The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit

Gr 6-10–Victoria’s super strict mother won’t loosen her parental reins. The teen constantly feels like she is in an argument that she cannot win, when all she really wants is a little freedom and understanding. When her mother drags her to an art museum, and she sees a painting that is absorbing and mysterious, the unbelievable happens. Victoria is transported from the 1960s to Paris in 1882, when the painting was being created. It is here she is introduced to John Singer Sargent, the artist behind the masterpiece that captivated her, and the Boit sisters, the subjects of the absorbing work of art. Victoria begins to discover a darkness that presides over the Boit family as she befriends the two youngest sisters, Mary Louis and Julia. It is up to her to discover answers and hopefully stop an evil from happening as she moves between her own time and theirs. The plot and dialogue feel a bit rushed at times, but the historical accuracy from many of the characters would prove to be a great discussion starter for an English, art, or history classroom. Additional research, based on characters being introduced by this novel, would aid in educating students about the art and literary world of that time.