I Am You

“A propulsive, sensuous feast with one hell of a twist.” —People

In this “vibrant depiction of Amsterdam’s golden age” (The New York Times) two young women are bound by an intense rivalry of painting and power.

At eight years old, Gerta Pieters is forced to disguise herself as a boy and sent to work for a genteel Dutch family. When their brilliant and beautiful daughter Maria sees through Gerta’s ruse, she insists that Gerta accompany her to Amsterdam and help her enter the elite, male-dominated art world.

While Maria rises in the ranks of society as a painting prodigy, Gerta makes herself invaluable in every way: confidante, muse, and collaborator. But as Gerta steps into her own talents, their relationship fractures into a complex web of obsession and rivalry—and the secrets they keep threaten to unravel everything.

A mesmerizing historical novel, I Am You is a meditation on gender, an ode to artistic creation, and an unexpected friendship that reimagines the life of renowned painter Maria van Oosterwijck during the Dutch Golden Age.

“A stunning accomplishment.” —Michael Cunningham, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Day and The Hours

Victoria Redel has written four books of poetry and six books of fiction. Her short stories, poetry, and essays have appeared in Granta, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and BOMB, and she’s received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Fine Arts Work Center. Victoria is a professor at Sarah Lawrence College and splits her time between New York City and Utah.