Maestra By Lisa-Maestar Summary

It is undeniable that the feeling of rage or anger can easily occupy one’s mind, allowing for the person to lose control of their actions. But is rage possible to manage? Maestra by L.S. Hilton begins with a fake painting being sold at an auction house. Hilton was very qualified to describe the fake painting. “After graduating from Oxford, she studied art history in Paris and Florence.” (Hilton, L.S.. “About Lisa.” lisa-hilton.com, Lisa Hilton, 2016. http://lisa-hilton.com/about/.) After she noticed the painting is a fraud, Judith was fired. Judith undergoes a journey inspired by rage toward her boss. After suspecting that the painting he had intentions of selling was fake, Judith unfairly lost her job. She went on a tour of Europe as a consolation

Had she not become obsessed with revenge and given in to rage, her life would not be dedicated to the constant feelings of regret and guilt. The reader questions why she overreacted as extremely as she did. “As Judith uncovers some bad behavior on her boss Rupert's part and decides to orchestrate a scheme of her own, we're meant to believe that she does so out of rage. What rage? What does she have to be angry about, this cypher of a character who seems to care more about very very expensive clothes (her description of a Balenciaga cocktail dress carries more erotic yearning than most of her sex scenes) and private yachts than sheer anger?” (Patrick, Bethanne.. “‘Maestra’ Is Pure Pulp Madness.” npr.org, NPR Books, April 23, 2016. http://www.npr.org/2016/04/23/474226257/maestra-is-pure-pulp-madness.) Judith's murderous journey in Maestra demonstrates the theme “rage overcomes thoughts and actions, and only strong willed people can control

While on her trip in Europe, she focused on people that would allow her plans of revenge to be successful. Several relationships were started with the purpose of taking advantage of different strengths. Judith used people for their money, or social popularity in order to make her plan work, and when she was done with her resources, she exposed of them. “James didn’t look as though he was sleeping. He just looked dead. His huge body in the white sheets was covered in a cotton nightshirt; with his rinded thick-nailed feet sticking out, he resembled a grotesque elderly putto.” (Hilton, L.S.. Maestra. Published by G.P. PUTNAM’S SONS, 2016, pg. 85) Judith used James to get a free ride through Europe. Soon after, James died of “natural causes,” when in reality, Judith and Mercedes poisoned him so that they could continue on their own. Later, without the company of Mercedes, Judith pressed forward to carry out her revenge plan. In her process, she met more people that she saw new opportunities to take advantage of. “Cameron didn’t say anything when I opened the flick knife from my pocket and drove it into the hollow in the flesh of his ankle, just above the Achilles tendon. ...Only when he passed and the water was a smooth sheet again did I notice that the panting had stopped.” (Hilton, L.S.. Maestra. Published by G.P. PUTNAM’S SONS, 2016 p. 164). Judith used Cameron to acquire the fake painting from Rupert.