Turner's Paintbox

De: Paul Morgan

Narrado por: Humphrey Bower

Gerard Moyne is a Sydney-based art consultant with a passion for the genius of Turner. He has a particular way of looking at things - discerning, sometimes a little callous, always out of the ordinary. When he meets Julia he falls blindly in love with her, unable to see her as she is.

Shadowing their affair is the story of J.M.W. Turner. Known as the Painter of Light, he captured that element within his canvas, as Gerard is captured within the force field of Julia. Her exuberant spontaneity is the opposite of his ordered control, their attraction as mysterious as the workings of art. When it all comes horribly undone, Gerard's perception of life changes profoundly.

©2007 Paul Morgan. By arrangement with Penguin Group (Australia). (P)2007 Bolinda Publishing

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Turner's Paintbox is in every sense a colourful book: it has some intensely lyrical writing – and the Sydney setting is transformed into landscapes seen through Turner's eyes." (The Age)

"A terrific story that will keep you reading from the first page – I couldn't put it down!" (Australian Bookseller & Publisher)

"A beautifully told story about intimacy and its loss ... Sensuous, evocative, stimulating, it does for the sense of colour what Perfume did for scent." (Readings Magazine)

"Paul Morgan's first novel The Pelagius Book drew comparisons from some reviewers to the work of David Malouf. His second, Turner's Paintbox, published earlier this year by Viking, is a more conventional story set in contemporary Sydney. Gerard Moyne is an art consultant who is on a steady trajectory to international success and wealth. The novel, told as Gerard's memoir, traces the story of his relationship with the great love of his life, Julia, and how he brought about its destruction. Julia is everything Gerard is not: sensual, vibrant, gregarious. This unabridged audio version is read excellently and at a perfect pace by actor Humphrey Bower, who won the prestigious Audie (US) for his performance of Bryce Courtenay's The Family Frying Pan. This elegant and engaging novel is well suited for audio presentation." (Australian Bookseller & Publisher)

elegant love story

Nothing new neither in stye (two story lines in one book) nor in subject (a love story with an unhappy ending). But this modern love story is told in an elegant style and with an observant eye that kept me captivated.
I've never read anything from this author before. But I will look out for more. He certainly has potential!
The narration is well done - the Aussie accent is a nice change!

Even great narration cannot save this book

If I read this book in print form, my review might be different. It seems as if the author is telling dual stories, juxtaposed throughout the book. But the two stories seem unrelated to a listener, and it is very hard to follow the purpose of the jumps between the two stories. In addition, the sex scenes (there are a number) are very graphic and might be perfectly acceptable in a book on sexual technique, but were completely out of place in this book. In the end, even Humphrey Bower's excellent narration couldn't get me through this novel. I gave up on the book about 3/4s of the way through. It was going nowhere.