Get our Best Book Club Books of 2025 eBook!

BookBrowse Reviews A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline

Summary |  Excerpt |  Reading Guide |  Discuss |  Reviews |  Beyond the book |  Read-Alikes |  Genres & Themes |  Author Bio

A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline

A Piece of the World

A Novel

by Christina Baker Kline
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus (7):
  • Readers' Rating (47):
  • First Published:
  • Feb 21, 2017, 320 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Jan 2018, 384 pages
  • Rate this book

Reviews

BookBrowse:


The author of Orphan Train brings to life Andrew Wyeth's famous painting Christina's World
This review is available to non-members for a limited time. For access to our digital magazine, free books,and other benefits, become a member today.

31 out of 41 of our First Impression readers – a full 75% - gave "A Piece of the World" 5-stars, while another nine gave it 4-stars for an exceptional overall rating of 4.7.

A Piece of The World tells the back story of the subject of artist Andrew Wyeth's most famous painting, Christina's World - Christina Olson of rural Cushing, Maine, a severely crippled woman who still leads a brave, productive life. Christina Baker Kline tells her story with compassion and admiration, mirroring the attitude of Wyeth who used Olson and her brother as models in many of his works (Sheila S.). Kline's Christina is strong-willed and determined to be as self-sufficient as her disability will allow. She is often unlikable, but she forms a bond with Andrew Wyeth, who is able to see in her what others don't (Barbara R.). Kline really gives us Christina and her life, her hardships and her wondrous moments (Colleen T).

The novel was fast-paced and drew most in quickly:

I was spellbound from the opening page and did not want to put the book down (Nancy S).  The prologue drew me right in with such beautiful sentences (Sherri M). I raced through the story and enjoyed every moment (Esther L).

Many readers mentioned the beauty of Kline's narrative:  

Kline excels at giving the reader a sense of place and time (Karna B). The writing is exquisite, each word considered, each vision portrayed with care (Mary P). I felt like I could breathe the Maine air and hear the waves crashing while reading (Carol R). I was immediately swept away into the lush, coastal farm Maine landscape (Barbara H). The writing is so beautiful, impactful and wise. I often re-read sentences and paragraphs to savor the language. Moving, even haunting at times (Sylvia G). With delicate palette, stark images, sharp tones and loving care, the author has written this novel the way Andrew Wyeth painted the canvas (John O).

Others remarked on the quality of Kline's characterization:

Christina Baker Cline has a true talent as an author, she breathes life into her characters (Kristen H). Through [her] prose we feel the loneliness of Christina and the despair and worry of Andrew, who is trying to come to terms with his desire to produce great art, and to stay true to his vision (Terye B). I was so entwined in the lives of many of the family and friends of Christina, as each and every character offered their own perspectives on how she should live her life (Donna W). Andrew Wyeth, his wife Betsy and Christina become three dimensional and more than just historical characters. The empathy she shows them made it all the more real for me (Susan B).

A few felt the book was difficult emotionally:

I think the best word to describe the book is melancholy, as I found it to be quite sad and depressing (Nancy K). Christina steals your heart, makes you frustrated with her stubbornness - weeping at times for her losses (Ann S).

... but most fell in love with it:

Every now and then I come across a book that I would call a "jewel novel." A Piece of the World falls into that category. I enjoyed it thoroughly (Kathrin C).  This biographical novel deserves a 6 rating, for excellence (Mary P). I cannot recommend it highly enough (Susan B).  Another masterpiece (John O).

Enthusiastically recommended for historical fiction lovers and book clubs:

I highly recommend adding A Piece of the World to the must-read list of avid readers of historical fiction, and especially to book clubs. Discussion topics abound! (Carolyn G) Highly recommended...excellent book club choice (Beverly D). Book clubs could discuss the reasons behind the various choices made by the main characters throughout their lives (Jean G). I will definitely recommend it to my very well-read book group (Carol R).

This review was originally published in The BookBrowse Review in March 2017, and has been updated for the February 2018 edition. Click here to go to this issue.

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $0 for 0 months or $20 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Beyond the Book:
  Christina's World

Read-Alikes

Read-Alikes Full readalike results are for members only

If you liked A Piece of the World, try these:

  • Disobedient jacket

    Disobedient

    by Elizabeth Fremantle

    Published 2023

    About This book

    More by this author

    A riveting novel based on the life of Artemisia Gentileschi—the greatest female painter of the Renaissance—as she forges her own destiny in a world dominated by the will of men.

  • Feast Your Eyes jacket

    Feast Your Eyes

    by Myla Goldberg

    Published 2020

    About This book

    More by this author

    The first novel in nearly a decade from Myla Goldberg, the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of Bee Season - a compelling and wholly original story about a female photographer grappling with ambition and motherhood, a balancing act familiar to women of every generation.

We have 9 read-alikes for A Piece of the World, but non-members are limited to two results. To see the complete list of this book's read-alikes, you need to be a member.
More books by Christina Baker Kline
Search read-alikes
How we choose read-alikes

BookBrowse Book Club

  • Book Jacket
    Lessons in Chemistry
    by Bonnie Garmus
    Praised by Parade and The New York Times Book Review, this debut features a 1960s scientist turned TV cooking star.

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    Serial Killer Games
    by Kate Posey

    A morbidly funny and emotionally resonant novel about the ways life—and love—can sneak up on us (no matter how much pepper spray we carry).

  • Book Jacket

    The Original Daughter
    by Jemimah Wei

    A dazzling debut by Jemimah Wei about ambition, sisterhood, and family bonds in turn-of-the-millennium Singapore.

  • Book Jacket

    Awake in the Floating City
    by Susanna Kwan

    A debut novel about an artist and a 130-year-old woman bound by love and memory in a future, flooded San Francisco.

  • Book Jacket

    Ginseng Roots
    by Craig Thompson

    A new graphic memoir from the author of Blankets and Habibi about class, childhood labor, and Wisconsin’s ginseng industry.

Who Said...

Poetry is like fish: if it's fresh, it's good; if it's stale, it's bad; and if you're not certain, try it on the ...

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

B W M in H M

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.