Today’s post comes to you from Brenda Rupp
Few heroines in historical fiction fight for survival as fiercely as Catrin in Midnight Blue. Catrin is thrust into survival mode after the death of her abusive husband, leaving her to manage the farm alone while rumors swirl through the village surrounding his death. Still grieving the loss of her child, she is determined to reinvent herself and flees her village and family to strike out on her own. She finds work in Amsterdam as a housekeeper, but her past continues to shadow her. Eventually, she carves out a new life in Delft, painting pottery for a widowed shop owner. The novel moves briskly as Catrin struggles to escape the rumors and heartbreak that continue to follow her.
In Midnight Blue, Simone van der Vlugt does an incredible job of portraying Catrin as a strong, independent, and resilient woman as she fights her way through rumors, bribery, loss, suspicion, and hardship while finding a new path for herself far from family support. It becomes easy to root for Catrin as she discovers her passion for painting and does not allow hardship to stop her from following her dreams. From the opening pages, Catrin’s situation is compelling and immersive. Readers are pulled in immediately, wanting to know whether Catrin will succeed and follow her dreams or be crushed and accused of a crime. Her struggle invites the reader’s empathy and support. Readers find themselves rooting for her to be strong-willed and stand up for herself.
Fans of historical fiction will be captivated by the history of Delft pottery and the way the industry developed during the Dutch Golden Age. Art lovers will also appreciate the glazed Delft ceramics and the development of this craft during the same period. Those who enjoyed Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Miniaturist, and Tulip Fever will appreciate the atmosphere and rich historical detail of Midnight Blue.
TITLE: Midnight Blue
AUTHOR: Simone van der Vlugt — website — international page
TRANSLATOR: Jenny Watson – currently Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. LinkedIn.
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins Publishers, 2018. Originally published in 2016 as Nauchtlbauw by AmboAnthos in the Netherlands.
On their webpage, HarperCollins provides a link to sample text as well as a sample of the audiobook.
ISBN: 9780062686862
You can buy a copy of Midnight Blue here or find it in a local library. (Book purchases made via our affiliate link may earn GLLI a small commission.)
Brenda Rupp has been a librarian for nine years and currently works at the American School of Warsaw in Poland. A farm girl from small-town Idaho, she has spent the past 11 years teaching abroad in China, South Korea, and Poland, after 11 years of teaching in the United States. A former math teacher turned librarian, her reading passions include historical fiction, realistic fiction, and memoirs, though she is always happy to pick up a good thriller or fantasy novel. Becoming a librarian has been a long-time dream, and the greatest joy of her work is helping students discover a love of reading. With a bachelor’s degree in physical education and mathematics and a master’s degree in library science, she enjoys the perfect combination of her passions as a teacher-librarian and after-school sports coach, bringing together reading, athletics, and an active lifestyle.
Instagram: brendysue28 / Facebook / LinkedIn
Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of GLLI.
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