Computer Times
September 2006

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Reviewed by Angie Kibiloski

Camille Claudel: A Novel (Retail $19.95), written by Alma H. Bond, is a fictionalized biography, written in the form of Camille's own memoirs. The truth is that Camille Claudel was a female artist who had to deal with the very male dominated field of art in the late 19^th century. She created beautiful sculptures, had a lengthy love affair with the sculptor Auguste Rodin, and ended her life confined to a mental asylum in France. The novel takes these facts and expands upon them to paint a picture of who Camille was, who she loved, what inspired her, and how she devolved into a weakened mental state.

Camille is a character who has true depth of feeling, and is easy to relate to. You'll be drawn in to her thoughts and her world, and become a part of her very quickly. And when she begins to lose herself to her mind, the change is written so delicately that you will be well on the way to the asylum before you even realize that you are living in unreality. Alma Bond has done a masterful job of capturing this sympathetic artist on the page, and giving her the life and recognition that she has been due. Camille Claudel: A Novel was a genuine pleasure to read, and I was sincerely sorry when the last page was turned. I could have lived with Camille for many more chapters. Absolutely brilliant.

Alma H. Bond

Publish America, 2006

ISBN: 1-4241-1670-8

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