Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #119 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 374 pages

Armistead Maupin
`I was completely enthralled by "Notes from an Exhibition." Patrick's Gale's prose grows ever more acrobatic and heartstopping, though somehow he never seems to be showing off. And few writers have grasped the twisted dynamics of family the way Gale has. There's really no one he can't inhabit, understand and forgive.' Armistead Maupin

Guardian
`This is an uplifting, immensely empathetic novel, and Gale's prose, as ever is as clear and bright as the Cornish light.'

Sunday Times
'It has the kind of quietly radiant intelligence, craft and integrity that bypasses superficial questions of originality. A novel with a variety and freshness that is all the more powerful and surprising for being discovering in such a circumscribed and very English milieu.' Adam Lively,

Customer Reviews

Good book
Notes From An Exhibition synopsis from Amazon:

Renowned Canadian artist Rachel Kelly -- now of Penzance -- has buried her past and married a gentle and loving Cornish man. Her life has been a sacrifice to both her extraordinary art and her debilitating manic depression. When troubled artist Rachel Kelly dies painting obsessively in her attic studio in Penzance, her saintly husband and adult children have more than the usual mess to clear up. She leaves behind an extraordinary and acclaimed body of work -- but she also leaves a legacy of secrets and emotional damage it will take months to unravel. A wondrous, monstrous creature, she exerts a power that outlives her. To her children she is both curse and blessing, though they all in one way or another reap her whirlwind, inheriting her waywardness, her power of loving -- and her demons. Only their father's Quaker gifts of stillness and resilience give them any chance of withstanding her destructive influence and the suspicion that they came a poor second to the creation of her art.The reader becomes a detective, piecing together the clues of a life -- as artist, lover, mother, wife and patient -- which takes them from contemporary Penzance to 1960s Toronto to St Ives in the 1970s. What emerges is a story of enduring love, and of a family which weathers tragedy, mental illness and the intolerable strain of living with genius. Patrick Gale's latest novel shines with intelligence, humour and tenderness.


What a lovely book. Only 374 pages, and well worth the read.

Throughout the book, Gale deals with the issues of the illness of bipolar, death, faith and family. His description of the art work was beautiful and I could easily picture the work. He began each chapter with a descriptive plaque like you would find beside an artefact in a museum, which helped connect you to Rachel Kelly.

I loved the character of Antony, how he took in Rachel and looked after her, and gave her a family. He seemed the strong, silent type and I just adored him.

As someone who is intimate with depression I found Gale wrote extremely sensitively and well. The story was not in chronological order however and did jump between characters and times. I liked the story that unfolded however and the twists and turns that came with it.

However, I have found myself wanting more. I would have liked more character depth and to learn consequences of actions that we read about.

Overall, this was a good book, I recommend it!

8/10

disappointing
Very disappointed with this book which was recommended by Uncle Richard and Auntie Judy. I rushed out to buy it to take on holiday and started reading it, enthusiastically reading each page with vigour. Admittedly, Patrick Gayle's use of language describes Rachel, her family and relationships beautifully. Having a professional background in Mental Health Nursing, it was reassuring to see that Mr Gayle has researched the subject of Bipolar Affect Disorder with accuracy, sympathy and above all empathy, in what is a seriously debilitating condition, for the individual and their families. However, I found the ending of the book to be a major anti-climax and found myself looking for more answers than I had found. Maybe I've been unlucky, but I have to say I can't see me reading another of Patrick Gayle's books based upon my experience of Notes From an Exhibition.

An absolute gem
This book is beautifully written. Its an absolute joy and is without doubt worth its 5 stars.