Janet's Reviews > The Vanitas & Other Tales of Art and Obsession

Oh I do like to read something a bit different and this has ticked that box with a satisfyingly big tick. An unusually written book of two halves. First half is a superb collection of short stories, and the second half is one much longer story, and just as enjoyable and brilliantly written..

There is Each a wonderful drawing at the beginning of each story and the story is based around that drawing. Each story revolves around art and obsessions, personal struggles and achievements, some to the detriment of relationships, friends and family, and even to the artist themselves.

In ‘Medusa’ we meet a painter so determined to paint a raft full of people from a shipwreck he fills his studio with wood and men to set the scene for him to paint. We hear from first hand experience how horrific that experience at sea was.

In ‘Composition’ we meet a young man who is just to say surviving on his paltry income working a summer job when he is befriended by a famous artist and welcomed into her home.

The longer story ‘The Vanitas’ follows Sandro, a painter from Rome who is desperately trying to sell his new painting but struggling as there is a new painter in town. We follow him as he strives to better his work at the same time as teaching a younger boy and trying to provide for his family.

An absolutely fantastic book I thoroughly enjoyed and I hope to read a lot more from this talented author.

Huge thanks to Dave at The Write Reads for inviting me onto the blog tour and introducing me to this author’s work.