Really interesting premise and concept. There are many paintings I’d love to enter much like the characters in this book! I enjoyed learning about the people in the paintings and thought that storyline was compelling. I wasn’t as interested in Claire's life outside of the museum as it was not as developed but I did enjoy the way certain huge events were woven into the plot. Great debut!

2 Stars
One Liner: So… what’s the point?

Jean’s painter father froze him in time as a painting. He spends his days observing the guests at the museum, even if it gets boring.
Claire joins the museum as an employee. She mops the floor at night, talking to herself about loneliness and lovingly gazing at the paintings. She is drawn to the painting in the corner and feels as if the man is watching her.
One day, Claire discovers that she can step through the painting and enters France during the WWI era. She and Jean become close, but how can they have a future together when stuck in a painting and between two times?
The story comes in Jean and Claire’s first-person POVs.

My Thoughts:
Firstly, this is a NA book. The characters are around 19-21, which is way too apparent in their actions, dialogues, and everything. If there’s one age group in fiction that has rarely worked for me, it is the New Adult range. Sadly, this book is no exception.
Secondly, the book includes the Covid-19 pandemic in the second half. While there are no graphic descriptions, I know the topic can be a trigger for some readers, so I’m putting this at the top.
With a premise about a person in a painting and a modern human who can cross time through the painting, I was hoping for a magical, artsy, and delightful narration. I don’t need an explanation about it. The why can be simply called magic. But I need the rest of the story to be cohesive and have some reason or purpose.
There’s no denying that the concept is intriguing. The setting of an art museum on one side and France during WWI on the other should have given us a vividly contrasting yet alluring foundation. However, neither settings make an impact. The museum fares better marginally.
When I read the ages (thankfully, I didn’t have to wait for long), I quickly adjusted my expectations. However, the characters are so surface-level. In an attempt to keep certain information hidden, the FMMC is reduced to a tiny 21-year-old with a cute, messy bun and some tragic backstory she doesn’t want to share. By the time we know what it is, it’s too late to empathize with her.
Moreover, instead of being shown their conversations, we are told they spoke a lot about many topics. So, when the lead pair begins their whirlwind romance, it feels awkward, without much to support the development.
A few other plot threads are introduced but dropped like hot coal and never explored again. This makes me wonder about the discussions that happened during the book’s development. Were some key elements changed? If yes, why? Was the draft used as it is? If yes, why?
The second half and the last quarter seem to spiral into something else. It would have still worked, but the ending felt like an easy way out. It’s literally the simplest solution, as it requires minimum effort to sustain the initial premise.
Not everything is bad, despite my rant. Susie, the contract guide, is an interesting character, and so is Jamie. I like Linda and Luna too. The scenes with different types of visitors in the museum are fun to read.
The book is easy to read as it picks up pace after the initial slow start. You should be able to finish it in a couple of sittings.

To summarize, The Art of Vanishing has good potential but fails to make an impression. If you are more of a vibes person, the book might work better for you.
I know this is a debut book, and my review is harsh. The editing team should have spent more time structuring the plot and tyingup the loose ends.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

A magical twist on a traditional love story!

This was such a cute story! I never read romance, but took a chance on something outside my comfort zone when I picked up, The Art of Vanishing by Morgan Pager. This romantic, feel-good story kept me turning the pages until the end, offering so much more than I expected. It has love, art, a museum, history, time travel elements, and action (the most surprising)-which I loved. I immediately fell in love with Claire and Jean, rooting for them throughout. The idea that Claire could step inside the art was so magical and was my favorite element of the story. Their character arcs were believable and made sense in the end (even though I hoped for a different outcome, it wouldn’t have been sustainable for either). I loved the museum setting, learning about the art was a highlight, and at one point it felt like I was on one of the guided tours. A nice touch, allowing the reader to learn without an obvious info-dump. I was gripped, especially in the second half when the action intensified unexpectedly, adding an interesting layer to the story, and propelling the pace. There are so many scenes I loved and remember vividly, but the image I keep picturing is Claire mopping the floor after hours, and all the paintings coming to life around her. It makes me want to visit the museum immediately!

For readers who enjoy a unique premise, stories that blend love, art and time, and heartfelt characters.

Interesting debut with a unique story and heartfelt characters. Genre bending and completely singular

Jean lives fairly monotonous life. During the day he sits in his place while the museum goers gawk at him and his family. After hours however, he and the rest of the art comes alive, though he tends to not join in on the fun. When Claire starts as the newest member of the janitorial staff, Jean is immediately drawn to her, but could it be? She seems drawn to him as well, and can maybe sense his movements? After studying each other from afar, the two reach out and are shocked when Claire arrives in the painting with him…

It’s so fun when a bookish friend becomes an author friend! I am so proud of Morgan!! As an art lover, I was immediately drawn into this story! I think we have all dreamed of being able to jump into our favorite art, whether it be a book, painting, etc. I know I have, and following along as Claire was actually able to do it was such a phenomenal ride! In this book we don’t just get a love story, we get a love story between artists and viewers, one that many artists never live to see. This book has some Night at the Museum vibes, with a splash of The Mixed Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler as well. It’s so clear that Morgan has a love for the arts, it came through on every page and in the end I really just loved this debut! I can’t wait to see what Morgan writes next!

Thank you to @ballantinebooks and @thesaltybookworm for my gifted copy of this book!

Such a unique premise! It was a little slow at times or maybe it was that I was just impatient. And the twists near the end just kept coming! What a surprise!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for the ARC.

This was a cute premise for a book, so I was intrigued. Perfect for those that love magical realism with romance sprinkled throughout!

The summary instantly reminded me of Ashley Poston’s works and in within art? I loved the idea!

However, as much as I wanted to love this book, I found the execution unsatisfying and I lost interest quickly. The romance is fast, which I don’t mind when it is done well. While it was cute, I felt no connection to the characters’ relationship. Moreover, I found that the book dragged much more than it had to.

The scenes dedicated and describing different paintings were a highlight for me, as well as scenes where they go to different paintings.

Overall, I wished this book was for me, but ultimately it wasn’t.

Did you like the movie The Night At The Museum? If so, this book is for you! The Art of Vanishing is about a museum employee, Claire who works the night shift. She starts to notice the subjects of the paintings are not always in the same spot. Jean, observes the world by day and roams the vast realms of art by night. He has formed a little crush on Claire and one evening decides to invite her into his world. Claire climbs into the painting and the magic begins.

The pacing and feel of this book reminded me of Remarkably Bright Creatures and Tom Lake. It has the same cheery, easygoing vibe. I adored Jean. I found his energy and demeanor refreshing. He looked at Claire as if she was the masterpiece. I liked the juxtaposition of the two of them; Jean with an innocence about him and Claire living through the harsh realities of life. The contrast is what brought this charming story to life in and out of the painting.

This book was such a cute read! I loved the concept of the main character, Claire, being about to hop into the paintings at the museum she worked at. Imagine how many different places and things you’d get to experience!
This book was beautifully written - I would never have guessed this was the author’s first work. As a reader, you are really pulled into the characters’ world and feel like you are experiencing what they are (which isn’t always easy to accomplish).
Personally I didn’t love the pandemic plot line in the story (or any story) - but that is just my own preference!
I also was really hoping the main characters ended up together in the end and it felt a little incomplete to me that they didn’t.
Thank you to Random House and Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

well written romance with some really awesome characters and a great hopping into portraits idea! very timely, too. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

3.25 stars ARC book review
I absolutely loved the premise of this book, the idea that the subjects of a painting would be alive and able to move, watch and hear what the museum goers are saying and doing. Of being able to go inside a painting and interact with the people depicted by the artist. My issue with the book was that at times the execution felt like it fell short.

In the first chapter we meet Jean, who is in the painting. He sees Claire arrive to clean the museum for the first time and is taken with her. I felt that by starting with his point of view, it made it easier to see him as a full character in the story and not just a two dimensional figure in a piece of art. If anything it took me longer to connect with Claire as she is so closed off.

Though I really enjoyed the first half, it stopped working for me in the middle and I never reconnected with the story. If you love art, romance and a little magic I recommend checking this out as it may work better for you.

Thank you to the publisher Random House - Ballantine Books, author Morgan Pager, and NetGalley for the gifted digital ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

The premise for this book was so intriguing! An employee at an art museum discovers she has the ability to fall into paintings! She ends up falling in love with one man in particular in one of the paintings. The story was whimsical and kept me interested. The dialogue between characters was a bit of a miss for me. It did not flow as naturally as I wanted. But overall the storyline kept me hooked and I was invested in the characters. I look forward to more books from this author! Thank you Net Galley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was cute. Maybe too cute. And it went by fast. I coupled this with some heavy reads so it was a nice palette cleanser. Man inside a painting falls for a woman in the real world during times of COVID. This reads like a short story and has a bittersweet end. It had some beautiful reminders: not losing the imaginative side of our childhood or how people come into our lives for a time and reason. I think I struggled with the dialogue or perhaps it was that the characters felt underdeveloped. I also feel like the ending took a turn that made it feel forced. But I still had a good (and soft) time.

This story had so much promise with a unique premise but unfortunately needed a ton of editing at the line level. I’m sad the publisher didn’t push the author to really Home the manuscript. Hopefully the final book is more polished.

Slide this in right with your Ashley Poston's on the shelf because the next magical realism book is here! Such a unique twist on the concept with a heart-warming ending. Found family and trauma-healing spans the ages in this janitor x painting come to life story. This book does have quite the whirlwind romance, but it was kind of refreshing to have something really kick off after several slow burns.

One of my favorite things about art is looking at a piece and imagining what it would be like to explore that particular landscape or moment. I wonder what lies beyond the bend in the road that disappears at the edge of the canvas or on the other side of the mountain. It's similar to what draws me to books time and time again. So, the idea of entering a painting a la Mary Poppins style sounded too intriguing for me to pass up. I liked that the author used an actual painting instead of a fictional one. She described it to a tee, if you're an art fan you'll recognize Matisse's 'The Music Lesson'. This added another dimension to the story. It is a lovely work and the inspiration it brought for setting and characters was dazzling. It is easy to see why the protagonist was drawn to stand before the painting and stare at the slice of life within.

Jean is 19 years old he exists within the painting, his essence captured along with his two siblings by their father Henri Matisse. They were painted during WWI in France. They don't age, remaining physically unchanged, but they can see the world that their frame faces. During the day they remain still in their chosen spots, but at night the characters are able to roam their own painting and that of the others hanging on the walls. From lavish parties to horse races if it's featured in the gallery the subjects in all the paintings can visit these locales. Claire is a night janitor at the museum. Her life has been no picnic up to this point, but she has found solace in art since childhood. She is slow to clean her assigned areas because her eyes often wander to the worlds captured beyond the frames. She thinks she's seen a flicker of movement, but surely not. Still her eyes can't help but to continue tracking along the paintings even though she feels silly. She stands before Jean's painting and reaches out her hand soon she finds herself in a France from the past. The relationship that blooms between these two in stolen moments is charming. Both characters are likable and have to explain things from their respective timelines to each other which makes for some smile inducing moments. Life throws serious curve balls at Claire making her time in and out of the painting difficult.

The issue this novel has is in terms of development. It needed a little stronger characterization and all the relationships we are privy to lack development that ventures beyond the surface. The story still holds its own, but it had the potential to be more. It kept me at arm's length, preventing me from forming the connection necessary to be invested in the characters. Although it was enjoyable overall.

This multi-genre debut took unexpected turns that kept me flipping pages. Recommending this one to fans of magical realism and art. I 💯 appreciated that the author gave us a realistic ending instead of being cheesy.

There's a lot to love about <i>The Art of Vanishing</i>. I'll be keeping an eye out for what Morgan Pager writes next.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to Random House | Ballantine for providing an Advance Reading Copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The premise of this book is one of the most unique I've ever encountered, and I thoroughly enjoyed the execution, despite some minor issues.

This is a dual pov story, with the "main" pov that of Jean, the son of Henri Matisse, forever frozen in time in one of his father's paintings, and the corresponding story of Claire, a new museum employee who truly *sees* him as she cleans his gallery after hours, and has the extraordinary ability to join him in the world of the masterpieces.

I truly enjoyed seeing the world through Jean's perspective, and how the author imagined the world behind the frames. We saw a peek of this in the Harry Potter castle, but now we get a chance to delve into this world where you can experience anything and everything painted, yet your world is "stuck", never changing, never moving, never meeting new people.

We see how Jean and the other painted characters perceive modern society, and how they must guess at what is happening beyond the museum doors.

Jean and Claire's relationship is full of hope and joy, while being pampered by the realities of their circumstances.

The writing, and the characters, at the beginning were a bit simplistic, and almost turned me off, but both matured as the story went on. By the end, I was feeling uplifted and thoughtful at how the author captured the different nuances of a stressful time in our history.

Such a wonderful story! Absolutely loved the world, characters and magical realism.

I thought the plot was unique and fun. Being able to jump into famous paintings would be such a delight. I thought the different worlds and magical realism were so well written. I really felt transported along with Claire. Pager's descriptions and pacing were great. This was a good blend of romance, history and art.

Claire and Jean are lovable characters that you root for. Their love story was incredibly sweet and I was charmed by them. If you love sweeping love stories, Claire & Jean deliver.

A wonderful debut that is going to steal readers' hearts!!!

I was thrilled at the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Art of Vanishing. The author is lovely, and I was so excited to hear about her first book being published!

The premise of the book was original and so much fun!

I loved reading about Jean's world and meeting other characters along the way. I almost found myself wanting to rush through Claire's chapters because of how much I was drawn to Jean and his world. I also thought it was interesting how the author used the pandemic as part of the storyline. It was unexpected, but it worked so well, and I loved how these chapters dove into some of the characters in the art and showed them letting loose and having fun throughout the other pieces.

What kept me from rating this a 4.5/5 is how quickly Jean and Claire fell in love. I would have loved to see just a little bit more from them before diving right in. However, overall, this was a fun read and one I'd recommend, especially for anyone who enjoys the art world.

I look forward to more from Morgan Pager.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted ARC