Thorn

by Michael Dean

In 1656, at the height of The Dutch Golden Age, two giants of European culture philosopher Baruch Spinoza, a Jew of Portugese descent, and Rembrandt van Rijn, the greatest Dutch Master, find themselves inextricably linked through a failed mercantile venture and membership of the freethinking 'Waterlanders' which, in challenging the Calvinist doctrine of the day, pits them against the authorities in Amsterdam.

Genres: Historical Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 2011

Reviews

[J.G. Fallon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed `Thorn' from my local library with a very vague recollection that the book had been nominated for a prize recently and although the cover did not quite indicate that this was a must-read, I decided to take a chance. What a delight.

In the same way that Shakespeare uses historical events or characters as a starting point for his work, Dean ponders a circumstantial meeting between two of the greatest people living during the 17th century - the philosopher Spinoza and the artist Rembrandt - and uses a few other facts about their lives to weave together a plausible story involving the two men.

The belligerent, outgoing Rembrandt meets the quiet, introspective Spinoza but strangely there is an affinity between the two men. Spinoza regards Rembrandt with an initial shy respect which becomes cemented when he witnesses the brilliance of Rembrandt. While Spinoza writes pages and pages to try to explain the human condition, Rembrandt is able to capture the soul of anyone with just a few strokes of his brush. The two characters are the `thorns in the side' of the Jewish community that is living and desperately trying to survive in 17th century Amsterdam where religious intolerance is pervasive and affecting all walks of life including painting and philosophy. The book provides some fairly harrowing descriptions of how religious intolerance was dealt with in the `bad old days'. There are obvious parallels here with the rights of free-thinking individuals in this century, but these points are not stressed and the book is mostly written in a wonderfully light and engaging style.

For as well as being a intriguing tale of these two characters and their struggles to survive in a world that seeks to suffocate individualism this book is also very, very funny. There are many hilarious scenes that you can easily imagine being produced as a `Black Addersque' comedy with the supercilious yet fundamentally cowardly Spinoza (Rowan Atkinson) and the booming, larger than life Rembrandt (Brian Blessed) engaging in all sorts of merry hi-jinx. The writing has a lovely sense of comic timing especially during the conversations between the two main characters and the many, many characters in the book that want to destroy them. Highly recommended.

[Jim Leffert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Michael Dean makes low farce out of the lives of Spinoza and Rembrandt in this loosely historical novel. Dean imagines that the young philosopher and the much older painter, who actually lived around the corner from one another, met and became friends, finding common cause amid their persecution and mistreatment by prominent figures in Amsterdam.

Spinoza is depicted as an arrogant, freethinking wise ass young man who almost compulsively challenges received wisdom, but who is hopelessly naïve in matters of the heart and in practical affairs. Rembrandt is depicted as an earthy consumer of herring and beer, similarly impractical, who lives to paint, draw and etch and who squanders his money at the auction houses.

Why does the author find the need to turn the lives of these cultural figures into a showcase for the lowest possible comedic effects? No stranger to low humor myself, I was nonetheless annoyed at the dumbness of it. It reminded me of the play I once saw in which Freud was presented as a lecherous skirt chaser.

The pervasive farcical dimension of the story is mildly entertaining but what I really found intriguing was Dean’s depiction of the political currents in 17th century Amsterdam, including the Jews’ perilous position and the Calvinists’ persecution of the more freethinking libertijnen faction. Apparently, Amsterdam was not quite the open and welcoming enclave that I thought it was! The book offers insights into the Jewish community’s political maneuvers and business dealings and explains how it happened that Spinoza came to be placed under a herem—a ban of excommunication. The relationship between Spinoza and the Rabbi Saul Levi Morteira, a father-like figure who imposes the ban on Spinoza, is the heart and soul of this book.

[Read2review · Rating 4 out of 5]

A historical fiction novel that is (I guess) based on true events, I must admit that this is a period of history that I am not entirely familiar with. Therefore, much of the humour of the piece did go over my head a little bit – but that’s not the books fault in the least. Despite this, I found it a very enjoyable read.

Set in Amsterdam in 1656 and described in first person by Baruch Spinoza, I did find this a very entertaining read. Spinoza is a very witty and sarcastic protagonist whose views on religion often cause more than a few raised eyebrows, able to point out holes in the hypocrisy of the Jewish faith (Spinoza himself is Jewish). Because he maintains such a great rapport with the reader, it’s easy to like him as a character. He paints such a vivid description of the events through his talking that you almost believe that you are there with him the whole time.

Even though much of the “social” commentary was lost on me, I did find myself laughing more than once. I think the funniest part was (minor spoilers follow), was when he is supposed to be excommunicated from the Jewish faith, but he has a play to attend and the director has a go at him for not being able to attend – completely oblivious to his problems!

It is a very funny novel, but there are some dark moments as well and you will feel for poor Spinoza more than once. It’s a great read and if you’re a historical expert you should be able to appreciate the humour of the piece.

I give Thorn 4/5 stars.

[John Welbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in mid Seventeenth century Amsterdam the central character is the philosopher Baruch Spinoza - the Thorn of the title - then a young man in his twenties in the early stages of formulating his philosophy. He suffers the dual disadvantages of being a Jew and and a heretic both in the eyes of the Calvinist majority and his own co-religionists and he faces these difficulties with a winning combination of self deprecation and intellectual arrogance. He meets and becomes the friend of his fellow Amsterdammer the painter Rembrandt who is having his own, largely self inflicted, problems and the plot essentially traces the pairs rejection by conventional, intolerant society but also their freeing from its constraints. That perhaps makes this book sound rather worthy but a bit dull. It is anything but that. It is that rare thing a very very funny historical novel. This is largely driven by the persona of the narrator Spinoza who maintains an intimate and ironic 'buttonholing' relationship with the reader throughout. Add to this a cast of supporting characters worthy of the best of Tom Sharpe or J.P Donleavy in their prime and you have a must read for this autumn.

[Carla Nayland]

Witty, intelligent black comedy exploring religious and social intolerance, centred on the (fictional) friendship between Rembrandt and Spinoza in Amsterdam at the height of the Dutch Golden Age.
Review here: http://www.carlanayland.org/reviews/t...

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book