The Improbability of Love

The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothchild is such a wonderful and creative way to tell a story.
Told, for the most part, in the third person by the invisible narrator this is a story about the relationships.  But then, magically, there are chapters of the story that reveal parts of the story yet unknown to the characters.  The reader is now privy to more information than the characters, and this is achieved by hearing the story from the point of view of the famous painting itself, "The Improbability of Love".

Maybe as is suggested by one character with a slight slip up in repeating the name of the painting it could be called the "Impossibility of Love".   There are so many characters in the beginning it was hard to keep them all straight, but as the story develops the relationships all start to intertwine and the reader can see how they all will start to interact.  So as a story of intrigue and European history are uncovered, at the time a story of love blossoms.

Annie McDee is a young woman who has struck out at love and is trying to create a new life for herself in London.  She has a new job as chef and has come into possession of a small but compelling painting.  She discovers the idea of using the feelings of art and food to create elaborate parties for very wealthy clients. Just as she feels her career is taking off, she is thrown into the middle of a battle for the painting, having been discovered to be a long lost masterpiece, that will send her on an unexpectedly dangerous journey uncovering an unscrupulous history and possibly love.

The painting plays an integral role in this novel filling the reader in on art history and on the thinking and passion of the artist himself.  This book while a wonderful story of suspense also dabbles in the world of auction houses and how famous masterpieces were painted, how their value was increased over time and how they were authenticated and put up for auction.  Listening to the painting itself tell his side of the story is very creatively done.  In the beginning we are introduced to the painting with his quick wit and sassy tongue, "My future depends on people believing I am worth something and need protecting.  Art only survives by striking a chord in someone's heart and offering solace and reassurance.  .... Right now, I am worth less than 100 lire, my absolute nadir.  The some of total admirers is two. And one of them, the old drunk, smeared my foliage in butter and animal fats.  ....
I need prosperity; my best chance of seeing out another century is wealth."

The character development in this novel was wonderfully colorful.  The reader can see the vivid colors and personalities of the different kinds of people who are caught up in the search for happiness, love and success as they try to get their hands on this illusive work of art.