Title: Where the Light Falls Author: Katherine Keenum
Published: February 5, 2013
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
Page Count: 480
Rating:
Summary from Goodreads:As the Belle Epoque dawns, Paris attracts artists from everywhere. One is Jeanette Palmer, daughter of a prominent Ohio family, who has left Vassar College under a cloud of scandal.
Amid the city’s great bohemian neighborhoods and teaching studios, Jeanette befriends other female artists, as well as an American Civil War veteran named Edward Murer. She begins to achieve a level of artistic success. And her happiness increases as she and Edward grow more intimate with each other.
But Edward is plagued by his demons and addicted to laudanum—and as the world opens its arms to Jeanette, and the society around her is transformed by cultural and scientific innovations, she must resolve a conflict utterly new to so many women: the choice between ambition and love.
I was both disappointed and impressed with Where the Light Falls, a debut historical novel by Katherine Keenum. It’s a well-written, vivid story, about interesting characters who face compelling conflicts. That the Belle Époque isn’t a period often covered in fiction made this book a welcome change, but at the same time I was disappointed in the way the novel ended, as I felt it didn’t suit the story.
A lot of Where the Light Falls was told in an almost episodic way. Jeneatte’s adventures in Paris were like a collection of little adventures that, while related, didn’t have a definite chain of events in them. That is to say, I mean, that this is definitely not a plot or conflict-driven novel. This is very much a story about two characters and their day-to-day problems.
And with any character-driven novel, it’s fairly important for the reader to connect with those characters. While I wouldn’t say that Keenum’s characterization had all the depth I would have preferred to read, I can’t really find fault with her either. I didn’t exactly like Jeanette Palmer and Edward Murer as characters, but I didn’t dislike them, and I was sympathetic toward their struggles. In the end, though, Jeanette did fall a little flat, because I think she settled for less than she deserved. More on that, later, though.
Where the Light Falls was, perhaps, a little long-winded. Because of the way each chapter was nearly self-contained, I sometimes felt that what I was reading was truly important in the grand scheme of things, other than to more vividly illustrate what life was like for Jeanette in Paris.
For the most part, life for Jeanette was very focused on art. If you’re the kind of reader who might get bored by lots and lots of painting, drawing, sketching, and critiquing, Where the Light Falls may not be for you.
The only major area of complaint I have for this book is the resolution—I didn’t find it to be satisfying at all. For a good part of the book, Jeanette is in conflict over whether or not she should get married or stay true to her art, as she really can’t do both. If she were married, her husband would require her time, and then there would be babies and social engagements, etc. So while she loves Edward Murer, she isn’t sure if she’s willing to sacrifice her art for him.
I was hoping, somehow, that a compromise would be made, and there would be a way for Jeanette to do both. And while Edward was very supportive of Jeanette’s art, at the end of the day he’s still moving them back to the United States, he still wants children, and he still wants Jeanette to keep house for him. Between all that, how much time is Jeanette really going to have for her painting?
For me it felt like Jeanette just settled, like she gave up. She was truly passionate about art one day and then the next she was getting moony over Edward and doing what he wanted. Some people may disagree, but I was disappointed that the protagonist of this book gave up all of her ambitions for a man.
