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In a small island off the northwest coast of France lives Henry MacAlpine, a Scottish painter living a self-imposed exile after being a successful practitioner of portraiture. This popular artist had it all until he decided to disappear, his motives unknown. After several years of isolation he accepts a commission by his biggest critic William Nasmyth to paint his portrait, unaware of the tale of revenge that is about to begin. THE PORTRAIT is a unique novella where readers (or in my case, listener) gets to listen to one side of the story, that of the narrator Henry MacAlpine. It is left up to the individual to decide the verisimilitude of the tale, and oh, what a tale it is. Henry wanted Nasmyth for his own reason and he will tell it in his own way. The novella brings into mind some of the narrators of Edgar Allan Poe stories, especially The Black Cat or The Tell-Tale Heart. The storyteller is self-righteous and believes in what he is doing even if it is wrong. MacAlpine produces a diatribe about the role of the artist and the critic, his feelings towards Impressionist painters, how they are two sides of the same coin, and most important of all, how he plans to ruin Nasmyth especially after the portrait is done. Nasmyth remains completely silent as he listens to the artist, with no room to escape inside the small island. However we only get to hear one side and it is up to the reader to decide the artist's state of mind. Narrating this work is no simple task, but Scottish actor Peter Capaldi is up to the task. Throughout the two tapes we see him running the gamut of emotions wondering if this is a story told by a Machiavellian, an insane artist, or someone searching for vengeance or looking to make amends. He shouts, he whispers, he pontificates, and condescends and the listener, just like the artist's subject, can only sit there and listen. After listening to this tape, and appreciating the literary influences Pears uses to tell this story, it tells me he is an author to watch out for. This is a great book and it only seems that he is getting started. This is a story that it's meant to be read or listened out loud and that is accomplished here. Can't wait to see what is next.
Reviewed by Angel L. Soto, January 2006
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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