The Bat Tattoo

by Russell Hoban

When Sarah Varley, an antiques dealer, meets Roswell Clark, an inventor of unusual crash-test dummies, on the steps of the Victoria & Albert Museum, it is the beginning of a strange and surprising romance. Roswell, lonely and recently widowed, has decided that he needs a tattoo. He has an image in mind - a bat from an eighteenth-century bowl in the museum. And Sarah, he discovers, is fascinated by the very same bat. Could it be a coincidence, or even divine intervention?

Genres: Fiction, Novels, Literary Fiction, British Literature

238 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 2003

About the author

Russell Conwell Hoban was an American expatriate writer. His works span many genres, including fantasy, science fiction, mainstream fiction, magical realism, poetry, and children's books. He lived in London, England, from 1969 until his death. (Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Jeroen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hoban's The Bat Tattoo is, like most of his later work, about a man and a woman of middle age - life going nowhere - finding solace in each other. They usually find each other through art; in this case they find each other on the steps of a museum. What defines this particular story is that the two are widowers, and it made me think of widowhood. To be a widow is not just a property of someone; it defines absolutely. You are a widow. Roswell, the male protagonist of this book, comes across Peter, the protagonist of Amaryllis Night and Day, at a museum exhibition here. Peter was also a lonely man who found solace in his muse Amaryllis - and he describes it here as such: "my paintings used to come from an emptiness in me; now I've lost that empty space". Such an empty space is what happens when your loved one dies.

It's from this place that the whole book is written. "Life is one goneness after another," concludes Hoban, in various different phrases meaning the same thing. The loved ones who died did not die of old age, so a preoccupation with death as disaster, with death being everywhere, is inevitable.

What I like about Hoban is that he just brings into his books all the art that preoccupies him when he is writing it. Anyway, that's how it seems. The pop culture references are always very versatile, from opera to sculptures to supermarket pop music - it could be that Hoban planned it all; that he saw all these things - movies, pop songs, paintings - and saw a connection - but I think it's the other way around. They are connected because Hoban has been preoccupied with them around the same time, and this is enough for him: there is already order in that. Things have a way of linking up. This is the way I often write my pieces as well; whatever I am watching, reading, inspired by around the same time usually ends up linked inextricably in an essay or story, as if the link was there all along for all to see. It brings to mind David Berman, saying

I'm just letting the day be what it is:
a place for a large number of things
to gather and interact --
not even a place but an occasion
a reality for real things.

For Hoban, everything is always connected to everything. The world really isn't that big, and what others would call serendipity (the same bat tattoo inspired by the same work of art, the same background story in life) is to Hoban something that seems to follow naturally.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another gem by Hoban. Not much happens, but he does quaint and quirky very well.

Middle aged American in London makes a living from the royalties from a crash test dummy toy. He dabbles in art for want of something better to do. Then he gets a commision for some anatomically correct and motorised crash test dummy toys, for use as erotic stimuli by a rich patron. He also meets a small time antique dealer and gradually falls for her. Why not, they have dead spouses that they feel guilty about in common.

Not sure why this book works, but it does. I was engaged and interested, and polished the book off in a day - a rare event nowadays.

Worth a read

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

another recent Hoban and captivating. Quirky, sad, at a distinct angle to most books. He reminds me of, to go outside fiction because within it no-one resembles him, Robert Wyatt -if Wyatt wrote novels they would be like this.
Long may Hoban prosper. (He must be getting on a bit now).

[Suley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Someone to cherish.

[Gerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me and while I enjoyed it, I did not find it particularly special.

It is one of those books I would call 'old fashioned' in that it is eloquently written perhaps in a similar style to William Trevor, Elizabeth Taylor or Anita Brookner although not quite reaching the same standard of the aforementioned authors. The writing is littered with references to both art, literature and classical music to give it the feel of a 'highbrow' piece of work.

The story centres around two main characters who have both suffered loss in their life and find themselves alone. One an artist, the other an antiques dealer come together having met at the V&A museum, both having in earlier parts of their life has the same tattoo based on an ancient Chinese design found on an artifact in the museum. Friendship ensues as they gradually find themselves both individually, and as a couple.

A gentle rather than gripping or moving story.

I have taken from this book two quotes that appealed to me:

'Why have I got so many videos that I watch more than once - made up people acting out made up stories?' (so true of me!)

'Reality has no meaning - it is only itself' (Christ speaking to one of the characters in his dream)

[Isabel (kittiwake) · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was the music in my head when I left the Coliseum. and with it came Psalm 137 and my remembered Zion. The rain had stopped, and after I crossed St Martin's Lane in the intervals between taxis and was once more in the darkness of Cecil Court I saw again the afternoon sunlight on the wind-stirred grasses of Maiden Castle. How shall I sing the Lord's song in a strange land? I thought. But then, really, that's what life is, isn't it: a strange land.

This is the second of this author's books that I have read, after the wonderful post-apocalyptic tale, "Riddley Walker". It is the modern day tale of a middle-aged man and woman, both widowed several years ago, who come together after coincidentally getting the same bat (a symbol of happiness taken from a Chinese vase at the V&A) tattooed on their left shoulders. It is a tale of art, loneliness, religious iconography, failure, erotica, mysterious millionaires, and an unfortunate obsession with crash-test dummies.

Highly recommended.

[Dfordoom · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engagingly quirky little book about grief and loss, and guilt and forgiveness, and crash-test dummies. It’s told from the points of view of two main characters – Roswell Clark, toymaker, and Sarah Varley, a dealer in bric-a-brac. We also get the point of view of a secondary character, Adelbert Delarue, a patron of the arts with an odd taste in toys. Roswell and Sarah have both lost spouses, in Roswell’s case in circumstances which have left a legacy of guilt. Both Roswell and Sarah have bat tattoos, so naturally their paths are destined to cross. In Hoban’s world slightly odd things like that happen. At times it’s extremely funny, at times oddly touching, it’s an offbeat love story, and a story about learning to deal with the ghosts of the past. A delightful book.

[Kerry Bridges · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a strangely compelling little book, with lovely characters and an interesting underlying premise. Roswell Clark is an artist who hasn't seriously worked since his wife died. He meets Sarah Varley crying on the steps of the V and A museum and there begins a story to help them both come to terms with their pasts and move towards a future. It didn't take long to read and although some of the subject matter is a bit adult, it didn't detract from the story for me and I don't usually like that sort of thing. An enjoyable read.

[Hugo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The two main characters - middle-aged and widowed - are neatly drawn, realistically but with quirks, and enough back story to delineate them in the mind, and the repeating connecting elements of their lives - ephemera and automata, M.R. James's The Casting of the Runes, representations of the crucifixion, Psalm 137, and two endings of relationships of a woman named Hilary - intersect them with a mysterious third character who brings the themes of religion and creation into focus.

[Terry Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 9th Russell Hoban book I've read and enjoyed every one of them. I love his interest in Art and he invariably ends up in an Art gallery or museum within the story line as he describes what's in front of him you almost feel that you are standing beside him and following his eyes as he describes that particular piece of Art. A great author.

[Saturday's Child · Rating 3 out of 5]

I confess that I only read this novel because I liked the title and cover, having said that I glad that I did as I enjoyed it.

[Bookbrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine foray into the non-genre literature.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Light on plot, but rich in characters and loosely connected scenes. A nice story about sad broken people and art. But it isn't particularly sad or particularly romantic. Just nice.

[Dead John Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let Me tell you something about Russel Hoban.

First off, he is dead and has been for a while. He was a very successful children's author long before he lowered his standards to write for adults. He was very popular in the 1970's and 1980's although he wrote well outside these eras.

Secondly, he wrote one of the 2 best books I have ever read in my life, that book is Riddley Walker and it is completely different from anything else he wrote.

Modern Readers with lists of triggers and fragile sensibilities would not enjoy any of his books.

One of the things he does that I like is to research his characters and their lives then bring that research into the narrative.

For example, one his characters has a "carrying book" that he carries when in public. That may not be the book the character is reading but its contents will provide a context to what is happening in the story.

He will mention in great detail the music playing in the background and where it fits in this cosmic accident we call reality. He will name objects and list their provenance. If anyone else did that you'd think they were being a pretentious wanker and a bore, but no he actually pulls it off and adds subtext to the narrative, he may do this several times in a story so you have these subliminal threads all going along sometimes in the foreground and other times in the background. Also in some cases from book to book. You could call them universal themes I guess? He creates intelligent, aware characters.

His books have sometimes been described and magic realism but I tend to think they are more "enhanced realism". There's no magic in this one. He ascribes contemporary personalities to concepts and ideologies and has conversations with them kind of ....

If you have't guessed already that I am a fan of his writing then I'll come right out and say it. He creates 3D stories and I love them. I haven't found another writer that does this in the same way.

And so to The Bat Tattoo. One of his later novels that carry his indelible method and rhythm. When you start you have no idea where the story is going or indeed if it is going anywhere at all. Ostensibly a story of two people at crossroads in their lives who both have a bat tattoo on their bodies.

[Timothy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terribly unfortunate use of pulp. Actual quote: "Giles arrived with a woman of fifty or so who was in somewhat better shape than she really was." Makes no sense, or a failed attempt at humor. Plus a whole lot more illiterate nonsense. Reading this tripe could really ruin your day. Zero stars.

[Grant McDougall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another weird and wonderful novel by this late, great writer.

[Chiefdonkey Bradey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seeing beautiful strangeness in louche streets

[SJAYMYA · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book wasn't for me. I tried to really get into it, but the story was all over the place. Nothing made any sense, so after only reaching page 55, I at to call it quits.

[Karen Carlson]

Rec by Don Curren - has a lot of music
https://bsky.app/profile/dbcurren.bsk...

[Ape · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was something kind of autumnual and melancholy about this book. Not that the characters are even that old... I think they're somewhere in their forties... but there was something about this and the way they were always looking back. Both Sarah Varley, and Roswell Clark, lost their partners in recent years, and ponder on that whilst muddling through the present. They first meet at the Victoria and Albert museum, where Roswell is looking at a bat in an old Chinese bowl. He wants to use this bat as a tattoo on his shoulder. As coincidence would have it, Sarah already has this tattoo.

So they gradually form a friendship over the months through chance meetings. She sees him as a bit incomplete and wants to improve him... what is this saying about women?! And he is living off his fortunes from a sucessful crash test dummy toy, and making bespoke kinky automia for some super rich French guy. This money and so forth lead him into art and creating for the sake of creating, to make a massive dummy on a cross. There is a lot about religion in here, and about Zion, crucifixes, and general ponderings, which were all a little dry for me.

So it's a nice little tale and it kind of finishes nicely without you wanting any more.

[Velvetink]

romance,weird, surreal?

note to self. Copy from A.

[Iris · Rating 3 out of 5]

63%.