The Bottom Line
The Painter from Shanghai, from first-time novelist Jennifer Cody Epstein, tells the fictionalized story of Pan Yuliang, a real woman who was one of the most prominent -- and controversial -- painters of the 20th century. Superbly written, Cody Epstein’s novel paints its own haunting and inspiring tale of the woman who went from being sold into prostitution to exhibiting her paintings in the finest salons in Paris.
Pros
- Pan Yuliang’s life story is at once sad and inspiring
Cons
- Some of the events of her life are so improbable—despite being true--the reader becomes skeptical
Description
- The Painter from Shanghai by Jennifer Cody Epstein was first published in March 2008.
- Publisher: Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
- 416 Pages
Guide Review - 'The Painter from Shanghai' by Jennifer Cody Epstein - Book Review
Jennifer Cody Epstein’s novel, The Painter from Shanghai, tells the story of Pan Yuliang, a post-impressionist painter from China. As a young girl, Yuliang was sold into prostitution by her uncle, but life in a brothel didn’t break her spirit. Eventually freed by a local official who took her as a second wife, Yuliang’s life took a turn for the better, and her new husband encouraged her to study politics and to nurture her love of painting.
Pan Yuliang’s life unfolded against the backdrop of a dramatic change in Chinese culture and politics. Cody Eptein does an excellent job showing how the personal truly was the political for Yuliang and her husband. From a small town in China to Shanghai to Paris, Yuliang followed her desire to paint, often paying a great price for her passion.
Cody Epstein’s book does not claim to be historically accurate, but it combines historical truth with the personal intensity of fiction -- the result is a powerful and educational novel.
