Indie Historical Fiction by Marta Molnar
Surprised by delight
I have no idea how I found this book, whether I read a review or saw a picture of the cover. Regardless, the title and the book art piqued my interest. Of course, it didn't hurt that I've always had a thing for sunflowers, especially since my dad had planted a long line of them in front of our backyard hedge. My parents had an old Kodak film reel of me at the age of six, touching each of the stems, my blonde hair glowing in the sun just like the heads of the giant blooms, as I walked toward the cameraman, my Daddy.
Sixty years later, I think of those heavy-headed stems of brilliant yellow and understand Vincent Van Gogh's attraction to sunflowers. One of my biggest regrets about college is that I never took an Art History class to learn more about the artists and masterpieces of the world. The older I get, the more interested I am in art, so I was delighted when I discovered that The Secret Life of Sunflowers is about Johanna Bonger, a Dutch woman who became Vincent Van Gogh's sister-in-law and brought his work to the world.
To further amp up my interest, I found out that The Secret Life of Sunflowers was a self-published book. Kudos to any self-published author who gets enough publicity that someone like me - unconnected to the author and without agency contacts - to stumble on it. The author also did a good job at getting reviews because multiple ones exist.
The fine line between genius and insanity
If you're looking for a wild adventure story with whirring action, you'll need to look elsewhere. The conflict in The Secret Life of Sunflowers is purely emotional - but altogether uplifting. It chronicles the life of Johanna Bonger who married Theo Van Gogh, Vincent's beloved brother. Johanna moves to Paris to be with Theo, who tries to convince the gallery he works for to exhibit his brother's art - to no avail.
Don't worry if you don't know much about Vincent Van Gogh. I knew only that he liked sunflowers, painted with a lot of yellow, and cut off his own ear. (Although I wasn't really sure why.) Turns out that Vincent Van Gogh was mentally ill. Historians today debate which illness affected him. Was he bipolar? Schizophrenic? Driven mad by sun poisoning? Or poisoned by his consumption of absinthe, which was popular among the French artists of his time.
Think about Johanna. What happens if your beloved husband is both devastated and obsessed with his mentally ill brother? What happens when all your funds are used to support your brother-in-law's asylum stays? What happens if you're a young, pregnant wife in a city where you don't speak the language and you lose what you love most?
Perhaps the most poignant aspect of the book is what mental illness does to families. Theo does everything possible to support Vincent, while Johanna backs Theo every step of the way, even inviting Vincent to live with them, which explains why the walls of their home are covered with Vincent's vibrant canvases.
You may know what happened to Vincent Van Gogh.
What you may not know is what happened to Theo, Johanna Bonger's beloved husband.
Horrifying and heartbreaking.
Pain and passion, prejudice and persistence
After devastating loss, she overcomes pain. Johanna puts her passion for her husband and her brother-in-law's art to work, dedicating her life to having Vincent's talent recognized by the world. Johanna Bonger is a true heroine. Without her, we might never have been delighted by the warmth of light and life in the now globally recognized genius of Vincent Van Gogh's art.
Johanna overcomes the lack of money and status. She doesn't let constant rejection stop her. Johanna Bonger fights - with all she's worth - against the idea that women can't be part of the art world. The story of her passion for a cause and her persistence in winning acclaim for Vincent is a story well worth reading.
The structure of the story
As with so many novels today, The Secret Life of Sunflowers is told through a dual timeline. The contemporary plot focuses on Emsley Wilson, a partner in a business that holds high-priced auctions for Hollywood celebrities. When her grandmother becomes ill, Emsley rushes back to New York. Her grandmother, Violet, is a renowned artist and New York figure. Before she dies, she gifts Emsley with a diary and a stack of letters written in Dutch.
The diary is Johanna's, and that's how the story unfolds, alternating chapters between Emsley and Johanna. Of course, elements of mystery, humor, and secrets pop up in the contemporary story, contrasting and mirroring Johanna's story.
Why would you write under a different name?
The author of The Secret Life of Sunflowers is listed as Marta Molnar. However, it turns out that Marta Molnar is a pen name for Dana Marton.
I have never understood why some authors don't write under their own names. For years, I've tried to build up an audience and a presence for my given name, so it seems like a counterintuitive marketing move.
However, I understand it a little better now. Dana Marton has published multiple books in the romance and fantasy area. Since The Secret Life of Sunflowers is historical fiction, it doesn't fit into her established oeuvre, so she used a pen name. Marton says this:
I released THE SECRET LIFE OF SUNFLOWERS under a new pen nameIt , Marta Molnar, because it's different from what I normally write, but I've been publishing genre fiction for over 15 years as Dana Marton.
You'll leave cheering for determined women!
Johanna Bonger's story is a moving one. A woman who suffers great loss and then dedicates herself to the dreams of those she's lost. A woman who overcomes prejudice against women in the art world and who figures out ways to keep going when her task seems impossible.
After reading this book, I will appreciate the brilliant colors of Vincent Van Gogh's art even more, knowing the back story of the woman who made it possible for me to know it!
Kirkus Indie Review says this:
An engrossing, impeccably researched tale connecting passionate, creative women across time.
The Historical Novel Society notes
Readers will enjoy the two women’s stories, bound by themes of empowerment, determination, and identity.
A great cover hooks me:
In an era when all the books seem to be blaring neon colors and simple block letters, I'm drawn to artistic, pretty cover art, which seems especially important for a book based on a great artist.
Maybe it will reel you in, too!
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