Book Review: The Engraver’s Secret by Lisa Medved

“Two women, a mysterious map and a family secret spanning hundreds of years – a stunning, moving and electrifying art history thriller for fans of Dominic Smith, Pip Williams and Lauren Chater set around the life, times, and feuds of the artist Peter Paul Rubens. What do you do when the weight of betrayal grows too heavy to bear?”

Goodreads blurb for The Engraver’s Secret

Review:

I’m a sucker for art history, and I haven’t read many (if any) books set in this time period and setting. How could I not pick up this book?! 

Following a past and present timeline, we get glimpses of the Netherlands in the 1600s. Antonia’s father, Lucas, works closely with Peter Paul Rubens. At the end of Lucas’ life, he leaves Anotnia with a secret that disrupts her life and her family’s legacy. In present-day Belgium, Charlotte moves to Antwerp after the death of her mother, intent on studying Rubens. However, her studies take an unexpected turn. Nothing is as it seems. 

I loved the writing in this book and found the first two pages especially gripping. Although I was more into the historical plot, I felt it wove into the modern plot fantastically. However, I admit that by the end of the book, I was let down by Lucas’ secret. It played out well, and I guess for me, it didn’t feel all that it was built up to be. 

What I enjoyed the most was the way the author captured the historical atmosphere. I liked learning tidbits of history that I’m not too familiar with, and of course, I loved the element of art. 

A huge thanks to Harper360 for sending me a free ARC of the book!

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The focus on art. I’m not super familiar with Rubens’ work, so that was fun.
• I liked the inclusion of Catholicism in that era, though some interpretations were inaccurate. It didn’t feel malicious, just misinformed.

What I didn’t like:

• Ran longer than it needed to. The pace felt inconsistent, especially with the historical chapters moving along more slowly than the modern.
• Again, I felt like Lucas’ secret was going to be so much bigger than it actually was after the introduction.

Afterthoughts:

It was fun to branch out with my historical fiction reading! I’ll be keeping my eye out for this author’s upcoming releases.

Where to buy the book: