Product Description

"I'd heard about him but had never seen him, the foreigner with the funny name who wandered the countryside painting pictures."

F rom a talented new author comes a poignant and haunting novel of creation and desire, passion and madness, art and love.

A young prostitute seeking temporary refuge from the brothel, Rachel awakens in a beautiful garden in Arles to discover she is being sketched by a red-haired man in a yellow straw hat. This is no ordinary artist but the eccentric painter Vincent van Gogh—and their meeting marks the beginning of a remarkable relationship. He arrives at their first assignation at No. 1, Rue du Bout d'Arles, with a bouquet of wildflowers and a request to paint her—and before long, a deep, intense attachment grows between Rachel and the gifted, tormented soul.

But the sanctuary Rachel seeks from her own troubled past cannot be found here, for demons war within Vincent's heart and mind. And one shocking act will expose the harsh, inescapable truth about the artist she has grown to love more than life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23005 in Books
• Published on: 2009-10-01
• Released on: 2009-10-13
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780061765278
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. In a knockout debut novel, art historian Bundrick (Music and Image in Classical Athens) brings Vincent Van Gogh's paintings and personal story to vibrant life. While Bundrick takes many liberties (recorded in an author's note) in her fictionalized account of Van Gogh's affair with her narrator, fille de maison Rachel Courteau, she gives Rachel such a believable voice that the proceedings seem genuine. At 35, Van Gogh meets lovable spitfire Rachel while surreptitiously sketching her in a garden. Having taken refuge in an Arles brothel after the death of her parents, Rachel greets Van Gogh as a customer not long after, and soon feelings blossom between them. Visiting friend Paul Gauguin and the cloud of Van Gogh's madness undercut the couple's bliss, as do financial troubles and Rachel's life at the maison, where she's kept a virtual prisoner. While infusing well-known historical moments (like Van Gogh's infamous self-mutilation) with vivid details, humanizing Van Gogh and putting his famous works in context, Bundrick generates an impressive volume of suspense, delight and heartbreak. (Oct.)
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Review
"Bundrick's well-executed historical-fiction debut will appeal to readers interested in artists and the dark forces that shape their fates." (Booklist )

"In a knockout debut novel...Bundrick brings Vincent VanGogh's paintings and personal story to vibrant life...an impressive volume of suspense, delight and heartbreak." (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )

About the Author

Sheramy Bundrick is an art historian and professor at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. Sunflowers is her first novel.

Customer Reviews

Interesting Perspective on Van Gogh's Life
I can't remember when I first heard about SUNFLOWERS by Sheramy Bundrick, but I immediately knew I wanted to read it. As you already know, I am a huge fan of historical fiction; and I kept hearing this book compared to GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING which I happened to lov. I also thought the cover was just stunning -- a picture of Vincent Van Gogh's Sunflowers. Needless to say, I had a really strong suspicion that I was going to like SUNFLOWERS; and guess what... I did! SUNFLOWERS captured my attention from the very beginning, and I didn't want to put the book down (even after I finished it.)

To be honest, I really didn't know much about Van Gogh except for that unfortunate ear incident. Of course, I am somewhat familiar with his paintings especially Sunflowers, Irises, and a Starry Night; but I knew little about his life. I guess I knew that he had some mental issues, but I might have just assumed that because he cut off his ear. That's one of the reasons that I was so anxious to read SUNFLOWERS -- I wanted to know more about Vincent Van Gogh. I am so happy to say that I found this fictional account of Van Gogh to be extremely interesting.

What I loved so much about this book was how the author decided to tell Van Gogh's story. While the book was about the last two years of Van Gogh's life -- his art, his love life and especially his mental illness, the story was actually told in first person by Rachel, a prostitute who had fallen in love with Van Gogh. It really was Rachel's story. I thought Ms. Bundrick did an excellent job developing Rachel's character and making the reader sympathize with her.

SUNFLOWERS does give the reader some insight into Van Gogh's troubled life, but I think at the very core, the book was a love story. My heart absolutely went out to Rachel from the first few pages. She was a young girl who was forced into prostitution when both of her parents died. She was immediately swept off her feet by Van Gogh, and she was continually optimistic that he would eventually marry her. She was so devoted to him and even stood by him throughout all of his "episodes." At times, I got frustrated by her naivete and unconditional love for Van Gogh; however, I couldn't help but be reminded of her unfortunate circumstances -- she really just wanted a happy ending. My heart especially went out to her after Van Gogh died. All of her dreams were shattered; butt she still found the strength to go on. I found this book to be tragic in so many ways, yet the book managed leave me with a feeling of hope.

SUNFLOWERS is Ms. Bundrick's first novel and it's just a terrific debut! It's obvious to me that not only did she conduct a lot of research to write this book, but that she is also very passionate about the subject matter. (Ms. Bundrick is an art historian and professor at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.) I thought she did an amazing job of incorporating the facts of Van Gogh's life into this fictional story; and, I was also impressed with how well she developed the characters. I sincerely hope that Ms. Bundrick is working on her next novel, and I'd love for it to be about another artist!

I know that my book club would absolutely love to read and discuss SUNFLOWERS. I think the basic consensus among our members is that we all enjoy historical fiction, and I think SUNFLOWERS is a great example of a discussion worthy book. There is a seventeen question reading guide in the back of the book which delves further into many of the topics I thought about while reading this novel. Some of the topics for discussion include the meaning of the title SUNFLOWERS, perception versus reality, and mental illness. In addition, many groups would find it fascinating to analyze many of the book's characters and their actions.

A nice first outing for a new author
First time author and art historian Sheramy Bundrick takes a character who is a mere footnote in history - a prostitute by the name of Rachel was presented with Vincent Van Gogh's severed ear by the artist himself - and spins an artful (pun intended) tale around what-might-have-been. Told from the first person POV, Rachel awakes from a nap in a city garden to find a odd gentleman sketching her - and a new friendship begins that quickly turns to love - although Rachel's love is strongly tested when Vincent begins displaying bouts of madness and he is hospitalized and eventually taken away from Arles and Rachel. Can their love survive? Can Vincent overcome his madness and marry her? If you don't want to know the answers before reading the book stay off the internet.

Outside of a few minor quibbles, I found this was a very entertaining, albeit a quick and light read (heh, after Wolf Hall anything would be light and easy). I'm not terribly fond of the first person narrative, although it did work well here, especially seeing Rachel's reactions to Vincent's madness as well as to his paintings (nicely done), but it did box the author in when she had to use *letters* between Rachel and Vincent later in the book. There was more black and white in some characters than I care to see (argh! the prostitutes with the heart of gold), and perhaps some of the language (especially the cursing) was a bit too modern. Although I haven't a clue how any Frenchman (in this century or the last) swears so what do I know? Rachel seemed to have a touch too much freedom, both coming and going from the brothel as well as when Vincent was in the asylum - but those are all minor nits on an otherwise engaging tale.

A big thumbs up on the author's notes telling us what is known and what was not as well as when she *fudged* a date or two to make her story work. I like to see that - now if Ms. "historical entertainment" could learn to do that. This is a solid first entry into the historical fiction field and I look forward to who or what she'll write about next - love the art angle and want to see more.

moving novel of a tormented artist and the woman who loved him
Rachel, the young woman who narrates this tender novel, makes her living in a brothel where she has landed through bad fortune. First meeting the 35-year-old Vincent van Gogh as a customer in their town of Arles in the south of France, she soon begins to fall in love with this moody, sometimes sickly and brilliantly gifted man. He needs and loves her but is obsessed by his work, hasn't a penny and is supported by his brother; it is also unlikely that his good middle-class family will accept her. Even as they promise to marry each other and somehow make a life together, he begins his periodic collapses and intermittent weeks and months of madness which force him into a hospital where she often cannot even see him. Eventually his brother moves him far away near Paris, and still their passionate letters and hopes continue.

It is interesting that within the pages of SUNFLOWERS, it is first Van Gogh whose brilliant if erratic light shines over all the chapters like the sun over fields at midday and slowly, as the book progresses, Rachel emerges more as a person until you finally see that though he is the genius, she is the stronger one and the one who will actively struggle to make a life for both of them even with his bouts of madness. When he collapses, she goes on; when he can decide nothing, she makes plans as she can. Still, without money and with his brother deciding Vincent's course and mostly with Vincent retreating again and again, Rachel's struggle is momentous. The final chapters (I will not divulge them here) were particularly moving to me. It made me want to read it all again.

Anyone who loves novels about artists and the passion to create should read this book.

I am the author of MARRYING MOZART and CLAUDE AND CAMILLE: A NOVEL OF MONET (April 2010).