Midnight Blue A Novel
Midnight Blue A Novel by Simone van der Vlugt, published by HarperCollins on June 26, 2018, is a historical fiction set in Amsterdam during the Golden Age. This 336-page novel follows the journey of Catrin, a young widow who leaves her small village to work as a housekeeper for the Van Nulandt family. Amidst the flourishing art and science of the era, Catrin discovers her talent for painting under the guidance of the renowned artist Rembrandt van Rigin, leading her to a new life filled with both promise and peril.
As Catrin navigates her new surroundings, she faces challenges that threaten her independence and artistic aspirations. The story delves into her experiences in Delft, where she finds work in a pottery workshop, contributing to the creation of innovative Delft Blue designs that rival imported porcelain. The narrative explores themes of resilience and self-discovery as Catrin grapples with her past and the choices that shape her future. Readers will find a rich tapestry of historical detail intertwined with the personal struggles of a woman striving to carve out her identity in a rapidly changing world.
Official synopsis Publisher
From Simone Van Der Vlugt comes her European bestselling novel of a young woman’s rise as a painter in Holland’s Golden Age—perfect for readers of The Miniaturist, Tulip Fever, and Girl with a Pearl Earring.
Amsterdam 1654: against the backdrop of Holland’s Golden Age, a dangerous secret threatens to destroy a young widow’s new life.
Following the sudden death of her husband, twenty-five-year old Catrin leaves her small village and takes a job as a housekeeper to the successful Van Nulandt merchant family. Amsterdam is a city at the peak of its powers: science and art are flourishing in the Golden Age and Dutch ships bring back exotic riches from the Far East. Madam Van Nulandt passes her time taking expensive painting lessons from a local master, Rembrandt van Rigin, and when Catrin takes up a brush to finish some of her mistress’s work, Rembrandt realizes the maid has genuine talent, and encourages her to continue.
When a figure from her past threatens her new life, Catrin flees to the smaller city of Delft. There, her gift as a painter earns her a chance to earn a living painting pottery at a local workshop. Slowly, the workshop begins to develop a new type of pottery to rival fancy blue-on-white imported Chinese porcelain—and the graceful and coveted Delft Blue designs she creates help revolutionize the industry. But when tragedy strikes, Catrin must decide whether to defend her newfound independence, or return to the village that she’d fled.
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