It’s an immense pleasure today to share my review of The Paris Muse by Louisa Treger: due for UK publication on 4th July by Bloomsbury Publishing, it will be available both in hardcover and as an ebook, and is available for pre-order. A little while to wait for the paperback – that will be published in March 2025. My thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to share a review, and for providing my advance reading e-copy.
I first discovered Louisa Treger’s exceptional writing when I read her first novel, The Lodger back in 2015 – the fictionalised life of Dorothy Richardson, a story of forbidden love, of finding creativity through heartbreak – and I can still remember, more than anything else, how it made me ache inside through the strength of the writing (you’ll find my full review again here, together with an interview with the author). Her second, The Dragon Lady, was published in 2019 – with another “extraordinary woman” at its centre in Lady Virginia “Ginie” Courtauld, and another fictionalised life story, with a central mystery that I found enthralling (you’ll find my review here). And then, in 2022, there was Madwoman – in part the story of Nellie Bly’s voluntary incarceration in the Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s Island, and deeply moving (you’ll find my review of that one here). And when Louisa contacted me about her latest… well, I’ll admit I knew nothing about the life of Dora Maar (or, come to that, Picasso), but I was looking forward tremendously to finding out more…
‘Living with him was like living at the centre of the universe. It was electrifying and humbling, blissful and destructive, all at the same time.’
Paris, 1936. When Dora Maar, a talented French photographer, painter and poet, is introduced to Pablo Picasso, she is mesmerized by his dark and intense stare. Drawn to his volcanic creativity, it isn’t long before she embarks on a passionate relationship with the Spanish artist that sometimes includes sadism and masochism, and ultimately pushes her to the edge.
The Paris Muse is the fictionalized retelling of this disturbing love story, as we follow Dora on her journey of self-discovery and expression. Set in Paris and the French Riviera, where Dora and Pablo spent their holidays with their glamorous artist friends, it provides a fascinating insight into how Picasso was a genius who side-stepped the rules in his human relationships as he did in his art. Much to Dora’s torment, he refused to divorce his wife and conducted affairs with Dora’s friends. The Spanish Civil War made him depressed and violent, an angst that culminated in his acclaimed painting ‘Guernica’, which Dora documented as he painted.
As the encroaching darkness suffocates their relationship – a darkness that escalates once the Second World War begins and the Nazis invade the country – Dora has a nervous breakdown and is hospitalized.
Atmospheric, intense and moving, The Paris Muse is an astonishing read that ensures that this talented, often overlooked woman who gave her life to Picasso is no longer a footnote.
My knowledge of the art world is sadly lacking – I have a sketchy perception of surrealism, would recognise a few works by Picasso, like Guernica and The Weeping Woman, but shamefully knew nothing of Dora Maar, the extraordinary woman who was his muse and inspiration. As well as restoring her to her rightful place in history, this book captures the compelling story of her extraordinary life, her obsessive love and selfless support for the artist who used and abused her before casting her aside as her mental health deteriorated.
Before her path crossed that of Picasso, she was already becoming known as a talented photographer – moving as a child from Argentina to Paris, she worked with major fashion houses and film studios who liked her unique style. Her private life was stormy – in particular her attachment to Georges Bataille, the philosopher who introduced her to the dangerous world of sado-masochism while helping her gain entry to the surrealist art community. She engineered her first encounter with Picasso in 1935, showing particular determination and tenacity – and although they came to have a partnership of sorts, he made it more than clear that it would never be exclusive. Their often tumultuous relationship always took second place to his art – although he was content for her to give up her career and to cater for his every need, providing her with the protection his fame afforded in return as the Nazi invasion threatened their personal safety. As well as being his muse and model, she created a photographic record of his painting of Guernica, but he never fully returned her love and total devotion – and his narcissistic personality and self-absorption repeatedly broke her heart and played a major part in tipping her over the edge into mental illness.
Those are the bare bones of this story – but it’s so much more than that. Combining fact and fiction, the book takes the reader deep inside their relationship, immersing you in their lives – and if Dora fails to win your sympathy at the beginning, by the end, when Picasso deals her the cruellest blow that entirely took my breath away, she’ll have the firmest grip on your heart. In many ways it’s a love story, but a particularly dark and disturbing one – it’s more the story of an obsession, both deep and damaging, and so compelling that it’s impossible to look away. And my goodness, this is certainly a book that makes you feel – real hatred at times for the man who takes her so for granted and of lesser importance than his creative process, deep compassion for Dora who clings to the idea of having a child to stabilise a relationship that only she was committed to, while he taunts her with repeated dalliances with other women. And not just other women – some of them were her friends, and that made the betrayals all the more heart-breaking and unforgivable.
The author’s writing is exceptional – and the way her in-depth and meticulous research is used to create and portray individuals who live and breathe and engage the reader at a deep emotional level, with insights into the creative process as well as their day-to-day lives, is something particularly special. This is a story you live through rather than read, always present in the moment, and it’s an intense – and sometimes distinctly uncomfortable – experience. But it really is a uniquely immersive and stunning read that I couldn’t recommend more highly.
Praise for The Paris Muse:
‘An accomplished literary novel, and also an absolute page turner. Raw sexual charisma and its descent into toxic cruelty which is set – and artfully echoed – in times of peace and war.’ Essie Fox, author of the Sunday Times bestseller The Fascination
‘Dora Maar, “The Weeping Woman” of Picasso’s famous paintings, steps out of the canvas in Louisa Treger’s unforgettable new novel. Dora’s passionate, obsessive relationship with the artist came close to destroying her, and Treger’s beautifully written first-person narrative takes us deep inside her grief and torment. Picasso emerges as a controlling, sadistic man, who is single-minded in pursuit of his art first, his pleasure second. This is a powerful, absorbing read about a woman who was a talented artist in her own right, and it illustrates very graphically who was responsible for making the ‘Weeping Woman’ weep.’ Gill Paul, internationally bestselling author of A Beautiful Rival
‘Gifted photographer and painter – and muse of Picasso – Dora Marr comes vibrantly to life in Treger’s new novel, The Paris Muse. A fascinating and heartfelt portrait of a female artist striving to succeed in the male-dominated Parisian art world, readers won’t be able to resist rooting for Dora, or relishing every page until The End. A compelling and absorbing read!’ Heather Webb, USA Today and International bestselling author of Queens of London
About the author
Louisa Treger is the acclaimed author of four novels, The Lodger (2014), The Dragon Lady (2019), Madwoman (2022), a historical fiction Book of the Year in The Times and The Sunday Times, and a Book of the Month in the Independent, and The Paris Muse (2024). She has written for The Times, The Telegraph, Tatler, BBC History Magazine and English Heritage. Radio appearances include BBC Radio 3’s Free Thinking Programme, and BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour. Treger has a First Class degree and a PhD in English Literature from UCL, and currently lives in London.
You nailed it Anne. A perfect review of a brilliant book x
Thanks Linda – so difficult to do it justice! x
Fantastic review Anne. Such a stunning book x
Thanks Mairead – read your review, and loved that too! And as for the book… x
Definitely one for my reading list, thanks Anne x