Book Review: The Artist and His Muse

'Perfection can only be attained when you push yourself to your limit, stretch and reach beyond that limit, and then do your very best merely for the sake of trying. You can do this, but you must believe it is possible.'



The Artist and His Muse is one of The Wordmage's Tales, accompanying The Apprentice Storyteller. The apprentice has learned from master storyteller, Viola Alerion, and now he performs these classic tales from the Haldrian Empire in his own right.
This 'story in a story' is connected to The Apprentice Storyteller through the presence of the storytellers themselves but can be easily read as a standalone.

Jo (Viola’s apprentice) starts to tell a tale of an artist trying to accomplish a seemingly impossible task and finding a muse to inspire him along the way. Young artist Othenio, famous for his talent, dreams of becoming the personal painter of a famous duke. A respected position that all artists covet but none were able to acquire. The duke has a special test the artists must pass before he'll consider hiring them and Othenio is determined to succeed. To do that however, he must paint something extraordinary and regardless of how good his work is, something seems to be missing. An elusive something he cannot figure out. Until a bedraggled young woman dressed in rags points it out.

Darla lives her life as a scavenger on the streets. Dirty and bedraggled, she is someone most people avoid and prefer to not see. And yet, when she is drawn to Othenio's painting and tells him what she thinks may be the missing piece, the young artist sees her. Not her filthy clothes or her bedraggled appearance, but her as a human being.

'There was something about her. She was more than she appeared, and it intrigued him.'

With the inspiration Darla provides, Othenio achieves the impossible. He passes the Duke's test. But looses sight of Darla in the process. And that is how their story begins.

The experience changes Othenio and forces him to realise the dream of becoming the duke's painter is meaningless when he's left something more important slip through his grasp. The mysterious woman who inspired him and seemed to be so much more than her appearance suggested.
While Darla is faced with perhaps the hardest choice of her life when she decides to take a chance and help a desperate man get back up on his feet.

Beautifully written and with an ethereal feel, the story of Othenio and Darla is one of those inspiring tales for the heart. It speaks of love, in it's purest form - that connection between two souls without sexual attraction. It tells you about chances taken and dreams pursued but most of all, about embracing one's true self, faults and all, and using that as a step stone to reach a better future. It talks about pain embraced and regrets faced, about having the courage and determination to take a chance and embrace change, even when it's terrifying, and also face those deepest inner fears, all in an altruistic gesture - to help another soul.

The Artist and His Muse is a poignant character driven story that's both evocative and inspiring. Beautiful, elegant, ethereal.
I read it in one sitting and highly recommend it to all fantasy lovers who appreciate beauty and meaning in their tales.

Happy reading everyone
and remember,
"The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away."
- Pablo Picasso

Check out this book and more of Astrid V.J. over at https://www.elisabethandedvard.com/