“Sandro wondered if he was making a complete farce of himself. When he looked at his work it morphed before his eyes until he could see nothing in it but magnified imperfections.”
“The Vanitas & Other Tales of Art and Obsession”, by Jake Kendall
I’m delighted to join the blog tour of “The Vanitas & Other Tales of Art and Obsession” by Jake Kendall. Many thanks to TheWriteReads, the publishers Neem Tree Press, and of course the author for organising the tour and gifting me a copy of the eBook.
The stories:
Art can be beautiful, uplifting and life-affirming. But it can also lead to greed, vanity and obsession. In this collection of stories, author Jake Kendall explores this theme, spanning 300 years of art history from modern art to the Baroque.
My thoughts:
“The Vanitas & Other Tales of Art and Obsession” by Jake Kendall is a new collection of eight stories — all very different, but all tied together by the theme of great works of art and how they can both enrich our lives but also be a path to obsession.
In fact, seven of the stories make up just under half of the book, and range from a tale of an artist trying to capture the beauty of nature, to an obsessive relationship between a young man who meets his favourite artist.
The second half is “The Vanitas” of the book’s title; a tale set in late 16th/early 17th century Italy. Artist-for-hire Sandro is attempting to create work that will assure him a place in Rome’s history of great artists, but is struggling to accept the modern techniques of an artist who is taking the city and its people by storm. His blinkered approach to the ground-breaking work of a certain Caravaggio, and his desire to prove himself right, lead him into danger of losing not just his livelihood, but his life…
Each story is also accompanied by wonderfully atmospheric black and white illustrations from Simona Slavova and Emily TahaBurt, which really added to my enjoyment of the book.
I was a bit wary that although I like art and enjoy visiting galleries, I don’t really have any knowledge of the subject! But this didn’t reduce my enjoyment of the book at all, and actually sent me down some interesting internet rabbit holes as I looked up some of the real works mentioned in the stories (particularly Caravaggio).
Overall, I would really recommend this to anyone looking for a unique and absorbing collection of short stories, whether you’re an art aficionado, amateur or just a lover of a good story!
Pages: 272
Published: 22nd February 2024
Rating: 🐈🐈🐈🐈/5
Purchase link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vanitas-Other-Tales-Art-Obsession/dp/1911107720
About the author:
Jake Kendall was born in Oxford and studied an MSc in Creative Writing with the University of Edinburgh. He takes inspiration from the visual arts, a theme that formed his debut collection. “The Vanitas & Other Tales of Art and Obsession” (Neem Tree Press) refracts contemporary issues and anxieties through timeless imagery and artistic movements. Jake lives and works in Edinburgh and spends his free time visiting bookshops, exhibitions, theatre, and independent cinemas.
Books, Cats, Etc. 
Pingback: January 2024 Reading Wrap-Up – Books, Cats, Etc.
Pingback: February 2024 Reading Wrap-Up – Books, Cats, Etc.
Pingback: Book Review: Takeout Sushi, by Christopher Green – Books, Cats, Etc.