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Portrait of a Woman in White: A Novel
France, 1940. Nazi forces march towards Paris. Lili Rosenswig's wealthy and eccentric family is ensconced in their country chateau with their sumptuous collection of arts and antiques. The beloved Matisse portrait of Lili's mother has been brought from their Paris salon for safety. It is the day before young lovers Lili and Paul are to be married that they are forced to flee and their fortunes change irrevocably. Lili and her family escape but Paul must stay behind to defend his country. In their struggle to adapt to changing circumstances in an unpredictable world, all are pushed to reinvent themselves. When top Nazi Herman Goring loots their Matisse portrait, their story is intertwined with the fate of the painting. PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN IN WHITE is a moving family saga, an obsessive search for lost love and lost art and how far we will go to survive.
276 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2014
About the author
Susan Winkler
4 books7 followersSusan Winkler was born in Portland, Oregon and educated at Bennington College (BA French literature), Stanford University (MA French literature), L’Academie in Paris and at the University
of Geneva. She was trained as a journalist at Fairchild Publications in New York, and has authored the four editions of THE PARIS SHOPPING COMPANION. She lives in Portland with her family, and has a lifelong interest in art.
of Geneva. She was trained as a journalist at Fairchild Publications in New York, and has authored the four editions of THE PARIS SHOPPING COMPANION. She lives in Portland with her family, and has a lifelong interest in art.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 28, 2014
A fascinating peak into a terrible and maddening time in our history. I love historical fiction as it helps me understand a time period from the perspective of the stories of the regular people living through the times, and the stories in this novel are great. Of course a complicated love story, but also art and intrigue. I loved it!
January 12, 2015
I enjoyed this glimpse into the lives of Parisian Jews during the Second World War. However, I felt that the ending did not live up to my expectations. I think it would be excellent source material for a class about the value of art.
January 13, 2015
Excellent story about the Nazi occupation in France and how it changed the lives of some people caught up in the middle. The story revolves around a Matisse painting too. Historical facts with some fictional characters. Great read!
April 2, 2024
4 stars
This was such a good historical fiction book about love and art. I learn so much from historical fiction books. I have never been interested in history but throw in a little love story and write a story about it and I am all in. Even though this book is fiction it is about a very real story of art and how it was stolen from so many people from Hitler and Herman Goring. I loved how this story was told. We follow Lili and Paul as they are separated right before they planned to be married. Lili goes to America and Paul is forced to serve with the French army. So much happens and it is told beautifully.
This was such a good historical fiction book about love and art. I learn so much from historical fiction books. I have never been interested in history but throw in a little love story and write a story about it and I am all in. Even though this book is fiction it is about a very real story of art and how it was stolen from so many people from Hitler and Herman Goring. I loved how this story was told. We follow Lili and Paul as they are separated right before they planned to be married. Lili goes to America and Paul is forced to serve with the French army. So much happens and it is told beautifully.
March 12, 2015
I was so happy to receive this book from Goodreads. It was a totally wonderful book. I liked the history in it even though some of it was related to true events. I found it fascinating. I did not want to stop reading it. I read it in a few days which I would have finished much sooner had I not had other things going on. Love the history of the art in it and the artist. Emotional to the point that you could put yourself in the place of the characters and just know how they would feel. I'm sure you will like it if you get the chance and honor to read it.
<3 <3 <3 it.
<3 <3 <3 it.
September 26, 2015
This book is the story of two families affected by the Second World War. The wives are cousins and both husbands are art collectors. Shortly before the Nazis invade France they flee Paris for the relative safety of the countryside-and then flee again for distant countries. And at the border they lose track of one of their members. The story goes back and forth between the cousins in America and the lost cousin who is sucked into the war. lots of things happen and i don't want to say any more so just read this. It's terrific!
May 7, 2015
I received this book from the goodreads-first-reads-giveaway. This is a story about 2 lovers who get separated because of the war and despite all the obstacles encountered learn to adapt and continue with their lives. I enjoyed how the author went back to the past to set up the storyline of how they fell in love and then showed how they were able to learn to make the best of their circumstances. The ending was very fitting, poignant, and bittersweet. I enjoyed this book very much and would recommend it.
February 23, 2015
Well written story about a Jewish family in Paris during the Nazi invasion during WW II - how they escape, adapt to new lives, and deal with the losses of their old lives. Their story includes a personal experience that the family has with the artist Matisse, as well as glimpses of a Nazi high commander's obsession with gathering important art pieces for his legacy. The ending is not your "fairy tale" ending, which makes the book more realistic.
September 9, 2015
I've been debating about whether this is a 3 or 4 star book. I really enjoyed the story about art theft and Jewish refugees from France up until the end which I felt came rather too abruptly and was rather unsatisfying. I also thought that the plot was entertaining, although more than a little predictable and melodramatic. I'm going with four stars but if there was a 3.5 I would use that for sure!
May 5, 2015
A story of art, family, love and future plans waylaid by war. The setting is not pleasant, yet the characters captivate the reader as they experience World War II. It's not simply a love story, a war story, a victim's story, a story of stolen art, or a soldier's story. It is all those stories. Worth reading
started reading april 28, 2015
started reading april 28, 2015
March 20, 2015
The story of a Jewish family in France who is forced to leave the country for America because of the advance of Germany during the second world war. It is about the theft of artwork by Hitler and his cronies and how those pieces of art were kept track of by a French woman in hopes that after the war is over, they can be returned to their rightful owners. Interesting book.
June 13, 2017
Loved the art history. Somewhat sad but realistic outcome. Readers who enjoy recent history, Jewish history,
and romance should enjoy this story. I. resent being forced to make up more words just to fill out this page.
and romance should enjoy this story. I. resent being forced to make up more words just to fill out this page.
December 28, 2014
A satisfying novel. It drew me into the time and places and people; I felt their joys and losses. A well-rounded read, and another success from She Writes Press!
March 16, 2015
Interesting history of the plundering of art by the Nazis in WWII, heartbreaking in many ways what happened. However, this story seemed a little choppy and ended rather abruptly.
September 30, 2023
Portrait of a Woman in White by Susan Winkler is the story of a family of wealthy Jewish art collectors in Paris before, during and after WW2. The movie, Monuments Men, brought to my attention the story of how the Nazis systematically looted the art of Paris. Hermann Göring looted Paris to claim more art for his personal collection and this novel is told from the point of view of one young woman, Lili Rosenswig.
Lili’s mother posed for Matisse in his studio in a lovely white satin gown and the portrait hung in the family’s salon in a gilded wood frame. As the Rosenswigs prepared to flee France, ahead of the Nazis, they hid the Matisse at their relative’s country villa, planning to see it again soon. Instead, the family is betrayed, the portrait is seized by the Nazis along with most of their other valuables, and the novel details the reunion of the painting with the family in America and many years later. The bulk of the novel, however, is the telling of the families’ stories between the 1920s until 1963. It is a 5 star historical novel and written by a master story teller. The attention to historical detail is impeccable and the writing is beautifully descriptive, such as this example: “the hour of blue twilight, between daylight and darkness, is when everything felt otherworldly.”
Lili’s mother posed for Matisse in his studio in a lovely white satin gown and the portrait hung in the family’s salon in a gilded wood frame. As the Rosenswigs prepared to flee France, ahead of the Nazis, they hid the Matisse at their relative’s country villa, planning to see it again soon. Instead, the family is betrayed, the portrait is seized by the Nazis along with most of their other valuables, and the novel details the reunion of the painting with the family in America and many years later. The bulk of the novel, however, is the telling of the families’ stories between the 1920s until 1963. It is a 5 star historical novel and written by a master story teller. The attention to historical detail is impeccable and the writing is beautifully descriptive, such as this example: “the hour of blue twilight, between daylight and darkness, is when everything felt otherworldly.”
July 23, 2021
Really interesting and short novel about the pillaging of French art by the Nazis. Weaving that experience around two prominent Jewish families in France, their attempts to save their art collection and remain safe, Portrait of a Woman in White is an interesting read. The middle was the best part for me. The beginnings as a little slow and the ending was thoroughly unsatisfying. On the whole, the story was interesting and kept me reading, but I feel like there was not a lot of character development. There were many moments throughout the book where the author could have expanded upon the inner struggles and emotions the characters were experiencing. Instead, she glossed over a lot and days or years would pass in the span of a paragraph. That’s not to say I didn’t like the book, but it wasn’t one of my favorites.
March 31, 2024
This is normally not a genre I would pick up on my own but it was gifted to me by a friend.
The book is set in WWII times and follows a Jewish family and the story of artwork and how it traded hands during the German occupation in France. As a Jewish woman, this story was entirely new to me and fresh.
The first part of the novel was slower, a lot of flashbacks and trying to follow people in a who’s who manner. But part 2 and the rest were fast paced and exciting.
I was a little uncomfortable with some of the relationships. Third cousins was a hard concept for me. The relationship between Mimi and Julian also was a bit uncomfortable given the ages.
All together, overlooking those two points, it was a beautiful story of love, loss, and finding the meaning of one’s life before, during, and after a war. I think the morals of this story will follow me for a long time.
The book is set in WWII times and follows a Jewish family and the story of artwork and how it traded hands during the German occupation in France. As a Jewish woman, this story was entirely new to me and fresh.
The first part of the novel was slower, a lot of flashbacks and trying to follow people in a who’s who manner. But part 2 and the rest were fast paced and exciting.
I was a little uncomfortable with some of the relationships. Third cousins was a hard concept for me. The relationship between Mimi and Julian also was a bit uncomfortable given the ages.
All together, overlooking those two points, it was a beautiful story of love, loss, and finding the meaning of one’s life before, during, and after a war. I think the morals of this story will follow me for a long time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2018
France, 1940. Nazi forces march towards Paris. Lili Rosenswig's wealthy and eccentric family is ensconced in their country chateau with their sumptuous collection of arts and antiques. The beloved Matisse portrait of Lili's mother has been brought from their Paris salon for safety. It is the day before young lovers Lili and Paul are to be married that they are forced to flee and their fortunes change irrevocably. Lili and her family escape but Paul must stay behind to defend his country. This is a moving family saga, an obsessive search for lost love and lost art and how far we will go to survive.
February 20, 2018
The story was fascinating and I enjoyed meeting all the people who took part in this inside view of the art business. I love anything to do with art, art history and the making of art.
This story took forever to get into, but the topic kept me at it. When I finished it my general view was that it was really patchy.... parts were intense, others barely scanned and the cast of characters too many with a loose focus.
The ending came before I knew it. I found no problem with the story but felt the author had reached her word limit and her deadline took precedence over all. It was as if, "Oops! Gotta go!
This story took forever to get into, but the topic kept me at it. When I finished it my general view was that it was really patchy.... parts were intense, others barely scanned and the cast of characters too many with a loose focus.
The ending came before I knew it. I found no problem with the story but felt the author had reached her word limit and her deadline took precedence over all. It was as if, "Oops! Gotta go!
September 15, 2019
An intriguing story of the lost art during World War II and the lives of those who were forced to leave to save their lives. A love story, a war story and a story of starting over. Very much enjoyed it.
December 12, 2017
I LOVED this book. One of the best historical fiction of the WWII era. Loved the characters and the development of the plot and theme. Excellent read.
July 25, 2018
France, artwork and World War II.
October 15, 2016
Loved the writing in this book- until the end. Then it seems rushed and loose ends are tied up quickly and a bit too neatly. I would have happily read about these two lovebirds at double the books current length! A missed opportunity.
November 3, 2015
Really more like 3 1/2. Nicely told story of Jewish families who escaped the Nazis and what happened to them and the art which was stolen from them. This was a very enjoyable read.
February 10, 2016
The story of art stolen by the Nazi has been written many times recently. This was ok but so predictable as to be boring if one has read similar stories previously.
March 12, 2016
Art history portion of the book was interesting.
December 28, 2016
The Nazis separate two families from their art collections and from their beloved France. A good fiction read about the reuniting of both.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews