Imagine sitting in a blossoming orchard beside an unknown Vincent van Gogh, watching him paint as he talks of his hopes, his dreams. Minette Ginoux, a young Arlesienne, befriends him when he arrives during a February snowstorm and quickly becomes his confidant. The friendship deepens, but dark clouds threaten this arcadia as Minette discovers Vincent’s secret moods and habits which shock and repel. The arrival of Paul Gauguin precipitates a string of disasters affecting them both when conflicts erupt between the two men.
Set in a land of idyllic natural beauty, the novel describes the art of van Gogh at its most compelling and reveals a young girl’s deepest feelings for the artist. Aunt Titi, sister Colette, handsome Etienne Martin who is seeking a wife, the townspeople of Arles, mingle in a rich and suspense- filled drama celebrating the struggles of a gifted yet tormented painter.
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