ProAuthors Article Directory

Madness is frightening, alien. We run and hide from things that scare us, and we hide from madness. This book, however, doesn’t hide from madness. Instead, it goes deeply into the issue, showing the beauty in the madness, and the ugliness as well. It makes us consider, perhaps whether we really understand sanity – are we as sane as we think?

The story of Rachel Kelly, an artist, is told from different points of view, stripping away Rachel’s layers and showing glimpses of the true person inside. The story works in many ways. It is a look at art, at insanity, family, belonging, Quakers, love. All of these are important to the characters and are described with delicate care. Love is the underlying strength of the book. Family and love.

Genius is seen as a gift in society, yes, but also this book examines the strains on the genius, and the others who live with the genius. Those with gifts greater that the ordinary people living around them can be unkind in the way they fail to understand. Some gifts are a poisoned chalice. This book shows us the reality of the gift, the nuances of it.

The non-linear structure of this book works as a way of keeping the reader’s mind open, so assumptions aren’t made, or not with a feeling of certainty anyway. It is a beautifully written book, with imagery and well developed characters, but more than that, it is a book that makes the reader think.

An immensely satisfying book, ‘Notes from an Exhibition’ made me think and re-think almost everything – reading the book was an unnerving but exhilarating journey. I learned about art, Quakers, families. I learned about madness and about loving and forgiving. I learned about myself.