The blurb that is written for this book is so spot-on and descriptive, it’s hard to elaborate. I’ll attempt by noting the aspects of this wonderful new novel that stuck with me personally.
Deborah Reed brings to life a 93-year old famous abstract artist in the waning of her life, who has learned she’s dying of cancer. The personal life of a famous artist is something we’re not familiar with. But Reed seems to know exactly what she’s doing in describing where and how Violet Swan has gotten her motivation and incentive to create her popular world-renowned works. Violet shares her home with her son Francisco and his wife, Penny. Their son Daniel is on his way home after years of being away and has something of importance to discuss with the family.
The gripping part of this lovely novel is Violet’s memories of her youth. Growing up in Rockwood, Georgia with a loving family, a tragedy ruins her home and Violet ends up fleeing on her own. WW II is in full swing and the country is in turmoil. As she struggles to reach Oregon, Violet crosses paths with both good and terribly evil people. Once she meets the love of her life, the dark episodes of her youth come back to haunt her and cripple her mental stability.
Flash forward to the peaceful home and loving family she has created, and the joyous yet shocking news her grandson gives, it seems to be time to openly share her story with her family, who will in turn share it with her fans and the world.
Reed has such beautiful and heartfelt writing, making her characters real and sensitive. This is a solemn read with a life lesson weaved quietly within. I was sad for the book to end, and have pondered on Violet’s life many times since.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt / Mariner Books and NetGalley for making it available.)

A famous artist gets a terminal diagnosis and decides to break her own code of silence by sharing her life story. As she recounts her experiences, her family begins to understand more about themselves and their relationships. Author Deborah Reed uses lush prose for her descriptions but confuses the reader with her plot in her newest novel Pale Morning Light with Violet Swan.

Even at 93, Violet Swan relishes her privacy. Despite being a world-renowned abstract painter, she’s never wanted the hustle and bustle of the art life in New York or Paris. She’s happy in her house in Nestucca Beach, off the coast of Oregon.

She’s spent decades in that house. Violet and her husband, Richard, built it right on the site of his childhood home and raised their son, Francisco, there. It’s where, eventually, Richard died, and where Violet’s greatest pride and joy—her grandson, Daniel—lived as a child. Now Daniel lives in L.A. and works in films, but Violet’s son, Francisco, and his wife, Penny, still live with her. The three adults have an easy arrangement with Violet in the loft upstairs, and Frank and Penny downstairs.

Easy until now, that is. Violet’s health has begun to slide. She’s diagnosed with lung cancer, and it’s developing fast. Violet doesn’t need her doctor to confirm it, though. She can feel it; she just doesn’t know how she’s going to tell her family.

An earthquake rocks the town, and Daniel scurries home from L.A. to check on his parents and grandmother. He also comes back with his age-old request: he wants to make a documentary on Violet’s life story. She’s known for her paintings everywhere, he says, yet he feels like he doesn’t truly understand who she is as a person.

Others have asked for Violet’s story before, Daniel included, but she’s always resisted. Yet she loves her grandson to bits, and the cancer diagnosis means she doesn’t have much time left. If she doesn’t share her secrets now, when will she do so? And how will the family understand the complications that might arise from what she has to tell them?

Her decision is spurred after Daniel shares a secret of his own with the family, one they’ll have to face and manage together. As Violet slips in and out of her memories, her experiences open up to her son, daughter-in-law, and grandson in a whole new light. The abstract pieces they thought made her an excellent painter suddenly come into sharp focus as they learn she’s also a strong woman.

Author Deborah Reed scores high marks on her descriptions. She shares in her author’s note that Violet’s life is inspired by real-life abstract painter Agnes Martin, and Reed’s love for Martin shows in Violet’s experiences. Violet goes through many circumstances that can easily be derived from Martin’s life. In this regard, the book is a worthy homage to the real-life artist.

Less successful is the way Reed presents the turning points of Violet’s life. All of them are given equal emotional weight, and readers might struggle with knowing what the main one is. Added to this are the experiences of Daniel, Frank, and Penny. While Violet forms the core of their small family, each of them has their own arcs. Reed’s prose, as muted as the Pacific Ocean, details the characters by turn but doesn’t give readers the satisfaction of “big” moments. The novel, then, reads like the equivalent of a soundtrack of spa music—soothing in its beauty but lacking any major crescendos.

Violet’s secrets matter to her, of course, as they do to everyone else, but the characters, Penny in particular, all seem a little too self-aware to come across as completely believable. In that regard, the book lands squarely in its genre as true literary fiction. Readers wanting a story with multi-generational characters who truly care for one another and are just trying to figure each other out might enjoy this one; otherwise, I recommend readers Borrow Pale Morning Light with Violet Swan.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

"But now it's as if things won't fold back up and fit into the box they came in."

"...thinking how quickly time passed when you loved someone."

Shifting POV and time periods were well orchestrated and disconcerting, befitting this beautifully rendered family drama.

Very real, raw, believable dialogue.  A glimpse into life experiences and how they grow, change, and intertwine to make us who we are and shape the people we become, affect those around us and the choices we all make.

Gorgeous book, I would read more by this author and would to meet them.

Wonderful book. Enjoyed the storyline and the way it was written. Highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. #netgalley. #palemorninglightwithvioletswan

A really beautiful but painful look at aging and how to cope with it. There is so much going on in this book with the characters. Each one has a very unique voice that's intimately human, in both good and bad ways. They aren't perfect people but that makes connecting to them as a reader even stronger.

While I thought the characters were superb, I did have to push myself to finish it due to slower parts of the plot. It's a thoughtful novel and it was just me being impatient because the prose is gorgeous, just like one of Violet's masterpieces. I'd definitely recommend this book though for the characters. I feel as though I met real people while reading and that's always a great feeling as a reader.

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley, for which I am greatly appreciative. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"Pale Morning Light with Violet Swan" tells the story of Violet Swan, an artist now in her 90s who lives a life of seclusion with her family in a small town on the Pacific coast of Oregon. A private person, Violet has lived a full life but has many secrets she has not revealed even to those closest to her. When her grandson, Daniel, finally convinces her to allow him to make a documentary about her life, Violet is faced with events in her past that can now affect the lives of those around her. A story of family, forgiveness, and remembering that we all come with demons that have shaped how we view life and how we interact with others. It is a beautifully written, rich story that also serves to remind us that we never know what someone else has faced.

I love how the author used descriptions of color throughout the narrative as it really ties into the story of an artist and how the artist can view the world around her. The color names give so much more depth to Violet's world, and I felt myself drawn in from the first page. Her use of multiple points of view also worked very well with this story. It is a literary device I have noticed a lot lately and tends to get tiring, especially as the reader often has to make an effort to figure out who is talking and to mentally shift gears to that person. But the author used this device almost seamlessly in conjunction with using a dual timeline. Getting the viewpoint of several people for the same event reiterates the idea I saw throughout that we don't always know what someone else is bringing with them to affect how they react, that we don't know what is going on in someone else's life unless they choose to open up and reveal that to us. That we need to extend grace and understanding and not make assumptions.

I truly loved this story and would highly recommend it. This will be one I will revisit and savor again.

I loved the main character Violet from the moment I met her. Initially I was rooting for her and as she grew older I simply admired her. Such a sophisticated and fun character to watch mature. There was plenty to the story to pull me in although I admit there was a point that I jotted in my notes that the story was taking too long to develop and my intrigue turned to tedium. But it was worth continuing on as when it picked up again it was just as engaging as the beginning. This would be a good book club read.

I received this book "Pale Morning Light with Violet Swan" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. Thihs book was really interesting. A story about Violet who is now 93 and she looks back over her life. She has lived a full life despite what had happened to her when she was younger. I liked the messages throughout the book. A beautifully written story and I wanted to find out more about Violet's life as I was reading, she had many secrets. Great book!

When an earthquake shakes her home, a 93 year old woman relives the high and low points of her life. From a hard life in Georgia during WWII, to her present fame as famous artist, her stories reveal more than her family has ever known. A very emotional story that will bring this turbulent time in history to life as she remakes herself, leaving her secrets behind only to have her grandson's actions trigger everything she thought she had buried. Deborah Reed has done an excellent job of bring the cast of characters to life and keeping their lives blended with the history and explosive progress of the times. A great reading experience for any and everyone.

This is a very heartwarming story of a family who is emotionally falling apart rediscovering each other. The matriarch of the family is dying and reflecting back on her extraordinary life. She knows things are not good with her son and daughter in law and grandson. She knows she wasn’t always emotionally there for them and they’re not emotionally there for each other. As events unfold during a small period of time and the family is thrown into a situation each must reflect on what went wrong along the way. And do they actually want to fix it. The story is beautiful, heartbreaking, heart warming. The characters are alive and the reader feels their pain. I think the biggest part of the story is how Violet Swan, on her death bed, reflects back and how sad she is that she’s reached the end and isn’t ready. It tugs on the heart and brings up a bit of panic, I must admit, at how it’s all so finite.

An extremely well-written character study of a family (especially their innermost secrets, desires, and failures) that is full of detail, depth, and despair. Most definitely thought provoking

This story is about the end of an artists life. It explains how she ends up there. And the things that happen to her to shape her life. She lives upstairs from her son and daughter in law. It was a good book. If you are an artist I think you will appreciate it

I'm an artist and so the blurb caught my attention when it described being about a well known abstract artist. I usually enjoy books that focus on art in some way. This was a little bit about art, but more about familial relationships and looking back on a life and the paths taken. The part that was "art" and that I absolutely LOVED was the references to color and light and how that permeated so much of her memories, her life....just her awareness of the shades and nuances of color was amazing. Almost every time I had to reread the lines because they were so capitvating.

The family drama in this story is played out through a couple generations and through Violet's memories, we learn some pretty dramatic secrets and then see what affect those secrets have when they come to light. Her son and wife and Violet's grandson all learn much about this woman who lived with them but kept her history very private. The family dynamics are interesting, believable, slightly dysfunctional (so many secrets!!), but ultimately entertaining and very readable.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good family history-type story, a multi-generational story, or someone who enjoys beautiful writing about colors and light and the strength of art.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Houghton #Mariner Books for the advance copy - I actually finished it June 23; I apologize for the delayed review. An expanded review will appear on my blog Bookshelf Journeys soon.

This was a most enjoyable book to read during our pandemic isolation. Focused on the intricacies of families., Violet Swan characterized the strength and courage we all must summon to overcome obstacles and carry on with dignity. It is a story of sadness and success All tinged with love.

Secrets. We read all about Violets life and there is a secret. We learn about her art, her relationships and her secret. This was a very enjoyable read.
Many thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Deborah Reed for the opportunity to read the ARC of Pale Morning Light with Violet Swan.

I really enjoyed the story told through Violet at 93 to her grandson. I found myself only being able to read some sections after taking a break. Violet is an artist. and it’s the foundation of the story. This story like most families have stories and some have secrets and today with genetic testing past are being uncovered. The love of family and friendship runs throughout the book. Ms. Reed, as the author, wrote the story in a way that you could visually see Violet’s life, the good and the bad, the beautiful and ugly..

Violet Swan, famous abstract painter who has lived an extraordinarily private life, is dying and has spent her whole life creating — art, life, love, and secrets. She now feels ready and willing to tell her story via a documentary film— and one last painting — so that the truth is finally known.

As Violet’s small family gathers around to view the documentary at long last, the sense of finality and the love they share for each other and for Violet balance out wonderfully in that room and comes across on the page. Sitting here now, I still can’t help but feel that I want to hear more about Violet Swan and her art and life from that documentary. Her own words, when Reed gave them to her, were beautiful and filled with the art she created. I want to listen alongside her family as they rediscover Violet and learn things about her life they never knew or could’ve known.

I don’t know if it’s my propensity for the cinematic, the stretched story, the paint pulled across the canvas, but I couldn’t help but wish the entire book had been delivered in the way of the Epilogue via the documentary bearing the same title of her last work of art (and the title of the novel) Pale Morning Light with Violet Swan. Reed delivers this particular segment with more surety, weight, and beauty tangled up in the narrative of Violet’s story than the whole of the book. Everyone is pulled in closer, whereas the rest of the novel is told at a distance.

Reed does bring about an interesting story for Violet Swan — but it runs along the lines of being fairly typical in terms of layout and structure. Reed handles the telling of Violet’s life with alternating timelines as Violet readies herself for the end of her fascinating life and to tell her truth finally to her documentary-making grandson, Daniel. On top of that, Violet’s son, daughter-in-law, and great granddaughter feature heavily in the present day story and all have side stories of their own to follow — and I’m not sure that was needed. At least not to the level into which it was delved. An unnecessary sidetrack or plumping up. The characters on the whole are rather fuzzy — I’m not sure what any of them looked like other than Violet being tall and having scars from a fire. It doesn’t truly matter except that makes for an odd dreamlike recollection that I am not sure lends itself nicely to the already distance narrative.

But make no mistake, Violet’s story is an artist’s story — and an artist’s story is rarely dull. From humble beginnings with devastating turns in the road, Violet’s path and destination is what she creates. She’s an extraordinary character who lived a fascinating life.

I have mixed feelings about this book. When I read the description of this book I was enthralled- a 93 year old woman-the story of an elderly painter who wants to translate tragedy through her art. The book moves back and forth through time and I had trouble (caring) about the back story.
Although I found the poetic-artsy prose intiguing-"she painted vertical strokes in time with the music, and moments later, traces ordinary happiness began to sift through." Unfortunately, this poetic proce did not carry the book. The book did not flow. I found it disjointed and I kept searching (hoping) for the 'angst' of the artist. She was one dimensional and the artistic tour de force never quite transpired.

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

jb
https://seniorbooklounge.blogspot.com/

Pale Morning Light with Violet Swan is a reflection from Violet of her life as she nears her death. After an earthquake strikes the house she lives in with her son and daughter-in-law, Violet begins remembering things about her life that she's kept hidden for years.

I really enjoyed the art aspect of this book. There were many times that colors and landscapes were described through an artist's eye and it was very beautiful. Learning about Violet and her life was heartbreaking yet hopeful, to see all the things she had gone through and yet she was still standing.

I liked the character of Violet but her son and daughter-in-law were a little odd. I think they improved near the end of the book but their reactions early on were weird. There was a lot of people making strange choices throughout the book but most of that was in response to secrets and things they did not understand. I would have liked to see more character development throughout the book instead of quickly at the very end.

This was a quick read and mostly interesting. I kept reading because I wanted to know more about Violet's life and how she persevered. It was a little slow in that nothing really happened in the book and it was only about someone looking back on their life. But the story was relatively compelling and I'm glad stuck with it.

I must admit I have been in a reading slump the last couple of weeks. I would start a new book, read a couple of chapters and delete it from my kindle and my mind. Nothing was grabbing my interest....until this book.

This story is beautifully told with exceptional writing that actually paints the words across the page, and a story that enfolds you in its emotional arms. A main character of embedded determination and courage that is as resilient as it is empowering. A family with stories untold and the love and commitment to heal each other even as they let each other go.

You can't go wrong with this one!