2026 #23 The Modigliani Scandal (Follett)

The Modigliani Scandal by Ken Follett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Published under a pseudonym (Zachary Stone) in the 1970s before Follett reached his fame, The Modigliani Scandal is an entertaining look at the follies of the art world, and a reasonably good "mystery" of sorts. The back-of-the-book blurb would have it: "A high-speed, high-stakes caper from the grand master of international action and suspense." High-speed is pushing it a bit--the plot only really picks up speed in Part III, "Figures in the Foreground," but it is good fun. None of the characters are particularly likeable, although I daresay I was originally rooting for Dee, since she needs the "lost Modigliani" for her thesis. Certainly there is intrigue, but as stakes go, they aren't that relatable unless you happen to be in the art world running a gallery. The best part for me is how Follett sets up the denouement at a pub, but then steps back from it before revealing what happens inside that pub. That kept me reading and made for an entertaining ending.

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Challenges on Storygraph (@rebcamuse):

2026 Reading Goals 23/60

#192030 Challenge:1976

Tackle Your Physical TBR 2026 challenge: 14/18

2026 #1 Intermezzo (Rooney)

 

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.75

I started this book in August and then I put it down. Peter and Ivan did not immediately catch my interest, so I moved on to other things. But I returned, and I'm glad I did. I don't love the "no dialogue-styled-as-dialogue" aspect, although I appreciated it more when I was invested in a moment that was more meaningful to me. I enjoyed the last quarter of the book the most, wherein the five main characters start to come together. We spend a lot of time in the heads of Peter and Ivan, and I started to grow tired of the both of them, but the cool move here is that Rooney shows us (eventually) how they start to grow tired of themselves. That's what made the book for me. I'm glad I read it.

Challenges on Storygraph (@rebcamuse):

2026 Reading Goals: 1/60

Tackle Your Physical TBR 1/18

#192030 Challenge: 2024

Litsy #WickedWords 2026 (January):

Pawn

Knight

Rook