Book set in Paris – The Age of Light, Whitney Scharer

Submitted: 4th February 2019

A novel of the Parisian Art World -Lee Miller & Man Ray

Lee Miller and Man Ray were decadent artists at the peak of their decay. This novel takes these real life personalities and weaves a captivating tale of the art world in the 1920s and 1930s.

This is a novel of smoky cabarets, opium dens and wild parties. Jealousy and ultimately, betrayal.

Book set in Paris – The Age of Light, Whitney Scharer

#Bookreview

I have to admit that before reading this novel I had never heard of Lee Miller and had only heard of Man Ray in passing. Well this was an eye opener! If you’re an art fan, you’re going to be able to indulge in this pretty early on, but although it took me a little longer, it didn’t read like a debut!

The nuances, shades of light and dark of the Paris art world are captured like literary photographs on every page. The story of how two such iconic figures of the art world met, fell in love and then separated allows the author to draw the reader across Paris. We follow them through the atmospheric streets to the artistic corners of the city from the parks and pubs to the bars. It’s all very French, and the mentions of the food, drinks, chats in the corner are all very arty and apt for the time and setting.

BookTrail the locations in the novel

What jolted me out of the story was the graphic sex scenes and in a lesser way, a little niggle was the use of Man’s name as it sounded like “Man did this whilst woman did something else”. Just me I know, it was his name after all, but it made the text read very strange at some points.

Oh but to be transported to the silken lusciousness of Paris and the artists of the time. Picasso and all the greats are there, some emerging artists too and all on the backdrop of the Second World War. I would have liked to have read more about this thread if I’m honest but I suppose that would be another book in itself.

I do think there should be a mention of Man Ray and Lee Miller at the start of the book as you would read it differently and appreciate it more. Or maybe that’s just my small knowledge of the art world coming through. Lee Miller says “I’d rather take a picture than be one.” That’s the thing about this book- it’s all so visual and you do get a very good picture of both Lee and Man.