A new Nancy Bilyeau book is always something to look forward to. I’ve loved everything I’ve read by her so far: her Joanna Stafford trilogy, about a nun displaced in Tudor England after the dissolution of the monasteries; Dreamland, set in a Coney Island amusement park; and The Blue, a wonderful historical thriller involving spies, art and the race to create a beautiful new shade of blue. The Fugitive Colours is a sequel to The Blue and another great read; the two books stand alone, so it’s not necessary to have read the first novel before beginning this one, although I would recommend doing so if you can.
It’s 1764 and Genevieve Planché, heroine of The Blue, is now a married woman running her own silk design business in Spitalfields, London. With the help of her two young assistant artists, Caroline and Jean, Genevieve is beginning to find buyers for her silk designs and is determined to make the business a success. However, she has not given up on her dream of becoming a serious artist and when she is invited to a gathering at the home of the portrait painter Joshua Reynolds, it seems she could still have a chance of achieving her ambition.
This in itself would have been the basis for an interesting novel – a woman trying to build a career for herself in what was still very much a male-dominated field – but there’s a lot more to the story than that. Due to the parts played by Genevieve and her husband in the recent search for the blue, their names have come to the attention of some very powerful people who are hoping to enlist them in further conspiracies. Yet again Genevieve is forced to wonder who she can and cannot trust, but this time one wrong decision could mean the end of her dreams, the loss of her business and even the destruction of her marriage.
The Fugitive Colours is perhaps not quite as exciting and fast-paced as The Blue, but I found it equally gripping. Set entirely in London, it’s a very immersive book taking us from the Spitalfields workshops of the Huguenot silk-weaving community to the grand homes of the rich and famous and the nightlife of Covent Garden. While Genevieve and most of the other main characters are fictional, we do meet some real historical figures too – not just Joshua Reynolds but also Giacomo Casanova, the Earl of Sandwich and the fascinating Chevalier d’Eon. I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of the 18th century art world, the snippets of information I picked up (not coming from an art background myself, I didn’t know what ‘fugitive colours’ were, but now I do), and the insights into how difficult it was for women like Genevieve and the real-life Frances Reynolds, Joshua’s sister, to gain recognition for their work.
I hope there will be another book in the Genevieve Planché series as I think there’s certainly a lot more that could be written about her. If not, I’ll look forward to seeing what Nancy Bilyeau decides to write next.
Thanks to Lume Books for providing a copy of this book for review via NetGalley.
This is book 21/50 read for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2022.
She Reads Novels 
This sounds good–as does the previous book.
Yes, they are both great books!
I may have not liked Bilyeau that much because I read only the middle book in her trilogy. I might try The Blue, because that sounds interesting.
I remember the middle book in that trilogy being quite confusing, even though I had read the first one, so it probably wasn’t a good place to start.
Maybe that was the problem.
This sounds brilliant and I haven’t even heard of Nancy Bilyeau, seems I must put that right. I might start with Blue.
It’s a shame Nancy Bilyeau isn’t better known. I think The Blue would be a good one to start with.
I think the 18th century is the old I know least about – at least in the ‘modern’ era. Historical fiction is a great way to get the feel for the time and give you hints/desires to know more about the actual history. I think I’ll check this author out…
LOL – Not ‘old’ but ONE! Re-Read *BEFORE* you post CK!
Don’t worry, I knew what you meant! Yes, I often find that reading historical fiction can be a good way to introduce yourself to a subject or time period before picking up some non-fiction later on to fill in the gaps.
I think I need to try this author again based on your enthusiasm! I did try Dreamland but the beginning seemed so cliched, although I do enjoy New York settings, and I suspected it would turn into a series full of unlikable characters. I returned it to the library unread. Maybe I should just try a different book of hers.
I enjoyed Dreamland, mainly because I’d never read a book with a Coney Island setting. If you didn’t like that one, it might still be worth trying The Blue and this one, as they are quite different.
Thanks for introducing me to Nancy Bilyeau, I’m loving The Crown and just ordered The Blue.So exciting to find a new author.
You’re welcome, Joan! I’ve loved all of her books and The Blue is one of my favourites – I hope you enjoy it.
I read the Joanna Stafford books but I haven’t read this series yet..
Thanks for sharing this book with the Hist Fic challenge!
I loved the Joanna Stafford books, but I think this series is even better.