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jen_nicole's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mwgerard's review against another edition
4.0
Author Benjamin Wood seems to find his stories among the desperately brilliant and talented, who can’t seem to get a handle on their own intelligence. In The Bellwether Revivals, his characters get themselves into trouble because Cambridge somehow isn’t intellectually stimulating enough. Wood’s characters are continually grappling with the anxiety of influence, paralyzing themselves entirely.
In his newest novel, the characters are an overwhelmed group of artists who have fled to a secretive colony on an island near Turkey. Here, they have all their needs taken care of and they are to focus only on their work. Novelists, playwrights, painters and the like are sponsored by a previous tenant who has since become successful.
The tale is seen through the eyes of Knell (not her real name — everyone has a pseudonym), a celebrated painter in London who has lost her drive. The cabal of four frustrated geniuses has been there the longest and have forged a bizarre friendship. Under the watchful eye of the provost, the inhabitants are expected to respect each other’s anonymity and not make contact with the outside world.
Please read my full review here: http://mwgerard.com/review-the-ecliptic/
In his newest novel, the characters are an overwhelmed group of artists who have fled to a secretive colony on an island near Turkey. Here, they have all their needs taken care of and they are to focus only on their work. Novelists, playwrights, painters and the like are sponsored by a previous tenant who has since become successful.
The tale is seen through the eyes of Knell (not her real name — everyone has a pseudonym), a celebrated painter in London who has lost her drive. The cabal of four frustrated geniuses has been there the longest and have forged a bizarre friendship. Under the watchful eye of the provost, the inhabitants are expected to respect each other’s anonymity and not make contact with the outside world.
Please read my full review here: http://mwgerard.com/review-the-ecliptic/
matthewandabook's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bunnieslikediamonds's review against another edition
4.0
I'm partial to novels about art and artists, but they tend to be tainted by self-indulgence and self-importance (Siri Hustvedt's work is a brilliant exception). Wood does an admirable job with this thought-provoking and gripping novel. I thought the many descriptions of paintings and painting were very well done (I want to see all of the fictional paintings!). It doesn't hurt that The Ecliptic has some colorful settings and a thriller-like structure that qualifies it as a page-turner. The ending was a little disappointing, but perhaps inevitable .
Spoiler
I hardly ever think these "oh it was all made up cop-outs" are justified, but in this case I'm willing to go with it since it didn't really detract from the storycadmiumcamera's review against another edition
4.0
I received a free review copy of this book through First To Read
I really loved this book. As an artist, and to be honest a "struggling to find inspiration" artist I found that many of the emotions in this book really hit home in the best way. The fears and thoughts that Ellie has are fears and thoughts that I myself have had. That is not to say that you have to be an artist to enjoy this novel, I think many of the things emotions on the pages of this book just about anyone can relate to: self-doubt, fear of failure, insecurity.
[SPOILERS]
The story is a very unique and interesting one. It tells of Elspeth Conroy a successful female painter who is suffering from artistic block and has been living in a retreat for "blocked" creative's for about 10 years. I will say unexpectedly this book turns into a sort of psychological thriller. As Elspeth's story unfolds and as you learn more about what has gotten her to point that she has had to completely retreat from society you find out that the retreat and the people that have been there with her are in fact not real but a figment of her imagination. Her depression, anxiety, medication, and very bad eating habits caused her to go into an almost schizophrenic episode and create a safe world around her while hiding away in a lonely cottage.
The only bad thing I would have to say about this book are that some of the cuts back and forth through her story are a bit rough, meaning it could use a bit more polishing. Also I felt like in the end the question of what happened to Jim Culvers, Elspeth's former boss/artistic teacher/possible is never answered. If the island never existed where was he the last few years? Did him and Elspeth finally unite and admit their love for one another or was that all part of her delusion, if not then what happened to him? I realize the story is about Elspeth not Jim, but Jim is a very important person in her life and it would probably have been better to clarify that point a little more. These problems however didn't bother be all that much. I would say that the only effect it has is that the book is just shy of perfection and COULD HAVE BEEN a 5/5 stars but I would rate it 4/5.
Overall though this book is probably one of my favorites, mostly because of the impact it had on me but I would highly recommend it to anyone, ESPECIALLY any artist.
I really loved this book. As an artist, and to be honest a "struggling to find inspiration" artist I found that many of the emotions in this book really hit home in the best way. The fears and thoughts that Ellie has are fears and thoughts that I myself have had. That is not to say that you have to be an artist to enjoy this novel, I think many of the things emotions on the pages of this book just about anyone can relate to: self-doubt, fear of failure, insecurity.
[SPOILERS]
The story is a very unique and interesting one. It tells of Elspeth Conroy a successful female painter who is suffering from artistic block and has been living in a retreat for "blocked" creative's for about 10 years. I will say unexpectedly this book turns into a sort of psychological thriller. As Elspeth's story unfolds and as you learn more about what has gotten her to point that she has had to completely retreat from society you find out that the retreat and the people that have been there with her are in fact not real but a figment of her imagination. Her depression, anxiety, medication, and very bad eating habits caused her to go into an almost schizophrenic episode and create a safe world around her while hiding away in a lonely cottage.
The only bad thing I would have to say about this book are that some of the cuts back and forth through her story are a bit rough, meaning it could use a bit more polishing. Also I felt like in the end the question of what happened to Jim Culvers, Elspeth's former boss/artistic teacher/possible is never answered. If the island never existed where was he the last few years? Did him and Elspeth finally unite and admit their love for one another or was that all part of her delusion, if not then what happened to him? I realize the story is about Elspeth not Jim, but Jim is a very important person in her life and it would probably have been better to clarify that point a little more. These problems however didn't bother be all that much. I would say that the only effect it has is that the book is just shy of perfection and COULD HAVE BEEN a 5/5 stars but I would rate it 4/5.
Overall though this book is probably one of my favorites, mostly because of the impact it had on me but I would highly recommend it to anyone, ESPECIALLY any artist.
veelaughtland's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Miscarriage, and Suicide
bettyvd's review against another edition
2.0
Ik was geïntrigeerd door het eerste deel. Het tweede deel beschreef wat er vooraf ging en was gewoon ok. Het derde deel doet de hele boel in elkaar stuiken.
snoakes7001's review against another edition
5.0
There is a fine line between genius and madness and this novel explores that territory. It centres around Portmantle - a refuge for artists of all disciplines who need some time apart to gather themselves, to get away from the hustle of modern life and rediscover their muse. We follow the story of Elspeth Conroy, a gifted artist, as she rises and then loses faith in her work and in herself. It's a brilliant multi-layered story and you don't know where it's going to take you until the very end.
mx_eyebrows's review
Started out interesting but I got disinterested in the middle and moved on to something else. Not ruling out coming back to it later.
merlin_reads's review against another edition
3.0
When you’re an artist and you lose your mojo, just how much does it affect you? How much of your daily life is affected? When your art is your life, how do you separate the two? In The Ecliptic, Wood takes us deep into the psyche of an artist and the intricate way in which they view the world.
The story starts at Portsmantle, an elusive artist retreat hidden on a Turkish island. Portsmantle is a melting pot of people from all over with their talents lying in all different fields of the arts. Here we meet, Elspeth Conroy, a painter who has lost her way. She’s been at Portsmantle for about a decade and has almost nothing to show for it. She keeps close to her friends, sharing their lack of progress with each other and commenting on the flow of ‘short-timers’ who parade in and out of their home. When their newest resident arrives, a young boy with an erratic personality, Elspeth develops a strange connection with him – one that awakens her artistic desire.
This book isn’t one that I normally gravitate to. And honestly, had it not been offered up as an ARC I might never had read it. I didn’t connect with any of the characters, mostly because I know relatively nothing about painting and I felt, even though as descriptive as they were, it just didn’t make sense to me. All of the talk of pigmentation and color melding just went over my head and found myself skimming the parts regarding the actual act of painting. I was more interested in the story of the boy at Portsmantle then I was over anything else.
What I did like was watching Elspeth’s dissent into her own mind. I predicted the ending about halfway through, I’m not sure if that was a good thing as I’m sure the writer wanted it to be a shocking ending. But at the same time, I liked that that was where Wood took the story. It made it more realistic and have more substance, more weight. Would I recommend this book? I would to people who view art in words and also those who love studying the human mind and all the ways it can perceive realities. And bravo to the author for the work put into this.
The story starts at Portsmantle, an elusive artist retreat hidden on a Turkish island. Portsmantle is a melting pot of people from all over with their talents lying in all different fields of the arts. Here we meet, Elspeth Conroy, a painter who has lost her way. She’s been at Portsmantle for about a decade and has almost nothing to show for it. She keeps close to her friends, sharing their lack of progress with each other and commenting on the flow of ‘short-timers’ who parade in and out of their home. When their newest resident arrives, a young boy with an erratic personality, Elspeth develops a strange connection with him – one that awakens her artistic desire.
This book isn’t one that I normally gravitate to. And honestly, had it not been offered up as an ARC I might never had read it. I didn’t connect with any of the characters, mostly because I know relatively nothing about painting and I felt, even though as descriptive as they were, it just didn’t make sense to me. All of the talk of pigmentation and color melding just went over my head and found myself skimming the parts regarding the actual act of painting. I was more interested in the story of the boy at Portsmantle then I was over anything else.
What I did like was watching Elspeth’s dissent into her own mind. I predicted the ending about halfway through, I’m not sure if that was a good thing as I’m sure the writer wanted it to be a shocking ending. But at the same time, I liked that that was where Wood took the story. It made it more realistic and have more substance, more weight. Would I recommend this book? I would to people who view art in words and also those who love studying the human mind and all the ways it can perceive realities. And bravo to the author for the work put into this.