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Dazzle Patterns
Beginning the day of the devastating Halifax Explosion of 1917, Dazzle Patterns is an unforgettable story about loss, the resilience of the human spirit, and the transformative power of art.
Halifax, 1917. Clare Holmes, a flaw checker at the local glassworks, is saving up for passage to England, to work for the Red Cross and be near her fiancé, Leo, who is fighting in France. But one normal Thursday morning, a deadly explosion in the Halifax harbour shatters the city – and Clare is caught up in the blast.
As Clare struggles to recover from her injuries, she stumbles upon the School of Art, where she finds solace in drawing, and a mentor who encourages Clare’s burgeoning artistic ambitions. But how can one be an artist when the whole world has gone mad? When her own city is half-destroyed? When she’s not sure if Leo will ever come home?
Meanwhile the city, weary from the seemingly endless war and torn apart by the devastating explosion, is wracked with fear and mistrust of foreigners. Clare’s new friend Fred, a glassmaker from Germany, is pulled into a web of suspicion, causing Clare to question everything she thought she knew.
Dazzle Patterns is an unforgettable story about resilience, art, and the casualties of war, abroad and at home. With extraordinary vision and clarity, Alison Watt’s remarkable debut novel brings the past to life.
Halifax, 1917. Clare Holmes, a flaw checker at the local glassworks, is saving up for passage to England, to work for the Red Cross and be near her fiancé, Leo, who is fighting in France. But one normal Thursday morning, a deadly explosion in the Halifax harbour shatters the city – and Clare is caught up in the blast.
As Clare struggles to recover from her injuries, she stumbles upon the School of Art, where she finds solace in drawing, and a mentor who encourages Clare’s burgeoning artistic ambitions. But how can one be an artist when the whole world has gone mad? When her own city is half-destroyed? When she’s not sure if Leo will ever come home?
Meanwhile the city, weary from the seemingly endless war and torn apart by the devastating explosion, is wracked with fear and mistrust of foreigners. Clare’s new friend Fred, a glassmaker from Germany, is pulled into a web of suspicion, causing Clare to question everything she thought she knew.
Dazzle Patterns is an unforgettable story about resilience, art, and the casualties of war, abroad and at home. With extraordinary vision and clarity, Alison Watt’s remarkable debut novel brings the past to life.
344 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 30, 2019
Reviewed from advance reading copy.
Alison Watt's moving and elegantly written novel, Dazzle Patterns, is set at the time of the Halifax Explosion, which took place on the morning of December 6, 1917, when a munitions ship collided with another ship in Halifax Harbour, killing and injuring thousands and completely obliterating the city’s northern district. Clare Holmes, a young woman working in the glassworks, is injured—as were countless others—by a window shattered by the blast. A co-worker and master glassmaker, Fred Baker (a German immigrant who anglicized his name), is commandeered to help the injured and takes Clare to the hospital. Clare, alone in the city, longs for her fiancé, Leo, who is fighting in France. Clare and Leo grew up together in rural Grafton, in the heart of Nova Scotia farm country, which is where her family still lives. Clare returns home to recover, but quickly tires of her mother’s smothering attention and anxious solicitude and, seeking independence, returns to the devastated city at the first opportunity. In the meantime, Watt takes us to France, where Leo is dealing with trauma of his own, narrowly surviving the darkest days of a brutal war, toiling in pervasive damp and filth. When he is captured by the Germans, and then escapes and finds refuge on a farm outside the occupied zone, his life changes forever. Back in Halifax, another thread of the story follows Fred Baker, whom some suspect unreasonably of harbouring German sympathies, as his life becomes closely intertwined with Clare’s. With the glassworks closed, Clare and Fred sign up for art classes, and over several months of frequent interaction a relationship that was always mutually supportive deepens, and a tentative and trusting intimacy springs up between them. Alison Watt, an artist, is a careful and observant writer who brings her interest in the visual experience to her debut novel. The writing is filled with memorable phrases and stirring moments of great beauty, particularly regarding the interplay of light and dark and the effect of the natural world on her characters’ moods and emotions. Her three main characters—Fred, Clare and Leo—are full-blooded, multi-dimensional individuals whose fates and struggles matter. The writing is understated. Watt the author has a light touch, evoking the historical setting with the subtle and effective deployment of period detail. Despite the tragic detonation that sets the story into motion, Dazzle Patterns does not attempt to blow the reader away. Instead it quietly seduces, drawing you into its world until you realize that there is nowhere else you would rather be.
Alison Watt's moving and elegantly written novel, Dazzle Patterns, is set at the time of the Halifax Explosion, which took place on the morning of December 6, 1917, when a munitions ship collided with another ship in Halifax Harbour, killing and injuring thousands and completely obliterating the city’s northern district. Clare Holmes, a young woman working in the glassworks, is injured—as were countless others—by a window shattered by the blast. A co-worker and master glassmaker, Fred Baker (a German immigrant who anglicized his name), is commandeered to help the injured and takes Clare to the hospital. Clare, alone in the city, longs for her fiancé, Leo, who is fighting in France. Clare and Leo grew up together in rural Grafton, in the heart of Nova Scotia farm country, which is where her family still lives. Clare returns home to recover, but quickly tires of her mother’s smothering attention and anxious solicitude and, seeking independence, returns to the devastated city at the first opportunity. In the meantime, Watt takes us to France, where Leo is dealing with trauma of his own, narrowly surviving the darkest days of a brutal war, toiling in pervasive damp and filth. When he is captured by the Germans, and then escapes and finds refuge on a farm outside the occupied zone, his life changes forever. Back in Halifax, another thread of the story follows Fred Baker, whom some suspect unreasonably of harbouring German sympathies, as his life becomes closely intertwined with Clare’s. With the glassworks closed, Clare and Fred sign up for art classes, and over several months of frequent interaction a relationship that was always mutually supportive deepens, and a tentative and trusting intimacy springs up between them. Alison Watt, an artist, is a careful and observant writer who brings her interest in the visual experience to her debut novel. The writing is filled with memorable phrases and stirring moments of great beauty, particularly regarding the interplay of light and dark and the effect of the natural world on her characters’ moods and emotions. Her three main characters—Fred, Clare and Leo—are full-blooded, multi-dimensional individuals whose fates and struggles matter. The writing is understated. Watt the author has a light touch, evoking the historical setting with the subtle and effective deployment of period detail. Despite the tragic detonation that sets the story into motion, Dazzle Patterns does not attempt to blow the reader away. Instead it quietly seduces, drawing you into its world until you realize that there is nowhere else you would rather be.
January 8, 2018
Dazzle patterns are throughout Alison Watt's first novel in "the black-and-white dazzle pattern of a supply ship," the hull of the Olympic "gleaming white, blue, and black dazzle patterns," and a canvas depicting a winter scene, "a ship in the middle distance, dazzle-patterned" as painted by Arthur Lismer.
Lismer, who would become a member of Canada's Group of Seven, is one of the characters modelled after a real person in Alison Watt's novel set in 1917. He "is known for his paintings of the ships in dazzle patterns in the Halifax harbour," Watt says in her author's notes. As Lismer explains to two art students who are key characters in the novel, Fred Baker and Clare Holmes: "Patterns break up the silhouette of the ship at sea. Not so much camouflage as artifice." There's no actual proof that the patterns helped when facing the enemy during World War I (1914-1918), but as Lismer says: "Can't make sense of what is right in front of you." The artifice, the hiding in plain sight, is a theme of this masterful novel.
Creativity, and the transformative aspects of it, could be said to be a theme as well as Fred is a glass craftsman at a Halifax, Nova Scotia glass factory. He has ideas for other works including windows with dazzle patterns. Another of Fred and Clare's teachers is Mary Hamilton who is based on the real life artist Mary Ritter Hamilton, "one of the most accomplished and unsung Canadian artists of her time."
Near the end of the book, Clare remembers what Mary said about negative space. "That absence which can define objects, sometimes the key to seeing the true shape of things."
The timeframe of the novel is just before and following an explosion in Halifax which occurred on December 6, 1917 when two ships, one laden with explosives, collided in Halifax Harbour. Watt feels a personal connection to the event as her grandmother arrived in Halifax, from the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, shortly after the explosion, "to fill one of the many empty jobs."
Various settings are described in the novel, following the shattering effects of the explosion, and all are done so well: from the fictionalized Halifax glass factory where Fred and Clare are employed; the Annapolis Valley where Clare and her fiancé Leo are from; the art studio; to the trenches in France where Leo is a soldier.
Watt pays exquisite attention to detail. She writes of a school that "still smelled of books and chalk and children, their woollens and unwashed hair." The description is of Chebucto School which became a makeshift morgue following the explosion.
The effects and cost of war, the healing gifts of art, and the enduring nature of love are all expertly blended in this fine novel. As Watt said in a CBC radio interview, "Beauty and spirit survives in many forms and is what the foundations of survival, both personal and cultural, are built on ... The research and writing of this book has given me an abiding sense that the inherent goodness of people emerges in great crisis."
by Mary Ann Moore
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
Lismer, who would become a member of Canada's Group of Seven, is one of the characters modelled after a real person in Alison Watt's novel set in 1917. He "is known for his paintings of the ships in dazzle patterns in the Halifax harbour," Watt says in her author's notes. As Lismer explains to two art students who are key characters in the novel, Fred Baker and Clare Holmes: "Patterns break up the silhouette of the ship at sea. Not so much camouflage as artifice." There's no actual proof that the patterns helped when facing the enemy during World War I (1914-1918), but as Lismer says: "Can't make sense of what is right in front of you." The artifice, the hiding in plain sight, is a theme of this masterful novel.
Creativity, and the transformative aspects of it, could be said to be a theme as well as Fred is a glass craftsman at a Halifax, Nova Scotia glass factory. He has ideas for other works including windows with dazzle patterns. Another of Fred and Clare's teachers is Mary Hamilton who is based on the real life artist Mary Ritter Hamilton, "one of the most accomplished and unsung Canadian artists of her time."
Near the end of the book, Clare remembers what Mary said about negative space. "That absence which can define objects, sometimes the key to seeing the true shape of things."
The timeframe of the novel is just before and following an explosion in Halifax which occurred on December 6, 1917 when two ships, one laden with explosives, collided in Halifax Harbour. Watt feels a personal connection to the event as her grandmother arrived in Halifax, from the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, shortly after the explosion, "to fill one of the many empty jobs."
Various settings are described in the novel, following the shattering effects of the explosion, and all are done so well: from the fictionalized Halifax glass factory where Fred and Clare are employed; the Annapolis Valley where Clare and her fiancé Leo are from; the art studio; to the trenches in France where Leo is a soldier.
Watt pays exquisite attention to detail. She writes of a school that "still smelled of books and chalk and children, their woollens and unwashed hair." The description is of Chebucto School which became a makeshift morgue following the explosion.
The effects and cost of war, the healing gifts of art, and the enduring nature of love are all expertly blended in this fine novel. As Watt said in a CBC radio interview, "Beauty and spirit survives in many forms and is what the foundations of survival, both personal and cultural, are built on ... The research and writing of this book has given me an abiding sense that the inherent goodness of people emerges in great crisis."
by Mary Ann Moore
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
June 14, 2018
When I told my friend this book was about artists in Halifax after the Explosion, she said “did they write it just for you?” And yes, in many ways it feels like this book was written just to fit into my heart. But it is a lovely, beautiful story, so well written. I would recommend it to anyone.
January 18, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. The characters felt real and the story is beautifully written, with some very elegant phrases that evoke stunning images throughout. Despite that, the writing is very understated and unpretentious. Highly recommended.
January 30, 2018
I won’t lie, the cover of this book threw me off so I didn’t even read its back blurb (yikes!) so THEN I had no idea the story of Dazzle Patterns by Alison Watt was set during the Halifax Explosion of 1917, which resulted in me relegating it to the back of my TBR shelf. A few weeks passed and I began seeing other blogger’s reviews on it, which were all extremely glowing, and I realized I’d made a huge mistake by passing this one by. So, I picked it up a few weeks ago, and really, really enjoyed it. For those looking to get lost in a book, this is definitely one you won’t want to miss.
To read the rest of my review please visit:
https://ivereadthis.com/2018/01/30/bo...
To read the rest of my review please visit:
https://ivereadthis.com/2018/01/30/bo...
January 21, 2018
I just finished reading Dazzle Patterns, an historical novel by Alison Watt, a skilled painter, poet, and naturalist. The depth of knowledge and details of geology, natural history, and art education make this a rich read.
She brings a deep understanding of human relationships to this tender and engaging story. It took me much longer than usual to read because I frequently paused to re-read a sentence, rolling the words through my mind to fully savour the beauty of the poetry.
She brings a deep understanding of human relationships to this tender and engaging story. It took me much longer than usual to read because I frequently paused to re-read a sentence, rolling the words through my mind to fully savour the beauty of the poetry.
March 10, 2025
Dazzle Patterns begins with the Halifax explosion of 1917 which upends the lives of Clare and Fred who both work at a glass factory.Clare is a farm girl engaged to Leo , a soldier fighting in France and Fred is a naturalized German Canadian whose parents emigrated from Germany before the war with Fred continuing in his father's career as a glass designer.Mary is injured in the explosion, losing an eye and developing a drug habit as she tries to fight the pain.Fred is suspected of being a German spy as Halifax slowly rebuilds.Leo is captured as a prisoner of war but escapes and hides on a French farm where he falls in love with Nathalie whose husband and daughter have died in the war.What brings Clare and Fred together is their shared love of art as they are taught design by Arthur Lismer later famous as a member of the Group of Seven.Leo eventually returns to Halifax but he and Mary are too changed by the war to return to the family farm.Fred is interred as a foreign alien and decides to leave Halifax as does Clare( perhaps with Fred but the novel ends with her knocking on his door so there is no certainly).Watt, an artist herself, writes about how art can change lives( it certainly does in this novel) and skillfully builds our interest in the characters and how they change.Dazzle Patters refers to how ships are painted to obscure the sightings by subs and this metaphor of artifice/ observation runs through the book as each character is transformed by war and tragedy.
December 24, 2018
A dear friend put this book into my hands and said I must read it. I'm grateful she did. I could not put it down. The writing is extraordinarily tight and vivid. But that's not all. By alternating many points of view, Alison Watt lets us see war and trauma, and how those experiences affect each person differently. The only thing for certain is that all are changed. I particularly like how the combat overseas is wrapped inside of the lives of those who wait back home. For me, the central perspective was female, and also subversive with a strong undercurrent of creativity. The author takes a wide view, bringing in questions about race, art versus science, love versus romance, and so much more. She dares to leaves us with cutting thoughts about prejudice, violence, kindness and authentic love.
August 22, 2018
Clearly I am in the minority. I found this book to be just ok.
I wish Alison had delved deeper into the explosion and its affect on people’s lives. Clare, the MC, was injured and it obviously had an affect on her life, but we really don’t get to know Clare that well. Who was Clare before the explosion? How did it change her? We never really know because we never really know Clare. Why does she want to be away from home so badly? She doesn’t really seem to grow and change during the book. Neither do Leo or Fred. But like Clare we don’t get to know those characters either.
I had high hopes for the book but sadly they didn’t manifest.
I wish Alison had delved deeper into the explosion and its affect on people’s lives. Clare, the MC, was injured and it obviously had an affect on her life, but we really don’t get to know Clare that well. Who was Clare before the explosion? How did it change her? We never really know because we never really know Clare. Why does she want to be away from home so badly? She doesn’t really seem to grow and change during the book. Neither do Leo or Fred. But like Clare we don’t get to know those characters either.
I had high hopes for the book but sadly they didn’t manifest.
October 12, 2017
I love when a book takes me back in history. Dazzle Patterns does just that. It is set during WWII and also begins after the Halifax explosion. Clare is a hopeful young woman dreaming of getting closer to her fiance stationed in France. The explosion puts an end to those dreams, but opens up a whole new world for her.
The novel does a good job of showing how circumstances change us and change our path. Thanks to Freehand Books for sharing a copy with me.
The novel does a good job of showing how circumstances change us and change our path. Thanks to Freehand Books for sharing a copy with me.
January 2, 2018
I picked this one up after reading a blurb about it in a magazine article. The fact that the story took place during the Halifax Explosion really piqued my interest. I did enjoy the book for the most part, but I just didn't love it. My main beef was that for some reason, it took me a long time to feel invested in (and actually care about) the characters. Small pet peeve: the use of the title phrase "Dazzle Patterns" over and over felt forced and I found it super annoying.
August 17, 2018
I really enjoyed the setting and the time period. A great Halifax WWI story with stories from Europe woven skillfully into it. I really enjoyed watching the characters change as the book progressed. A well written East Coast story from a Protection Island, West Coast author Alison Watt. Maybe we'll see you sometime at the Dingy Dock Pub!
May 31, 2022
This book takes us not only into the ugliness of WW I, but into the destruction and chaos of the Halifax explosion. The characters are excellent and I was fascinated by the historical fiction and the artists and artwork from that era. I highly recommend this book.
September 19, 2024
I found this book had so much potential but fell flat. I was left wanting so much more. There were glimpses of amazing but it kind of fizzled out. It’s one of those books I’d love to do an add-on to. To dig deeper. Like Rose! I want to know more about Rose. Good book just left me wanting.
November 22, 2017
Good story, well wriiten; lovely twists and turns all the way through. I loved the details about Halifax during the 1st World War.
July 20, 2019
This book started quite slow but picked up in the middle. I do wish the ending had been a bit more fleshed out but I understand what the author was trying to do
July 10, 2021
Enjoyed the book. [Though can anything compare with my teenage reading of Barometer Rising?].
The ending seemed odd and stilted to me though, which was sad.
The ending seemed odd and stilted to me though, which was sad.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews