Flames

'MAGNIFICENT. Feels destined to be a classic...I loved it and REFUSE to accept it is a debut. It's simply too good., Katie Lowe, author of The FuriesVienna, at the beginning of the 20th century, is an exhilarating social whirl, a city of ideas, of music, of groundbreaking art, lead by Gustav Klimt until the arrival of his scandalous protegee, Egon Schiele. Into this world come four women, each with their own story to tell:ADELE: passionate, fierce, obstinate. The daughter of a bourgeois family, she rails against the strictures of her class and yearns for freedom.GERTRUDE: spirited, single-minded, possessive. The sister to budding artist Egon Schiele, she longs for an exciting life away from their tempestuous family home. VALLY: determined, independent, proud. A model for celebrated artist Gustav Klimt, she has carved her way out of poverty and is now forging a brave new path for herself.EDITH: quiet, conventional, loyal. Or is she? Younger sister to Adele, Edith is overlooked and wonders if there is another version of the woman she might become.Four flames, four wild, blazing hearts, longing to be known. In an elegant bohemian city like Vienna, everything seems possible - until an act of betrayal changes everything. For just as a flame has the power to mesmerize, it can also destroy everything in its path . . .'Thought provoking and illuminating - I so enjoyed discovering the world and the women behind works of art I adore., Kate Sawyer, author of The StrandingThe four women who loved Schiele come back to life, combining an exquisite sense of place and era with a passion and sensuality that transcend time altogether., Isabel Costello, author of Scent'I knew nothing of Egon Schiele. I'm now obsessed, and heartbroken for all four women. An unforgettable book about wanting more for ourselves than we are told we are allowed.', Ericka Waller, author of Dog Days