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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
2007 bookcrossing journal:
Set on a little back-to-basics French Island in the English channel in the first half of the 1900s, two middle-aged men - the artist MacAlpine, and art critic Naysmith - meet after several years of silence. The artist is painting a new portrait of the critic, and as the days pass we learn the history that the two men share in London and Paris in the art world.
Two big heads stuck in a shack on an island basically. The artist is very full of himself, a fact which perhaps makes the monologue almost drag occasionally, but as the story comes out, we learn that it is the crictic who is the real cold, pompous big head, presumably with some deep insecurities and a possible mysoginist considering the way he has lived his life.
The plot isn't shocking, and the end isn't some grand shocking twist at the end but I sometimes think that the best books don't have surprises like that - we know what will happen, but what makes them great is the way we get to the conclusion, through plot, style and characterisation. I did like the character of Evelyn in this one.
As with the monologue, I did wonder a little - was MacAlpine actually speaking this much to Naysmith all the time he was there (in which case he must have been a real smug, pain-in-the-rear-end); or was it just tense silence as he worked on the portrait, staring at the critic and talking to himself in his head?
Set on a little back-to-basics French Island in the English channel in the first half of the 1900s, two middle-aged men - the artist MacAlpine, and art critic Naysmith - meet after several years of silence. The artist is painting a new portrait of the critic, and as the days pass we learn the history that the two men share in London and Paris in the art world.
Two big heads stuck in a shack on an island basically. The artist is very full of himself, a fact which perhaps makes the monologue almost drag occasionally, but as the story comes out, we learn that it is the crictic who is the real cold, pompous big head, presumably with some deep insecurities and a possible mysoginist considering the way he has lived his life.
The plot isn't shocking, and the end isn't some grand shocking twist at the end but I sometimes think that the best books don't have surprises like that - we know what will happen, but what makes them great is the way we get to the conclusion, through plot, style and characterisation. I did like the character of Evelyn in this one.
As with the monologue, I did wonder a little - was MacAlpine actually speaking this much to Naysmith all the time he was there (in which case he must have been a real smug, pain-in-the-rear-end); or was it just tense silence as he worked on the portrait, staring at the critic and talking to himself in his head?
Meh. I know, that isn't a good review but it sums up my experience with this book. Neither good nor bad. Not terribly memorable.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beaucoup aimé l'atmosphère, le long monologue et le côté très début 20e. C'était sombre à souhaits et plein de référence aux tableaux et aux peintres. Du coup, ça me plait.
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Body horror, Death
"portrait of a lady on fire meets soliloquy of a spanish cloister" it really is true that all the weirdly specific itch-scratching gay media you want already exists
Well, that wasn't what I expected!
I delayed finishing this book for weeks, I set it aside to read other books, but inclined to pick it up again, it's quite a short read.
The book is about a painter Henry MacAlpine, a self-exiled artist, leaving his rising career to a small island in Scotland ever so abruptly and his relationship with William Nasmyth, an old friend and renowned art critic who he felt contempt for an unknown reason until later revealed.
It captures the relationship between a painter and a critic and pushes it into depravity. The painter and their artworks are often the subject of the critic; they could make or break their career. Here the role is reversed, the critic who is usually in charge of their opinion becomes the sitter -- the subject of the artist, stripped off of their own judgement and have the artist, quite literally, paint their own interpretation of him. In this book Henry -- the painter -- is given full authority, hence the second person point of view, which works for me, but because of the lack of dialogue and interaction between the characters, as Henry obviously dominates the speech and we, being put in the sitter position, are forced to basically put up with his ramblings, it can be pretty hollow at times, however Henry describes everything quite meticulously.
The two gentlemen are both incredibly selfish in their own ways. Henry breaks down their friendship from the beginning, when they first met, him as a naïve working class boy from Scotland with big dream of becoming a painter, who all he knew of painting was from working as an illustrator for magazines and looked up to William -- arrogant and confident critic who had seen so much -- with reverence and admiration as he shows Henry the arts he had seen many times over, which was a new world for him. Their relationship was mutualistic, Henry to bring back the joy and excitement William had lost and William as his tutelage. To when Henry, now ripe with knowledge, began to form his own opinion. Later the reason William decided to visit him after years of being apart is revealed.
And the ladies, I didn't get their reoccurrence at first, I slightly doubted their importance and I had marked many other parts as foreshadows that turned out not to be foreshadows at all, but when it gets to the turning point, my jaw dropped! Although I did correctly guess Evelyn and Jacky's involvement with each other. Henry just doesn't get it! I appreciate the way their love is portrayed, although with its own limitations and Henry's judgement because this book is from his perspective anyway.
The second person point of view was cool, I think it's well-written, even though sometimes it can be quite stale. The ending was good, although it could've been better, I feel like the climax is at the near end instead of the ending itself. Enjoyed it regardless.
I delayed finishing this book for weeks, I set it aside to read other books, but inclined to pick it up again, it's quite a short read.
The book is about a painter Henry MacAlpine, a self-exiled artist, leaving his rising career to a small island in Scotland ever so abruptly and his relationship with William Nasmyth, an old friend and renowned art critic who he felt contempt for an unknown reason until later revealed.
It captures the relationship between a painter and a critic and pushes it into depravity. The painter and their artworks are often the subject of the critic; they could make or break their career. Here the role is reversed, the critic who is usually in charge of their opinion becomes the sitter -- the subject of the artist, stripped off of their own judgement and have the artist, quite literally, paint their own interpretation of him. In this book Henry -- the painter -- is given full authority, hence the second person point of view, which works for me, but because of the lack of dialogue and interaction between the characters, as Henry obviously dominates the speech and we, being put in the sitter position, are forced to basically put up with his ramblings, it can be pretty hollow at times, however Henry describes everything quite meticulously.
The two gentlemen are both incredibly selfish in their own ways. Henry breaks down their friendship from the beginning, when they first met, him as a naïve working class boy from Scotland with big dream of becoming a painter, who all he knew of painting was from working as an illustrator for magazines and looked up to William -- arrogant and confident critic who had seen so much -- with reverence and admiration as he shows Henry the arts he had seen many times over, which was a new world for him. Their relationship was mutualistic, Henry to bring back the joy and excitement William had lost and William as his tutelage. To when Henry, now ripe with knowledge, began to form his own opinion. Later the reason William decided to visit him after years of being apart is revealed.
And the ladies, I didn't get their reoccurrence at first, I slightly doubted their importance and I had marked many other parts as foreshadows that turned out not to be foreshadows at all, but when it gets to the turning point, my jaw dropped! Although I did correctly guess Evelyn and Jacky's involvement with each other. Henry just doesn't get it! I appreciate the way their love is portrayed, although with its own limitations and Henry's judgement because this book is from his perspective anyway.
The second person point of view was cool, I think it's well-written, even though sometimes it can be quite stale. The ending was good, although it could've been better, I feel like the climax is at the near end instead of the ending itself. Enjoyed it regardless.
This was a short, suspenseful tale told entirely in the form of a one-sided conversation with the portrait painter doing all the talking to his subject - a former friend and art critic. Personally, I found this book fascinating and enjoyed it quite a bit. Loved the building tension as the book neared it's inevitable conclusion. However, I can see where this book wouldn't work for everybody. I would recommend reading this book in one sitting, if possible, to get the full effect and to have the story make sense.
This book made me laugh, made me sit and stare and close the book to think of the fine line portrayed between deep love and passionate hate, and what happens when a painter paints a critique of the art critic. This is told in stream of consciousness form, so you never know whether the narrator is speaking to the art critic (his subject for the portrait and on whom he wants revenge) or just thinking. The suspense builds and builds. You know what will happen from the get go, or at least suspect it. You think why would the artist do this? You learn why. Then it ends, right before he actually does what you’ve known for ages he’s going to do, and it’s like ending before a resolve in a piano piece. It’s purposeful and it’s beautiful. You’re left with your imagination to help you draw conclusions and your knowledge gained from trust of the narrator.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Interesting premise. Well written, too, with a number of quotable lines and ideas on art theory, relevance, and relationships.
That said, I wish I had been warned in advance that this book is written entirely as a one-sided monologue, which never diverts and drones on and on until the predictable finish.
In the words of Henry McAlpine, “You’re not really interested in how I came to live on this island, are you? …. But I’ll tell you anyway. It will be your punishment”.
That said, I wish I had been warned in advance that this book is written entirely as a one-sided monologue, which never diverts and drones on and on until the predictable finish.
In the words of Henry McAlpine, “You’re not really interested in how I came to live on this island, are you? …. But I’ll tell you anyway. It will be your punishment”.