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Autumn Laing (2011)

by Alex Miller(Favorite Author)

3.5 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

174237851X (ISBN13: 9781742378510)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Allen & Unwin

review 1: This novel is an outstanding example of the power of fiction to explore the possible inner lives of real people. Here, the imagined characters of Autumn and Arthur Laing and Pat Donlon (among others) reflect on real people, art patrons Sunday and John Reid (the Heide Circle) and Australian modernist artist Sidney Nolan. It is a fascinating setting as it embodies not only the inner turmoil of artistic expression, but also the drama of the artistic movements of the times, the rise of Modernism and the breaking away from European-led styles of painting that dominated in Australia up to the 1930s. The first-person narrative of Autumn Laing in her late years, imagining the lives of these extraordinary people through her own personal emotional struggles is totally engaging. What... more is it like to live in the skin of an artist? What is it like to love an artist for whom art is the only real love? There is wonderful insight here into how love, loyalty, friendship, jealousy and despair wreck havoc on individuals while at the same time impact on major Australian cultural developments. In an epilogue, the author explains that as the viewpoint is from the inside out, only fiction is able to explore the emotional ‘history’ that biography and non-fiction can only suggest. It is a wonderful achievement and a rich and rewarding reading experience.
review 2: Not quite sure what this book was trying to say. If it was a meant to be a book about a art movement in Austalia- it did not get the point across. I found it strange reading a book set just before world war 2 when there was absolutley no mention of it. Maybe that was the way it was in the Australian rich and famous - no regard for politics just art. There were parts I enjoyed reading, the stories and voices of the other characters, but I found the voice and thoughts of Autumn irritating and I did not feel I really got a sense of her at all! Also was confused if Pat was such a great Australian artist why did he end up spending his life in the UK- some explanation of this would have been good!. Also why did all the artists want or commit suicide- is the point that those that paint lead miserable unfufilling lives that make them suicidial- or was the auhor making someother point about suicide and old age! I don't think i will be recommending this book to anyone or rushing to read another Alex Miller book. less

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