawn to this book initially because of the title and thought it would be a little bit of a lighter read. Perhaps I’m just not the target audience for this one?? Not my cup of tea..

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!
This book was simply just okay for me. It was very heavy on the European art, which was great for the storyline. Claire, our main character, Claire is an art professor who becomes a single mom after a divorce due to an affair. And to top it off her lover chooses to leave her too! Lots of drama for Claire. But her luck, Vic wants to travel Europe, with Claire as her art guide.

I enjoyed the setting. 1980s, Europe, in an out of museums. I enjoyed how educated and passionate Claire as a character was. And I liked how Viv was similar when it came to her interest and love for fashion and travel.

Personally this took effort to read, since I am not familiar with popular works of art, but it allowed me to conduct my own research!

I have mixed feelings about this book.

On one hand, I enjoyed delving into the museums and various art styles, as well as visiting Europe. I’ve visited many of these cities in real life, and it is fun to see them again through the characters’ eyes. The vivid descriptions are well done and make me want to travel there again.

But on the other hand, it’s difficult for me to connect with Claire (the main character.) I don’t really like her. Or her choices. Even though she has a lot going on and shows growth, I don’t relate to her. Also, the story taking place in the 80s distracted me instead of pulling me in. (i.e., smoking on an airplane, etc.) Little things like this pulled me from the story and it wasn’t clear why the story had to take place during this time period.

What initially attracted me to this book was it centered on travel and had a great title and cover. As a proclaimed #coverlover, my preferred cover art isn’t usually abstract or cartoonish, but the large topography and bright colors of this one caught my eye.

Disclosure: #CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book.

I'm sorry to say that I DNF'd this one after about 50 pages. I just couldn't really connect with the character (didn't like her), and the first person turned me off a bit here. (Probably because I did not really like the narrator?)

Just not for me. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Set in the 1980s, THE ART OF TRAVELING STRANGERS follows Clare, an art historian after a series of heartbreaking losses. Picking up and moving, she becomes an art guide in Europe as she learns to be herself again. It is not long before she meets mysterious Viv and journeys to Milan, Venice, Florence, Siena, Rome, London, Paris, and more!

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a journey of self-discovery and empowerment inspired by art and traveling - two things I love. If you are also a fan of these, I highly recommend reading it.