Scan barcode
A review by bellatora
The Anatomy Lesson by Nina Siegal
2.0
This book has the meticulous perfection and soulessness of a product of a MFA program.
Crafted around the Rembrandt painting "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp," there were far too many characters and not enough story.
There’s Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, who seems like a nice enough guy if a bit of a social climber. There’s Adriaen, the convicted thief and future corpse. There’s Flora, the girl-next-door who had always loved Adriaen and who now bears his bastard child. There’s Jan Fetchet, a purveyor of whatever someone’s buying, including corpses (he actually comes across as a very decent man). Then there’s Descartes who adds absolutely nothing to this book and felt like nothing more than a famous name drop. There’s Rembrandt himself. And then there’s some disembodied voice of an art historian restoring the painting (who seems to only exist to give exposition about the painting itself).
There are some nicely crafted chapters but the overall effect is disappointing.
Crafted around the Rembrandt painting "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp," there were far too many characters and not enough story.
There’s Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, who seems like a nice enough guy if a bit of a social climber. There’s Adriaen, the convicted thief and future corpse. There’s Flora, the girl-next-door who had always loved Adriaen and who now bears his bastard child. There’s Jan Fetchet, a purveyor of whatever someone’s buying, including corpses (he actually comes across as a very decent man). Then there’s Descartes who adds absolutely nothing to this book and felt like nothing more than a famous name drop. There’s Rembrandt himself. And then there’s some disembodied voice of an art historian restoring the painting (who seems to only exist to give exposition about the painting itself).
There are some nicely crafted chapters but the overall effect is disappointing.