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The Artist

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The Artist

By: Lucy Steeds
Narrated by: Tanya Reynolds
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About this listen

 SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT PRIZE 2025
LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2025
A RADIO 4 BOOK AT BEDTIME

'A furiously romantic, sun-drenched mystery . . . The Artist will leave you yearning in every sense of the word' Yael van der Wouden, author of The Safekeep

'The Artist is a lush, impressive debut; the writing is rich and sensuous, especially in descriptions of food, the landscape and the act of creation. Lucy Steeds is one to watch' The Times

'Dextrous and powerful . . . a hugely accomplished portrait of ambition and self-fulfilment' Guardian

'The year's most lauded debut novelist . . . A sultry, headily perfumed portrait of monstrous male egos and oppressed overlooked women . . . The Artist uncovers its secrets by stealth' Telegraph

'A blaze of a book, poetic, passionate and quietly powerful' Daily Mail

'This compelling, evocative debut will transport you to idyllic, sun-drenched Provence in 1920 . . . An absorbing, poetic read' Mail on Sunday

'Captivating . . . with imagery as lush as an oil painting' Washington Post

'Enthralling . . . the descriptions of the landscape, the meals they eat and the art created are so rich and evocative it's as if you're there' Good Housekeeping

**BEST BOOKS FOR 2025 from Stylist and Good Housekeeping**

PROVENCE, 1920

Ettie moves through the remote farmhouse, silently creating the conditions that make her uncle's artistic genius possible.

Joseph, an aspiring journalist, has been invited to the house. He believes he'll make his name by interviewing the reclusive painter, the great Edouard Tartuffe.

But everyone has their secrets. And, under the cover of darkness, Ettie has spent years cultivating hers.

Over this sweltering summer, everyone's true colours will be revealed.

Because Ettie is ready to be seen.
Even if it means setting her world on fire.


'Lucy Steeds transports the reader with her sensuous depictions of food, art, and landscape . . . an assured and atmospheric debut' Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent

'An intoxicating tale of creativity, possession and freedom. An impressively assured debut which asks questions about all those who are painted over by history' Joanna Quinn, author of The Whalebone Theatre

'I could not love this beautiful novel more . . . the final chapters left me with that delicious heart-bursting feeling, full of hope and delight' Florence Knapp, author of The Names

'Gorgeous . . . Steeped in the heat and atmosphere of 1920s Provence, this novel brims with intrigue, hope and yearning' Elizabeth Macneal, author of The Doll Factory and The Burial Plot

'Phenomenal . . . beautiful, pacey historical fiction, vividly realised. It drifts with the scent of summer, the land lit up and throbbing, the food piled high and richly painted, the paint as thick and buttery as food. I wanted to eat it. Yes, I even wanted to eat the paint. Read this book!' Seth Insua, author of Human, Animal©2025 Lucy Steeds (P)2025 Hodder & Stoughton Limited Historical Historical Fiction Heartfelt
All stars
Most relevant  
I enjoyed the tale but really wanted to shake some of the characters and give them some backbone

Well written and narrated

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I can't believe this is a debut! A really moving, fascinating look at being close to a great artist at a pivotal time in history. What it means to be a creative, and the role it plays in the lives of those around you. Very clever. I like the focus on the three main characters with a few supporting characters. It served the intesntoy of the plot well.

A slow burning fascinating look at artistry

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I enjoyed this book so much and hope there could be another about artists and painting with such wonderful descriptions.

Wow !

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I love those book. the pure passion drips on every page,leaving a hunger for more...

an outstanding story

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It took me a little while to get into The Artist, but the second half told a brilliantly powerful story about the suppression of women, in this case in the arts, and what some women will do to be seen.

A brilliantly powerful story

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A stunning novel with wonderful character development. The rich descriptive language sets you right there in the farmhouse and the characters’s experiences. You can tell Steeds has studied world literatures and her work reminds me of a number of writers. She has pulled them all together and wove her own writer’s voice beautifully.

Beautiful debut

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A fabulous listen, very well narrated. An exquisite story which I hugely enjoyed. Highly recommended

A stunning and beautiful book

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This is one of the best titles that I have listened to on audible. The descriptions are true to life and quite breath taking. The characters ring true. The erotic scenes are beautiful and subtle. It has inspired me to improve my own painting

Beautifully descriptive story

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This is a story of despair, repression and unrequited longing. It is beautifully illustrated with words that enable the reader to enter the minds of the three protagonists and understand their passions, what drives them and how complex human relationships are.

The novel literally paints with words the social history, experiences of a repressed and trapped child then woman set against the backdrop of the interwar period.

A masterful and moving novel, expertly narrated and leaving you wanting to know ‘what next’.

A tale of feminist emancipation

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There is a hint at the start of where the story will go, but that just adds to the mystery which slowly unfolds. There is some horror in this story and a good deal of misery. But hope too. I loved it.

Well crafted and original

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