I had read some of Susan Vreeland’s other historical fiction, Girl in Hyacynth Blue, The Passion of Artemesia, and really enjoyed it, so I picked up a copy of The Forest Lover, Vreeland’s historical fiction based on the life of Canadian painter Emily Carr.

I will admit that I hadn’t heard of Carr before, much to my loss. She is Canada’s most celebrated female painter, although she was hardly recognized in her lifetime.

Living and painting in Vancouver at the turn of the twentieth century, she became fascinated with the native culture that existed in the wild forested areas of western British Columbia. She made friends with many native people and set out to paint their totem poles before they had all but disappeared. This was totally discouraged by polite white society at the time, and even though Carr was an extremely talented painter who had studied in San Francisco, London, and Paris, she found very little recognition of her talent in her lifetime, yet her passion never died.

Vreeland brings her story to life in this wonderful novel, and Carr’s fiercely independent spirit shines through these pages. A fascinating portrait of a truly remarkable woman.