A dangerous intimacy emerges between a French teacher and a former student who has achieved art world celebrity; the painting of a portait upturns both their lives. Jean-Philippe Blondel, author of the hugely popular The 6:41 to Paris, wins still more acclaim for a new and riveting novel about a strange and troubling pact between artist and sitter.
"A striking variation on the theme of the muse, this novel probes overlapping varieties of attraction ... It veers toward the erotic, quickening the painter’s search for the model’s soul—'a term that disintegrates the moment you try to define it.'"
—The New Yorker
"Captivating ... The novel flies by with gentle humor, but it also poses complex questions about the meaning of art and sexuality, and offers an elegiac look at late middle age ... Irresistible, and the story’s fundamental kindness sets it apart."
―Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
"Blondel’s book, aided by [Alison] Anderson’s deft translation, is the genuine article: an emotionally taut portrayal of late-in-life, post-marriage drift."
―The New York Times
"A short philosophical novel about art, time, and memory ... A subtle and at times radiant read."
―Kirkus Reviews
"Blondel imbues ... [this] story with the quietly fascinating, understated, true-feeling complications of real life."
―Booklist
"Blondel writes superbly."
―Le Monde
Praise for The 6:41 to Paris :
"A strong plot and a touching portrayal of how any of us might feel when unexpectedly confronted by the detritus of young love ... A timely reminder that the past is always waiting to ambush us."
―The New York Times Book Review
by Jean-Philippe Blondel
Translated from the French by Alison Anderson
Jean-Philippe Blondel was born in 1964 in Troyes, France where he lives as an author and English teacher. His novel The 6:41 to Paris has been acclaimed in the United States and across Europe.
