LEONORA IN THE MORNING LIGHT
BY MICHAELA CARTER

This historical fiction was not as accessible reading for me since I had never heard of Leonora Carrington before or her artist boyfriend Max Ernst whom was 26 years older than her while they courted each other in France. They were part of an artist movement during the twentieth century and got separated when Hitler occupied France with Max being sent off to a detention camp twice. She is known as the only woman to have had broken his heart. He was an ex pat from Germany and Hitler denounced the Surrealist art movement that they were a part of. It might help if I give a definition of what Surrealism means: A 20th-century avant-garde movement in art and literature that sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind, for example by the irrational juxtaposition of images. Launched in 1924 by a manifesto of Andre Breton and having strong political content, the movement grew out of symbolism and Dada and was strongly influenced by Sigmund Freud. In the visual arts its most notable exponents were Andre Mason, Jean Arp, Joan Miro, Rene Magritte, Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, Man Ray and Luis Bunuel.

I have only had heard of Salvador Dali and in the definition above it doesn't include Leonora Carrington or multiple other women that were according to this author's extensive research which I applaud were part of this type of artistic movement. This was definitely a challenge for me because there wasn't any background material until I got to the end. I was surprised that Leonora Carrington who left her home on bad terms with her father who more or less told her not to ever darken his doorstep again. She was from Great Britain and during the time when her and Max were torn apart from his arrests while they were living together she flees to Spain during occupied France by the Nazi's she is put into an asylum and the narrative becomes nonsensical at least to me.

I think that this novel could have been better if it wasn't so scholarly written with the author assuming that all of this historical detail to the character's were common knowledge to me at least it was not. I love to learn about real life historical figures but this narrative doesn't fill in any of the blanks or gives enough detail to explain things out so that everyone can educate themselves while reading historical fiction. I have heard who Peggy Guggenheim was and am familiar with Pablo Picasso but he is only mentioned briefly. There was so much of a heavy emphasis on Artists that I have never heard of and their works it just could have been more descriptive for the reader who is interested in learning but maybe others will not have to do further research to appreciate this novel. I think in my humble opinion I have read enough art history that I enjoyed without feeling like the writing is so ambiguous. I can name many author's works that introduced works that I had never heard of before for example "The Girl with a Pearl Earring," or anything else written by Tracey Chevalier, "Claude and Camille" (about Monet's masterpieces), written by Stephanie Cowell, "The Passion of Artemisia" or "Girl in Hyacinth Blue" both written by Susan Vreeland, "The Birth of Venus," written by Sarah Dunant or finally "Leonardo's Swans," written by Karen Essex. These were all written and easily accessible to everybody. In my humble opinion the book "Leonora in the Morning Light," was not anything remotely written for the enjoyment and learning while you read. Henceforth my 3 star rating. I am sure that this book will find its audience with Art History majors but not for the average reader hungry to learn as you are reading it. I do sincerely wish this author, Micaela Carter and the publisher every best wish for success with this historical novel filled with a cast of factual people.

Publication Date: April 6, 2021

Thank you to Net Galley, Michaela Carter and Avid Reader Press--Simon & Schuster for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.