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The Woman Who Heard Color

The Story

Lauren O'Farrell, an "art detective," has made it her mission to retrieve invaluable works stolen by the Nazis during the darkest days of World War II. Lauren's dogged quest to learn more about the activities of a woman art dealer in Munich leads her to eighty-two-year-old Isabella Fletcher, who Lauren believes is the woman's daughter. The wealthy Isabella lives alone in a luxurious Manhattan apartment, surrounded by art, her life darkened by the shadow of a terrible secret-that years ago her mother was rumored to have collaborated with the Nazis, assisting in a museum cleansing of "Modern Art," condemned by Hitler.

As Isabella gradually reveals her mother's story, Lauren learns that the truth is much more complicated than she had imagined.

Based on historical events, set against a backdrop of sweeping museum purges, the warehousing of thousands of paintings in Berlin, and an auction in Lucerne on the eve of World War II, the story is ultimately one of a woman's belief in artistic freedom, her love for family, and her struggle to survive.

The Story Behind The Story

Kelly Jones didn't start out with the intention of writing a novel about art censorship during the early years of the Third Reich. Her interest in this particular era began with a desire to know more about the modern art movements in Europe and a fascination with the life of artist Wassily Kandinsky. Russian by birth, Kandinsky received his initial art education in Munich, a city vibrating with creativity and innovation at the dawn of the twentieth century. As Hitler gained power, Kandinsky's art, as well as that of other non-traditional artists, was condemned and labeled "degenerate."

A story, originally intended to revolve around Kandinsky, was overtaken by an ambitious Munich art dealer named Hanna, a woman who shared not only the artist's love for creative expression but also a condition known as synesthesia, a blending of the senses. Hanna is THE WOMAN WHO HEARD COLOR.

Reviews for THE WOMAN WHO HEARD COLOR

At the start of this intense and richly detailed novel from Jones (Lost Madonna), Lauren O'Farrell, an art detective, interviews 82-year-old Isabella Fletcher about a missing Wassily Kandinsky painting, a masterpiece last seen before WWII. Lauren's queries open a Pandora's box of agonizing dilemmas. Did Isabella's mother, Hanna, whose synesthesia allowed her to "hear" colors, but dead now 60 years, collaborate with the Nazis in looting Jewish-owned art, or was she a hero, saving "degenerate" paintings from the bonfires? Through Hanna's firm and authoritative voice, we learn of her trajectory from a native Bavarian farm girl to an art critic prized by the Nazis, beginning with her impulsive trip to Munich in 1900 and her employment and eventual marriage to Moses Fleischmann, an important art dealer. Hanna eventually catches the attention of Hitler himself. While at times totally implausible (would Hitler have a private lunch with the widow of a prominent Jew?), this story puts a wonderfully imaginative spin on art and history. (Oct.)
--Publishers Weekly

Mix of senses lead to sensational book by Boise author . . . Jones entwines three perspectives, two continents, and two different time frames in this book. She tells the 20th century story of Hanna as she grows into womanhood, marries, develops a career and begins to raise a family while Germany moves toward its darkest days. And she also writes the 21st century story of how Isabella relates what she knows of her mother's activities to Lauren, and of how Lauren fits that into her changing understanding of the circumstances and consequences of Hanna's activities during World War II. . . . Readers will become deeply engaged in the task of piecing together Hanna's experiences with Isabella's recollections. "The Woman Who Heard Color" is at once heartbreaking and uplifting. It does indeed sing - of love, creativity, sacrifice, courage. Copyright 2011 The Bellingham Herald. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
-- BARBARA LLOYD MCMICHAEL, October, 2011. Bellingham Herald

. . . Fascinating in its vivid detail and synchronicity, the juxtaposition of these three women's lives are drawn with a strong and historically viable hand. As Hanna's complicated and mysterious past unfolds, so too does Isabella's need to see her mother vindicated. And through the power of acceptance and unshakable belief in principles greater than herself, Lauren finds that she's in a position to right a wrong that is wholly different than the one she set out to expose.
-- Dish Magazine, issue 127, October 2011

. . . The Woman Who Heard Color makes it clear that circumstances can force people into making less-than-ideal choices, yet holds out the ideal that one can always choose the best within limited possibilities. Hanna emerges as a courageous, spirited, and quick-thinking woman. It's a thoughtful book, rich in history, and an engrossing read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
-- 5minutesforbooks.com

. . . Chapters alternate between Lauren's and Hanna's perspectives, with an occasional interlude from Isabella's point of view. The story, however, clearly belongs to Hanna, who begins her working life as a maid in the home of a major art dealer, and then evolves into an influential figure in the art world in her own right. Along the way there's music, education, and love, until the rising power of the Nazi party takes over everything and everyone she cares about. This well-crafted story offers a nuanced portrait of life between wars, then behind Nazi lines, and is based on true stories of people who risked everything to keep the German culture of the time from perishing forever.
-- Helene Williams, Historical Novels Review, issue 58, November 2011

. . . I thoroughly enjoyed The Woman Who Heard Color. I'd also heartily recommend it. It's simply fascinating. It is fiction and fact woven together in a glorious manner, telling an interesting story and giving the reader pause. Loved it. Definitely one of my favorite reads this year!
-- Readingtoknow.com