An incredibly intelligent book!!!!! Loved loved loved. What a wonderful way to tell a story.

Thanks so much to the publisher for the copy of it, I really appreciate it! :)

Three timelines, three studies of artist families. ‘Molly & the Captain’ by Anthony Quinn is the story of one painting via three families across three centuries. It starts in Georgian Bath with the artist William Merrymount and his two daughters. His portrait of the two girls, ‘Molly & the Captain,’ intrigues through the centuries and ends up in North London in the current time.
Each of the three parts stands alone, the connections revealing themselves in the final pages. In 1758, Merrymount is a renowned artist. His elder daughter Laura is a promising student and it is she who tells the family’s story through letters to her cousin. When her emotionally brittle sister Molly falls in love with the man Laura had thought to marry, their lives change. Things are not as they appear, secrets are well-hidden even within their household and Laura discovers facts she perhaps would prefer to remain unknown.
In 1889, artist Paul Stransom makes a living painting pictures of his local area, preferring to paint landscapes in parks rather than portraits. Tempted to venture abroad, perhaps to Normandy where colleagues are having success, his plans change when in Kensington Gardens he sees a mother and two young daughters, all dressed in white. When he approaches them, they disappear. Meanwhile his sister Maggie is faced with choosing to marry a man with the means to support her, or the poor man she loves.
In modern-day North London, artist Nell is preparing for an exhibition, a retrospective of her work which should bring long-overdue recognition. Her actress daughter Billie meets a young musician who she is to work with in a film. Horrified by the squat where Robbie lives, Billie suggests her mother take him into her house to replace the lodgers currently moving out of her loft. The consequences impact on all their lives.
This is a book about families, love and loyalty, about how creativity impinges on the privacy of family members and how the conflicts of success are just as difficult to deal with now as in Georgian times. Life – romance, loyalty, self-sacrifice, betrayal, opportunities, failure – always seem to get in the way.
It took me longer to read than I expected although it is not a particularly long book. The pace is slow, Quinn takes times to describe his settings with characteristic care of detail. Essentially this is a gentle mystery, a question runs throughout the three sections: what happened to the painting ‘Molly & the Captain’?
The ending has a wonderful, but gentle, twist. A thoughtful read and one I expect to gain more from on re-reading.
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I loved this book but even I didn’t realise how much until I turned the page to discover it was the last and felt quite bereft. I wanted to keep checking to make sure I hadn’t missed anything! I honestly feel really quite sad to have finished this book but the whole cast of characters will stay with me. The way every character is written so thoughtfully through every period is so good, each one’s story is unique but perhaps not quite so different as common themes are beautifully woven throughout the story. Definitely a recommended read,

Utterly charming historical novel, covering several generations of an artistic family. Like other reviewers, I preferred the first two sections to the third and I particularly enjoyed the first section, telling the story of the titular ‘Molly and the Captain’. I have read several of Quinn’s books and they do not disappoint.

In Georgian England celebrated artist Wm Merrymount paints a picture of his two daughters, a painting which has legendary acclaim. Merrymount's private life is less assured and his talented eldest daughter has to pick up the pieces after his death. Later the sister of an artist has to chose between two men, one a penniless man she loves and the other a man who can offer worldly comforts. A century later a woman artist finds a young man upsetting her life in ways she could not predict and possibly splitting her from her daughter.
Quinnis a superb writer of historical fiction and this is an outstanding novel. The superficial link is art but the story is so much more. In each section there are family dilemmas, linked to time and place, but there are also recurring motifs eg. the drowning. Each section works on its own but the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. A real tour de force.

Unfortunately not my cup of tea at all. Thought I would enjoy the letter and diary entry format but the writing itself felt very quaint, and I was waiting for some more substance.

The most impressive thing about the book is the way the author effortlessly evokes three different time periods. The clearest example is the first section set in the 1780s in which the story is related in the form of the journal of Laura (the ‘Captain’ of the book’s title), daughter of the famous but fictional painter, William Merrymount, and her letters to her cousin, Susan. The prose has the idiosyncracies of style of that period, exemplified in this passage from the opening chapter. ‘Mr Lowther called at the house again. He stayed for an hour & behaved with a Civility I had thought beyond him…. Molly & I later prevail’d on him to accompany Ma on the piano forte.’ Moving between Bath and London we witness how Laura’s desire for recognition of her artistic talent is thwarted by circumstances and social conventions.

The second part of the book, set a hundred years later, was much my favourite section. I loved the character of Paul, a young artist whose disability places limits – sometimes self-imposed – on his achieving the success his talent deserves. His friend, the impoverished Philip Evenlode, is also a wonderfully sympathetic character. I really became engaged in Paul’s story and that of his sister, Maggie, frustrated in her ambition to pursue a university education because of the expectation she will care for their ailing mother. There are some particularly moving parts to the book and, for me, this section could have been a novel in its own right.

The final – and longest – section, set in 1983, is largely a story of strained family relationships. It was my least favourite part of the book not because it’s not well written but because it seemed the most tangential to the story of fate of the painting. I suspect it may be of most interest to those who, like me, have read the author’s earlier book, Eureka, because it features a key character from that book, actress Billie Cantrip. In fact, this section felt rather like a follow-up to Eureka. What Billie did next, if you like. The final reveal of the solution to the mystery of the painting Molly & the Captain didn’t come as much of a revelation to me nor, I suspect, to other observant readers. However it did neatly bring the story full circle providing links between characters separated by centuries.

This is sounding like I didn’t enjoy the book; I did. It’s just I found myself actively seeking out connections between the three sections of the book rather than these emerging unbidden. Having said that, there were some neat touches such as the little ‘time tunnels’ that occasionally open giving brief glimpses of events or characters from earlier periods. If there is a recurring theme to the book it’s the barriers placed in the way of individuals – particularly women – to realising their potential in life, expressing their creativity and being recognised for their talent.

If it didn’t completely succeed for me, Molly & the Captain is still a skilfully crafted novel, impressive in its scope with some wonderfully drawn characters.

I enjoy Anthony Quinn's novels and in fact have read them all to date, This novel is different to his previous ones in that it is told over a period of 300 years.
William Merrymount is a famous Georgian painter. His lost painting of his daughters Moly and Laura aka Molly and the Captain, is the connection down through the centuries.
The first part is told from the point of view of Laura in a series of diaries and letters. The fame of her father's work and the need to protect his reputation as she finds out secrets from his past shape her life. A talented artist in her own right she is overlooked and sidelined in an age where women's roles were defined to fall into particular categories.
The second part is about Paul an artist with a physical disability and his sister Meg set about 100 years after part one. Paul paints a particular type of miniatures of nature but one day his attention is caught by a mother and her children in the park which he included in his painting. An interest threatens to become an obsession.
His sister Meg had to give up her dreams of university to care for their mother till her death. Seeing a painting of a young man one day she decides to buy it for her brother but loses out in an auction. The painting fascinates her and creates a talking point amongst her friends as to who the artist is..
The final part part is set in the early 1980s and follows Nell an established artist, her daughter's and the disruption caused by a young musician who cones into their lives. A TV spot about Nell leads to the discovery of their relationship with the Merrymounts as well as the painting of the young man which comes back on the market.
Nell's daughter Billie from Quinn's earlier novel Eureka makes an appearance but you don't need to have read that novel before reading this one.
I enjoyed this novel which has plenty gone all talk about around the role of women, art, family relationships.

Molly & the Captain is a novel in three parts, set in London across 300 years of history. I'm not sure that the themes are quite strong enough to bind the three eras together: aside from the crossover motif paintings, they feel like very separate stories.

The first two sections I found charming in their own rights - the first an epistolary story set in Regency London, the second a more classical narrative set in the late Victorian period. While the characters aren't particularly complex, they are sympathetic and engaging. I was invested in their individual storylines, and could've quite happily read an entire novel based on either era.

Sadly, I found the third section unconvincing, with shallow characters and a somewhat predictable story arc. It made an underwhelming finish to an otherwise enjoyable read.

Anthony Quinn writes a delightful and compelling novel spanning 3 centuries with 3 stories in different time periods, all connected by art, family, and featuring the well known painter William Merrymount and his famous painting Molly and the Captain, depicting his 2 daughters, Laura and Molly, as children. It's a painting he refuses to sell, despite the ridiculous amounts offered for it, insisting on keeping it as a legacy for his girls, a painting that will go on to echo through time in its connections with so many lives. It begins in 1785, with Laura's journal, relating her close relationship with her father, William, a painter herself, but doomed to never be recognised, partly because she was a woman, and partly through the inevitable comparisons with her father. Her love life is a difficult affair as she faces betrayal, although as we go on to learn that this might have been a blessing in disguise.

She forms a strong friendship with an actress, Lizzie, only to become estranged later. Laura finds herself having to face efforts to swindle her out of the famous painting and it even gets stolen. Engaging with a committed art biographer, she goes on to unearth family secrets. The second story is set in the late 19th century, revolves around the disabled artist, Paul, and his favourite place to paint, Kensington Gardens, a place of ghosts that are set to haunt him. His sister, Maggie, a teacher who had sacrificed her dreams of going to Cambridge, having to take care of her mother, and then to look after Paul. She sees a painting, from the Merrymount school, that she is drawn to, and goes to the auction in the hope of acquiring it, but the price it eventually commands is way out of her league and is a shocking surprise, particularly given its lack of provenance.

The final story is set in more modern times, featuring Nell in Kentish Town, an unrecognised painter in her sixties, who at long last begins to achieve some fame after her appearance on Nationwide. This TV appearance leads to her connecting with an unknown member of her family, and learning of her blood relationship to William Merrymount. She takes in a lodger, the famous young pop star and musician, Robbie Furlong, a protege of her actress daughter, Billie. This is to lead to conflict between mother and daughter that threatens to break the family apart. The painting that Nell buys for family reasons is to yield a unexpected and welcome surprise that provides a circular connection back to the first story.

Quinn examines the nature of art, artistic talent and creativity, inheritance, fame versus obscurity, love, loss, desire, passion, the human flaws of artists, their relationships, through 3 families, and the impact of history and the connections that endure and their repercussions through time. The author skilfully creates a sense of coherence between all the stories, forming a circle between them with uncovered family links and the Molly and Captain painting. This is a beautifully engaging read, I appreciated the distinct characters inhabiting each of the different historical periods and the many inspirations and all too human stories that lie behind being an artist and their works of art. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

A fantastic journey through three generations and three distinctly portrayed time periods. I loved how it evoked London and the art world in the 1700s. The characters are nicely defined and the three sections of the book weave together beautifully pivoting around this single painting.

I'm not too sure how to review this one, I found it a real mixed bag.

The prose is beautifully constructed, and I had an enjoyable time sentence by sentence. I also found the plot an interesting idea, and it held my attention throughout. I all but binge-read it, which is not to say it's a fast-paced book by any means, but more that I was willing to devote great chunks of time to reading it, being fully engrossed enough to spend a whole afternoon with it.

That all sounds positive, right, so why do I call this a mixed bag?

The novel is told in three parts, across different timelines, and the extent to which you can connect to all three sections will determine how you feel about this one. I came for a historical novel, and whilst that is what this is, in part, it also isn't.

I did enjoy the historical nature in some parts (the modern not so much) but I preferred the storyline in the other, and while the characters were all perfectly enjoyable reading, they were also never outstanding in their own right.

I liked some parts more than others, I feel conflicted, I don't know how to rate a book where I so enjoyed elements but not the whole!? I'm giving this a 3.5, rounded down for now... I may need to sit with this one for a while.

This is essentially a book in three sections with the sections Bering linked in place and sometimes person but taking place at different times
I enjoyed the 1st and 3rd sections particularly and found that it was much clearer how these 2 sections related to each other .The second section was for me less memorable .
The first section largely is written in the form of diary writings .I park liked the way that archaic language was used subtly here,this added to the authenticity of these sections .The story is slow moving particularly in the middle section .
I enjoyed the last section the most the characters here for me were more easy to identify with .I loved the character descriptions here which were well defined and interesting .There was also more of a story line in this section and it moved along faster keeping my attention
The author has a clear easily readable prose style
Whilst this book could be described as historical fiction I felt the late 20th century sections were stronger and the story here more character than history lead .There is something for everyone in this novel and would be enjoyed by a range of readers from lovers of historical fiction to those who like women’s fiction

I read an early copy of this book on NetGalley Uk the book is published 27th October 2022

I can’t imagine where you begin researching when you’re writing a book covering such a vast span of time. This was a fascinating and intriguing read. I found the diary entry format of the first section drew me in very cleverly. And the middle section was probably my favourite, the fascinating way he wrote about Paul’s talent as an artist, and his life together with his sister, Maggie. I was thoroughly hooked about what would happen to them and was almost sad when that section ended. It probably took me longest to warm up to Nell and her girls, and yet their stories were just as relevant and their characters just as interesting.
What I loved about the whole book was the strength of the female characters. From Rose to Maggie, to Billie and even the Captain herself. With art and creativity as the thread holding these women together. The whole novel was great to get stuck into and beautifully crafted.

I love a book that spans time periods, but often find that the inevitable result is that the story in one time period is less interesting than the rest- it’s hard enough to write one compelling story, let alone 3 or so! However, Anthony Quinn has no such issue here. His main story thread pulls the reader through the book and through time, weaving a tale with strong female characters and compelling, crafted prose. Gorgeous cover too!

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
From the blurb I was expecting a thriller style book with strong supernatural elements and whilst that was not how I interpreted it, I enjoyed how the painting appeared in each time frame, connecting the storylines together and leaving the book with a cohesive feel.
The author presented the different storylines well with his use of time relevant language and tone. The differentiation of each storyline was clear as a result of the unique voices – this was the strongest element of the book in my opinion.
My favourite part was the middle – the characters were likeable and well developed, and the plot was simple yet very peaceful and I felt like I had been transported into the book which was great. I wish that the haunting had been more prominent in this section, and that it was continued in the rest of the book with a more uncoincidental approach.
To me the first section felt the weakest because of the repeated use of diary entries and slow plot but I liked how each sentence was very thought out with appropriate wording and phrases. The last section was quite sweet and showed the books cyclical structure, but I felt that almost all the characters were unlikable as they made a lot of strange decisions. If the book were to be lengthened with more character development in this section, I think it would elevate the story.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy reading historical fiction with scandals. Thanks again to the publisher, author and Netgalley for letting me read Molly & The Captain.

Fantastic book. I really enjoyed the characters and the structure, which was built around a painting by a father of his two daughters. It’s a good, long read and the female characters are all great. Highly recommend!

It’s very difficult for a book that stretches over 300 years to keep a reader invested in different characters, over different time periods, but Anthony Quinn manages to do that. The weakest characters are the most modern, in my opinion, one of them being somewhat of a cypher.

He is extremely good at period, and in portraying family dynamics, so questions are raised about what gifts are passed on, and to whom, creatively as well as in fact.

The book is obstensibly about a painting and its journey down the centuries, but this is a frame for not just the act of creation, and of painting itself, but the emotional journeys of those involved with it in some way over time.

An absorbing book, written very well by a writer at the top of his form.