Claire McMillan's Alchemy of a Blackbird tells a fictionalized story of artist Remedios Varo. Told through multiple points of view with chapter openings featuring tarot cards, this creative novel follows Remedios and her friends and lovers as they flee from Paris during wartime and find refuge in Mexico. Through all her moves and the people she keeps company with, Remedios learns who she is an artist and a woman. She learns how to transform or "alchemize" her experiences to keep herself inspired, finding the true artist within her.
I didn't know that Remedios Varo was a real person until the end of the novel when I read the author's historical notes about all of the characters and events. So to me, this was just a well-written novel about a woman finding her place in the world - a world that favors men, even men who are more talk than action. I liked the friendship between Remedios and Leonora because it reminded me of myself and my best friend, the way they had inside jokes and liked to read each other's tarot.
After reading this book, I want to look up more information about Remedios and find pictures of her artwork. Apparently, there are some at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, so maybe I'll have to check that out some day!
If you like historical fiction or art or both, then you'll also enjoy McMillan's new novel.
Alchemy of a Blackbird is published by Atria Books and is available to purchase now. I received a free e-ARC from the publisher.
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