The subject matter is very interesting and that kept me reading through till the end. I always love learning something while reading historical fiction. This is the story of George Sand, the how and whys of her life as a writer and a woman. She was a modern, liberated woman before society was ready to accept a liberated woman. She defied society's conventions and lived her life the way she wanted. She socialized with some many of the writers, composers and poets that today are thought of as famous classical masters. She led quite a fascinating life.
The reader will recognize many of the names of characters in this story from history. It keeps a steady pace through the book. It is really a character study and explanation of Sand's life and not a plot driven story. The author , Elizabeth Berg does a good job of recreating the world that Sand was living in and making the facts readable. This novel seems like it could almost be a memoir.
Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dudevant, née Dupin, grew up the daughter of an aristocratic father who also defied convention and married a courtesan. Aurore Dupin later givers up a life of wealth and certainty, a unsupportive husband and her children for a life in Paris surrounded by artists and writers. She changes her name to George Sands and dresses as man both professionally and personally. Sands though possibly the most famous writer of her day, never quite escapes the stereotype of the female role in society. She takes a lover, who in the beginning is supportive of her choices. As she becomes well known and published, his masculinity is threatened and he also deserts her.
George Sand was a woman who created her own rules to live by despite her personal risks and loses that accompanied the choices she made.
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