Painting the Light: A Novel

Written by Sally Cabot Gunning

Narrated by Eva Kaminsky

From the critically acclaimed author of Monticello and The Widow’s War comes a vividly rendered historical novel of love, loss, and reinvention, set on Martha’s Vineyard at the turn of the nineteenth century.

Martha’s Vineyard, 1898. In her first life, Ida Russell had been a painter. Five years ago, she had confidently walked the halls of Boston’s renowned Museum School, enrolling in art courses that were once deemed “unthinkable” for women to take, and showing a budding talent for watercolors.

But no more. Ida Russell is now Ida Pease, resident of a seaside farm on Vineyard Haven, and wife to Ezra, a once-charming man who has become an inattentive and altogether unreliable husband. Ezra runs a salvage company in town with his business partner Mose Barstow, but he much prefers their nightly card games at the local pub to his work in their Boston office, not to mention filling haystacks and tending sheep on the farm at home—duties that have fallen to Ida and their part-time farmhand Lem. Ida, meanwhile, has left her love for painting behind.

It comes as no surprise to Ida when Ezra is hours late for a Thanksgiving dinner, only to leave abruptly for another supposedly urgent business trip to Boston. But then something truly unthinkable happens: a storm strikes, and the Portland sinks. Ezra and Mose are presumed dead.

In the wake of this shocking tragedy, Ida must settle the affairs of Ezra’s estate, a task that brings her to a familiar face from her past—Henry Barstow, Mose’s brother and executor. As she joins Henry in sifting through the remnants of her husband’s life and work, Ida must learn to separate truth from lies and what matters from what doesn’t.

Painting the Light is an arresting portrait of a woman, and a considered meditation on loss and love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Jun 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9780063096653

Sally Cabot Gunning

Sally Cabot Gunning lives in Brewster, Massachusetts, with her husband, Tom. A lifelong resident of New England, she is active in local historical organizations and creates tours that showcase the three-hundred-year history of her village. She is the author of three “Satucket novels” (The Widow’s War, Bound, and The Rebellion of Jane Clarke), as well as the historical novels Benjamin Franklin’s Bastard and Monticello.

Reviews for Painting the Light

[gbelik_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An excellent story, well told.

[eyes92c · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Gratifying read!I was somewhat tentative about Ida Pease’s story at the start. By the time I reached the last page I was utterly enthralled, at moments aghast, although rarely relieved.Set in Martha’s Vineyard in the early twentieth century, Ida is a gifted portrait painter who before her forlorn marriage had gained a place at the Museum of Fine Arts School, Boston. Ida’s painting time slides away after she marries Ezra. During her marriage she’s devolved into a much put upon wife, a sheep farmer and unpaid worker, an unappreciated daughter-in-law, and finally a widow. Widowhood brings about both ownership rights problems and economic struggles. Ida discovers the scam artist her dead husband was. Her mother-in-law is a rigid tyrant. Idea grows into herself, a woman who seeks to find her voice in a society against women’s rights, and a cyclist—a gift bringing newly appreciated freedom, which includes a repositioned passion for painting.As Ida slowly uncovers the degree of deceptiveness practised by her husband and his partner Mose Barstow, she comes into contact with Mose’s brother Henry. They work on unravelling both estates. Again more shocks! It’s Henry who introduces Ida to bicycles. Despite his assistance it’s up to Ida to make her own way as she wades through a mountain of deception, of opportunity and rejection.Ida swirls. She’s coherent and incoherent. Sure of herself and then awkward. Too willing to appease others, scared to trust herself and closed off. Watching Ida grow is both exhausting and exhilarating. Her struggles giveaway to self awareness and renewed directions. There’s pathos and lost moments, alongside enlightening and delightful vignettes. A surprisingly satisfying dénouement.A William Morrow and Custom House ARC via NetGalley

[maryreinert · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I should have like this more, but for some reason the characters did not become alive to me. Set at the turn of the century, Ida Russell has found herself in a loveless marriage living on Martha's Vineyard. She has studied painting before marriage and would love to continue with her art work, but is stuck on a sheep farm that belongs to her husband's family. Her husband and his friend have disappeared in what seems to be a ship wreck and the farm ownership has been taken over by his mean spirited aunt and her daughter.One of the more interesting parts of the story is the background of women's suffrage that is beginning to have an effect on the women. I'm surprised there aren't more stories written about the struggle women had dealing with this issue - not the leaders but the everyday women who had to stand up against family.The story has a mystery to it when Ida finds gold hidden in the closet. Really, it is a pretty good read.