March 7, 2016
Wood (The Bellwether Revivals) offers an intimate portrait of an artist in his second novel, illuminated by reflections on creativity and the creative process. The first of four parts begins on an island off the coast of Istanbul. Narrator Knell and three companions welcome a strange teenage boy to Portmantle, the island’s sanctuary for gifted individuals seeking lost inspiration. Knell’s companions include a playwright, an architect, and Quickman, the famed author of an iconic novel. They all use pseudonyms, but the teenager recognizes Knell as Scottish painter Elspeth Conroy. Knell/Elspeth recalls her early years, prompted by the boy’s troubled manner. The second section flashes back to Knell/Elspeth’s rise from painter’s assistant to toast of the 1960s London’s art scene, a career complicated by prescription drugs, conflict with her inner critic, and a disastrous encounter with an actual critic who writes a scathing review. Seeking solace from a friendly psychiatrist, in a secluded Scottish cottage, and finally at Portmantle, Knell/Elspeth struggles to capture on canvas the ecliptic: an imaginary line delineating the sun’s arc across the sky, a scientific construct invented to capture a complex truth. In the third section, she attempts a daring escape from the island, painting in tow. The last section, “Clarity,” separates construct from complexity, surprising both artist and reader. With its architectural structure, dramatic pacing, enthralling plot, and lush landscapes, Wood’s novel features beautifully written, meticulously perceived observations about art and artists. It may not be note perfect, as Quickman’s novel is described, but like Quickman’s, it is unusual and disquieting.