When her father commissions a famous artist to paint her portrait, Louise Eeden reluctantly agrees. In the studio Louise unexpectedly finds freedom to be herself. But someone has been watching her every move...
Category: Accelerated Reader - Middle Years, Children's fiction, Historical Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
Themes:
Issues, Family Relationships, Friendships, Personal Challenge, Difference, prejudice, intolerance, History, Visual and Performance Arts, Politics, Boy/Girl/Teen Relationships
Series:
The Louise Trilogy
Book 1: The Louise trilogy
Winner of the Bisto Book of the Year Award 2004
As the daughter of a wealthy Dutch family, Louise Eeden knows that certain things are expected of her. When her father commissions a famous artist to paint her portrait, she reluctantly agrees.
But lately things have started to move too fast in her life. Somehow everyone believes she is engaged to Reynier de Vries; a marriage that will bring about the merger of two respected pottery businesses.In the studio with Master Haitink and his gangly apprentice, Pieter, Louise unexpectedly finds freedom to be herself.
But someone has been watching her every move, and her deepening friendship with Pieter has not gone unnoticed. Behind the scenes, a web of treachery and deceit is gradually unravelling, leading to a brutal and shocking confrontation.
And fate has yet another surprise in store for Louise Eeden.
His first book, Katie's War, is about the civil war period in Ireland; it was published in 1997. Katie's War has recently won the Peter Pan Award 2000 -- an award created by IBBY Sweden for a children's book, translated into Swedish, which gives information on another culture.
Wings Over Delft, the first book in the Louise trilogy, won the Bisto Book of the Year overall award in 2004.
'The gentle love story takes the reader through dark intrigue, religious unrest and the palpable, cultural atmosphere of life in a Dutch city, to an unexpected conclusion. A well-tailored and absorbing read for adults as well as for age 12-plus.'
'A story full of individual stories, each of which contributes to a final picture which is immensely rich and colourful ... It is one of Flegg's most impressive achievements that he portrays so credibly a society (and indeed a Europe) on the verge of numerous forms of discovery, not least about itself ... An assured piece of writing which more than fulfils the promise expressed in the Whitman lines which serve as its epigraph: "You shall listen to all sides and filter them from yourself".'
'an exquisitely crafted novel which will stay in the reader's memory long after the closing pages are read.'
'I found myself captivated ... And as for the sequel? Can't wait.'
'A wonderful story set in a very exciting time, the quality of the writing is superb and the ending unforgettably moving. A must for the school library.'
Download Teaching Guides: Teaching guide to the novel by Liz Morris
