This beautiful “wee book” (as the author describes it) is a profound study of the love of art, the art of love, and the intersection of the two. It alternates between present day Amsterdam and mid-seventeenth century Delft. In Delft, a young girl poses for Johannes Vermeer for his painting “Woman in Blue Reading a Letter.” In the present day, a man has become obsessed with the painting, visiting it every day at the Rijksmuseum and imagining what the girl would say if he could talk with her. But in the dream-like meditation of his art, she is listening to him. Does he love me? Love me not? She muses about this, sometimes thinking of Vermeer himself, sometimes the man who sits before her three centuries later,

I am a profound believer in the power of art to reach into our souls and change us. This book describes that process - while at the same time questioning whether the man’s obsession with the painting and the woman’s thoughts during the painting process represent love, or something else. Certainly getting to know a painting intimately can have a strong effect - one that the word “love” can’t entirely encompass. Burton writes about this beautifully, drawing us in to the process of art and its resulting effects on human love.

I recommend this book to anyone who has had the experience of becoming involved with a work of art, and for those who have not.

Many thanks to Fairlight and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this extraordinary book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this love letter of Johannes Vermeer and the narrator to the infamous Woman in Blue Holding a Letter.

I was lucky enough to see this painting in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam along with other works of Vermeer. I also saw Girl with a Pearl Earring in Poland as well.

In reading this I had to put it down to go on to Google Vermeer's other works and they brought a peaceful smile to my face.

I wholeheartedly enjoyed the unusual perspective/viewpoints of both narrators in understanding the artists magnificent painting.

I really enjoyed this book. It was quite a bit different from anything I've read before. A couple of years back I was thrift shopping when I came across the Woman in Blue. I was captivated by this piece of art so I brought it home with me. It's interesting how art works like that.

I will definitely recommend this to my art loving friends, and hope to read more from the author in the future.

Woman in Blue has so much of what I love in a novel - a link to a (real) interesting piece of art, dual timelines, a clever formatting or structural twist. I'd recommend this novel to people who, like me, loved One Woman Show last year.

I love how this book delve into art criticism I agree that it’s a good thing when artists don’t spill straight away or make their art less on the nose and hence the meaning behind their art is open for interpretation. I have always been a mere casual art enjoyer who once in a blue moon read about the meaning behind a particular painting I find interesting. I’ve never been to an art museum or gallery before but this book makes me want to do it just to actually see the actual painting and the brushstrokes hahah

That being said there are a few things I’d like to point out about this book that don’t sit right with me
- The first few “Woman in Blue” chapters confused me because Angelieke used the word “He” to refer to two different people and I didn’t realize it until a few chapters later.
- I’m genuinely confused between Meneer Johannes Reijniersz and Johannes Vermeer, because isn’t the later is actually the name of the painter? Is Meneer supposed to be a fictionalized version of Johannes Vermeer? If yes why the book keep referring to his works as “Vermeer’s painting”
- I still don’t understand how this painting aims to bring the main protagonist closer to his wife??
- I don’t like how Angelieke excuses emotional cheating. Cheating is cheating despite nothing physical is happening. And the fact that she had seggs with Johannes while his wife is giving birth dowstairs is just … WHAT😶 not a girls girl
- The “he loves me, he loves me not” also gets old so quickly it becomes almost formulaic.

Woman in Blue
By Douglas Bruton
Chapter xii Page 49
Woman in Blue xii

::| It was a test of sorts, Katrijn asking that.
We were sitting at the table in the Kitchen. My mother was not in the house; she had finished her scrap of lace and had gone to make delivery of it to a woman in a grand house near Prins Hendrikkade. It would be a collar to a cotton blouse. I had taken the handkerchief out from under my pillow and laid it on the table; with some ceremony, I peeled back the four corners of the handkerchief to reveal the money inside.
Katrijn began counting the money, stacking the coins into neat and regular towers. She left her question hanging in the air between us. I left it too, until she had finished counting.
“There was a day when I did not know the name of Meneer Johannes Reijniersz. A day when he was nothing to me and I was nothing to him. When the painting is finished, it will be like that day again.”
I do not think Katrijn trusted those words. I do not know if I did. |::


Johannes Vermeer has asked Angelieke to sit for him after seeing her in the street. He just knew she would be the perfect model for his next painting.. Or was he fooled into painting Angelieke because it is what she wanted? After all, what could be better than anyone intimate setting as perfect as posing for a painting. There is something revealing about expert eyes able to study the very core of your soul, to see the imperfections of your human body and translate it onto paper for people to love, see, cherish and talk about for years to come.
It is what she wanted.
It is what he wanted.

What could be simpler?

‘Woman in Blue reading a letter’ is actually a painting by the artist Johannes Vermeer, something i didn't know until I read this book. I was fascinated by the way the story evolved over time and the small surprises that came from the most simplest of places. It was beautiful, enchanting, and very hard to put down! I loved it. The way it was creatively written was all new to me, and not only did I discover a new author but a painting that is now going to change the way I see it forever.


Thank you so much to Douglas Bruton, Fairlight Books, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and relay my honest feedback.

Woman in blue by Douglas Bruton

“That is what great art does: it allows the viewer in and the viewer brings something new to the painting, something of their own story and life and love”

This is a story about love shown through art. It is a two sided conversation between a woman in Vermeer’s (Woman Reading a Letter) painting and a man, centuries later obsessing over it. The book moves between observations and emotions as you learn about Vermeer and his muse as well as the man visiting the painting daily in the museum. A quiet and lovely book about the passage of time, love, and art.

Thank you @NetGalley and @fairlightbooks for this ARC

A quietly beautiful dream-like story. One to be read at one sitting and then reread slowly.

A man visits the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam solely to view Vermeer’s painting Woman in Blue. Why does he do this? Is it because it reminds him of a lost love from his past? Or is he a writer writing a book about the painting? The woman in the painting also tells her story so the story unfolds gradually like a puzzle box. Choice details build up a picture of Delft in the 17th century and modern day Amsterdam and the narrative has a cinematic quality to it.

Very beguiling and unusual. I really enjoyed this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Woman in Blue by Douglas Bruton is a beautifully crafted love story that intertwines art and fiction, drawing inspiration from Johannes Vermeer’s evocative painting. The narrative, led by an unnamed narrator, delves into the hope and longing for answers through the timeless gaze of Vermeer’s Woman in Blue. This story becomes a meditation on the nature of love—its many forms and complexities—while inviting readers to reflect on how we interpret both art and the loves in our lives. Bruton's writing gracefully explores how the artist's perspective may differ from our own, offering a profound and poetic exploration of what it means to love and be loved.

When I started reading this book, I wasn't initially sure what to make of it. The structure is unusual to me. We start with a prologue from the artist Johannes Vermeer, as he discovers in 1663 the idea for his picture, 'The Woman in Blue Reading a Letter'.

<blockquote>"But he also knows that all middle-of-the-night ideas seem brilliant when considered in the dark between sleeping and waking - those same ideas in the cold light of day less so. "</blockquote>

And then the story starts to alternate from a man, whom one assumes is moving towards older age, who comes to the museum in Amsterdam each day to visit the Woman in Blue; and Angelieke the woman who is depicted in the painting.

It unsettled me slightly, I like art, but to lean into it with the fascination and obsessive compulsion of the man, and for the woman in the painting to be able to read his thoughts and to contemplate him, while also telling her story from 350+ years ago, was a little destabilising and I wondered at the start whether the whole premise would spiral into something bizarre and unintelligible. But it doesn't, instead it weaves two unique stories together, both pulling strongly on what it is to love and how we make sense of that love as it evolves.

All the way through the book I was wondering where the story would go to. It is not long, and so it was a fast book to read and even if I wanted to, I couldn't put it down as my intrigue for how it would all resolve itself bore out.

In the end I could pick the ending prior to my arrival on both sides, but this didn't diminish the story, but rather I found the way it eased forward to the conclusions beautiful and peaceful, reminiscent of how this piece of art is often described.

The passages are evocative and whether they step you into the artwork or into day to day life, they are rich and full of colour, smell and emotion.

<blockquote>"And it was on Katrijn's hands, so that the lady of the house where she worked, not knowing it was Katrijn who smelled now of rosewater, remarked on the scent of roses faintly adrift on the air. 'It is a summer smell, roses and new-cut grass and ewes with their lambs' she said, and she imagined it was something that had been carried on the wind from somewhere far off, a place where it was always summer and there were always swallows throwing outsize geometry against the blue sky. The though made the lady of the house smile, and she carried that smile through the rest of that day and into the next".</blockquote>

After I finished the book, I went searching for more of Veneer's work and I really quite like it. The overall tone is a bit dark and sombre when you first look at them, but they are mysterious and quite often feature glorious blues and striking golds that leap out of the darkness. The way he captures his subjects, their character and poise is stunning, like you have caught them in the middle of doing or thinking something that is secret or half formed, is really exquisite, like Girl with the Pearl Earring, the Milk Maid, Dame on Spinet or The Art of Painting and of course, The Woman in Blue Reading a Letter.

An intriguing novella on what it is to love.

Many thanks to Fairlight Books and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this advanced readers copy.

I really loved this novella. What an interesting premise, well written, charming story with an unusal twist. Highly recommend.

Woman in Blue is a captivating novella that beautifully explores the connection between art, love, and the passage of time. Bruton masterfully weaves together present-day Amsterdam and Vermeer’s 1600s studio, creating a poetic interplay between a man’s introspective gaze and the enigmatic figure in a painting.

The story delves into the profound impact of art, portraying it as a bridge that links emotions and lives across centuries. Through the man’s quiet contemplation of the Woman in Blue, Bruton reflects on themes of memory, love, and the inspiration drawn from creative works. The writing is thoughtful and evocative, inviting readers to ponder the way art resonates with our innermost feelings.

One of the most striking aspects of the novella is its treatment of the act of gazing. Here, it is not possessive or dominating but gentle and transformative, showcasing the beauty of appreciating art without claiming ownership. This perspective adds depth to the narrative, encouraging readers to reflect on their own experiences with creativity and inspiration.

Overall, Woman in Blue is a meditative and thought-provoking story that celebrates the timeless dialogue between artist and observer, past and present, and love and longing. It’s an exquisite read for anyone who values the profound influence of art and storytelling.

If you haven’t been brought to tears by a painting, I highly recommend looking at more art in person. Museums and galleries are particularly awkward spaces to experience strong emotions, but it’s worth it.

In this novel a modern-day man in Amsterdam visits the Rijksmuseum to see the same 17th Century painting every day, The Woman in Blue. Meanwhile, the subject of the painting watches him, watching her without breaking her pose or the fourth wall. She also tells the story of how the artist Vermeer watched her and made her his model for the now famous artwork. In this way, she serves as a bridge across time between two creative men who project their own meanings onto her.

I was curious how this novel would deal with the male gaze, and while there’s a twist in the end that subverts the centrality of men in women’s stories, the writing is still mainly a meditation on men’s thoughts and feelings about women as they grapple with marriage and fatherhood.

I received a digital advance reader copy from Fairlight Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this worked well overall with the historical genre, it was everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall feel of this story. Douglas Bruton has a strong writing style and was glad everything worked overall.

Because this book is literary fiction, I thought that it will take me at least a week to finish this. I love slogging through long, reflective passages and poring over every word.

But this was a surprisingly quick read! Bruton paced this so well that I keep wanting to turn to the next page and read what the other POV has to say.

I also love that this little book has deftly presented how we all want to be seen and loved.

This is a story with a lot of layers. I loved the alternating chapters/POV between present-day and the past at the time of Vermeer. The story features a man in present day who visits the Rijksmuseum on a nearly daily basis to vie and reflect on Vermeer's Woman in Blue painting. He's a bit obsessed. Then we hear the perspective of the woman in the painting - how she met Vermeer, her experience being the subject of the painting, and even her observations (from the painting) of the man in present-day who observes her.
There was a bit of an odd twist at the end. The story is atmospheric, and if you've been to Amsterdam and visited the Rijksmuseum, you'll appreciate stepping back into that environment and thinking about the details in Vermeer's work.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

A surprising two sided conversation between a writer and a painting, in which Bruton attempts to convey the extreme love for a work of art and the incredible charm and nostalgia it might provoke.

On top of all that, he accompanies the unnamed writer’s musings on <a href=https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/stories/themes/vermeer/story/all-vermeer-paintings-woman-in-blue-reading-a-letter><i>Woman Reading A Letter</i></a> with a fictionalised recreation of Vermeer’s painting process — very reminiscent of Tracy Chevalier’s <a href=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6997364-girl-with-the-pearl-earring?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_19><i>Girl With The Pearl Earring</i></a>, at least in subject matter.

The stories and the way they intersect remain shrouded in doubt, both because the historical events cannot be pinpointed with precision, but also because the fantastical elements stray away from the otherwise realistic setting. I found some of these elements to be a little too convenient at times, and put there simply as a way to facilitate the transition between the povs — said transitions also seemed too formulaic at times, but that was clearly done on purpose and it’s simply a matter of personal taste, I won’t begrudge the author for that.

All in all it was a placid novella about the grief of missed connections and what-could-have-beens, and the walls that separate even the closest of people. I don’t know if I truly got the precise feeling the author wanted to portray, but I had a nice time at least.

3.5

Access to the ARC acquired thanks to NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Woman in Blue by Douglas Bruton is a delicate and beautiful short story. The novel explores the connection between artist and muse, painting and audience and the legacy of creation. The story begins with a man who visits the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam to view a painting by Vermeer called Woman in Blue Reading a Letter. It is a secret obsession as he finds himself irresistibly drawn to the woman in blue and recalls his past loves and losses. However, in this novel the Woman in the painting is looking back at her audience and recounting her own story beyond her frozen impression in the painting. The interwoven chapter and perspectives felt original and compelling and reflected audiences emotions as we look on artwork from the past and try to understand the truth and fiction, the intention and impression that lies behind each brushstroke. The writing is poetic and balanced and the story fast paced with short chapters that are connected. This work of contemporary and historical fiction is both imaginative and informative and I love how it explored expansive themes through the portal of a singular and extraordinary artwork 4 Stars ✨.

I’m a huge fan of Douglas Bruton’s writing and snapped up Woman in Blue as soon as it popped up on NetGalley. As some will have spotted from the cover, the titular woman is the subject of an exquisite Vermeer painting which hangs in the Rijksmuseum’s Gallery of Honour. Inspired by a visit to the 2023 Vermeer exhibition, Bruton’s brief novella imagines a man who pays daily visits to the museum to gaze at her and her response to that gaze.
The Man in Amsterdam, whose name we never know, is transfixed by the enigmatic woman in blue who reminds him a little of his first love. His visits are so regular, he’s beginning to arouse suspicion amongst the attendants. He and his wife have become a little distant although she knows not to ask him about his writing before its finished for fear his ideas will melt away.
The Woman in Blue is used to being admired, even loved. She’d formed a plan to become Vermeer’s model and perhaps something more. Every day she posed for him, dabbing a little rosewater on the neck which he’d requested to be exposed, worrying her mother about her reputation. Now she waits for the Man in Amsterdam knowing there will be a stream of others to love her when his visits cease.
Bruton alternates his narrative between these two. The Man in Amsterdam is engaged in a rich contemplation of this apparently simple painting which holds many secrets, complemented by the imagined story of the Woman in Blue and her relationship with her painter. There’s an intimacy between them: she waits for his visit, catching his thoughts, while he falls a little in love with her, removing his wedding ring before approaching the painting. A risky device but Bruton pulls it off beautifully. I’m already hoping he’s at work on his next book.

Woman in Blue by Douglas Bruton

The story of Vermeer's 'Woman Reading a Letter' painting told in alternating chapters by a man who goes to look at the painting every day in the Rijksmuseum and the woman in the painting, Lieke.

This novella is perfection! I read it in one go and loved every minute of it. It's a perfect demonstration of how a brilliant writer can do so much with so few words - short but very powerful. And the ending.... wow! I haven't come across this author before and am now really looking forward to reading his other books. Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.