Notes from an Exhibition
by Patrick Gale
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Pub Date May 31 2016 | Archive Date Jun 28 2016
Description
A mentally ill artist dies, leaving behind an acclaimed body of work and a dark legacy, in this bestselling Richard & Judy Book Club pick
Gifted, troubled painter Rachel Kelly lived a life of manic highs and suicidal lows. When Oxford postgraduate Antony Middleton met her, she was pregnant and dangerously depressed. Her marriage to the gentle, devout Quaker became her safe haven, where she was free to create and be herself. But now, after her sudden death from a heart attack, Rachel’s four adult children are about to uncover shattering truths about their enigmatic mother.
Eldest son Garfield is bequeathed a letter that will reveal the truth about his paternity. Gay middle child Hedley grew up powerless to upset his mother’s delicate equilibrium. Beautiful, erratic Morwenna has inherited her mother’s genius—and her demons. And Petroc, the beloved youngest, once gave Rachel a precious gift that helped her through grievous loss.
With each chapter headed by notes from a posthumous retrospective of Rachel’s work, this extraordinary novel shifts back and forth in time and place as it moves effortlessly between characters. In its searing, indelible portrait of a woman and artist, Notes from an Exhibition offers a revealing window into the symbiotic relationship between genius and mental illness and the effects both have on maternal love, family, and the creation of enduring art.
Gifted, troubled painter Rachel Kelly lived a life of manic highs and suicidal lows. When Oxford postgraduate Antony Middleton met her, she was pregnant and dangerously depressed. Her marriage to the gentle, devout Quaker became her safe haven, where she was free to create and be herself. But now, after her sudden death from a heart attack, Rachel’s four adult children are about to uncover shattering truths about their enigmatic mother.
Eldest son Garfield is bequeathed a letter that will reveal the truth about his paternity. Gay middle child Hedley grew up powerless to upset his mother’s delicate equilibrium. Beautiful, erratic Morwenna has inherited her mother’s genius—and her demons. And Petroc, the beloved youngest, once gave Rachel a precious gift that helped her through grievous loss.
With each chapter headed by notes from a posthumous retrospective of Rachel’s work, this extraordinary novel shifts back and forth in time and place as it moves effortlessly between characters. In its searing, indelible portrait of a woman and artist, Notes from an Exhibition offers a revealing window into the symbiotic relationship between genius and mental illness and the effects both have on maternal love, family, and the creation of enduring art.
Advance Praise
“This book is complete perfection.” —Stephen Fry
“This stunning novel . . . poised and pitch-perfect throughout, is an engrossing portrait of a troubled and remarkable character. A fine writer at the top of his game.” —The Mail on Sunday
“A warm, well-written novel about creativity and the perils of living with the creative spirit.” —TheTimes Literary Supplement
“As rich and inventive as we would expect from this brilliant author.” —The Independent
“Thought-provoking, sensitive, humane.” —TheDaily Telegraph
“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
“An uplifting, immensely empathetic novel, and Gale’s prose, as ever, is as clear and bright as the Cornish light.” —The Guardian
“This stunning novel . . . poised and pitch-perfect throughout, is an engrossing portrait of a troubled and remarkable character. A fine writer at the top of his game.” —The Mail on Sunday
“A warm, well-written novel about creativity and the perils of living with the creative spirit.” —TheTimes Literary Supplement
“As rich and inventive as we would expect from this brilliant author.” —The Independent
“Thought-provoking, sensitive, humane.” —TheDaily Telegraph
“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
“An uplifting, immensely empathetic novel, and Gale’s prose, as ever, is as clear and bright as the Cornish light.” —The Guardian
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9781504036559 |
PRICE | |
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