“Haunting … teems with raw emotion, and McCullough deftly captures the experience of learning to behave in a male-driven society and then breaking outside of it.”—The New Yorker “I will be haunted and empowered by Artemisia Gentileschi’s story for the rest of my life.”—Amanda Lovelace, bestselling author of the princess saves herself in this oneA William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist2018 … one
A William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist
2018 National Book Award Longlist
Her mother died when she was twelve, and suddenly Artemisia Gentileschi had a stark choice: a life as a nun in a convent or a life grinding pigment for her father’s paint.
She chose paint.
By the time she was seventeen, Artemisia did more than grind pigment. She was one of Rome’s most talented painters, even if no one knew her name. But Rome in 1610 was a city where men took what they wanted from women, and in the aftermath of rape Artemisia faced another terrible choice: a life of silence or a life of truth, no matter the cost.
He will not consume
my every thought.
I am a painter.
I will paint.
Joy McCullough’s bold novel in verse is a portrait of an artist as a young woman, filled with the soaring highs of creative inspiration and the devastating setbacks of a system built to break her. McCullough weaves Artemisia’s heartbreaking story with the stories of the ancient heroines, Susanna and Judith, who become not only the subjects of two of Artemisia’s most famous paintings but sources of strength as she battles to paint a woman’s timeless truth in the face of unspeakable and all-too-familiar violence.
I will show you
what a woman can do.
★”A captivating and impressive.”—Booklist, starred review
★”Belongs on every YA shelf.”—SLJ, starred review
★”Haunting.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
★”Luminous.”—Shelf Awareness, starred review
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Blood Water Paint is a historical fiction novel written in verse about seventeenth-century artist Artemisia Gentileschi who’s rape by painter Agostino Tassi and the seven-month trial that followed were quite infamous. To verify Artemisia’s testimony she was tortured by thumbscrews that broke her hands.
I haven’t read many verse written novels but this one was an absolute gem. When I found out about the book I already had a strong feeling that it would be just my kind of read and I’m so glad that I turned out to be right. I just love when that happens.
Aside from Artemisia’s story we were also told about the biblical stories of Susanna and Judith as told as bedtime stories by Artemisia’s mother when Artemisia was just a child. And as the synopsis says Susanna and Judith are two of Artemisia’s most famous paintings, so I just love that the author added those to the story in this way.
Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough was wonderful and powerful as well as heartbreaking and poignant. I will forever recommend this book to my fellow readers.
Blood Water Paint is an excellent addition to my verse collection. It is a strong and powerful book that will stick with me for the years to home. Artemesia is a strong character that shows her emotions through painting. Along with her mother’s stories, Artemesia has the strength to stand up for herself in a time period that didn’t except that men did anything wrong. If you’re looking for a book with strong female figures, Blood Water Paint is for you.
88. (excerpt) pg. 252
-Look at the sibyls, love. –
Five women sit in judgment,
spread across the heavens.
-Women who speak truth.
And listen to me, love.
When a woman risks
her place, her very life to speak
a truth the world despises?
Believe her. Always. –
The stories were poignant and at times heart wrenching, yet uplifting and empowering. It’s about a young woman who lived in a time where a woman was not acknowledged for her talents, where women’s bodies were not their own; thought and treated only as property to use, abuse, or barter. Artemisia thinks she has a chance to get away from her father-a man who takes credit for her work-but instead suffers a betrayal at the hands of a man who was supposed to be her savior.
When Artemisia uses her voice to speak out her truth…she’s the one put on trial and made to bear a cruel punishment that threatens to destroy the one thing that defines her, her ability to paint. She takes strength and courage from two women in her mother’s stories, Susanna and Judith. Women who fought their own battles and tribulations.
Written in both Artemisia’s and her mother’s POV, they’re stories of courage. Stories that while painful to read at times, managed to convey a message to me. That women-then and now-are strong and resilient. Women endure. Women overcome.
pg. 291
99. I will show you
what a woman can do.
Very beautifully written true story, cleverly done in poetry. It was a very quick read that just couldn’t be put down.
Absolutely beautiful, spellbinding historical novel in verse. Artemisia Gentileschi’s story is a fascinating one and this telling of it is gorgeous.
Sometimes it’s a bit hard for me to write why I loved the book so I’ll leave you with this section that really spoke to me. If it does the same to you, you might just love it too:
“Women who speak truth.
And listen to me, love.
When a woman risks
her place, her very life to speak
a truth the world despises?
Believe her. Always.”