Lucy Ashe is the author of Clara & Olivia (shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger 2024), The Dance of the Dolls, and The Sleeping Beauties. She trained at the Royal Ballet School, before changing career plans and going to St. Hugh's College, Oxford University, to study English Literature. She is an English and Drama teacher and she reviews theatre for the website “Plays to See.”
At Electric Lit Ashe tagged "eight books that cut to the heart of what it means to learn to define oneself as a dancer." One title on the list:
The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie BuchananRead about another entry on the list.
A historical novel about the girl who modelled for Edgar Degas’s Little Dancer Aged Fourteen sculpture, this is a ballet story thatreveals the dangerous power of wealthy patrons. Set in 19th century Paris, Marie van Goethem and her sister struggle to make ends meet after their father dies. Marie trains at the Paris Opéra, attracting the attention of Degas and modelling for him in his studio. Her sister Antoinette, meanwhile, faces her own challenges while working as an extra in a play. Rich with historical detail, this is a novel about the corruption and abuse of power embedded in the beautiful settings of art, dance, and theater.
The Painted Girls is among Therese Anne Fowler's six favorite books and the Barnes & Noble Review's top five books on artists who have captivated our culture.
The Page 69 Test: The Painted Girls.
My Book, The Movie: The Painted Girls.
--Marshal Zeringue