"The Painted Girls" by Cathy Marie Buchanan ****

• Audiobook
• US author
• Originally published in 2012
• Setting:  1878 Paris, a ballet school 
• Review:  Yes, I know....another bit of fiction built around famous artwork.  Ho hum!  Wait a minute!  This novel apparently is closely tied to historical fact and is actually quite well done. The writing is straightforward, which I found to be true for this author's previous work.  The characters are young, impoverished women who aspire to a better life found via the ballet, in particular, three sisters from a very poor family.  Only one has real talent, and the other two try but fall into what was , apparently, a common path.  Seeking to survive they model for artists, in this case, Degas, and must tolerate some really disgusting men, who nonetheless help them to provide sustenance to their family.  The family of three really did exist, and the model for the Degas statuette referred to frequently was actually one of the sisters.  Not a happy tale, and unfortunately quite realistic.  Well done!