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The Chalk Artist
Tension arises in the love affair of a young artist for whom nothing is permanent and his girlfriend, a teacher who believes that things are meant to last by the New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist.
This is a compelling love story between two very different young people: Collin, a disarming chalk artist who thinks nothing of erasing his dazzling work, and Nina, an idealistic teacher who struggles every day to make a lasting impact on her students. Wanting Collin to realize his full talent, Nina warily introduces him to her powerful father, who owns the most cutting edge virtual reality game company in the world. Add to this a brilliant but unstable pupil of Nina’s who is gaming obsessed, and you have contemporary life caught in the crosshairs by one of our most charming and socially astute literary voices.
This is a compelling love story between two very different young people: Collin, a disarming chalk artist who thinks nothing of erasing his dazzling work, and Nina, an idealistic teacher who struggles every day to make a lasting impact on her students. Wanting Collin to realize his full talent, Nina warily introduces him to her powerful father, who owns the most cutting edge virtual reality game company in the world. Add to this a brilliant but unstable pupil of Nina’s who is gaming obsessed, and you have contemporary life caught in the crosshairs by one of our most charming and socially astute literary voices.
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First published June 1, 2017
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About the author
Allegra Goodman
21 books1,631 followersHello, Good Readers!
My new book "This Is Not About Us" will be published in February! You can order it here.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
My novel "Isola" is now in paperback. This is a historical novel based on the true story of a young woman who sails from France to the New World in 1542 and is marooned on an island in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
I am also the author of several other books including, "Sam," a novel about a young girl's exuberance, wonder, and ambition as she comes of age.
Jenna Bush Hager picked "Sam" for her Today Show book club and said, "Sam is about as perfect of a coming-of-age story as I have ever read."
About me: I was born in Brooklyn, but I grew up in Honolulu where I did not have to wear shoes in school until fifth grade.
I now live in Cambridge, MA and I own boots. In addition to writing fiction, I read a lot and teach on occasion. In my free time, I swim and walk around the city.
I have four children, now getting pretty grown up. My oldest son (an economist) reads everything. My second son (a law student and grad student in political theory) reads mostly non-fiction. I'm working on this! My third son (an aspiring chemist) loves science fiction, fantasy, and history. My daughter (a user experience designer) enjoys biography and YA novels--but only if they have exceptionally beautiful covers.
I read fiction, biography, history, poetry, and books about art. I also enjoy discovering authors in translation.
When I was a seven-year-old living in Hawaii, I decided to become a novelist--but I began by writing poetry and short stories.
In high school and college I focused on short stories, and in June, 1986, I published my first in "Commentary."
My first book was a collection of short stories, "Total Immersion."
My second book, "The Family Markowitz" is a short story cycle that people tend to read as a novel.
Much of my work is about family in its many forms. I am also interested in religion, science, the threats and opportunities of technology, and the exploration of islands, real, and imaginary.
My novel, "Kaaterskill Falls" travels with a group of observant Jews to the Catskill Mountains.
"Intuition" enters a research a lab, where a young post-doc makes a discovery that excites everybody except for one skeptic--his ex-girlfriend.
A rare collection of cookbooks stars in my novel, "The Cookbook Collector."
A girl named Honor tries to save her mother in my dystopian YA novel, "The Other Side of the Island."
With Michael Prince, I have co-authored a supercool writing textbook. If you teach composition, take a look at "Speaking of Writing: a Brief Rhetoric."
If you'd like to learn more about me and about each of my books, check out my website:
http://allegragoodman.com/
Find me on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AllegraGoodman
Or on Instagram:
@allegragoodmanwriter
And of course, you can check out the reviews I post here on Goodreads. Generally, I use my Goodreads reviews to spotlight books I love and recommend.
My new book "This Is Not About Us" will be published in February! You can order it here.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
My novel "Isola" is now in paperback. This is a historical novel based on the true story of a young woman who sails from France to the New World in 1542 and is marooned on an island in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
I am also the author of several other books including, "Sam," a novel about a young girl's exuberance, wonder, and ambition as she comes of age.
Jenna Bush Hager picked "Sam" for her Today Show book club and said, "Sam is about as perfect of a coming-of-age story as I have ever read."
About me: I was born in Brooklyn, but I grew up in Honolulu where I did not have to wear shoes in school until fifth grade.
I now live in Cambridge, MA and I own boots. In addition to writing fiction, I read a lot and teach on occasion. In my free time, I swim and walk around the city.
I have four children, now getting pretty grown up. My oldest son (an economist) reads everything. My second son (a law student and grad student in political theory) reads mostly non-fiction. I'm working on this! My third son (an aspiring chemist) loves science fiction, fantasy, and history. My daughter (a user experience designer) enjoys biography and YA novels--but only if they have exceptionally beautiful covers.
I read fiction, biography, history, poetry, and books about art. I also enjoy discovering authors in translation.
When I was a seven-year-old living in Hawaii, I decided to become a novelist--but I began by writing poetry and short stories.
In high school and college I focused on short stories, and in June, 1986, I published my first in "Commentary."
My first book was a collection of short stories, "Total Immersion."
My second book, "The Family Markowitz" is a short story cycle that people tend to read as a novel.
Much of my work is about family in its many forms. I am also interested in religion, science, the threats and opportunities of technology, and the exploration of islands, real, and imaginary.
My novel, "Kaaterskill Falls" travels with a group of observant Jews to the Catskill Mountains.
"Intuition" enters a research a lab, where a young post-doc makes a discovery that excites everybody except for one skeptic--his ex-girlfriend.
A rare collection of cookbooks stars in my novel, "The Cookbook Collector."
A girl named Honor tries to save her mother in my dystopian YA novel, "The Other Side of the Island."
With Michael Prince, I have co-authored a supercool writing textbook. If you teach composition, take a look at "Speaking of Writing: a Brief Rhetoric."
If you'd like to learn more about me and about each of my books, check out my website:
http://allegragoodman.com/
Find me on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AllegraGoodman
Or on Instagram:
@allegragoodmanwriter
And of course, you can check out the reviews I post here on Goodreads. Generally, I use my Goodreads reviews to spotlight books I love and recommend.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 363 reviews
April 5, 2017
Whether she intended it or not, I feel like Allegra Goodman's newest novel,
The Chalk Artist
, is two books in one.
It's a love story of sorts between two dreamers who come from different backgrounds and share different perspectives on how to make their dreams come true. At the same time, it's also a look at the world of video gaming and virtual reality, and the way it pulls all different types of people into its wake. On the surface you wouldn't think that these two disparate halves could make a whole, but the end result is a tremendously compelling, beautifully written, slightly imperfect book.
Collin is a tremendously talented artist who never felt like he belonged in art school. His preferred medium is chalk, and he's all too happy to create beautiful pictures and images to captivate viewers, only to erase them and start again. It's a philosophy he follows in life, too—nothing is really permanent. He's really biding his time, waiting tables, acting and designing in a theater company he and his roommate founded, and trying to figure out what the future holds.
When Nina walks into his restaurant, he's immediately smitten. A Harvard graduate who is teaching as part of Teacher Corps, she wants to dazzle her students so they love literature and poetry as much as she does, but she can't seem to reach them or get them to pay attention to her. Although it takes her a while to let her guard down with Collin, she loves how his creativity and fearlessness has awakened her, and she hopes her practical nature will inspire him to do something real with his artistic talent.
Nina is the daughter of a gaming and technology mogul whose video games are tremendously popular. His soon-to-be released game is revolutionizing the world of virtual reality, so in an effort to help Collin harness his talent in a practical way, she convinces her father to give Collin a try at his company, Arkadia. It's a move which energizes him but creates barriers—both real and artificial—in their relationship.
Meanwhile, Arkadia is using some slightly questionable marketing tactics to raise the anticipation for its newest game, and a student at Nina's school, Aidan, gets caught up in both the game's incredibly dazzling magic and the painful realities that his obsession causes. It could prove dangerous not only to him, but to his twin sister, Diana, a student in Nina's class, and others.
When I started reading The Chalk Artist , I couldn't understand why Goodman would want to muddy the waters of Collin and Nina's story with a completely unrelated thread about a teenage boy obsessed with virtual reality. But the more I read, the more I realized how this virtual world really served as a counterpoint to Nina's need for permanence and real reality, and there was so much more to this plotline than I first thought.
Goodman's writing practically sings when she describes UnderWorld and Collin's art. Her imagery really felt as if it would be right at home in any fantasy novel, and it was unlike anything I've seen from her work to date. While Collin and Nina's story is definitely one you've seen before (and depending on your personality, you'll definitely prefer one character over the other), it still is compelling, and you hope that neither will do something stupid.
Not everything works in the book—I felt that Aidan's sister was a little superfluous, and felt like the plot shifted back and forth a little too abruptly at times. But overall, I enjoyed this a great deal. I'm a big fan of books that embrace the power of dreams of all kinds. This book really solidified Goodman as a favorite author of mine, one whose deft hand has created some truly memorable characters through the years.
NetGalley and Random House/The Dial Press provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
It's a love story of sorts between two dreamers who come from different backgrounds and share different perspectives on how to make their dreams come true. At the same time, it's also a look at the world of video gaming and virtual reality, and the way it pulls all different types of people into its wake. On the surface you wouldn't think that these two disparate halves could make a whole, but the end result is a tremendously compelling, beautifully written, slightly imperfect book.
Collin is a tremendously talented artist who never felt like he belonged in art school. His preferred medium is chalk, and he's all too happy to create beautiful pictures and images to captivate viewers, only to erase them and start again. It's a philosophy he follows in life, too—nothing is really permanent. He's really biding his time, waiting tables, acting and designing in a theater company he and his roommate founded, and trying to figure out what the future holds.
When Nina walks into his restaurant, he's immediately smitten. A Harvard graduate who is teaching as part of Teacher Corps, she wants to dazzle her students so they love literature and poetry as much as she does, but she can't seem to reach them or get them to pay attention to her. Although it takes her a while to let her guard down with Collin, she loves how his creativity and fearlessness has awakened her, and she hopes her practical nature will inspire him to do something real with his artistic talent.
Nina is the daughter of a gaming and technology mogul whose video games are tremendously popular. His soon-to-be released game is revolutionizing the world of virtual reality, so in an effort to help Collin harness his talent in a practical way, she convinces her father to give Collin a try at his company, Arkadia. It's a move which energizes him but creates barriers—both real and artificial—in their relationship.
Meanwhile, Arkadia is using some slightly questionable marketing tactics to raise the anticipation for its newest game, and a student at Nina's school, Aidan, gets caught up in both the game's incredibly dazzling magic and the painful realities that his obsession causes. It could prove dangerous not only to him, but to his twin sister, Diana, a student in Nina's class, and others.
When I started reading The Chalk Artist , I couldn't understand why Goodman would want to muddy the waters of Collin and Nina's story with a completely unrelated thread about a teenage boy obsessed with virtual reality. But the more I read, the more I realized how this virtual world really served as a counterpoint to Nina's need for permanence and real reality, and there was so much more to this plotline than I first thought.
Goodman's writing practically sings when she describes UnderWorld and Collin's art. Her imagery really felt as if it would be right at home in any fantasy novel, and it was unlike anything I've seen from her work to date. While Collin and Nina's story is definitely one you've seen before (and depending on your personality, you'll definitely prefer one character over the other), it still is compelling, and you hope that neither will do something stupid.
Not everything works in the book—I felt that Aidan's sister was a little superfluous, and felt like the plot shifted back and forth a little too abruptly at times. But overall, I enjoyed this a great deal. I'm a big fan of books that embrace the power of dreams of all kinds. This book really solidified Goodman as a favorite author of mine, one whose deft hand has created some truly memorable characters through the years.
NetGalley and Random House/The Dial Press provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
February 26, 2017
For the past 34 years .....every August is the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts. In past years it has attracted 150,000 people. Besides the art exhibitors-music - and - food - one of the biggest crowd-pleasers is the Street-Painting Expo--gorgeous murals by 'Chalk Artist'. They're extraordinary. Larger than life creations -all weekend long. This August 60 'chalk artist' will be sponsored by the Palo Alto Weekly.
I attend every year - and every year I say the same thing, "how can the city just wash away the artist's work"? "Aren't the artist's crushed"?
In Allegra Goodman's New novel, "The Chalk Artist", when Collin James creates the backdrop for theater production, the boards get washed when the show ends.
His art - wash away! We get to look at the theme 'temporary'. Given that -in life - we often like to strive towards keeping some control in our lives - there are times when we are shockingly awaken to how much control we don't have. Throughout this novel Allegra exams the nature of the beast --- ways of looking at temporary-ness....but I would have liked 'more'. I wish this theme was explored with all the characters.
At the beginning of this story we begin to get to know Collin, a talented artist, pretty quickly. He works in a bar - Grendel's - in Cambridge- he's nice looking- flirts with the girls easily- seems comfortable in his own skin as a server, yet we know he's frustrated and lonely. He doesn't get paid a dime for the artwork he does at a community theater. His 'chalk art' gets wash away at the end of production.
Collin has his eye on a young teacher who comes into the bar a couple times a week to grade papers.
It's only a matter of time until he gets the girl to notice him.....'viva-la-melty'.
Nina is the young - new teacher - teaching in a small diverse experimental school with no exams. It's a type of school that has a reputation for "out-of-the-box" kids: artistic, or austistic, kids with special gifts, and learning differences.
She has her eye on Collin, too.
Nina's father is the owner of "Arkadia" ...a popular video game company.
The story is predicable in ares - Collin gets a job with Nina's father...and there will be some problems. ( of course - boyfriend working for the father)
Nina lived with her grandparents until she was 4 years old. After her grandmother got sick, she went to live with her dad. Note: this is a side story -however.....
I've read several books by Allegra Goodman, enjoying her 'side stories'.....description treasures'.
I actually wished for more tales about the grandparents. I had a soft spot for them right away......but it was a 'side' story.
Here's a 'description treasure' I liked from when Nina was just a tiny tot living with her grandmother.
"Her grandparents talk to her in Russian and read Russian books. They beamed at Nina, spending all their warmth on her. Left to themselves they sat for hours without speaking. They were a pair of armored lizards; they were stone. Slowly, Nina's grandfather climbed the stairs, and slowly he descended. The stairs are carpeted dark green like moss, The walls papered with lilacs, the soaps in the bathroom carved like cabbage roses. Everything in your grandparents' house looked like something else. The boot scraper took the shape of a hedgehog, the throw pillows were embroidered cats. Even Nina's grandmother began to look like something else, the Blue Fairy in Nina's book."
For some reason - I wanted more story of the grandmother- and she's not even in the story. But... its when my heart opened.
Twin sixteen year olds - brother and sister Aidan and Diana were close. Aidan is hooked on the video game..... obsessively hooked. Lots of descriptions of the video game -conflicts and resolutions. Other characters in Collin's apt. building. Friends of his mother - teachers and students at the school.
I usually LOVE Allegra Goodman's books - but this was just alright. I liked it--it had moments of 'Allegra Gems' ..... but the subject matter wasn't my favorite - yet.... I still enjoyed many 'parts'.
3.4
Thank You Random House Publishing, Netgalley, and Allegra Goodman
I attend every year - and every year I say the same thing, "how can the city just wash away the artist's work"? "Aren't the artist's crushed"?
In Allegra Goodman's New novel, "The Chalk Artist", when Collin James creates the backdrop for theater production, the boards get washed when the show ends.
His art - wash away! We get to look at the theme 'temporary'. Given that -in life - we often like to strive towards keeping some control in our lives - there are times when we are shockingly awaken to how much control we don't have. Throughout this novel Allegra exams the nature of the beast --- ways of looking at temporary-ness....but I would have liked 'more'. I wish this theme was explored with all the characters.
At the beginning of this story we begin to get to know Collin, a talented artist, pretty quickly. He works in a bar - Grendel's - in Cambridge- he's nice looking- flirts with the girls easily- seems comfortable in his own skin as a server, yet we know he's frustrated and lonely. He doesn't get paid a dime for the artwork he does at a community theater. His 'chalk art' gets wash away at the end of production.
Collin has his eye on a young teacher who comes into the bar a couple times a week to grade papers.
It's only a matter of time until he gets the girl to notice him.....'viva-la-melty'.
Nina is the young - new teacher - teaching in a small diverse experimental school with no exams. It's a type of school that has a reputation for "out-of-the-box" kids: artistic, or austistic, kids with special gifts, and learning differences.
She has her eye on Collin, too.
Nina's father is the owner of "Arkadia" ...a popular video game company.
The story is predicable in ares - Collin gets a job with Nina's father...and there will be some problems. ( of course - boyfriend working for the father)
Nina lived with her grandparents until she was 4 years old. After her grandmother got sick, she went to live with her dad. Note: this is a side story -however.....
I've read several books by Allegra Goodman, enjoying her 'side stories'.....description treasures'.
I actually wished for more tales about the grandparents. I had a soft spot for them right away......but it was a 'side' story.
Here's a 'description treasure' I liked from when Nina was just a tiny tot living with her grandmother.
"Her grandparents talk to her in Russian and read Russian books. They beamed at Nina, spending all their warmth on her. Left to themselves they sat for hours without speaking. They were a pair of armored lizards; they were stone. Slowly, Nina's grandfather climbed the stairs, and slowly he descended. The stairs are carpeted dark green like moss, The walls papered with lilacs, the soaps in the bathroom carved like cabbage roses. Everything in your grandparents' house looked like something else. The boot scraper took the shape of a hedgehog, the throw pillows were embroidered cats. Even Nina's grandmother began to look like something else, the Blue Fairy in Nina's book."
For some reason - I wanted more story of the grandmother- and she's not even in the story. But... its when my heart opened.
Twin sixteen year olds - brother and sister Aidan and Diana were close. Aidan is hooked on the video game..... obsessively hooked. Lots of descriptions of the video game -conflicts and resolutions. Other characters in Collin's apt. building. Friends of his mother - teachers and students at the school.
I usually LOVE Allegra Goodman's books - but this was just alright. I liked it--it had moments of 'Allegra Gems' ..... but the subject matter wasn't my favorite - yet.... I still enjoyed many 'parts'.
3.4
Thank You Random House Publishing, Netgalley, and Allegra Goodman
May 25, 2017
I was a big fan of The Cookbook Collector, so I was anxious to read The Chalk Artist. Goodman’s writing has a bit of the poetic to it. Gorgeous descriptions.
The story involves the love of two disparate souls. Collin is a talented artist but he doesn't have much in the way of ambition. Happy to hold down jobs that barely pay the way he drifts along. Nina is a first year teacher. She comes from a well to do background; her father owns a company that creates popular online fantasy games. She wants to make a difference, including helping Collin land a real, meaningful job. Be careful what you wish for.
Along with these two, we are introduced to a variety of other characters, including twins that are students of Nina’s. These other characters are primarily used to pursue the whole gaming world. Is it an addiction, no different than drugs or alcohol? I have to admit that while the segments on the gaming were beautifully written, they didn't hold my interest. I'm too old to have ever been involved in any sort of online game, so it's probably just my age. Plus, these segments have a twinge of fantasy to them, and I am not a fan of fantasy.
At the beginning, I had trouble relating to any of the characters. Then, midway through the book, the plot changes and my interest piqued. Goodman’s writing soars as much as Collin’s artwork. Overall, a mixed bag. I loved the writing, but felt at a distance to the characters and only vaguely interested on one of the storylines.
My thanks to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.
June 13, 2017
A surprisingly trite novel about the rocky romance between a graphic artist and a school teacher whose father owns one of the world's most lucrative online games. When the graphic artist gets a job drawing for her father's company, it seems like his big break has finally arrived. But the gamer company is unethical and abusive, and trouble ensues.
Nothing here feels fresh, unfortunately. The teacher storyline is the usual "well-meaning teacher struggling to reach disadvantaged kids." And the gamer elements do nothing to brush away the cobwebs from Dungeons and Dragons.
Goodman has been so witty and insightful about relationships and spirituality in her previous novels, but this is a miss.
Nothing here feels fresh, unfortunately. The teacher storyline is the usual "well-meaning teacher struggling to reach disadvantaged kids." And the gamer elements do nothing to brush away the cobwebs from Dungeons and Dragons.
Goodman has been so witty and insightful about relationships and spirituality in her previous novels, but this is a miss.
July 2, 2017
I am always impressed when someone can create an artistic work about something that I have little or no interest in and still captivate me. An excellent example of this is the Netflix show Stranger Things (the 80s are one of my least favorite decades, I'm not much of a kids' based horror fan, I have no knowledge or interest in Dungeons and Dragons), but I loved the first season immensely. Allegra Goodman has done this, IMHO, in The Chalk Artist, much of which is based on violent, fantasy video games. However, the novel is also based on poetry and love, which are both more than all right in my book.
No one is better than Allegra Goodman at creating and developing totally lovely female characters, and here she gives us Nina, who is a beautiful early 20s high school teacher whose father happens to own the company that produces extremely popular video games. She meets cute Collin, a floundering artist whose preferred medium is, you guessed it, chalk. They become lovers and she convinces him to work for her father. Other important characters are the 16-year old twins, Aidan and Diana. Aidan is addicted to video games and his schoolwork and social life are being affected by it. There is a bit of science fiction here, for the newest video game that he is beta testing goes beyond present day virtual reality and transforms the space in which one plays it. These were the parts of the book that I had the most trouble with, but they are relatively brief and sparse.
Nina eventually takes Aidan under her wing at school and tries to get him to enroll in a poetry recitation contest. There is definitely this theme of this teacher using poetry to try to overcome Aidan's addiction to video games, and I found it to be very effective. This is what enabled me to get beyond the use of violent video games and appreciate the novel for its poetry and intelligence. And, of course, in the end love conquers all. I actually found the very end to be quite poetic and beautiful. This is another winner from one of the better writers out there.
No one is better than Allegra Goodman at creating and developing totally lovely female characters, and here she gives us Nina, who is a beautiful early 20s high school teacher whose father happens to own the company that produces extremely popular video games. She meets cute Collin, a floundering artist whose preferred medium is, you guessed it, chalk. They become lovers and she convinces him to work for her father. Other important characters are the 16-year old twins, Aidan and Diana. Aidan is addicted to video games and his schoolwork and social life are being affected by it. There is a bit of science fiction here, for the newest video game that he is beta testing goes beyond present day virtual reality and transforms the space in which one plays it. These were the parts of the book that I had the most trouble with, but they are relatively brief and sparse.
Nina eventually takes Aidan under her wing at school and tries to get him to enroll in a poetry recitation contest. There is definitely this theme of this teacher using poetry to try to overcome Aidan's addiction to video games, and I found it to be very effective. This is what enabled me to get beyond the use of violent video games and appreciate the novel for its poetry and intelligence. And, of course, in the end love conquers all. I actually found the very end to be quite poetic and beautiful. This is another winner from one of the better writers out there.
February 18, 2017
The story of a romance and the obsessions of the video game community peripherally connect in Allegra Goodman’s latest novel. Privileged daughter, Nina, is a teacher in a tough Boston public school. Daughter of a video game CEO, she doesn’t ever need to work, but wants to make a difference in bringing literature to students. She falls in love with Collin, a struggling college dropout with a talent as a chalk artist. Much mention is made about the impermanence of his pictures—he erases his drawings right after he finishes them.
The second story concerns Aiden, an intelligent but apathetic student of a single mother who works nights, and while she is gone, he spends those sleepless hours on his obsession—the virtual reality game that was created by Nina’s father and uncle. His twin sister, Diana, is his best friend, and covers for him while he ignores his studies, even allowing him to plagiarize her paper.
The aspect that impressed me was Goodman’s ability to create a visually stunning world of Arkadia—EverWhen and an underworld of Elves, flamethrowers, fantastical horses, and a topography that really pops. I am not a gamer, and was wary of a novel that focused on this industry. But that was not my problem; in fact, delving into this netherworld was, in my opinion, the most engaging part of the novel. Goodman’s arresting Arkadia was appealing and not technical. It was presented mostly via the theme of obsession, and weighted more with the art and illustration side to it.
The love story between Collin and Nina, however, was lukewarm and derivative. Rich girl gets poor boy job at daddy’s company, which seeds obvious conflicts. Love affair proceeds predictably, including the stumbles along the way. The theme of permanence vs. impermanence did offer some nuggets of insight, and helped to soften the other more obvious clichés.
Even the intentional probity to Nina’s teaching skills and passion, and Collins challenges at Arkadia, seemed derivative. Goodman traded originality for platitudes, and organic moral complexity for sentimentality. I think the appropriate audience would be a YA crossover. If you have read a limited repertoire of love stories, this may appeal. Moreover, the virtual reality angle is a topical trend in some literature. Despite the flaws, I was periodically absorbed. It took about 90 pages to commit to the narrative, and accept the boilerplate romance.
2.75
The second story concerns Aiden, an intelligent but apathetic student of a single mother who works nights, and while she is gone, he spends those sleepless hours on his obsession—the virtual reality game that was created by Nina’s father and uncle. His twin sister, Diana, is his best friend, and covers for him while he ignores his studies, even allowing him to plagiarize her paper.
The aspect that impressed me was Goodman’s ability to create a visually stunning world of Arkadia—EverWhen and an underworld of Elves, flamethrowers, fantastical horses, and a topography that really pops. I am not a gamer, and was wary of a novel that focused on this industry. But that was not my problem; in fact, delving into this netherworld was, in my opinion, the most engaging part of the novel. Goodman’s arresting Arkadia was appealing and not technical. It was presented mostly via the theme of obsession, and weighted more with the art and illustration side to it.
The love story between Collin and Nina, however, was lukewarm and derivative. Rich girl gets poor boy job at daddy’s company, which seeds obvious conflicts. Love affair proceeds predictably, including the stumbles along the way. The theme of permanence vs. impermanence did offer some nuggets of insight, and helped to soften the other more obvious clichés.
Even the intentional probity to Nina’s teaching skills and passion, and Collins challenges at Arkadia, seemed derivative. Goodman traded originality for platitudes, and organic moral complexity for sentimentality. I think the appropriate audience would be a YA crossover. If you have read a limited repertoire of love stories, this may appeal. Moreover, the virtual reality angle is a topical trend in some literature. Despite the flaws, I was periodically absorbed. It took about 90 pages to commit to the narrative, and accept the boilerplate romance.
2.75
June 13, 2017
RATING: ★★★☆☆/ 3.5 multifaceted stars.
REVIEW: If you follow my Instagram account then you might know that chalk art is kinda "my thing"...and if you don't follow my Instagram account, well, you're crazy! What are you doing with your life? I don't mean to toot my own horn here but, I'm kind of a big deal (or maybe that's just what my mom told me that one time right before she also told me I'm a crazy monkey). You know what? Nevermind, you do you, it's all good, no need to follow my Instagram.
The point I was trying to get to, is that chalk art and I aren't strangers, so when Random House asked me if I would like an early copy of THE CHALK ARTIST for review, I had to say yes! And I'm glad I did.
Okay, a 3.5 star rating may seem low but actually this was a solid 4 star read for me up until one specific moment. It was actually an incredibly small, almost throw-away, moment that happened later in the book. One of the characters is walking through the park/woods when the author describes two pit bulls scent her and run at her, growling and red-eyed. They're not strays, in fact their owner comes up right behind them very nonchalant. Now once again, if you follow my Instagram, you may know that I am a huge pit bull and bully breed advocate. Specifically painting pit bulls as unprovoked-ly vicious (especially in a two sentence, non plot necessary, throw away) just doesn't sit well with me. If the author wanted to illustrate the owner's nature by using his dogs as a metaphor then I can understand, to a point, but it still didn't feel necessary because the owner was not a big, medium, or even small character. He was nearly nothing. And even still, I will push for a non-breed specific dog to be used. Bully breeds are so misunderstood as it is and these small moments just perpetuate a hateful and hurtful stereotype. So for that I mentally had to knock out half a star.
Now, I'll have to shout it just as loud that this is not a reason to avoid this book! Because apart from the little blip (which you are now aware of and we can all move on), this was a 4 star book, all the way. As I was reading it, the best way I could think to describe it was to compare it to the film, LOVE, ACTUALLY. It was a weaving of stories, in which some characters connect directly and others indirectly, but the feeling was nearly the same as I get from the movie. Sweet and sad moments, some touching and others bittersweet. As well as a cast of characters that are flawed and struggling each in their own way. It was very easy to see yourself reflected in some of the cast that Goodman has written.
There are other comparisons to be drawn in this book (Goodman seems to like the underlying themes approach). The temporary nature of chalk art and even art beyond that as a reflection on the temporaries of our everyday lives. The wider range of ages being represented and how that may or may not translate to actual maturation. Ideals and realism in equal measure expressed by video games and teaching. There is a lot packed into this book and it's told very well. I became so entrenched in the story that I felt I couldn't read it fast enough. I wanted to start skipping ahead because I just needed to know what was happening faster (I didn't though, I read it page by page like a good little bibliophile...it was a near thing though). The author was able to piece together all these stories so incredibly well.
Like the film I compared it to, THE CHALK ARTIST isn't filled with completely lovable characters or situations. Everything is a such an interesting mix of ups and downs...and yet it still manages to be enchanting. And that really is the pure talent of the author. It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster but by the end, I felt happy, but most of all, hopeful. I think that was my biggest take away from this book. In the end, it's hopeful.
REVIEW: If you follow my Instagram account then you might know that chalk art is kinda "my thing"...and if you don't follow my Instagram account, well, you're crazy! What are you doing with your life? I don't mean to toot my own horn here but, I'm kind of a big deal (or maybe that's just what my mom told me that one time right before she also told me I'm a crazy monkey). You know what? Nevermind, you do you, it's all good, no need to follow my Instagram.
The point I was trying to get to, is that chalk art and I aren't strangers, so when Random House asked me if I would like an early copy of THE CHALK ARTIST for review, I had to say yes! And I'm glad I did.
Okay, a 3.5 star rating may seem low but actually this was a solid 4 star read for me up until one specific moment. It was actually an incredibly small, almost throw-away, moment that happened later in the book. One of the characters is walking through the park/woods when the author describes two pit bulls scent her and run at her, growling and red-eyed. They're not strays, in fact their owner comes up right behind them very nonchalant. Now once again, if you follow my Instagram, you may know that I am a huge pit bull and bully breed advocate. Specifically painting pit bulls as unprovoked-ly vicious (especially in a two sentence, non plot necessary, throw away) just doesn't sit well with me. If the author wanted to illustrate the owner's nature by using his dogs as a metaphor then I can understand, to a point, but it still didn't feel necessary because the owner was not a big, medium, or even small character. He was nearly nothing. And even still, I will push for a non-breed specific dog to be used. Bully breeds are so misunderstood as it is and these small moments just perpetuate a hateful and hurtful stereotype. So for that I mentally had to knock out half a star.
Now, I'll have to shout it just as loud that this is not a reason to avoid this book! Because apart from the little blip (which you are now aware of and we can all move on), this was a 4 star book, all the way. As I was reading it, the best way I could think to describe it was to compare it to the film, LOVE, ACTUALLY. It was a weaving of stories, in which some characters connect directly and others indirectly, but the feeling was nearly the same as I get from the movie. Sweet and sad moments, some touching and others bittersweet. As well as a cast of characters that are flawed and struggling each in their own way. It was very easy to see yourself reflected in some of the cast that Goodman has written.
There are other comparisons to be drawn in this book (Goodman seems to like the underlying themes approach). The temporary nature of chalk art and even art beyond that as a reflection on the temporaries of our everyday lives. The wider range of ages being represented and how that may or may not translate to actual maturation. Ideals and realism in equal measure expressed by video games and teaching. There is a lot packed into this book and it's told very well. I became so entrenched in the story that I felt I couldn't read it fast enough. I wanted to start skipping ahead because I just needed to know what was happening faster (I didn't though, I read it page by page like a good little bibliophile...it was a near thing though). The author was able to piece together all these stories so incredibly well.
Like the film I compared it to, THE CHALK ARTIST isn't filled with completely lovable characters or situations. Everything is a such an interesting mix of ups and downs...and yet it still manages to be enchanting. And that really is the pure talent of the author. It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster but by the end, I felt happy, but most of all, hopeful. I think that was my biggest take away from this book. In the end, it's hopeful.
June 18, 2017
Dreamers. Do you have a dreamer in your family? I hope so; I'm lucky to have several, mostly artists and musicians. They can be frustrating, intelligent, sometimes dropping out of college, but succeeding finally, and oh so talented. Our chalk artist is like that, Collin can draw anything, but he's not sure what to do with it. He meets Nina who's trying to make her mark as a high school English teacher. Her father is the brilliant, wealthy owner of the most popular gaming software in the world. One of Nina's student's, Aidan, is obsessed with this fantasy world. Their lives converge bringing their talents and intelligence on a whirlwind course, barely and breathlessly to a winning finish. Recommend!
Planning to listen to the audio the minute I receive it. When a book is this good it's such a pleasure to have someone read it to me!
Thank you Netgalley.
Planning to listen to the audio the minute I receive it. When a book is this good it's such a pleasure to have someone read it to me!
Thank you Netgalley.
March 20, 2017
via my blog https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
“He grew so intent on capturing her that sometimes he felt he had to get away from her.”
Some books remind you of things happening in your own life. With a daughter in college for Graphic Design and a son in college studying Game Design, the characters all felt familiar. Collin James is a chalk artist, he wipes away his art and it doesn’t last- nor does much else in his life. Naturally when Nina comes on the scene, love isn’t so easy to wash off. She sees in him so much potential and the need to change him, but for his own good. Isn’t it time he uses his amazing talent to his own benefit? I remember a discussion from class my daughter shared with me about how the moment art is saved it will never be fresh, new. It alters the creation, particularly when it’s reproduced, commercialized. Certainly there was more to the conversation, but most of us cringe thinking of art being erased. It reminds me of the beautiful sand mandalas the Buddhist monks create and destroy, of course that has to do with enlightenment, so I digress. Collin creates without demands and expectations attached, until Nina- the daughter of a tech mogul who has the edge on virtual reality gaming, knows she can help him get in the door. While it’s who you know, he has a gift, a very useful one in creating anything that can be drawn.
Nina is a school teacher, and while it’s true she could easily give up and still be safe with her family wealth, she truly cares about the job, the students. The problem is her freshness is the very thing students can smell and turn against. Enthusiastic or not, she isn’t reaching them, but Collin frees her and helps her find a new approach. He’s good for her, even if he doesn’t have ambitions, even if his apartment is squalid. Pushing him to work for her family company may sour their love, but if it’s helps him use his talent to make a life for himself, then it’s worth the risk. Nina doesn’t count on how much he will dive into the job, or the interest he will have in like minded co-workers. The company itself is like a wild beast, that may devour everything in it’s path, including the lovers.
Now for the students. Aidan and Diana are twins, and understand each other in ways not even their mother can divine. So while her brother is able to fool others, nothing gets past his sister, especially his addiction to the very virtual world that Nina wants her boyfriend Collin to work for, that her father’s company created. His addiction is growing like a disease, and he is not just being manipulated by virtual beings. Diana and her brother have always protected each other but can she save him now? Particularly when she is so lost herself and wants nothing more than to disappear. Once the twins were both full of energy and involved in sports until Diana changed, her body growing out as Aidan grew up. No amount of her mother Kerry’s wishing can change the heaviness that has settled over her body, and her heart. “Words could not change anything. ‘You’re a beautiful girl’ was like saying God is good. You didn’t say these things because they were true, you said them because you hoped the universe would take pity on you.’ Will it? Will the universe take pity on any of the characters within?
Using the students in this story works beautifully. It’s easy to cast your character as an idealistic teacher but better to show how her freshness rubs against the reality of students from backgrounds vastly different from her own. The ideal of a thing is always terrific, it’s the obstacles that are the problem. In fact, the same can be said for her vision for Collin. As Vikram Seth said, “God save us from people who mean well.” We step in it enough in our own lives to be thinking we can manage everyone else’s. Will Collin grow up? Will he use his artistry to finally be able to stand on his own or will he continue to wash away his days? Has Nina found her true calling in teaching, can she really reach these teens disinterested in dusty old literature, arts? Can you die of gaming addiction? Will Diana disappear or find herself? You’ll have to read to find out. For artists, gamers, misfits and anyone related to them.
Publication Date: June 13, 2017
Random House
The Dial Press
“He grew so intent on capturing her that sometimes he felt he had to get away from her.”
Some books remind you of things happening in your own life. With a daughter in college for Graphic Design and a son in college studying Game Design, the characters all felt familiar. Collin James is a chalk artist, he wipes away his art and it doesn’t last- nor does much else in his life. Naturally when Nina comes on the scene, love isn’t so easy to wash off. She sees in him so much potential and the need to change him, but for his own good. Isn’t it time he uses his amazing talent to his own benefit? I remember a discussion from class my daughter shared with me about how the moment art is saved it will never be fresh, new. It alters the creation, particularly when it’s reproduced, commercialized. Certainly there was more to the conversation, but most of us cringe thinking of art being erased. It reminds me of the beautiful sand mandalas the Buddhist monks create and destroy, of course that has to do with enlightenment, so I digress. Collin creates without demands and expectations attached, until Nina- the daughter of a tech mogul who has the edge on virtual reality gaming, knows she can help him get in the door. While it’s who you know, he has a gift, a very useful one in creating anything that can be drawn.
Nina is a school teacher, and while it’s true she could easily give up and still be safe with her family wealth, she truly cares about the job, the students. The problem is her freshness is the very thing students can smell and turn against. Enthusiastic or not, she isn’t reaching them, but Collin frees her and helps her find a new approach. He’s good for her, even if he doesn’t have ambitions, even if his apartment is squalid. Pushing him to work for her family company may sour their love, but if it’s helps him use his talent to make a life for himself, then it’s worth the risk. Nina doesn’t count on how much he will dive into the job, or the interest he will have in like minded co-workers. The company itself is like a wild beast, that may devour everything in it’s path, including the lovers.
Now for the students. Aidan and Diana are twins, and understand each other in ways not even their mother can divine. So while her brother is able to fool others, nothing gets past his sister, especially his addiction to the very virtual world that Nina wants her boyfriend Collin to work for, that her father’s company created. His addiction is growing like a disease, and he is not just being manipulated by virtual beings. Diana and her brother have always protected each other but can she save him now? Particularly when she is so lost herself and wants nothing more than to disappear. Once the twins were both full of energy and involved in sports until Diana changed, her body growing out as Aidan grew up. No amount of her mother Kerry’s wishing can change the heaviness that has settled over her body, and her heart. “Words could not change anything. ‘You’re a beautiful girl’ was like saying God is good. You didn’t say these things because they were true, you said them because you hoped the universe would take pity on you.’ Will it? Will the universe take pity on any of the characters within?
Using the students in this story works beautifully. It’s easy to cast your character as an idealistic teacher but better to show how her freshness rubs against the reality of students from backgrounds vastly different from her own. The ideal of a thing is always terrific, it’s the obstacles that are the problem. In fact, the same can be said for her vision for Collin. As Vikram Seth said, “God save us from people who mean well.” We step in it enough in our own lives to be thinking we can manage everyone else’s. Will Collin grow up? Will he use his artistry to finally be able to stand on his own or will he continue to wash away his days? Has Nina found her true calling in teaching, can she really reach these teens disinterested in dusty old literature, arts? Can you die of gaming addiction? Will Diana disappear or find herself? You’ll have to read to find out. For artists, gamers, misfits and anyone related to them.
Publication Date: June 13, 2017
Random House
The Dial Press
February 20, 2017
Unlike the official blurb, I didn't consider this story a love story. Certainly there is a boy-meets-girl aspect to it, but there are many characters and layers of meeting that elevate it beyond a relationship drama.
The title: while our obvious "chalk artist" is Collin (the actual artist), my teacher-self immediately thought of idealistic teacher Nina as a "chalk artist" too. Certainly chalk gives us the idea of permanence and impermanence that weaves in and out of the different plot lines in the novel.
Goodman has a wonderfully descriptive tone, especially when describing the gaming culture and online worlds. I wish that her characters got them same descriptive treatment, as I was often left wondering about their actions and thoughts. Even so, I was intrigued enough to finish this in just two days.
I'm grateful to NetGalley for an advance copy in return for an honest review!
The title: while our obvious "chalk artist" is Collin (the actual artist), my teacher-self immediately thought of idealistic teacher Nina as a "chalk artist" too. Certainly chalk gives us the idea of permanence and impermanence that weaves in and out of the different plot lines in the novel.
Goodman has a wonderfully descriptive tone, especially when describing the gaming culture and online worlds. I wish that her characters got them same descriptive treatment, as I was often left wondering about their actions and thoughts. Even so, I was intrigued enough to finish this in just two days.
I'm grateful to NetGalley for an advance copy in return for an honest review!
April 10, 2019
Wow, that was lovely.
June 28, 2017
I hate wish fulfillment books. They are lazy and unrelatable and just sad. Boy sees fabulously beautiful woman at the cafe where he works and falls in love. She turns out to be available and even more wonderful in person AND related to someone who can give the guy his dream job. This book made me want to vomit. Most uninteresting characters and plot ever. I think Allegra Goodman is one of the few authors I know who gets worse which each book.
April 3, 2021
I was prompted to read this novel as I had recently read a Goodman short story, “A Challenge You Have Overcome” and was impressed with her insights into family dynamics between parents and difficult, and bright children. This novel is equally involved with difficult family relationships, as well as a developing relationship between two young lovers. An high school English teacher links the two strands together.
The family is made up of teenage twins, a boy and a girl, and a frazzled and overworked mother who wants her children to do well in school. But the son, Aidan, becomes fixated on electronic fantasy games and will spend all night playing games to the detriment of his schoolwork. The siste
r covers for him until it becomes obvious what he is doing.
The young lovers are made up of a dedicated English teacher, Nina, who is concerned, coincidentally, with the same Aidan and his lack of progress. She is a beginning teacher and deeply passionate about what she is doing in her high school classroom. In her private life she meets and begins to explore a relationship with Collin, a talented artist who can sketch anything in artistic chalk drawings (a possible “chalk artist” of the title). But chalk has no lasting substance and this reflects his life, carefree with little concern for rhe future.
This bothers Nina and she urges him to get a real job with Arkadia, a gaming software company owned by her father, and in another coincidence it is the same compnay that makes the games that obsess Aidan. He resists at first but finally agrees to engage in a more conventional life style. If all of this soundsd a bit contrived, it ,t is. But beyond the plot contrivances, Goodman is interested in what makes for an authentic life.
Nina, whose passion for literature and the desire to instill a similar passion in her her students, begins to move beyhond professional bounds, with good intentions, of course. Her boyfriend, after he takes the regular job and becomes a talented illustrator for the gaming company, concentrates so much on his work and craft that he changes from the carefree person who first attracted Nina. In his own way he is becoming as obsessed as the teenage game player, Aidan who finds the fantasy world of gaming more “real” and vital than his real life.
How these entanglements that get in the way of authentic relationships to work and other people are resolved reveal that a balanced life in the modern world is not easy.
The family is made up of teenage twins, a boy and a girl, and a frazzled and overworked mother who wants her children to do well in school. But the son, Aidan, becomes fixated on electronic fantasy games and will spend all night playing games to the detriment of his schoolwork. The siste
r covers for him until it becomes obvious what he is doing.
The young lovers are made up of a dedicated English teacher, Nina, who is concerned, coincidentally, with the same Aidan and his lack of progress. She is a beginning teacher and deeply passionate about what she is doing in her high school classroom. In her private life she meets and begins to explore a relationship with Collin, a talented artist who can sketch anything in artistic chalk drawings (a possible “chalk artist” of the title). But chalk has no lasting substance and this reflects his life, carefree with little concern for rhe future.
This bothers Nina and she urges him to get a real job with Arkadia, a gaming software company owned by her father, and in another coincidence it is the same compnay that makes the games that obsess Aidan. He resists at first but finally agrees to engage in a more conventional life style. If all of this soundsd a bit contrived, it ,t is. But beyond the plot contrivances, Goodman is interested in what makes for an authentic life.
Nina, whose passion for literature and the desire to instill a similar passion in her her students, begins to move beyhond professional bounds, with good intentions, of course. Her boyfriend, after he takes the regular job and becomes a talented illustrator for the gaming company, concentrates so much on his work and craft that he changes from the carefree person who first attracted Nina. In his own way he is becoming as obsessed as the teenage game player, Aidan who finds the fantasy world of gaming more “real” and vital than his real life.
How these entanglements that get in the way of authentic relationships to work and other people are resolved reveal that a balanced life in the modern world is not easy.
June 15, 2017
I have enjoyed several of Goodman's previous novels deeply but this is the second miss in a row for me. Goodman is insightful and wise, she portrays characters in a way that feels absolutely real and intimate. But the story here lacked momentum, the stakes never solidified.
There are several narratives here, and Goodman is talented as ever at allowing each character's personality and emotions to come through, to let you see them as very different people. Many of them are stereotypes: Collin the artist who lacks drive; Nina the rich girl who wants to do good; Aidan the teen obsessed by virtual worlds to the extent that he loses the real one. The characters were quite real but they didn't ever transcend their stereotypes or move the story in unexpected directions.
At the center of everything are the two stories of Collin and Nina falling in love and trying to build a relationship together, and that of Underworld, a miraculous new video game from a disruptive gaming company run by Nina's father. I struggled with the technology around the game, it was beautifully written but in a very realistic story I just couldn't believe in it as a real thing and I couldn't picture in my head how it would actually be to play it even though Goodman would pontificate for paragraphs and paragraphs on the beauty of the scene it didn't become visible. It's also tricky to really engage with Collin's art, also described in passionate paragraphs, but that you never really get to see. It is hard to accept a character as a true artist or a genius just because other characters think so, which isn't a fault just with this novel but with many novels that consider art in different forms.
Ultimately there was no answer to my question of why Goodman wrote this and what she wanted to do. What is the question she's answering? What is the purpose of the world she's exploring? I ended it feeling very unsatisfied.
And one short note: I read The Cookbook Collector shortly after moving to Boston and remember noticing just how much it referenced the city and its landmarks to the extent that I commented on it to my partner, who told me I only noticed it because now I lived there and it wasn't really anything different. The Chalk Artist is also set there, mostly in Cambridge, and reading it gave me some very belated vindication. Goodman's references to places, streets, businesses, etc. is constant to the point that it's distracting to a reader who's familiar with the area because you stop paying attention to the narrative and start asking yourself, "Wait which intersection on Huron Ave is that?" If you are not a local, you probably won't notice it as you read, but people familiar with the Cambridge area may find it grating as I did.
There are several narratives here, and Goodman is talented as ever at allowing each character's personality and emotions to come through, to let you see them as very different people. Many of them are stereotypes: Collin the artist who lacks drive; Nina the rich girl who wants to do good; Aidan the teen obsessed by virtual worlds to the extent that he loses the real one. The characters were quite real but they didn't ever transcend their stereotypes or move the story in unexpected directions.
At the center of everything are the two stories of Collin and Nina falling in love and trying to build a relationship together, and that of Underworld, a miraculous new video game from a disruptive gaming company run by Nina's father. I struggled with the technology around the game, it was beautifully written but in a very realistic story I just couldn't believe in it as a real thing and I couldn't picture in my head how it would actually be to play it even though Goodman would pontificate for paragraphs and paragraphs on the beauty of the scene it didn't become visible. It's also tricky to really engage with Collin's art, also described in passionate paragraphs, but that you never really get to see. It is hard to accept a character as a true artist or a genius just because other characters think so, which isn't a fault just with this novel but with many novels that consider art in different forms.
Ultimately there was no answer to my question of why Goodman wrote this and what she wanted to do. What is the question she's answering? What is the purpose of the world she's exploring? I ended it feeling very unsatisfied.
And one short note: I read The Cookbook Collector shortly after moving to Boston and remember noticing just how much it referenced the city and its landmarks to the extent that I commented on it to my partner, who told me I only noticed it because now I lived there and it wasn't really anything different. The Chalk Artist is also set there, mostly in Cambridge, and reading it gave me some very belated vindication. Goodman's references to places, streets, businesses, etc. is constant to the point that it's distracting to a reader who's familiar with the area because you stop paying attention to the narrative and start asking yourself, "Wait which intersection on Huron Ave is that?" If you are not a local, you probably won't notice it as you read, but people familiar with the Cambridge area may find it grating as I did.
July 17, 2017
This novel focuses on four characters. Two are involved in a new romance, they being a talented young artist working as a waiter and an idealistic young teacher with a privileged background. Two are twins, a boy who is obsessed with virtual reality games and a girl who is insecure about her appearance.
I could not be happier that I am done with this novel so I don't have to read it anymore. Yes, I suppose I could have stopped earlier, when I lost interest, but I kept going, motivated by the fact that I learned about the book from NPR -- usually a great source to find reading material.
The novel starts out fine as we learn about the characters, then gets bogged down in long passages about virtual reality games, with the title character's employment by the gaming company, and the boy twin's obsession getting worse. Part of me thought that the author wanted a new virtual reality game to be a huge part of the story so she could set up big special effects in case it is made into a movie. She attempted to clothe it in some larger point about how virtual reality is not real and you get more out of actual reality, especially the poetry you learn in high school. If that was the theme she was going for, well, a junior high school student could have made the same point in a short story.
If you are into virtual reality games and would enjoy a novel with a focus on them, then this is the novel for you. Otherwise, I suspect you will be as bored as I was. Not recommended for readers who are not into virtual reality games and/or readers who don't need to be reminded that poetry is better than video games.
I could not be happier that I am done with this novel so I don't have to read it anymore. Yes, I suppose I could have stopped earlier, when I lost interest, but I kept going, motivated by the fact that I learned about the book from NPR -- usually a great source to find reading material.
The novel starts out fine as we learn about the characters, then gets bogged down in long passages about virtual reality games, with the title character's employment by the gaming company, and the boy twin's obsession getting worse. Part of me thought that the author wanted a new virtual reality game to be a huge part of the story so she could set up big special effects in case it is made into a movie. She attempted to clothe it in some larger point about how virtual reality is not real and you get more out of actual reality, especially the poetry you learn in high school. If that was the theme she was going for, well, a junior high school student could have made the same point in a short story.
If you are into virtual reality games and would enjoy a novel with a focus on them, then this is the novel for you. Otherwise, I suspect you will be as bored as I was. Not recommended for readers who are not into virtual reality games and/or readers who don't need to be reminded that poetry is better than video games.
May 20, 2017
http://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2017/05...
Goodman is an author that I am generally into, though this one left me feeling a bit puzzled. It centers on an inter-related cast of characters in Cambridge, Massachusetts--a young teacher, her love interest (the titular artist), a couple of students at the school, and so on--and touches a bit on issues of class, though doesn't delve very deeply there. A lot of the action involves a new mmorpg that several characters are tied to, which is interesting. Basically, I found all the characters here compelling--though they are all very young and very dumb--and enjoyed reading this novel, but the end left me wanting something more. B+.
__
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in June.
Goodman is an author that I am generally into, though this one left me feeling a bit puzzled. It centers on an inter-related cast of characters in Cambridge, Massachusetts--a young teacher, her love interest (the titular artist), a couple of students at the school, and so on--and touches a bit on issues of class, though doesn't delve very deeply there. A lot of the action involves a new mmorpg that several characters are tied to, which is interesting. Basically, I found all the characters here compelling--though they are all very young and very dumb--and enjoyed reading this novel, but the end left me wanting something more. B+.
__
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in June.
September 12, 2017
2.5 Stars
This was a tricky one. I really enjoyed some parts, but then they were immediately followed by overly descriptive chapters that dragged. It was a continuous cycle of hoping my interest would be piqued but not hitting the mark. Plus, some of the characters felt a little too "cookie-cutter."
There's Collin, the talented artist that lacks ambition. He creates extraordinary lifelike chalk drawings, but he's perfectly content with his job at a bar/restaurant. He becomes enamored with frequent customer, Nina. She's the daughter of a mega wealthy owner of the most popular video game/computer company that develops a Dungeons and Dragons-like game. She wants to be set apart from her family and create her own good in the world, so she works as a high school English teacher. The two have a rocky relationship. Nina pushes Collin into her dad's company, but tensions become high between his long hours, demanding projects, and Nina's jealousy.
There's also an interwoven story about two of Nina's disadvantaged students, one of whom is a frequent gamer. I didn't find these characters particularly interesting and was pleased when chapters steered away from them. Overall, there were flashes of intriguing ideas, but some development could have benefited the book.
This was a tricky one. I really enjoyed some parts, but then they were immediately followed by overly descriptive chapters that dragged. It was a continuous cycle of hoping my interest would be piqued but not hitting the mark. Plus, some of the characters felt a little too "cookie-cutter."
There's Collin, the talented artist that lacks ambition. He creates extraordinary lifelike chalk drawings, but he's perfectly content with his job at a bar/restaurant. He becomes enamored with frequent customer, Nina. She's the daughter of a mega wealthy owner of the most popular video game/computer company that develops a Dungeons and Dragons-like game. She wants to be set apart from her family and create her own good in the world, so she works as a high school English teacher. The two have a rocky relationship. Nina pushes Collin into her dad's company, but tensions become high between his long hours, demanding projects, and Nina's jealousy.
There's also an interwoven story about two of Nina's disadvantaged students, one of whom is a frequent gamer. I didn't find these characters particularly interesting and was pleased when chapters steered away from them. Overall, there were flashes of intriguing ideas, but some development could have benefited the book.
June 23, 2017
The Chalk Artist
By
Allegra Goodman
What it's all about...
So...we have quite a few interesting characters in this unique book. The most noticeable to me were Nina...a brand new teacher...Collin...an amazing artist...and Aidin...Nina's student and an amazing virtual game player. The virtual game just happens to be created by Nina's father and one that Collin is working on. He also has to work with Nina's uncle and that creates an area of turmoil for Collin. Oh...and Aidin has a twin sister with issues who will do anything she can to prevent him from playing this game.
Why I wanted to read it...
This book is unique and well written. It took me a while to really get into it but once I did I found it fascinating.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
The characters were flawed yet fascinating. That's really why I enjoyed this book so much. The virtual game playing parts of this book as well as Collin's unique drawings drew me in as well. This book was different...and I loved that about it.
Why you should read it, too...
Readers who love books that involve real life, flawed characters, and lots of virtual reality should enjoy this book.
it-s-not-you-it-s-me
July 6, 2017i have failed at this book. i love allegra goodman just about more than any reader in the world ever, but this book is not for me. it's about tender young love and it's twee and this, this tweeness, is exactly what i hate most in some of today's literature, YA or not. i don't have someone specific to blame but i'm going to pick jonathan safran foer, just for kicks. sorry, but i couldn't finish, not even close. i love allegra goodman because she is fiercely deep and intellectual, and this book is written but her twin, sweet and lite allegra goodman, and me and twin don't get along so much.
November 7, 2017
I would give this three stars but I'm too cross about the girl whose entire character arc is 1. she is fat but starts doing exercise and gets thin 2. she is in unrequited love with her female best friend but then gets a boyfriend. Ugh x 100.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2021
Alternately dazzling and disappointing, the most redeeming qualities of this one is the beautiful imagery, and the speed with which it can be finished..
July 10, 2017
We're loving The Chalk Artist! Check out our full review here: https://booktrib.com/2017/07/fiona-da...
June 9, 2019
The dramatic climax of this book is a poetry contest. I listened to that part while driving and the navigation interrupted the poems regularly, which kind of killed the magic for me. Still, the characters and their motivations felt real and were likeable, hateable, or at least relatable.
Although this is a good name for the book, I think the Chalk Artist was maybe the third most important character. For me it was about a teacher and a student, but this story wasn't introduced until halfway through the book. It was a little unfocused that way, with bits of other stories woven throughout.
My wife commented that the teacher is also a chalk artist (she teaches with chalkboards) and the key element of the chalk art is the dust, making Aiden a chalk artist with the dust-based video game, making them all chalk artists in a way.
This novel is a little more serious than my usual fare. Great use of language. But I rate books on my personal enjoyment, not on their literary, social, or artistic worthiness, so 3 stars.
Although this is a good name for the book, I think the Chalk Artist was maybe the third most important character. For me it was about a teacher and a student, but this story wasn't introduced until halfway through the book. It was a little unfocused that way, with bits of other stories woven throughout.
My wife commented that the teacher is also a chalk artist (she teaches with chalkboards) and the key element of the chalk art is the dust, making Aiden a chalk artist with the dust-based video game, making them all chalk artists in a way.
This novel is a little more serious than my usual fare. Great use of language. But I rate books on my personal enjoyment, not on their literary, social, or artistic worthiness, so 3 stars.
June 19, 2017
I love The Cookbook Collector, but I found this new novel disappointing; the book seems oddly focused, and as a result, the plotting feels disjointed. Perhaps this book was over-edited--it at times reads so thin, one wonders at all that could have remained in the novel. For example, Diana's transformation occurs in small bursts that don't quite track. Collin's mother and her group of friends are sketched in, at best. Nina's relationship with her father--one of the more potentially interesting relationships in the book--is only hinted at. Peter, out of sheer lack of time on the page, comes off as villainous. Collin's final confrontation with the man was so bewildering, so out of nowhere, and wholly unearned, that the book lost me. Unfortunately, as well, most of the gaming read like the work of a studious, well-meaning older person who has DONE HER RESEARCH. Go back to some of Goodman's earlier novels; they are much better.
August 29, 2017
Want to create the next killer app? Read The Chalk Artist and take notes on the novel’s virtual UnderWorld and EverWhen games. If you can replicate just some of the special effects that author Allegra Goodman imagines, you might well have a winner on your hands.
Chalk Artist is either a parable about virtual reality, told as a romance, or the reverse. Either way, Goodman deploys an exceptional cast of attractive characters who must cope with multiple realities — virtual and physical — to find their own.
Collin, who possesses a phenomenal talent for drawing, meets Nina, neophyte schoolteacher and daughter of the virtual gaming mogul who runs Arkadia. Soon, Collin is drawing for the “hellions” team at Arkadia. At the same time, angst-ridden teen gamer Aidan meets a virtual version of Daphne, an Arkadia marketer who provides him with a beta copy of the company’s immersive new game, UnderWorld. Aidan, who happens to be one of Nina’s students, is hooked.
Aidan also has a twin sister, Diana, overweight and despairing, whose own journey becomes a moving counterpoint to the Aidan-Collin-Nina storylines.
What the Collin-Nina relationship lacks in drama is made up for in their sheer charm and attractiveness, which Goodman depicts with maximum sympathy and minimum sentimentality. They are super cute but utterly engaging as well. Her portrayal of Nina’s struggles to connect with her students in the classroom feels real and genuinely gripping. Neither students nor faculty are played for easy stereotypes or caricature.
By contrast, Collin’s drawing skills almost become too ethereal. He is a Mozart with chalk and electronic stylus who rarely struggles with his work, whether a flip book in a bar or otherworldly horses for Arkadia’s games.
Goodman saves some of her most powerful descriptive passages for the UnderWorld game itself, where Aiden, alienated from family and school, can transform into a skillful knight and acknowledged leader. He becomes obsessed in his quest for the Daphne avatar, who in real life is increasingly drawn to Collin. These virtual reality sequences become moments of genuine high drama: Aidan is fighting for his life and love, not simply battling rival warriors, liquid-metal rivers, and flesh-eating bats.
What teenager wouldn’t prefer to triumph in such a world, rather than return a reality of failing grades, hostile sister, and a mother who is always on his case? But the gravity of the real world is inexorable, as is Nina’s insistence that Aidan pull himself out of his downward spiral by pulling his socks up and applying himself to her specialty — American literature — especially the poetry of Emily Dickinson, and in the finale, Ezra Pound, of all people.
Collin, too, must come to terms with his infatuation for the mysterious tattooed Daphne, and deal with psychological grip of Underworld and Arkadia. But Nina awaits, for both Collin and Aidan, and so does a satisfying conclusion to a sophisticated story full of romance, comedy, family, and genuine feeling.
Chalk Artist is either a parable about virtual reality, told as a romance, or the reverse. Either way, Goodman deploys an exceptional cast of attractive characters who must cope with multiple realities — virtual and physical — to find their own.
Collin, who possesses a phenomenal talent for drawing, meets Nina, neophyte schoolteacher and daughter of the virtual gaming mogul who runs Arkadia. Soon, Collin is drawing for the “hellions” team at Arkadia. At the same time, angst-ridden teen gamer Aidan meets a virtual version of Daphne, an Arkadia marketer who provides him with a beta copy of the company’s immersive new game, UnderWorld. Aidan, who happens to be one of Nina’s students, is hooked.
Aidan also has a twin sister, Diana, overweight and despairing, whose own journey becomes a moving counterpoint to the Aidan-Collin-Nina storylines.
What the Collin-Nina relationship lacks in drama is made up for in their sheer charm and attractiveness, which Goodman depicts with maximum sympathy and minimum sentimentality. They are super cute but utterly engaging as well. Her portrayal of Nina’s struggles to connect with her students in the classroom feels real and genuinely gripping. Neither students nor faculty are played for easy stereotypes or caricature.
By contrast, Collin’s drawing skills almost become too ethereal. He is a Mozart with chalk and electronic stylus who rarely struggles with his work, whether a flip book in a bar or otherworldly horses for Arkadia’s games.
Goodman saves some of her most powerful descriptive passages for the UnderWorld game itself, where Aiden, alienated from family and school, can transform into a skillful knight and acknowledged leader. He becomes obsessed in his quest for the Daphne avatar, who in real life is increasingly drawn to Collin. These virtual reality sequences become moments of genuine high drama: Aidan is fighting for his life and love, not simply battling rival warriors, liquid-metal rivers, and flesh-eating bats.
What teenager wouldn’t prefer to triumph in such a world, rather than return a reality of failing grades, hostile sister, and a mother who is always on his case? But the gravity of the real world is inexorable, as is Nina’s insistence that Aidan pull himself out of his downward spiral by pulling his socks up and applying himself to her specialty — American literature — especially the poetry of Emily Dickinson, and in the finale, Ezra Pound, of all people.
Collin, too, must come to terms with his infatuation for the mysterious tattooed Daphne, and deal with psychological grip of Underworld and Arkadia. But Nina awaits, for both Collin and Aidan, and so does a satisfying conclusion to a sophisticated story full of romance, comedy, family, and genuine feeling.
September 17, 2017
As Buddhist monks will toil for days creating a sand mandala, only to wipe it away, so in The Chalk Artist, a talented young artist creates beautiful, elaborate artwork in chalk and then erases it. He believes there is nothing permanent in his life and likes it that way - until he meets Nina. The novel also enters the addictive world of online gaming and its seductive lure. Goodman's description of one of the games, UnderWorld, was brilliantly done. I actually felt I was there in that other world. I was totally swept up in this story of permanence and impermanence and a virtual world vs reality and was hooked until the end!
January 18, 2024
So lyrical and balletic. Allegra Goodman is a choreographer of prose! Reminded me of Behold The Dreamers in the empathy she has for her characters. They aren't good guys or bad guys, just deeply human teachers, and artists, and video game designers, and students who are navigating the world and trying to figure out their place in it.
July 16, 2017
I loved most of this book. But the sections on immersive video game playing were too lengthy for me, and took away from other, more urgent storylines. If that had been trimmed, would have been 5 stars.
March 25, 2018
I like Allegra Goodman's novels, but this one felt a bit 'undone' to me. There's too much going on -- the gaming world, the corporate world, the school world, and the connections between each one sometimes felt forced.
November 17, 2025
Allegra Goodman writes well and I did care about the relationships. The descriptions of gaming and gamers did not really appeal to me but I guess some of it was necessary for the story.
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