Six top novels featuring women and art

At B&N Reads Isabelle McConville tagged six "novels chronicling the lives of college students, visual artists, painters, performance artists and more," tales that supply a "peek into the creative mind." One title on the list:

The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud

Blurring the boundaries between art and life, Claire Messud’s The Woman Upstairs is a stunning tale of a flawed heroine, life’s broken promises, and the lengths we’d go to for fulfillment. When Nora meets her new neighbors, an enigmatic, artistic couple and their adorable son, she falls headfirst for their glamorous way of life — and loses herself in the process. If you’ve ever wondered how the other half lives, The Woman Upstairs is a sharp, illuminating story.

Read about another novel on the list.

The Woman Upstairs is among Jenny Shank's five terrific novels about art and artists, Joyce Maynard's six favorite books, and Alex Hourston’s top ten unlikely friendships in literature.

--Marshal Zeringue