Synopsis: This book is based on fact but uses fictitious elements to bring the tale of Cornelia, Rembrandt’s teenage daughter, alive. She is thirteen and the book explores her past, her present, her relationships and her growing sense of identity and belonging.

Review: Seventeenth century Amsterdam is brought alive in this enjoyable and intriguing book. The chapters alternate between Cornelia’s past and her present, and the author skilfully draws together the threads of the story to a satisfying conclusion. The historical detail is convincing yet unobtrusive, and the character of Cornelia is believable. She suffers the typical agonies of any thirteen year old girl, discovering love, dealing with parents, her brother, and her own dreams and emerging self identity. There are also mysteries to be uncovered: why wouldn’t her father marry her mother? who is the man with the golden moustache? why won’t her father paint the paintings that people want to buy? As the book unfolds, Cornelia discovers things about her life that encourage her to see the people around her in a new light.

Rembrandt's Daughter is fast paced, lively, and I would recommend it to young readers and adults alike.

2008-03-08