What is the link between a mysterious 1930s symbolist painting, an English family in the South of Spain, and a Trinidad woman working at an art gallery in 1960s London ? Jessie Burton weaves a story of art, inheritance and conflict in this historical fiction set between 1936 Spain and 1967 England.

After a bit of a struggle getting my bearings between the two time periods in this novel, I had a nice time and was intrigued to know what the resolution would be. It didn’t blow me away, but it was a good book at a time when I didn’t have a lot of brain power and I didn’t want to attach myself too much to characters. Which sounds sad, I know, but we don’t always need to fall head over heels in love with a book. However I do think The Muse has the potential to become someone’s favourite book.

Rep: Black MC.