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Notes from an Exhibition | 
 enlarge | Author: Patrick Gale
Publisher: HarperPerennial
Category: Book
List Price: £7.99
Buy Used: £0.83
You Save: £7.16 (90%)
New (38) Used (36) from £0.83
Avg. Customer Rating:  68 reviews
Sales Rank: 206
Media: Paperback
Pages: 374
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.1 x 1.2
ISBN: 0007254660
EAN: 9780007254668
ASIN: 0007254660
Publication Date: January 7, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews: Read 63 more reviews...
 Thoroughly absorbing read! October 10, 2008
I found this rather an intriguing and absorbing book. Notes From An Exhibition centres around Rachel Kelly, an artist with Bipolar disorder. The story and family secrets unfold as you read each chapter. At first I must admit I didn't know If I would like this book as the chapters jump backwards and forwards through the decades but I actually found it quite easy to read (reading The Time Traveler's Wife helped I think!) I was enveloped by Rachel and her passion for art and I loved the notes about her paintings all the way through and how they linked in to chapters throughout the book. I was engaged by the other characters in the book and would liked to have known more about Petroc who's character didn't appear to be as fully fledged as Hedley or Morwenna's. I empathised very much with Morwenna especially on her 10th birthday and the fact that Rachel just didn't see that her actions could hurt someone else so much. At first I was disappointed with the ending of the book but then I realised just quite how sad and moving it was. I really enjoyed the book and will endeavour to read some more of his books now.
I liked the fact that the author had written notes in the back of the book which I thought was lovely to get an insight into the author's thoughts and feelings and he obviously writes very much from the heart and thoroughly investigates his subject matters; artists (Barbara Hepworth - didn't know she existed in real life!), bi-polar, Penzance. I liked the fact he provides a little walking tour of Penzance that readers can go and do!
superb, moving, inspiring October 5, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
a moving and inspiring account of a family battling against the dark forces of mental illness, combined with the dynamics of contemporary family life made this an intriguing and unmissable book.
Ashendon Book Group says... September 18, 2008
This is a good choice for a book group - everyone enjoyed reading it and we all took different things out of it. Some of us didn't switch on to the style of writing at first (i.e. what the `notes' were all about) but soon got the hang of it. It was an easy to read book though not necessarily a page turner. There were some intriguing twists and plenty of tension throughout.
The story of a talented, artist Rachel Kelly with her strong yet disturbed character is told through an almost visual description of her own and the lives of those she influenced and is well illustrated by the `notes'.
The other central character Anthony clearly loved Rachel and his strength of love is what holds their family together. Though Rachel was a Mum she was not really very good at it and certainly was not a good role model. Anthony, on the other hand, was a great Dad and an excellent role model for their children.
Rachel was not without love for her children howeverand little things in the book remind the reader continually of this.
Patrick Gale connects with his readers throughout the book. One good example of this is again beach day - every one of us have had `stones `moments with our own parents or children.
There were so many characters and each stood out from the others. There was no one character we couldn't love - big parts and small.
The `twists' in the tale are superbly constructed and entwine through the book.
Those of us who know Penzance were able to visualise the setting for much of the story and this made it quite special. Do take the opportunity to do the walking tour at the end of the book if (when) you visit Penzance, it takes about 2 hours and it's recommended. And the cinema is exactly as described in the book. So, go see a film there is you get chance.
We say, read it and enjoy. And we also recommend `Rough Music' by Patrick Gale
I loved this book! September 18, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This was the first Patrick Gale book I have read, and I mean to search out the others. It's an engrossing tale about family, love, loyalty, creativity, mental illness and Quakerism. It uses the device of reproducing descriptions of objects and pictures at an exhibition and having them as introductions to chapters. This sounds a bit contrived but I found the counterpoint between them and the main story convincing and moving. The writing style is superb: quiet and controlled, but full of emotional resonance. The characters are deftly drawn and invite your empathy. Brilliant!
A brilliant and intelligent page-turner September 16, 2008
Hadn't read a PG novel for a while and had forgotten how well he writes. I have enjoyed many of the past books but this is my favourite by far (or it could just be my memory of the others has faded).
I went to college in Penzance so did hold extra meaning for me as so many of the places he uses are real (a trip down memory lane). However, the plot was well structured and varied without becoming confusing at all as it jumped back and forth through time.
I think this is one of the best descriptions of a family, and their emotions, I have read for a long time and have recommended it to everyone I know so far. Deserves every star it can have!
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