Disobedient

“Silence has always been difficult for Artemisia Gentileschi, the immensely talented daughter of an alcoholic painter who knows that her gifts are far greater than his own. Elizabeth Fremantle homes in on the infamous rape case that tarnished Artemisia’s adolescence even as it ultimately freed her to become one of the most accomplished artists of her era.”

"This is [Fremantle's] best work, her equivalent of Gentileschi’s painting Judith Slaying Holofernes. Disobedient is vivid, unflinching and sometimes justly furious."

“Elizabeth Fremantle deftly paints Artemisia [Gentileschi]’s painful but inspiring story in her latest biographical fiction, Disobedient. The attention to detail –– so necessary in a narrative filled with painters –– is absolutely engrossing. Disobedient was everything I’d hoped for and so much more. Fremantle has immense talent and tells the story of an amazing and inspiring woman with wit and certainty.”

“Dazzling. Fremantle breathes new life into history: Artemisia is a powerful protagonist, and Disobedient is taut, fast-paced and as painterly as its heroine’s canvases.”

“In a novel as vivid and powerful as the paintings made by its main character, Fremantle tells the story of Artemisia Gentileschi, Renaissance artist and feminist icon. Imbued with historical detail and suffused with imagination, this is an exceptional work of biographical fiction.”

"Fremantle fleshes out the painter’s artistic calling, friendships, inner world, and navigation of life after a sexual assault with sensitivity and expressive, engulfing prose."

“Based on real-life events, Disobedient is narrated from Artemisia’s perspective. One of the few women of her time to be given an opportunity to work as a painter, Artemisia is still considered one of the most important artists of the Baroque era. Disobedient honors the artist’s perseverance and fight for artistic freedom.”

“Artemisia’s life was extraordinary, and so is this book. I was swept away by lush, evocative prose. An unforgettable, moving and important story told with great skill and care.”

“I could not put this book down. Every woman – and man – should read it. Shocking, gripping, Fremantle has crafted a tale that vividly evokes Baroque Italy by portraying a strong, assertive women. Splendid!”

“An unputdownable, empowering story of revenge, ambition, and how women overcome adversity. Reading this book feels like being immersed in Artemisia’s art: her passionate need for revenge, and the exploration (and condemnation) of male voyeurism. With a fierce heroine at its heart, Disobedient places Artemisia as one of the greatest painters in history.”

“A great female artist struggling for her voice and for justice is brought to powerful life. Brilliantly researched, rich in detail, grippingly written, Disobedient is the novel Elizabeth Fremantle was born to write.”

"[Artemisia Gentileschi's] determined, passionate character is triumphantly depicted in Fremantle’s immersive new novel. Fremantle’s characterizations and descriptions of life in 17th-century Rome are word paintings as vivid as Artemisia’s, and the gripping, well-constructed plot will captivate historical-fiction and suspense readers from the first page."