I first “met” this author as a fellow bookstagrammer who worked in publishing, but now her debut novel is making waves for good reason! Claire, a young museum cleaner becomes entranced with the paintings in the museum, and more specifically Jean a character in one painting. But something magical is happening in this museum between Claire and Jean. This book is unique blend of love story, art museum nerdiness and magical realism. I really enjoyed that this book was different. I would recommend it for fans of Narnia, author Meg Shaffer, etc,

Cute idea for a kids book but doesn’t pan out for adults. I didn’t believe the characters had the connection they did and was hard to suspend belief

The Art of Vanishing is a whimsical, charming romance infused with magical realism. Claire begins a job as a night cleaner at a museum, while Jean is one of the museum's paintings, painted by his own father Matisse. In a fantastical twist, Claire discovers she can step into his painting and interacts with the man who was painted into the canvas long ago, ultimately falling in love. The book can be confusing and busy, and is heavy on the concept rather than the execution, especially as we get deeper into the book and it takes a weird turn in plot. That said, this is a really creative and promising debut and is also a cozy love letter to art and museums.

This was whimsical but confusing. An interesting read, but not really my favorite. Thank you, NetGalley.

Magical realism is that the forefront of this sweet fable - Claire has the ability to “enter” paintings - an adventure she had thought about but hadn’t had a chance to practice till she becomes a night cleaner at a museum. It is in this way that she meets Jean - a son of Matisse, living out his days in a painting with his siblings and mother. If this sounds confusing, it is but Pager makes the two making characters likeable and easy to root for. The book’s last third takes a turn into the Covid pandemic and an art heist - not the direction I was expecting. Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the DRC

Thanks to Ballantine for my advanced copy of The Art of Vanishing.

I'm not usually into magical realism, but the idea of a Night at the Museum style book intrigued me but unfortunately this book wasn't for me.

I liked the storyline and the ideas of the book about art, life and love, but the COVID plot really distracted me from the book, and after that, I was done. I can see where the author was going, but the execution of this really creative book was lacking for me.

Did you ever see The Ghost and Mrs Muir? It's one of my favorites. Gene Tierney is Mrs Lucy Muir. She moves into a seaside village after the death of her husband. When she first viewed the cottage, she is surprised to see a portrait of an old sea captain, Captain Daniel Gregg. Despite the rumor that the cottage is haunted, she rents it for her, her daughter and her trusty housekeeper. Eventually, Captain Gregg shows himself and the two fall in love, despite the fact that he's a ghost. A bunch of stuff happens, years pass, and ...well, they end up together in the afterlife.

The Art of Vanishing is like this. A man in a painting. A lonely woman. While parts of this felt young and the dialogue was rather juvenile, the heart is still there. This does call for a suspension of reality, but that's the beauty of stories like this. Maybe you've walked by a painting and thought how attractive the subject was. What would we do if we could just....walk into the painting and ask that person on a date?

This is a quick, fun little read - albeit a bit corny.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC of one of my most anticipated reads of 2025!

I've followed Morgan Paige (@nycbookgirl) on Instagram for years, and when she started teasing her debut novel, The Art of Vanishing immediately shot to the top of my TBR. As an art school grad (hey, SCAD), I have a deep appreciation for art history and museums—so a magical realism romance set inside a gallery filled with masterpieces? Say less.

The story follows Jean, the fictional son of Henri Matisse, who has been magically trapped inside one of his father’s paintings for decades. He now lives among works by Renoir, Picasso, and Modigliani in a Philadelphia museum, where—after hours—the subjects of the paintings come to life and move between frames in a hidden, magical world.

When Claire, a young janitor, starts working the night shift, an unexpected connection begins to form. Through a twist of fate (and magic), she enters Jean’s world, and their story becomes one of romance, longing, and secrets—both inside and outside the canvas.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC of one of my most anticipated reads of 2025!

The premise is undeniably enchanting. The art references are rich and accessible, the concept is original, and the magical museum world was beautifully imagined. I especially loved that the bulk of the book was told from Jean’s point of view—it gave the narrative an old-world elegance that fit the tone perfectly.

That said, while I really enjoyed the story, I found myself wishing for just a little more when it came to the romance and the ending. Jean and Claire's connection felt rushed; I would’ve loved more time for their relationship to bloom. The ending also felt a bit abrupt, leaving me feeling a bit empty. Still, this is a unique and heartfelt debut with gorgeous atmosphere, clever storytelling, and a concept that art lovers (and romantics) will absolutely fall for. A strong debut from an author I’ll definitely be reading again.

And if you see me in a museum trying to jump into one of the paintings...no you didn't!

(Review will go live on Instagram on Monday, June 30)

The Art of Vanishing by Morgan Pager, is a magical realism debut, that lets you think about what it might be like if you could step into the world of your favorite painting.

Claire’s life is a bit of a mess. Desperate to find a steady job she loves, she applies to work in an art museum, and is ecstatic when she gets hired. Quiet nights alone cleaning the place are a dream come true to her. However , something is off with the museum- she swears the figures in the painting are moving, and when she actually falls into one and forms a relationship with the man she has had her eye on, she starts to question her sanity and her life choices.

This was an interesting book and a quick read. I loved the concept, though the execution wasn’t quite there. The first half of the book reads as a romance, and the second half, as a mystery/ covid commentary. I much preferred the first half of the story. It was still fun though and I did enjoy reading it despite it not being a perfect read.

I recommend this book to those who love magical realism movies like, Night At the Museum, romance books like Tuck Everlasting, or just have a love of art museums- you can tell the author knows her art history.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Morgan Pager, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3/5 Stars

I first saw "The Art of Vanishing" being promoted by the author (nycbookgirl) and I was instantly excited when I saw it on NetGalley. I have followed her for a while and I generally like the books she provides high ratings for...so with that being said I had very high hopes for this book! Plus love, art museums and magical realism - what's not to love?

When I finished the book it took me 3 days before I could sit down to write this review. Partially because I wasn't so sure what I just read. There were absolutely elements that I loved but it did feel choppy to me and therefore I didn't love it as much as I expected. I was left to wonder what happened to various characters at the end while simultaneously not really knowing all the characters that well anyways.

The love story itself was cozy and cute - and I actually really appreciate low spice/closed door - so thank you Morgan for that! The overall concept of being able to explore the world of art by literally entering it was intriguing and I think she could have run with it even more. I could also see it easily being adapted for TV if that's your thing.

With all that being said I still say it's a solid debut and I look forward to her works in the future. You can tell her heart is in this book and she more than deserves to be a published author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this gifted e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had so much fun reading this one! A love story between a museum employee and a man who lives inside an extraordinary masterpiece from 1917! How magical is that?! I thought the magical realism was so cool! It reminded me of Night at the museum movie 🤣 I really enjoyed the romance in this book though I wish there was more. However, circumstances in life puts their love in challenge and pulls them apart. They had to find their way to each other. Not only is the romance a part of the story, there are surprises and unexpected turns in this book that kept me turning the pages. This book is written very well that I can’t believe it’s a debut!

The Art of Vanishing by Morgan Pager is a wonderful debut. I enjoyed the concept of being able to escape into a painting. Creating friendships with art and understanding the times was intriguing. This breezy wistful read had a few twists combined with lockdown which was very relatable. I loved the concept immensely looking forward to what Morgan will write next. This title, The Art of Vanishing comes out July 1, grab a copy from your independent bookstore it will not disappoint. Thank you to the publisher for this advanced reader copy.

Review posted to StoryGraph and Goodreads on 6/27/25. Review will be posted to Amazon on release date.

When Claire lands a job as a night janitor at a museum she’s just glad to be able to look at the art every night until one night she finds herself inside of a painting speaking with one of its subjects, Jean. Quickly the two find themselves going on adventures inside of other paintings in the museum and falling in love. When the museum shuts down due to a global pandemic, the two wonder if they’ll ever see each other again.

I really liked the idea behind the book. I had a few hang ups with however. In an effort to add tension our main character Claire is an utter mystery until when a global pandemic hits and we find out she has a daughter?!?!?!! I didn’t totally mind this bit of a twist but it felt like it was added in because we needed more of a reason why Jean and Claire cannot be together. I also wish that the introduction of the journal would have happened sooner. When it appears I already knew beyond a shadow of a doubt who had penned the journal. I found myself shouting “Claire just be patient!!” But book characters obviously aren’t listening. Overall I thought this was a decent debut novel and I’m interested to see what Morgan Pager writes in the future.

A woman working the night shift at an art museum realizes she can step into the paintings and falls for a man in one of the period pieces. It’s a fun premise, but the whole thing feels like the outline of a book with no actual development. Cute, kinda forgettable, feels like it would work best for a YA audience.

While this premise was quite promising, I found the immediate attraction between our two narrators unbelievable and with little payoff. We were learning things about the FMC over halfway through the book. I would have appreciated more art talk and knowledge since the emotional side of the story was relatively soft. The COVID plot-line, while a clever device to force the two apart, was kind of jarring. I have enjoyed following Morgan Pager on instagram but find this book half-baked.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. The Art of Vanishing follows the story of Claire, who works as a evening shift janitor in an art museum, and her experience falling in love with Jean, one of the subjects in a museum painting; he’s alive inside the painting and manages to pull her in, setting them off on an affair and journey in his world, during WWI.

I was so interested in the premise of this book but, it fell flat for me. I struggled with the insta love between Claire and Jean, especially when she described him as hot and the author wrote through their initial attractions; I just had a hard time believing a modern women could fall in love with the man in the painting and I struggled to buy into the story. The plot took a number of turns to keep it propulsive, especially as the characters got together then separated then reunited but, I just found it a bit far fetched and cheesy.

I think this will be a good read for others who enjoy a quick, engaging read and can suspend their disbelief to fully immerse in the story. It’s a great summertime book and I hope readers enjoy!

As a fan of museums, art, and history, I was drawn to the book description. If you like Night at the Museum, you'll probably enjoy this story. Claire works the night shift at the museum as a janitor after hours - she steps into a famous painting and falls in love with a man inside, Jean Matisse. The author’s appreciation for art really shines through, and I enjoyed the imaginative setup and whimsical tone early on.

The story did feel disjointed at times, as it almost felt like there was a shift between genres. The magical realism had a lot of potential, but parts of it left me more confused. There is also a sudden pivot into a pandemic setting, which I did not see coming, and it took me out of the narrative, personally.

That said, this book has a lot of heart, and readers who enjoy genre-blending stories with a touch of art-world magic may enjoy this one!

Thank you Ballantine, Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this one looks like it is going to be a DNF for me. I got about 20% through the book and just couldn't get into it. Something about the narrator's voices just didn't click with me, and I also was not vibing with the insta-love trope. It literally happened in the first chapter that Jean started to be interested in Claire, and that she was thinking that a painting was attractive, and I would have liked some more progression before that.

But I will give the author kudos for such an interesting concept!

The Art of Vanishing starts out strong with a unique and magical premise. I was immediately drawn in as Claire, who is on the nighttime janitorial staff of an art museum, finds she can travel into the artwork. She immediately falls into a whimsical romance with Jean, Matisse’s son who is portrayed in the painting.

For the most part I enjoyed this part because of the magic. The love story felt a bit disconnected as Jean wants to get to know more about Claire but she prefers to use her art traveling as time to disconnect from her real life.

At the 50-60% mark the book takes a quick and abrupt turn. While I understand that’s how things happened in real life it felt clunky and startling in the midst of this imaginative storyline. As readers we finally get a bit more information about Claire’s real life while she in Jean are circumstantial separated.

When they are finally able to reunite the book takes a third turn into a mystery/ art heist plot line. The way the plot turned meant I didn’t get much of a resolution anywhere. The love story, her real life story, and even the heist all are quickly and somewhat sloppily each ended.

Genre bending novels can work but in this book it did not. I wanted more development between our two main characters and unfortunately there was a disconnect between them from start to finish.

This one was a DNF for me. I tried multiple times to read it and it’s just not for me. While the idea has a lot of promise the characters never felt relatable. The storyline drugs on and the pacing was off. I tried to do the audio also and the voices weren’t appealing to me either.
Thank you for the offering.