THE FLAMES

SOPHIE HAYDOCK’S NOVEL ABOUT EGON SCHIELE

 

Vienna, 1913. Behind every painting, there is a story…

The Flames is the previously untold story of four real women, living in Vienna at the turn of the twentieth century – at that tipping point in time when the greatness and grandeur of the past threatens to collapse – as they enter the dizzying, dangerous orbit of the artist Egon Schiele. 

Each woman models for the charismatic young man – Egon’s fiery sibling, Gertrude Schiele, his spirited mistress Vally Neuzil, and the beguiling sisters who live across the street, Edith and Adele Harms, both of whom vie to become his wife. Under his gaze, each strike provocative poses, removing layer after layer, leaving little to the imagination. Of course, there’s more to these muses than meets the eye.

But the artist carries demons from his past that could destroy everything. Must he sacrifice everyone he loves to succeed? Beneath his confident brushstrokes, ensnared in the pigment, are secrets of heartbreak, deception and betrayal that finally come to the surface.

Over the course of a decade, the four women risk everything – their reputations, their most precious relationships, their sanity and souls – as they try to hold on to the man they each love. As the First World War throws their lives off course forever, and the Spanish influenza pandemic ravages Europe, threatening everyone in its path, one question remains: will any of them emerge unscathed? 

This is a story of how we hurt those we love the most, and the danger of our delusions.

 
 

‘In Sophie Haydock's impressive debut these women leap from Schiele's canvases, becoming fascinating and complex characters’

– THE TIMES, BEST HISTORICAL FICTION BOOKS OF 2022

  • 'The Flames paints a history so detailed and vivid that we feel we were there in the flesh. A book to get lost in, a great feat of a debut'

    DBC PIERRE, BOOKER PRIZE WINNER

  • 'I knew nothing of Egon Schiele. I'm now obsessed, and heartbroken. An unforgettable book about wanting more for ourselves than we are told we are allowed'

    ERICKA WALLER, AUTHOR OF DOG DAYS

  • 'MAGNIFICENT. Feels destined to be a classic - exquisitely crafted and so absorbing. I loved it and REFUSE to accept it is a debut. It's simply too good'

    KATIE LOWE, AUTHOR OF THE FURIES

  • 'Thought provoking, illuminating and fascinating - I so enjoyed discovering the world and the women behind works of art I adore'

    KATE SAWYER, AUTHOR OF THE STRANDING

  • 'Full of scandal, love, betrayal, and heartache ... Adele, Gertrude, Vally and Edith are given voices loud and clear'

    COSMOPOLITAN MAGAZINE

  • 'The four women who loved Egon Schiele come back to life, combining an exquisite sense of place and era with a passion and sensuality that transcend time altogether'

    ISABEL COSTELLO, AUTHOR OF SCENT

  • 'The story of Egon Schiele’s women will no doubt move its readers to tears'

    REBECCA F JOHN, AUTHOR OF THE HAUNTING OF HENRY TWIST

  • 'Both fascinating and compelling. I loved all four women... and the final scenes with Egon were truly extraordinary'

    ELODIE HARPER, AUTHOR OF THE WOLF DEN

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