Madame Picasso

By: Anne Girard

Narrated by: Leslie Carroll

Length: 14 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

The mesmerizing and untold story of Eva Gouel, the unforgettable woman who stole the heart of the greatest artist of our time.

When Eva Gouel moves to Paris from the countryside, she is full of ambition and dreams of stardom. Though young and inexperienced, she manages to find work as a costumer at the famous Moulin Rouge, and it is here that she first catches the attention of Pablo Picasso, a rising star in the art world. A brilliant but eccentric artist, Picasso sets his sights on Eva, and Eva can't help but be drawn into his web. But what starts as a torrid affair soon evolves into what will become the first great love of Picasso's life.

With sparkling insight and passion, Madame Picasso introduces us to a dazzling heroine, taking us from the salon of Gertrude Stein to the glamorous Moulin Rouge and inside the studio and heart of one of the most enigmatic and iconic artists of the 20th century.

©2014 Diane Haeger (P)2014 Recorded Books

Interesting historical fiction

Interesting premise and historical fiction. I didn't find the story to be very believable nor were the characters very likable. I would give this 3.5 stars

I beautiful memoir of a love affair.

The book gives a behind-the-scenes look at Pablo Picasso and two of his women. It is a historical romance that will take you back to the days of avant-garde in arts and the people who surrounded them in Paris during the beginning of the 20th century. It also gives some insight into Picasso and how he worked.

I am not an admirer of Picasso but I remember hearing about his life and loves and, yes, I had heard of Eva Gouel. I am new to the genre of historical novels and this one has made me take a closer look at others in the genre. I definitely recommend this one.

Very interesting

I liked how the story puts a personal feeling to the artist Picasso.
It is a very sad story in many levels

I don't write reviews - except now

I don't write reviews. However after my reaction to this book and audio performance I must..
It first I had a list of "issues•~ mainly with introducedher accent and long pauses...... I head no reason to peruse but I did.
Without regret- the story is beautiful with - an love story and all art buffs will admire

Romantic and Engaging!

Would you consider the audio edition of Madame Picasso to be better than the print version?

Absolutely

What did you like best about this story?

The passion and internal struggles transferred from Pablo Picasso. You found yourself cheering for him

Which character – as performed by Leslie Carroll – was your favorite?

Ava - so bold, brave and clever.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes - I cried very emotionally. As I said - you find yourself rooting for them.

Any additional comments?

Wonderful. I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much had I read it in print. Leslie Carroll's voice pulls you in immediately. Well done.

OK - not great

disclaimer - I adore the Outlander series of book by Diana Galbaldon, narrated by Davina Porter. They made me love historical fiction. I am always searching for more like it. The story and performance of Madame Picasso does not come close to the perfection I find in listening to the Outlander books, and maybe it's just not fair to use those books & Davina's performances as a measuring stick for other books. That being said, I was able to finish this story, it was OK, but I didn't love it. I didn't really end up caring so much for the characters that were depicted and I never got a vivid feel for that specific moment in history or the places that were described. The accents by the narrator seemed 2nd rate to me. I would probably not recommend it to anyone I know, especially to those I know who are already familiar with the quality of story and performance of the Outlander books.

Ok

This was an ok book in my opinion, the thing that bothered me was this women was just too perfect.
No flaws were in her character, making her a little unbelievable

I couldn’t stop listening!

I rarely write a review unless the book was exceptional and this book was! The narrator did a great job also and really brought the characters to life. I dreaded the story to end. I highly recommend.

Picasso - The Early Years

Factually-based, historical novel about the relationship between Pablo Picasso and a young French woman, Eva Gouel. They met and fell in love during the period 1911 and 1914. The story was a little repetitive, but for those who like historical fiction it provided an excellent description of Paris life in the early 20th century. The narrator did a terrific job with the various accents and characters.

Narrator's Accents Unnecessary

The narrator's Spanish accents did not add to the performance. Otherwise, I enjoyed the presentation.