I Am Rembrandt's Daughter
*Starred Review*  After her mother dies and her beloved brother moves away, 14-year-old Cornelia is left alone with her father, Rembrandt van Rijn, who works in poverty after wealthy patrons denounce him. Growing up "in the shadow of Vader's instability," Cornelia craves convention; she reads books such asMaidenly Virtuesto learn proper comportment for young women. Then she develops a warm friendship with handsome Carel, heir to a shipping fortune, and she imagines a future of wealth, decorum, and the outspoken love she rarely feels at home. Many authors have imagined the lives of famous artists from a child's viewpoint. Cullen's novel is noteworthy for its emotional depth and sensitive development of characters. Readers will learn about Rembrandt and his art--his radical painting style, his belief that God directed his brush. Around these facts, Cullen creates a powerful family drama, fleshing out father and daughter into whole, heartbreaking individuals whose inner lives are glimpsed with acute sensitivity. Flashback chapters, which heavily foreshadow a shocking family secret, feel somewhat disjointed, and the ties to artwork seem forced. Readers will overlook any bumps in the narrative and sink into this absorbing, romantic story of a teen who upends her worldview and, in doing so, grows into herself. An author's note, character list, and notes about paintings mentioned in the text are appended.Gillian EngbergCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved