The Exhibitionist
Ratings6
Average rating3.5
15
Ratings6
Average rating3.5
THE TIMES NOVEL OF THE YEAR A GUARDIAN BEST BOOK OF 2022 A GOOD HOUSEKEEPING BOOK OF THE YEAR 'It takes the most ferocious intelligence, skill, and a deep reservoir of sadness to write a novel as funny as this. I adored it' - Meg Mason, author of Sorrow & Bliss 'A devastating treat of a novel: funny, furious, dark and delicious' - Sarah Waters, author of Fingersmith Meet the Hanrahan family, gathering for a momentous weekend as famous artist and notorious egoist Ray Hanrahan prepares for a new exhibition of his art – the first in many decades – and one he is sure will burnish his reputation for good. His three children will be there: beautiful Leah, always her father’s biggest champion; sensitive Patrick, who has finally decided to strike out on his own; and insecure Jess, the youngest, who has her own momentous decision to make . . . And what of Lucia, Ray’s steadfast and selfless wife? She is an artist, too, but has always had to put her roles as wife and mother first. What will happen if she decides to change? For Lucia is hiding secrets of her own, and as the weekend unfolds and the exhibition approaches, she must finally make a choice. The longer the marriage, the harder truth becomes . . . The Exhibitionist is the extraordinary fifth novel from Charlotte Mendelson, a dazzling exploration of art, sacrifice, toxic family politics, queer desire, and personal freedom. 'Delicious, heartbreaking . . . Fabulously written and utterly compelling' - Marian Keyes, author of Grown-Ups
Reviews with the most likes.
I found The Exhibitionist to be an enjoyable and compelling read. The story's immediately perceptible rising dread builds throughout the course of this family drama as characters are unleashed. Those who arrive fully formed (primarily Ray, the petulant and abusive patriarch-baby around whom this family orbits) devolve and wither in our hands as an important weekend unfolds. The weakest upon introduction eventually make the most sense; we come to understand them - root for them - as they shed their timidity and live for themselves.
This is not a book I could have left unfinished and the ending did not disappoint. I look forward to reading more work by Charlotte Mendelson. Thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC.
Publication date planned for July 4, 2023.
This book was a slog. I felt it was very montonal and the only reason I pushed through it was to see if it got any better. The characters were rather dull and I was really underwhelmed. I had really high hopes but this one just didn't hot any marks for me.
A portrait of a truly dysfunctional family, starting with the patriach Ray Hanrahan, a visual artist past his prime and a total narcissist who, nevertheless, has bullied and manipulated his entire family (wife, children, ex-wife) into cowering beneath his thumb. The action takes place over a single weekend and is based in England but it's story could be replicated anywhere when a single individual, a narcissist to the nth degree, puts his fame and happiness above all else. Not someone I would pick to form the spine of the book and not someone I enjoyed reading about. This one wasn't for me. My thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book.
