Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #58 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-07
• 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

Ho hum
I'm sorry to say that this one didn't light my fire. It centres on a schizophrenic artist recently deceased and the lives of her family. The central character (the artist) presented as an inconsiderate and self absorbed person (not withstanding the severity of her illness) and the lives and concerns of those around her were simply not that interesting. Left me cold, I'm afraid.

Hmmmh...
I have, over the years, read a considerable number of Patrick Gale's books and find them enjoyable. Occasionally they rise above this to elevate themselves to a level where I would happily recommend them to others. "Rough Music", his prior novel to this seemed to indicate that perhaps he was about to elevate himself to a place alongside some of Britain's more seriously considered writers. "Notes From An Exhibition" should have been the proof and, whilst it is a thouroughly enjoyable book, it does fall a little short.

Structuring itself around the themes of art, death, and bipolarity the subject matter gives the impression of the serious minded. The handling of the link between central character Rachael Kelly's bipolarity and her creativity is well handled and insightful. Here the book rises to its challenge with aplomb. One clever trick is that the central character is really only fully appreciated from the perspectives of the other characters in the book. This is due, in part I suspect, to her bipolar disorder but it is a very clever conceit indeed.

Gale writes engagingly throughout and I did find the book both easy to read and difficult to put down. You are genuinely engaged by some of the characters in this book. Apart from Rachael, the children Hedley and Morwenna are well rounded, as is her husband Anthony. The trouble is the book devotes time to about 3 more characters and weaves in little subplots.

It's here where the book both falls down and looses its sense of purpose. There is simply too much going on and too many people to spread the story around. The inclusion of Petroc is useful and although his character is not as fully fledged as some his place in the plot is quite important. As for the other brother and Rachel's sister, both could easily have been cut with almost no harm to the plot. I found the closing chapter of Rachel's story utterly superfluous (but I won't reveal why as I'm not in the habit of spoiling things for others).

There are probably enough ideas in here for two novels, loosing some of the more superficial ones would not have been to its detriment. It would ultimately have lead to a possibly darker, bleaker book about art and death but as these are by far the strongest elements it would have been for the better.

I enjoyed this book but found the final stages unsatisfactory due to not fully giving space to explore the impact death on a family in a fuller light. A case, perhaps, of one idea to many. Like a cheese souffle, this book is hugely enjoyable during consumption, yet somehow not substantial enough to satisfy entirely.

in the mind of an artist
being an artist myself i found i could relate to this book in many ways. I loved it. It is the first of his books i have read but i will be looking out for more, definately!