This was a cool story; I loved how much of this story took place in and around art. I also loved how much information about art Carolyn Leiloglou was able to fit into this story and still keep you interested in what happened to the characters.
The idea of restorationists and distortionists was unique and I am looking forward to reading future books in this series to learn more about what they can do. ( )

Though named after Vincent van Gogh and loving to paint when he was younger, 13-year-old Vincent wants nothing to do with art anymore, after realizing that he’s not as good as he hoped he’d be. So when his parents leave him with his great-uncle Leo, a painting restorer, during spring break, Vincent expects to be bored. He expects to be lectured about art. What he doesn’t expect is to fall into a painting of van Gogh’s Starry Night and find out that he has the ability to travel through paintings. Then his little sister gets lost inside the same painting, and it’s up to Vincent and his strange cousin Georgia to find her.

Full disclosure: I am not an art lover; in fact, I’ve never had more than a cursory interest in even famous paintings. Yet I really enjoyed this book and can say that one does not need to be really into van Gogh, Rembrandt, etc. to read and like the book. The author does a good job of allowing the reader to tap into the enthusiasm of the characters in the book, even Vincent, who tries to convince himself he doesn’t care about art anymore. The focus on that in the narration got a little repetitive and almost caused me to lower my rating by half a star. However, the story and characters outside of that, and the payoff to Vincent’s attempt at being dispassionate about art are all wonderful, so I couldn’t bear to give the book anything less than 5 stars.

As Vincent and Georgia try to track down Vincent’s little sister, they come across others that can travel through paintings—others whose intentions are not exactly noble. And Vincent comes face-to-face with his own worst qualities in a very real way. But in a fantastical twist, he also comes face-to-face with the One who sees everything he is and still loves him. I don’t want to say anymore about this, because it was the absolute high point of the book for me, the moment that I knew I was going to recommend this book to everyone, young and old, and that I will read it again and again in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for providing me a copy of this book to review. ( )

“Beneath the Swirling Sky” is a creative fantasy story with focuses on the power of art and staying true to oneself. I was initially drawn in by the cover art, featuring Vincent van Gogh’s painting “Starry Night” as the backdrop. The story starts a bit slow, but the adventure soon picks up the pace. It reminds me of the classic television show “Night Gallery” with the ability to travel through paintings.

The central message of embracing talents and using them for good is clear. The unique characters, witty dialogue, and creative worldbuilding are engaging, but I found it a bit challenging at times to fully connect with Vincent.

The art history, vivid descriptions, and spiritual themes offer meaning, and the origin of characters’ names and culture of the Restorationists and Distortionists gives added depth to the story. I hope to read more in this middle-grade series that offers a blend of art history, mystery, spirituality, and magic.

First Line: Vincent should have been spending spring break at the beach or Knott’s Berry Farm or at least having a video-game marathon with his friends.
Series: The Restorationists
Genre: Children’s Fantasy, Children’s Adventure
Author: Carolyn Leiloglou
Page Count: 304
Reading Age: 8-12
Content: Magic, mention of nude art

#CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions are 100% mine. ( )