BONUS: This edition contains a Blindspot discussion guide.Stewart Jameson, a Scottish portrait painter fleeing his debtors in Edinburgh, has washed up on the British Empire’s far shores—in the city of Boston, lately seized with the spirit of liberty. Eager to begin anew, he advertises for an apprentice, but the lad who comes knocking is no lad at all. Fanny Easton is a fallen woman from Boston’s … woman from Boston’s most prominent family who has disguised herself as a boy to become Jameson’s defiant and seductive apprentice.
Written with wit and exuberance by accomplished historians, Blindspot is an affectionate send-up of the best of eighteenth-century fiction. It celebrates the art of the Enlightenment and the passion of the American Revolution by telling stories of ordinary people caught up in an extraordinary time.
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Do you love historical romance novels but wish more were written by Harvard historians? Well, have I got the book for you.
Why didn’t our founding fathers have a sense of humor? At least, if you read most of the historical fiction out there, they had no fun ever.
Enter Blindspot. Okay, not technically about the famous names of history, but it’s a fun look at living in Boston in the 18th century through the eyes of a master portrait painter and a woman who disguises herself as a boy in order to work as his apprentice.
I went looking for lighthearted history because that would be the genre (if possible) for my novel THE PATTERER and the sequel that will be coming out soon.
The authors of BLINDSPOT delivered. Read it and have fun!
Author must have taken a course in historical details but it didn’t engage me as a reader. Didn’t bother finishing it.
The writing style makes this book very hard to get into at first. STAY WITH IT! Soon you will be chuckling and thoroughly enjoying yourself and the story. Highly recommend.
An Eighteenth Century Mystery/Romance
Set in colonial Boston at the time the infamous Stamp Act was being passed, a talented painter close to a life in debtor’s prison in England, finds a new life in Boston. He acquires a talented young “lad” to serve as his apprentice. He soon realizes that the apprentice is also quite talented as a “face painter.” He is totally unaware that his young apprentice is actually a young lady who keeps him fooled as, together, they establish a functioning portrait business. The mystery begins when a champion of anti-slavery sentiment is murdered and the perverted justice system punishes a innocent slave. There are many colorful characters and the reader benefits from the practiced eye of the artist, who also narrates most of the tale. The young apprentice, through letters to a childhood friend narrates other parts of the story. A scholarly effort not diminished by the few typos noted.
Written by two historians, it is packed with history and historical details. An interesting story and written in a different format, using letters, 1st person, documents, and addressed directly to the reader. Different enough that I liked it.
Found this book difficult to get into, so did not finish it. The story, to me, was not very interesting.
This is such an original book and idea. I was intrigued from the first chapter. The authors are skilled writers and historians and use the 19th century literary style to enhance the book. I recommend for any reader of historical fiction who enjoys colonial American history.
A feminist take on Boston in the era leading up to the American Revolution. Thoroughly grounded in actual history, including social mores, the book is in a way an answer to Virginia Woolf’s question “What would have happened to Shakespeare’s sister?” Only instead of a playwright, the protagonist is a budding artist, and a good one.
A clever and engaging mystery that is also a historical take on pre-Revolutionary Boston, abolition and feminism … and it’s a bit of a bodice ripper. Plus it engages your brain – especially if you love history. Loved it!
I rarely do not finish a book. The writing was awful and character development very poor. I do not recommend it.
a different take on historical fiction
One of my Favorite books…..ever!
charming and witty, excellently done in the spirit of the time.
As a history buff I really liked reading fiction based on actual events. As someone who really dislikes romance stories I would have enjoyed the story better without all the love scenes but I understand why the authors wanted to make it clear just how far Fanny had fallen and how experienced she was.
Long. Helps to be interested in colonial history. Some may be offended by the sexual content.