Il pittore che visse due volte

by Chris Paling

Un giovane pittore maledetto, un critico d'arte assassinato, una Londra cupa e lugubre dei primi del Novecento. Reilly è un giovane artista alla ricerca del successo e della fama: non ancora baciato dalla fortuna, vive in una misera soffitta in compagnia del fedele cane Nimrod, circondato da quadri invenduti e tele incomplete. Una sera di pioggia battente il critico più potente di tutta Londra bussa alla sua porta, affascinato dal suo talento. Potrebbe essere la svolta che aspettava da tanto, ma proprio il giorno dopo il critico viene trovato assassinato in un canale, gli occhi orribilmente strappati. E nelle indagini, inchiodato da uno strano indizio, viene coinvolto lo stesso Reilly... Dopo quasi un secolo, in un'antica galleria di Londra, una ragazza di nome Samantha si imbatte in un quadro di Reilly e ne è immediatamente rapita. Decide di scoprire di più su chi lo ha dipinto e inizia a scavare tra archivi polverosi, vecchi ritagli di giornale e racconti di persone che conobbero il pittore, fino a imbattersi nell'omicidio accaduto tanti anni prima e ancora avvolto nella nebbia. Chi ha ucciso il critico d'arte? Chi ha incastrato Reilly e per quale crudele scopo? Quale mistero si cela dietro quel quadro maledetto? Passo dopo passo, Samantha si troverà a svelare i dettagli di una trama mortale, fatta di odio e desiderio di vendetta.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Thriller, Adult

285 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Born in 1956 in Derby, Chris Paling studied social sciences at the University of Sussex. He started working as a studio manager for BBC radio in 1981. In the early 90s he had a Thirty Minute Theatre play called Way Station produced on BBC Radio 4. He wrote more radio plays and later began writing novels.

Chris Paling is married with two children, Sarah and Thomas, and lives in Brighton.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

didnt really get into this book as it shifts between different time periods had the potential to be a good book but just didnt deliver though.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're looking for a good murder mystery you won't find one here. Neither will you find any interesting and absorbing locations or even particularly believable characters. You'll certainly find a lot of to-ing and fro-ing between time periods (as the blurb mentions) but whilst I initially thought I'd find that promise exciting it was more of a distraction than anything.

I was drawn to this book because of its reviews, particularly one by the Literary Review which called it a "humane book about the importance of art and the unpredictability of life". It could be said that the lives of the main characters were unpredictable (not in the way of twists might I add) but that is only because their personalities seem to change distractingly often. I found the story of Samantha Dodd, the modern-day main character, to be ludicrously unbelievable and on a few occasions found myself laughing at the ridiculous predicaments she managed to get herself into. As far as I could see the importance of art was never touched upon, unless you count the Edwardian main character Reilly's paintings as important, when really they were nothing more than evidence in a murder enquiry and the source of absolute mania for Samantha.

I would have liked this book a little more if it wasn't for the modern-day parts. When I first read the short description of the overweight secretary Samantha I immediately loved her and thought I was on the brink of discovering my new favourite female character. That quickly changed when she did perhaps the most stupid (and cruel) things I've ever read which made me want to throw the book out of the window. Perhaps I don't get out enough but even as an ex art student I wouldn't give up my entire life for a painting I'd only seen from a distance through a window.

Reilly's story was mildly interesting but did drag on an awful amount in some parts (like his murder trial) and was rather predictable. I didn't really care about any of his supporting characters (especially Amy Sykes, a girl he'd been sleeping with/using before the novel's start) because I hadn't a need to; I was never really given the chance to know anything about them other than their connection with Reilly, which to me seems lacking. At one point the story shifted to two new characters altogether (a prostitute and an animal abusing brute) but their narrative served completely pointless in the end and I probably would have given the book three stars if they had been edited out completely.

But I don't want my review to paint a wholly bad picture of this book. Although the story wasn't often on my mind when I wasn't reading it, the combined stories gave me a strong want to go back to it and finish it, to discover how exactly they would meet at the end. The jumping between the centuries not only broke up the narratives well but it gave me a chance to have a break too and be fresh and eager for the next part once I had. For me the ending was a disappointment but I think this is due to my personal preference for exciting twists and nail-biting finales, (the review segment on the front of the book from the Guardian describes the story as "often nail-biting", another factor that drew me to it. I disagree. For me it was nail-biting once.) That being said, all the loose ends were tied nicely and something positive came out of all the drawn out sadness of Reilly's story and absolute ludicrousness of Samantha's.

Whilst I personally won't be reading this book again I would recommend it as an easy read that isn't overly descriptive and very simple to follow: a holiday read. You may even find it uplifting.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back cover blurb says:-
Reilly is an impoverished painter who lives alone in a shabby studio, with only his unsold canvases and his faithful dog Nimrod for company. He seems destined to remain in obscurity until the most influential art critic of the time notices his talent. But no sooner has he found a patron than the critic is discovered drowned in a local canal and the trail leads directly back to Reilly. From Reilly's prison cell in Edwardian London to an exclusive gallery in contemporary Soho, the clues that lead to the murderer lie carefully hidden, until the day when Samantha, a young office assistant, finds herself drawn to one of Reilly's pictures and decides to embark on her own investigation.

My review:-
Chris Paling, a new author to me, captures the sights and smells of Edwardian London and 100 years later, the modern Soho so very well in this dual time novel where the old is in part shadowed by the new. For me, Reilly and his story was far more gripping than Samantha's which I found quite unbelievable and a bit silly at times. The characters are well fleshed out so it is easy to picture each individual and I was soon able to decide where my sympathies lay and even with an ending that I didn't foresee nothing changed my mind.
Definitely worth reading just unfortunate that a couple of books ago I read another dual time story also linked by a painting and maybe this has clouded my judgement a little. I would like to give it another 1/2 star really as 4 seems a little mean so I will mark it as 5.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great little book that really exceeded my expectations. I don't remember where I heard about it, and I haven't read anything else by this author before. It tells the stories of two characters living a century apart. Reilly, an impoverished artist in 1912, is accused of a murder he didn't commit. Fast forward a few decades and Samantha, a secretary living in present day London, becomes interested in investigating more into his life and works.

When I picked this up I was hoping for nothing more than a fairly standard cosy historical murder mystery to divert my attention and entertain me on a few lazy days off work. I was therefore delighted as the plot unfolded and I came to realise it's a unique little gem. On multiple occasions the twists and turns had me sitting up and thinking 'Well I certainly wasn't expecting THAT to happen'. The characters, particularly that of Samantha, are as quirky as they are unpredictable. The conclusion maybe felt slightly hasty but that is the only real criticism I can offer here!

This isn't a book that's going to sit with my all-time favourites or withstand multiple re-reads, but it is certainly the most enjoyable thing I've read in a while and I feel it's one that most people would have some fun reading.

[Gayatri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book could be considered a set apart from my usual books with mysteries and thrills.

When I had gone in to this book, I'd had zero expectations, but the writing really captured my attention. I could visualize the scenes right out of the pages so much so that I felt that I'd sunk in the book itself.


Keith and Samantha's cat-and-mouse chase and one-upmanship was easily my most favorite part, because while Reilly was introduced as a character about whom the entire story revolves, these two are not purported as the protagonists; there was always a side to them that was revealed as the book progressed through.

The last chapters were a bit of a let down, considering that the story had built up to an apogee, but there was no explanation provided to the hows and whys of the latter. Why did Jebb help Reilly? Why did Samantha escape without Keith? What was the big deal about Nimrod's Shadow, considering that it wasn't the painting focused on throughout the book. The ending felt a bit abrupt. I wished there had been more to wrap it all up nicely so that I could heave a sigh and say, "Whew! That was one amazing ride".

[Rosemary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dual-time story set in a run-down part of London at the beginning of the 20th and 21st centuries. T.F. Reilly is an unknown painter working in a garret room just before the 1st World War - until an art critic who comes to visit him is found drowned in the canal, and Reilly is suspected of his murder. A hundred years later, Samantha Dodds is fascinated by one of his pictures and is drawn into a dangerous game of her own. Nimrod the dog has a part to play in both stories.

That makes this sound like a thriller but it's not a serious one. It's funny in places and generally entertaining. I certainly enjoyed it but I found the ending a bit of an anticlimax.

[Rachel Nowakowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! What can I say. Found the characters compelling, the story intriguing and complex, particularly the switching between time periods. It was beautifully crafted. If you like historicals with a touch of mystery then this is a book for you! Am now eager to read more of his work.

[Chiara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uno dei peggiori libri che abbia mai letto in vita mia.
Lo stile dell'autore non è un granché, la trama è sconclusionata e i personaggi insignificanti.
Non è possibile dare mezza stella, vero?!

[Alexis · Rating 1 out of 5]

La valutazione generale qui su GR era già bassa, e francamente non ricordo come io sia venuta in possesso di una copia.
Ma almeno sapevo già che non dovevo aspettarmi molto, e non sono rimasta delusa.
I capitoli ambientati nel passato non sono neanche male, la trama che si intreccia col presente non è mal studiata, i personaggi del passato vanno bene, ma sono i capitoli nel presente il vero problema.
Sono tremendi. L'autore ha voluto mettere un protagonista maschile nel passato e uno femminile nel presente.
Ma non sa di certo come si comportano le donne, perchè Samantha fa delle scelte assurde, stupide e si comporta con gli altri o in modo cattivo, o stupido, o entrambe le cose.
E gli altri personaggi del presente non sono da meno, veramente imbarazzanti.

[Philippa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite a slightly weak final couple of chapters, I really enjoyed the book and the correlations between the two epochs. I found Reilly an intriguing character and Keith was just great in his absolute awfulness!

[mc shortall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! I really enjoyed the way it went back and forth from the past to the present.
The main character in the present made me chuckle

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this atmospheric book. Original plot and characters including Nimrod the dog.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lettura molto scorrevole e appassionante.
Una trama interessante che incuriosisce e che accompagna il lettore capitolo dopo capitolo (ma anche nel tempo) per le strade e i vicoli londinesi, lo guida tra gli intrecciati destini dei personaggi e lo stupisce con gli accadimenti che si susseguono fino a trovare il bandolo della matassa.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dog made me pick up this book. Well, look at him! Quite clearly a terrier! looks just like that when you say “beach” or “park”.

Turning to the synopsis I found that the terrier was a Jack Russell, and I found myself intrigued by the prospect of a very interesting book.

The story opens in Edwardian London.

Reilly is an impoverished artist, living in poverty, surrounded by unsold canvases. But maybe his luck is about to change. Reilly exhibits his paintings in a cafe owned by his good friend Mountjoy. Gower, prominent critic with the power to make or break reputations, sees them, likes them, and becomes Reilly’s patron. His future seems assured.

But no. Gower is found drowned in a local canal and trail leads directly back to Reilly. He protests his innocence, but he is tried, found guilty, and imprisoned for life. Only Mountjoy and Reilly’s lover, Amy Sykes, believe that he is innocent and they are powerless.

It seems that Reilly will spend the rest of his life in jail and that his work will always be obscure …

And there is the another story, the story set in present day London.

Samantha Dodd is at a low ebb. She was always solitary, never quite fitting in with the crowd, and now her mother has died, leaving her alone in the world. She is bored and unhappy at work, and has been given a final warning.

Wandering through London she looks into the window of an art gallery, and she is entranced by the painting she sees. She talks her way into a job at the gallery and sets out to acquire more paintings by the obscure artist and to promote his name. Reilly.

For the first time in her life Samantha has a purpose and is a woman possessed. She will do anything. She will stop at nothing…

The two stories, of course, collide in the end, but I’m not going to say how.

But I will say that it is exactly right. And that Nimrod, a very well drawn terrier, has a small but crucial role to play …

Chris Paling twists his two stories together, and he balances them perfectly. As one rises the other falls. It’s a fine and compelling example of the traditional art of storytelling.Sometimes I thought I knew what was going to happen and my expectations were very cleverly subverted. And sometimes I had no idea where the story was going, but when I got there it was completely right. Very clever!

And there was so much to hold my attention.

Two fascinating characters. Idiosyncratic and utterly believable, and the kind of people you don’t find in books too often.

Richly painted pictures of London in too different ages, packed full of wonderful details. If a certain Mr Collins and a certain Mr Dickens had been able to look into the future, I do believe that they would have recognised the city, and appreciated the story too.

All of the elements come together to make an utterly readable book, and one that completely defies categorisation.

I’m glad I found it: thank you Nimrod!

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, how I loved this book!

There are many novels that do not enthrall me in the first few pages, so I put them aside and move on. Every now and then, though, I think a particular story will be worth my pressing on. This is one of those...one of those rare novels that I read in two sittings; if I thought my eyes would hold out, I would've read it in one.

Yes, I picked up this book for the dog...and stayed for the story of an impoverished artist and Nimrod, his devoted Jack Russell in Edwardian London, and a parallel story, taking place a hundred years later, of a young woman who falls in love with one of the artist's paintings. After the few three or so chapters devoted to the artist, the chapters alternate between the stories.

Without giving too much away, let me just say that bad decisions are made by both main characters; I kept thinking of Thomas Hardy if he wrote stories with urban settings. It is one of those novels that reminds me of the amusement park ride on which you think you know where you're going and then suddenly you're off in another direction. I thought I knew how one of these stories was going to end...and was wrong. Oh, and I know I held my breath at least a dozen times.

By the end I had to fill in some gaps on my own--which was fine, although I would have enjoyed more of a narrative filling in those gaps. There was also one incident that tore at my heart; unresolved (as with so many things in real life), I'm afraid I know the outcome...but had hoped for some sort of sentimental closure, something that would have made me feel less awful.

Finally, this book made me cry; I had to read one passage three times to get through it. Although it seemed relentlessly depressing, it really was not overall just...sad.

[Franca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strano, a tratti molto confuso (soprattutto verso la fine), tanto che a un certo punto ci si chiede che genere di libro si stia leggendo e soprattutto per quale motivo alcuni personaggi si comportano in modi del tutto assurdi. Fino a tre quarti mi era piaciuto molto, sul finire purtroppo si è rovinato. Una lettura comunque piacevole, tutto sommato.

[Chiara]

Libro abbandonato nel tempo, ripreso e poi abbandonato definitivamente. La storia si svolge su due linee temporali diverse ma nessuna delle due purtroppo è abbastanza intrigante da portare avanti la lettura e quindi diventa solo snervante dover solo fare ogni volta avanti e indietro nel tempo.
Non lo consiglio a nessun tipo di lettore.

[Julia]

An interesting read - historical tale which also jumps to the present day. It is not so much a murder mystery but a tale of an artist and how he, and those closest to him, deal with his imprisonment. A twist at the end (in fact a couple) with one of them right at the last page!

[Annalise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book drew me in from the beginning with its parallel stories in Victorian and present day London. I thought I knew the course it was going to follow but it continued to surprise throughout. Very well written and full of surprises.

[Kristina Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well crafted with a story that continues evolving until the very last page. Both stories in the past and present are linked by paintings that become almost characters. Unexpected and a read that is in turns melancholy and almost comical.

[Jane Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another story which splices past and present. Why did this become fashionable?

It's a good story, well written. However, I found the modern characters unconvincing, especially Samantha.

[Elisabetta · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is not bad but it's full of detailed descriptions that I found useless and distracting from both plots. I enjoyed the part set in our times better than the one set in the last century.

[Linda Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very satisfying plot and characters. Held the mystery until the very last page.

[Elisa Bianchedi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boh. Non ho capito se questo libro mi sia piaciuto oppure no.
Da leggere così, in vacanza, tra un pancake e una tazza di te, senza pretese.

[Andrea Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant find following a visit to a bookshop selling up , which was a sad occasion. The cover with its silhouette caught my eye and the story caught my imagination. The fate of all the players involved in this mystery are well constructed and the subsequent reveal is a fine one.