Book Club: Notes on an Exhibition

[dandysmom]

I was expecting not to enjoy this, but surprisingly I did. I didn't expect great writing, just an interesting view into a dysfunctional family....and this one was a poster child for dysfunctional!
I agree that the female characters weren't well developed, and certainly unlikeable characters in themselves as depicted; and the only character I felt any empathy for was Hedley. Do you suspect that the author being gay was probably the reason?
Hated the ending! You're left wondering what's going to happen next! I'm used to fiction with endings that wrap things up...I normally read medical/legal thrillers, psychological suspense, that sort of thing...so found it disappointing.
I wouldn't reccomend it to anyone, truthfully.

[angieh]

Yes, I am also used to neat conclusion drawings - you do really need that with crime writing and as I said I was so disappointed with the ending.

When I said about the tone of modern novels being samey - I am not sure whether I actually mean English modern novels. Have to say I don't actually include Rankin (Scottish) or the American/Canadian crime writers that I have recently read in that criticism.

[dandysmom]

Angie. did they show The Sopranos on TV in the UK? I didn't watch it (no cable) but there was a great uproar here at the end of the last episode...just faded to black; everything left hanging. I couldn't help but think of that at the ending of Notes. I do so like a tidy ending.

[calismum]

Just catching up.

Overall I'd agree the book was a disappointment. No point in reitterating all that has been said, most of which I am in agreement with.

Read the back of the book and thought 'ooh, this sounds interesting' - actually found myself rereading it to see if I had somehow got it wrong!

I felt all at once the plot was too complex and too simple.

I hate books that leave so many ends that you are left with a sense of dissatisfaction and I think that clouds the whole book.

There were, however, bits I really liked.

At the beginning the Anne Sexton 'Live' made me smile - I've been there and could relate to that.

Some of the descriptions are just so good - can't you just imagine a 'furiously teutonic bathroom cabinet'?

I also enjoyed Petroc's birthday and the Art cards at the start of each chapter.

Loved the whole episode of the first meeting of Rachel and Antony in the museum where she removes the little bowl. His total horror, I thought, was described so well.

I have lots of little bits in the book that were enjoyable for me, or I thought were well described. To me that was one of the books strengths, the descriptions were quite detailed and enabled you to view what the characters were seeing/doing etc.

This was let down by a weak plot - I certainly would find it hard to offer the book to someone else to read.

Usually I start off by reading quite slowly, once the book grabs then I will sit up late just to read a bit more. Unfortunately I had to force myself to finish this.

Did any of you enjoy any other bits of it?

[dandysmom]

That bit about Antony, Rachel and the bowl have me the horrors also; the idea that she'd even contemplate doing that! I'm a museum buff and a fan of Chinese porcelain also...started me out with a negative feeling about her which was only reinforced the longer I read. She was an incredibly difficult person to live with; it's a wonder the children didn't turn out even worse.....very strange childhoods.

[meep]

Eileen, it's nice to hear a different take on the book I would agree with you and CM that certain sections of the book were more interesting in the language choice and descriptions. But they still didn't speak to me.

For the ending, although it's left semi-open we do know that Petroc gets hit by a speeding car don't we? It's just the gap between that and Morwenna leaving home that we don't know what happens, but it's kind of easy to imagine.

I think what irked me slightly, Eileen, is the family were toodysfunctional. Not in a melodramatic way, not in a satirical way, not in a symbolic way (although he tried at symbolism with the pebbles and rocks), just in an overt way. And for this reason it seemed unbelievable. Families like this do exist but, due to the one-dimensional aspect of the characters, Gale's family seemed a little too like straw dogs in my opinion; all of them.

Interesting that I think Petroc was the most believable character, and others think Hedley was. Hedley's depth of feeling was most intense, especially on his jealousy for his lover and the female artist. And it is probably true that Gale's personal experiences lended toward this slightly more in-depth characterisation.

As for open endings, I think books or programmes can be open to a certain extent but they should provide leads or suggestions so that you can make up your own conclusion and wrestle with what you think happened. By the sounds of it, The Sopranos didn't even do that but just 'faded to black' as you said Eileen. I didn't see it, but we did have it over here. Sounds incredibly frustrating!

I've read one or two brilliant novels where the ending was left open or not entirely concluded, and I've felt that lended the book strength. Sadly, Gale's open ending just seemed an abrupt halt in a meandering narrative.

[angieh]

Just one more comment from me before I put this book on the ReadItSwapIt shelf ....

I had to keep reminding myself of the time it was meant to be set in ....... does it actually say anywhere? Hepworth died in 1975, so I suppose it was set in late 60's, and 70's and the grown up family presumably 80's. I kept thinking whether Gale had got general attitudes right - eg. to mental illness or homosexuality. It seemed almost too "now" IMO.

Interested in all your comments Group!!!

[mj69]

Hi everyone,

well I've finally finished the book and to say it was a struggle would be under-estimating it, usually I can read a book in a week but not this one! I will admit I voted for it, as the others have said reading the blurb I feel didnt describe the book at all. I've been left feeling very dissapointed with it.

There IMO was no real story line and I only finished it last night but can only remember a fraction of the book and thats not how a good book should leave you you should want to read it again and pass it on but this one will definatley be put on the shelf and left there.

I totally agree with everything you have all said regarding the characters so there's no point in repeating it again. Like so many of you my favourite part is the beach party for petroc's birthday and the way it was written described to a tee how children think and react in situations when Rachel tried to leave the two larger stones behind he exclaimed " they're Wenn and Antony" If only the rest of the book had been written in the same tone i feel it would have been a lot more enjoyable.

[dinahsmum]

What an unhappy start for our book group but not an unmitigated disaster. It's been interesting reading others' thoughts and fascinating to see that, although not huge fans of the book in general, there were aspects we liked and that we tended to like the same parts (the beach party, the stones etc). Were these the only bits which seemed to 'ring true'? Or the only parts where Ruth is seen behaving as a mother?

Angie - the setting in time. What an interesting question and possibly a reason why the book didn't engage - it didn't ring true to its period. I think we could work it out if any of us were bothered to go back to look up Ruth's early life etc. Was she born in the fifties? So the 'happy family' was sixties/early seventies - the only time frame I can recall is the old 'shooting brake' they went in to visit Ruth in the mental hospital. Sixties would be fine for that. That being the case, I think the events may have been anachronistic and the characters rather 'ahead of their time - in Cornwall if not in London.

Off topic - meep, here's that link to the Michael Faber article I was wittering about yesterday

[angieh]

Originally Posted by dinahsmum

Angie - the setting in time ...... I think the events may have been anachronistic and the characters rather 'ahead of their time - in Cornwall if not in London.

Absolutely! Now probably the presence of B Hepworth et al and all their arty set may have altered the attitudes of some in St Ives, it would have been so much more engaging if it had been set in the community as a whole, whereas the only group the reader comes across is the Quaker group and a few down at heel farmers. No one else exists - the whole thing is set in a vacuum. There, I have my opinion in a nutshell thanks to you all!

(And I said I'd made my final comment! )