In 1899, Louis Comfort Tiffany was preparing for the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris. A group of young women worked tirelessly to fulfill Tiffany's vision for his stained-glass works of art. As soon as one of the women married, she was forced to leave the company. When Emilie Pascal arrived from Paris to New York City seeking a job, the Tiffany Glass Company was short-staffed, and they never uncovered that the young artist was hiding the fact that her father was a notorious art forger. Emilie is hired and befriended by Grace Griffith who is also hiding her own secret. Together with the other women, the "Tiffany Girls" help to produce some of the most beautiful and coveted decorative art of the day. And the leader of the department, Clara Driscoll, not only manages the women, but is creating some of the company's most intriguing and original designs.
Author Shelley Noble's The Tiffany Girls is a very entertaining book which provides a fictionalized depiction of these talented women who didn't get credit for their work. Some of the characters, like Driscoll, Alice Gouvy and Agnes Northrop, are true-life figures. The book describes how these magnificent works of art were meticulously and skillfully created. And while the women were not acknowledged publicly, Tiffany was a rare employer in that he paid them fairly. And outside the world of Tiffany, the book effectively weaved in the struggles of the lower and middle class, fighting for better working conditions and pay as well as other social changes. I find that the mark of good historical fiction is not only learning something new but the desire to keep exploring the subject matter. You will find yourself pausing to look up some of the actual works of art. Even if you're familiar with these legendary pieces, you'll surely gain a new perspective and perhaps an even greater appreciation.
Many thanks to William Morrow for the opportuning to read this entertaining book in advance.
Rated 4.25 out of 5 stars.
Historical Fiction.
Publication Date: May 9, 2023.
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