Performance art doesn’t do anything for me, say, but reading about it offered me a new perspective. Maybe there’s more to it than meets the eye? Maybe I’ll be able to appreciate Duchamp’s Fountain at some point? Who knows. The fact that Charney led me to analyze my tastes is a testimonial of a good writer.

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Scandals, rivalry, shocking behavior oh my! These are themes that, as a society, we tend to obsess over. We scan the tabloids in the check out line, follow celebrities online to watch every move they make and if two celebrities are at war with each other we eat it up even more. Are scandals and misbehavior ever a good move though? You may be surprised by the answer.

In The Devil in the Gallery, Charney goes in search of an answer to the question to what extent shock, scandal and rivalry have made the art world what it is today. Through incredibly well researched stories we find out that many of the worlds best artists through time have furthered their career and gained not only jobs but approval by critics and the masses alike. A great example of this is the intense rivalry between Raphael and Michelangelo sometimes bordering on the petty side but without foul play there would be no Sistine Chapel. And that's only the beginning.

The Devil in the Gallery is an extremely accessible gem of an art history book with a twist. Personally I love Art and am a devoted supporter of the arts as a whole but art history is something I had not previously been able to spend too much time researching art history beneath the surface basics and this book was perfect for me! It was captivating, enthralling and beautiful. This book is sure to be groundbreaking and will appeal to the masses, no experience required!

Thank you to Netgalley, Noah Charney, and of course the publishers for making this book a reality and for providing an advance e-copy in exchange for my honest review. It was a true pleasure to dive in to this book and I can't wait to dive in again and again, exploring every path hinted at in this book.