Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Muse
Muse | Jessie Burton
From the #1 internationally bestselling author of The Miniaturist comes a captivating and brilliantly realized story of two young women a Caribbean immigrant in 1960s London, and a bohemian woman in 1930s Spain and the powerful mystery that ties them together.England, 1967. Odelle Bastien is a Caribbean emigre trying to make her way in London. When she starts working at the prestigious Skelton Institute of Art, she discovers a painting rumored to be the work of Isaac Robles, a young artist of immense talent and vision whose mysterious death has confounded the art world for decades. The excitement over the painting is matched by the intrigue around the conflicting stories of its discovery. Drawn into a complex web of secrets and deceptions, Odelle does not know what to believe or who she can trust, including her mesmerizing colleague, Marjorie Quick.Spain, 1936. Olive Schloss, the daughter of a Viennese Jewish art dealer and an English heiress, follows her parents to Arazuelo, a poor, restless village on the southern coast. She grows close to Teresa, a young housekeeper, and Teresa s half-brother, Isaac Robles, an idealistic and ambitious painter newly returned from the Barcelona salons. A dilettante buoyed by the revolutionary fervor that will soon erupt into civil war, Isaac dreams of being a painter as famous as his countryman Picasso.Raised in poverty, these illegitimate children of the local landowner revel in exploiting the wealthy Anglo-Austrians. Insinuating themselves into the Schloss family s lives, Teresa and Isaac help Olive conceal her artistic talents with devastating consequences that will echo into the decades to come.Rendered in exquisite detail, The Muse is a passionate and enthralling tale of desire, ambition, and the ways in which the tides of history inevitably shape and define our lives."
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
blurb
JuliaTheBookNerd
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

#WithDualTimeline 📜📃💛❤️

#AboutABook… 📚📖📒📘📕📗📙📓

#BookNerd 🤓💙📚

Eggs Pretty 💛🤩❤️ 3mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful cover 💛💛 3mo
45 likes2 stack adds2 comments
review
quietlycuriouskate
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image
Mehso-so

It might have been heartbreaking, had I been persuaded to give a damn about the characters but, aside from Odelle, they were for the most part insufferable to varying degrees.
And the familiar tale of women's art being attributed to men only depressed me. 😕

blurb
sci6344e22_gr
Les filles au lion | Jessie Burton
post image

En lisant le récit, j‘imagine l‘odeur forte de la peinture à l‘huile qui flotte dans l‘atelier des artistes.
La couverture de ce roman, que j‘ai emprunté à la bibliothèque, a été recouverte d‘une pellicule de plastique pour le protéger. Chhhrccc! Chhhrccc! C‘est le son (un peu déconcentrant, à vrai dire!) que j‘entends quand je tourne les pages.

review
Hannah_11
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image
Pickpick

Mesmerising.. Beautifully written, I couldn‘t put it down. Jessie Burton is fast becoming one of my favourite writers!
#themuse #pick #summerread

review
violabrain
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image
Mehso-so

I liked this better than The Miniaturist (only because that book has so many problems with it), but I still don‘t think Jessie Burton is a very good writer. The pivotal moments in this book are much too contrived and everything is tied up way to neatly at the end. I don‘t understand why her books are so popular. They seem very amateurish to me.

review
emmaturi
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image
Pickpick

I really loved this story set in duel timelines London 1967 and Spain 1936. It has a secret long lost painting, love, friendship, deception and a mystery. It's really gripping, the characters are great, and two fascinating settings.

29 likes1 stack add
quote
rather_be_reading
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

Book 232

52 likes2 stack adds
review
Andorsey
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
Mehso-so

Cute. Lackluster storyline but redeems itself with a surprise ending

review
nannermc12
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
Pickpick

I loved the twist in the end! I figured it out right as it was happening. Such a beautiful and somewhat heartbreaking story.

review
jenniferw88
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image
Pickpick
Josee.lit.a.lu.et.lira Bravo for the second Bingo 🤩 4y
i.besteph Great progress! 4y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! You are rocking your bingo card!! 4y
ChasingOm Ooh, this sounds good! 4y
Librarybelle I picked up a copy of this one after reading The Miniaturist. I‘m looking forward to reading it! 4y
64 likes5 comments
quote
Sapphire
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton

In London, there were many different ways to live, but few to change the life.

quote
Neesay
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton

You really are an artist, aren‘t you? You think it‘s all about you, and you never stop looking for pain.

1 stack add
review
Read66
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
Pickpick

Really enjoyed this novel set partly during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s and partly in 1960s London. Loved how the two timelines were pulled together and the mysteries all solved in the end.

blurb
britt_brooke
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

DAY 13 #LikeaPrayer | I can‘t get this lyric out of my head, but it‘s okay because I LOVE this song.

🎶 just like a muse to me, you are a mystery 🎶

#MOvember
@Cinfhen

JennyM Clever pick 👏🏼 5y
kspenmoll 🙌🏻😀 5y
See All 7 Comments
TheDaysGoBy Pretty cover! 5y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I love this cover 💗 5y
Reviewsbylola Beautiful cover. I love where you went with this prompt! 5y
Cinfhen Ahhhh, so that‘s where you were going!!!! Love it 😊 🙌🏻 5y
86 likes7 comments
review
rachaich
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image
Pickpick

Really enjoyed the two plots and was entranced throughout. Great read. 🤗🤗🤗

blurb
emmaturi
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image
readordierachel Pretty! 5y
OriginalCyn620 👌🏻📚💛 5y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks So pretty 💛💛 5y
30 likes3 comments
blurb
rachaich
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

Speeding through this book. It's intriguing me, I'm trying to work out how they're all intertwined.
Sunny spot with lemon and ginger tea. Bliss. 🤗🤗🤗

blurb
rachaich
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

So The Minituarist was my unexpected riveting read over the summer. Thus I was super pleased to find this on a library shelf. Plus the cover is ace.
I like the idea of there being two stories weaving together, although reviews suggest the 1936 one is too long...
We shall see! 😊📚🍷

Birdsong28 Have you seen her new one? 5y
rachaich @Birdsong28 yes they adapted it for radio 4 so I deliberately didn't listen! It's on my book club list for the spring 😊😊😊 5y
12 likes2 comments
blurb
ShelfRighteous
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

My #covercrush for Day 4 of #7days7covers

Tanisha_A Ooh that typewriter! 😍 5y
ShelfRighteous @Tanisha_A The more you stare, the more objects you find🤣❤ 5y
DivineDiana I was going to choose this one too! It‘s lovely! 5y
See All 11 Comments
ShelfRighteous @DivineDiana You should post it too✌ 5y
DivineDiana 🤔🙂❤️ 5y
marleed I bought this based on the cover! 5y
ShelfRighteous @marleed Haven't we all done it some time or the other🙈😬 5y
erzascarletbookgasm I have this on my tbr! 5y
sudi 😍 5y
ShelfRighteous @erzascarletbookgasm Me too! Hope to get to it soon🤩 5y
ShelfRighteous @sudi Isnt it gorgeous🤩 5y
25 likes2 stack adds11 comments
blurb
cmarie
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

I do enjoy a book with a red sprayed edge 😍

Jessie Burton keeping me company on the train this morning. Absolutely adored The Miniaturist so I'm looking forward to this!

review
jenniferheidi
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image
Pickpick

I really liked the unusual settings of this book - moving between the Spanish civil war and the 1960s London art world. An unexpectedly good page turner.

review
GirlWellRead
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
Mehso-so

My one criticism of the book, I found the parts of the story set in Spain were too long, and the story line wasn't as intriguing than the one in London. I found Olive was not as enchanting as Odelle, although equally gifted, I found her self-centred and naive.

Burton is a great writer, I can't wait to check out The Miniaturist.

blurb
Tashreads
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

After thoroughly enjoying The Miniaturist, I‘ve picked up Jessie Burton‘s second novel. And that cover 😍 #currentlyreading

erzascarletbookgasm The cover pops up! 😍 6y
79 likes3 stack adds1 comment
blurb
Susanita
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

It took me A WHILE to get into this, but I finally finished it last night. After all that, I liked it but did not love it. I found the dual timelines a little overdone, but the characters and overall story were engaging. I‘m too late for #twointhree but can at least manage #oneintwo this weekend!

review
gtimps
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
This post contains spoilers
show me
post image
Pickpick

Finished this on holiday and loved it. Two alternating stories set in two different times/places gradually come together, for a resolution that is narratively satisfying but sad. (I won‘t give anything else away but marked this as spoiler bc I wouldn‘t want to have known it had a ‘sad ending‘!) I guessed the denouement but I think you‘re supposed to... it‘s more about character development than solving a mystery.

blurb
Linsy
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

Excited for this one! 🐍 #muse #coolbooks

kstadt929 Such a pretty cover 😍 6y
TheFunkyBookworm 😍😍😍 6y
CaitlinR Really enjoyed The Miniaturist, I‘ll have to read this! 6y
LittlePixels That cover! 😍 6y
113 likes7 stack adds4 comments
review
Celeste57
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image
Mehso-so

Hello friends! Sorry I‘ve been away for so long. I was busy building a new blog with a friend! This book had an interesting premise, but I had a bit of a hard time connecting with the characters. I loved what it had to say about art, though! You can read my full review on my new blog: http://novelnotions.net/2018/07/03/the-muse/

blurb
gtimps
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

Enjoying this so far... period settings, mysterious painting, what‘s not to love! Will be rewarding myself with a couple of pages every few hours, in between writing a conference paper... #phdlife

Chia.V Welcome to Litsy! 🌷 6y
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Welcome to Litsy 📚🤓 6y
10 likes2 comments
blurb
gtimps
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

Next one! 👀

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Welcome to Litsy!! 6y
JoScho Welcome to Litsy! I hope you love it here 😊💖 6y
Wife Welcome to Litsy!🌹 6y
See All 7 Comments
thereadingowlvina Welcome to Litsy!!! 👋🙂🎉 6y
Leftcoastzen Welcome!👋 6y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 😊🌸 6y
CarolynM Welcome to Litsy🌼 6y
16 likes1 stack add7 comments
blurb
rmaclean4
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

I loved The Miniaturist! Found this beauty for $6.

blurb
imabusybee
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

Barnes had a great sale ❤

Cinfhen Love a good sale!!! 6y
92 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
Foxyfictionista
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image
Mehso-so

🎨 🎨🎨 I read this book for Cityread London and I must admit that I didn't find it amazing. I didn't engage with any of the characters and I found it a bit of a chore to get through. It just wasn't for me. http://www.cityread.london

Joanne1 I really enjoyed this one (on audio) but I remember connecting more with one storyline than the other. 7y
Foxyfictionista @Joanne1 I connected with one storyline more than another as well but I guess it was important to have both for the ending. I really liked how it ended but I just really had a difficult time being interested overall. 7y
Cinfhen It was a so-so for me too! 7y
See All 8 Comments
Foxyfictionista @Cinfhen At least we gave it a try! 😄 7y
Cinfhen It was a bookclub pick so bailing was not really an option 😜 7y
lynneamch Just finished this for bookclub and everyone really enjoyed it. We got into some good discission about why artists create and there was much curiousity about the war in Spain. For another sitation of a man getting credit for a woman's art, watch the movie Big Eyes. 6y
Foxyfictionista @lynneamch I'm glad you liked it! Sounds like you had some interesting discussions. Thanks for the recommendation! 6y
47 likes8 comments
review
whatrebeccasread
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image
Mehso-so

I found "The Muse" to be a little underwhelming. I can imagine someone with an interest in art may have enjoyed parts of this book more than I did, but in general it was just okay. I enjoyed the charming characters and can appreciate that this certainly has a well crafted storyline but as I wasn't entertained, it's 3 stars from me.

To read more of what I thought, have a look at my review on my blog! ? #jessieburton #themuse

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Welcome to Litsy 👋😁 7y
Smrloomis Welcome! 🎉 7y
DebinHawaii Welcome to Litsy!! 🎉📚👍Hope you enjoy it here! 7y
See All 15 Comments
Richryan52 Welcome to Litsy!!! 7y
Richryan52 Are you by any chance a fan of Sherlock Holmes? 7y
asiriusreader Welcome to Litsy!! 7y
Itchyfeetreader Welcome! 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Welcome to Litsy! 7y
Chelleo Welcome! Checkout #Litsytips: http://bit.ly/litsytips and #LitsyHowTo videos: http://bit.ly/litsyvideos They‘re great and should help you get settled in. Follow @LitsyHappenings to find out about various challenges, buddy reads, meet-ups and swaps taking place. #LitsyWelcomeWagon 7y
tammysue Hello and welcome! 😁 7y
BookNerd9906 Hello 👋 and welcome 🎉📚 7y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 👋🏻😊 7y
DebReads4fun Welcome to Litsy! 6y
whatrebeccasread @DebReads4fun thanks! 2 months here & I think I‘ve settled in now 😊 6y
30 likes15 comments
blurb
TheLibrarian
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

Picked this up today at B&N for $7! #bookhaul

LitsyOwl Lovely cover🦉 7y
readingjedi I love your teacup! 7y
knittedgnome What a pretty picture!! 7y
See All 11 Comments
DivineDiana On my stacks! #TBR 7y
kstadt929 Wow what a beautiful cover!! 7y
Emily92Bibliophile This is a GREAT book! I was so sad for it to end! Also, great STEAL you got with that price ! 😄 7y
Crazeedi This one is in my tbr stack too! 7y
Eggs 💖 the cup 7y
DrSabrinaMoldenReads Love the cup (edited) 7y
TheLibrarian @Eggs @Joyfulmimi Thanks! I got it in one of the Litsy swaps. 7y
113 likes1 stack add11 comments
blurb
Crazeedi
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

Next up.... Just finished this book. It was a fine story. Odelle told the story of an artist in the midst of the Spanish conflict of the 1930's. Lots to savor in the story. The book sends you from 1967 to 1936. Well done

whatrebeccasread I totally agree with you, I thought this book was just fine, nothing special! Have you read any of Burton's other work?? 7y
Crazeedi @whatrebeccasread not that I can remember, I read so much, have you? Any recommendations? If I find I have I will let you know! 7y
whatrebeccasread @Crazeedi I haven‘t either but I‘ve heard good things about The Miniaturist so was thinking of giving it a try! (edited) 7y
See All 6 Comments
Crazeedi @whatrebeccasread duh!!!! I read that one! Gave it 3 stars on goodreads. See I have to check what books I've read. It was pretty good, I think I didn't really like the ending of I'm not mistaken 7y
whatrebeccasread @Crazeedi Whoops! I gave The Muse 3/5 as it was pretty average, sounds like The Miniaturist is the same then! Perhaps I‘ll pick it up in the library one day but I won‘t rush out to buy it! 7y
6 likes2 stack adds6 comments
review
Birdsong28
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image
Pickpick

Good. Enjoyed the twist and turns this book took me on even though you are left hanging on a crucial question at the end it didn't hamper my enjoyment of the story overall. Recommend 📚📖

#Picador

Crazeedi I liked it too! Good story 7y
40 likes1 comment
blurb
bnp
Muse | Jessie Burton

Favorite reads so far this year:

The Muse by Jessie Burton
The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish
The Line Becomes a River by Francisco Cantu

The Muse: Creativity, women's friendships, and two points in history connected by a painting - what's not to like?

RaimeyGallant I'll have to check those out at some point. And welcome to Litsy! #LitsyWelcomeWagon Some of us put together Litsy tips to help new Littens navigate the site. It's the link in my bio on my page in case you need it. Or if you prefer how-to videos, @chelleo put some together at the link in her bio. 7y
bnp Thanks for the tips Raimey! 7y
5 likes1 stack add2 comments
blurb
Christine11
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

#SpringHasSprung #MagicalMarch - I always think yellow is a nice Easter/Spring colour and I love the cover of this book. I read The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton a couple of years ago and found it quite strange but mostly I liked it so I bought her new book (this one) quite recently! Don‘t know when I‘ll get to it - my TBR list is crazy! 🤣😝

laurieluna They made a TV adaptation of The Miniaturist for BBC. I really want to read the book before I see it though! 7y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Mine is too!!!! 💛💛💛 7y
Christine11 @miralunasbooknook I know about the tv adaptation but I missed it when it was on at Christmas! I‘m the same though - I always like to read the book first if possible and it is a good and very unusual book - I hope you enjoy it when you get to it! 😊 7y
See All 11 Comments
Christine11 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks It never stops me buying more books though! I never learn 🤣😊💛💛 7y
laurieluna @Christine11 thanks! Yeah I think when you watch it first you then see the characters in the book once you read it looking like how they are on TV, rather than your own imagination doing the work! 7y
Christine11 @miralunasbooknook Exactly! It kind of taints your whole experience of the book - I definitely prefer to use my imagination first! 😊 7y
vkois88 Such a beautiful cover! I don't think I've seen this version before! 7y
Christine11 @vkois88 I like it too - very cheerful! No idea if the book is though! 😊💕 7y
Crazeedi @Christine11 I encourage you to read, I just finished, to me it was better than the miniturist. 7y
Crazeedi Miniaturist, sorry for typo 7y
Christine11 @Crazeedi That‘s good to hear - I was a bit on the fence with the miniaturist but I did like the way it was written so I will try the muse when I can! 😊🌸 7y
49 likes2 stack adds11 comments
blurb
ShookBelf
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

Amazing book haul from the local charity shops. Went to join the library but I didn't have the right kind of ID so I raided the second-hand shops instead! Just over £10 for all these books! BARGAIN 📚📚📚
#booksbooksbooks #bookhaul #somanybookssolittletime #needanotherbookshelf

Tamra Like winning the lottery! 7y
JoScho What a deal! 7y
42 likes2 comments
blurb
Birdsong28
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

Sassy's bedtime reading!!! 📚📖

#catsoflitsy

review
JillR
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image
Pickpick

This book made me happy. The cover was a little ray of sunshine every time I glanced at my nightstand. There should be more yellow covers ☀️. This time the double timeline was done right; spanning 1930s Spain and 1960s London. I loved the writing, and was reminded of other authors I love - Sadie Jones, Maggie O‘Farrell, Kate Atkinson. The story covers the Spanish Civil War, the art world, grief, love, families. Loved it 💕

ChloeTallis This is on my to read list! My stack is so big right now 🙈 lunch after easter? X 7y
JillR Bump this up @ChloeTallis I think you‘ll like it 👍. Had a bit of a feel of that last Sadie Jones one about it... Yes def lunch after Easter, text us when you‘ve got a free spell x 7y
56 likes3 stack adds2 comments
blurb
JillR
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

Just looking at this bright cover is cheering me up. I liked but didn‘t love The Miniaturist; interested to start this...

readordierachel Ooh, I like that cover! 7y
rubyslippersreads Lovely cover! 7y
SilversReviews I read this and liked it. 7y
See All 7 Comments
JillR Its great isn‘t it @ReadOrDieRachel @rubyslippersreads ? I‘m enjoying it so far @SilversReviews 😊 7y
SilversReviews @JillR It is good. 7y
emmaturi I have this one still to read, also wasn't so keen on The Miniaturist 7y
JillR I‘m enjoying it so far @emmaturi - much more than The Miniaturist. It‘s very different. 7y
63 likes1 stack add7 comments
review
toofondofbooks
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
This post contains spoilers
show me
post image
Panpan

I did not enjoy this. Predictable plot that felt contrived, two-dimensional characters, average writing. Two 🌟🌟 just bc it has a beautiful cover.

Libby1 I didn‘t read this one because I didn‘t like The Miniaturist. I wanted to love it SO MUCH, as it was set in one of my favourite places and eras. I‘m sorry you found this one to be a disappointment, too. 7y
6 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
toofondofbooks
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image
20 likes1 stack add
blurb
DeborahSmall
The Muse: A Novel | Jessie Burton
post image

#bookmail❤️📚