A Partial Indulgence

by Stephanie Theobald

In a decaying mansion in the middle of nowhere three unlikely companions are trying to work out where they are and how they got there.As they tell their stories fuelled by sex, champagne and the decadence of the art world, it becomes clear that they are all connected by one Charles Frederick de Vere.De Vere is the spectacular art dealer who has fed on the hedonism of sixties Paris, the insanity of eighties New York and the hype of London's Young British Artists. But now that people from his past have begun to haunt him, how much longer can he escape the dark secrets that lurk behind his phenomenal success?

272 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2009

Reviews

[Robo Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I'd really like to give this one three and a half stars as I get the feeling it has more to offer than I actually got out of it.

Partly comic, partly tragic this seems to be a meditation on passion (for art, for life, for others) and death...I think.

I enjoyed large parts of it and there some passages of superb descriptive and evocative writing but overall it lefting me feeling a bit...wanting? After reading the last line I felt that I'd really missed the point somewhow.

Not a difficult read so I may go back to it in the future with the intention of looking for the hidden meanings etc. Would probably be a good book club book actually - although perhaps not my mother's church book club!