The Painter's Butterfly
by Rebecca Weber
Have you ever felt like you just didn’t belong? Well, that is the story of Nova’s life! She has bounced from home to home through foster care, but she hasn’t found anywhere she can truly fit in.
Nova is an orphan who has been in the foster care system her whole life. Through some tough circumstances, she has learned to never become attached to anyone or anything, or they might be taken away. After a failed escape attempt from a foster care facility, Nova is sent out to the country to be with a new guardian, Mr. Russell.
Mr. Russell lives in an old, run-down house with his trusty dog, Amigo. He clearly is not used to being around people, and Nova is nervous about living with him. She’s nervous, that is, until she sees her bedroom. Nova nicknames it the sunshine room, because it seems to be bathed in light. Unlike the rest of the house, her room is perfectly kept up and clean. However, she knows better than to get too comfortable and decides to run away as soon as she can.
One stormy night, Nova escapes through her window and is on the road to freedom when she is stopped by a kitten. Knowing it cannot survive the storm, Nova returns back to Mr. Russell’s house with the kitten in hand. Unfortunately, the storm has made Nova sick, and she is incoherent for a few days. As Nova recovers, she is surprised to find Mr. Russell isn’t angry at all! He just wants to make sure Nova’s okay, and he even gets her a sketchbook to help her on the road to becoming an artist.
Nova slowly begins to find her place in life with Mr. Russell. She even makes a new friend in her neighbor, Mac. However, it is clear the house is filled with secrets Mr. Russell has no intent to share. Ever curious, Nova explores the house, discovering hidden keys, ancient letters, and a mysterious room that seems to glow whenever Mr. Russell enters.
My favorite part of the book was when Nova discovers what Mr. Russell has been keeping in the attic. Because there was so much suspense, unearthing the mystery was especially satisfying!
If I could change one thing about this story, it would be the lack of dialogue. There is an overflow of imagery and description, but it makes the dialogue seem bare and lacking. If the description and dialogue were slightly more balanced, I believe it would improve the book as a whole.
Will Nova unearth the mysteries of the house? Will she find her place in this world? Or will everything crumble around her, leaving her life in ashes? As I always say, read the book to find out!
A few helpful things I like to say about the books I read:
“Run and Get Mom” (how I describe the scariness factor – zero being not scary at all and fivebeing majorly scary): 2
“Yucky-Lovey Stuff” (how I describe the romance factor – zero having no yucky-lovey parts in it and five having major yucky-lovey parts): 1
I give this book 4 wands.
This was an amazing story! The imagery and details were absolutely stunning, and the artist viewpoint was especially unique! The theme of hope is important no matter what age or life you’re currently living, and it can clearly be seen in this novel!
Source: Review Copy