The artful dodger
In which Steve Martin is a novelist.
When Lacey Yeager enters the world of art collection and art galleries, she plans on rising through the ranks of gallery owners, art traders, and art collectors as quickly as possible. Vivacious, open-minded, and cunning, nothing can stop her. She uses her charm to propel herself through the stratosphere of the New York City art elite, honing her instincts and occasionally developing a sense of taste. Her steady rise and sexual exploits are chronicled by her college friend Franks, an art critic whose natural modesty allows Lacey's boldness to take over almost entirely. The principle man in her life, a wealthy European named Patrice, waits patiently for Lacey to wind down and leave her willfully chaotic life in New York to be with him. But Lacey's goals don't involve settling down. When she plans to give her career a kick-start, it is Franks whom she employs in the unethical scheme. With two men under her spell and the art world before her, Lacey thinks she has nothing to lose.
The most useful word to describe this novel would be "adroit." Martin's prose is at once self-assured and nimble; his characterization, while often sparse, allows for straightforward story-telling - but not at the expense of the characters. Lacey is our not-quite-anti-hero, unwittingly at her most charming when she is moved by a work of art. Her love of art and recognition of its power are her most admirable traits; everything else more or less exists in a gray area. We're not called upon to judge her, which is refreshing because I don't feel the need to do so anyway. Even though she can sometimes be shallow and flighty, it's portrayed humanly. Her lover Patrice is interesting only as Lacey's semi-unlikely love interest; he is here largely to act as her foil, as he turns out to be more traditional. Franks has a romantic subplot of his own that ends up directly tying into the end of the story, which has the odd effect of ending a pretty cynical novel on a note of sincerity.
The novel's other aspect - outside of the story - is that it acts as a primer on modern art and the concept of art collecting. Educational and thought-provoking, sometimes straying into essay mode, it helps the reader appreciate Lacey's position and her attraction to this world. You can clearly see where some of the characters, especially the likable funny ones, are acting as Martin's mouthpiece when they explain why modern art (or art in general) matters. It's also interesting that a minor, non-artsy character near the end makes the connection that art is "what lies between reality and fantasy." This, of course, applies to Lacey's situation, as her aspirations are what drive her to make her own reality.
This book is relatively quiet; even when there are stakes, they don't always seem very high. Martin is focused equally on the fictional plot and the nonfictional essay, and the two don't always join up perfectly. But at the same time, the fact that he never tries too hard makes this an enjoyable, enlightening read. Rating: 4 lost Picassos out of 5.
The most useful word to describe this novel would be "adroit." Martin's prose is at once self-assured and nimble; his characterization, while often sparse, allows for straightforward story-telling - but not at the expense of the characters. Lacey is our not-quite-anti-hero, unwittingly at her most charming when she is moved by a work of art. Her love of art and recognition of its power are her most admirable traits; everything else more or less exists in a gray area. We're not called upon to judge her, which is refreshing because I don't feel the need to do so anyway. Even though she can sometimes be shallow and flighty, it's portrayed humanly. Her lover Patrice is interesting only as Lacey's semi-unlikely love interest; he is here largely to act as her foil, as he turns out to be more traditional. Franks has a romantic subplot of his own that ends up directly tying into the end of the story, which has the odd effect of ending a pretty cynical novel on a note of sincerity.
The novel's other aspect - outside of the story - is that it acts as a primer on modern art and the concept of art collecting. Educational and thought-provoking, sometimes straying into essay mode, it helps the reader appreciate Lacey's position and her attraction to this world. You can clearly see where some of the characters, especially the likable funny ones, are acting as Martin's mouthpiece when they explain why modern art (or art in general) matters. It's also interesting that a minor, non-artsy character near the end makes the connection that art is "what lies between reality and fantasy." This, of course, applies to Lacey's situation, as her aspirations are what drive her to make her own reality.
This book is relatively quiet; even when there are stakes, they don't always seem very high. Martin is focused equally on the fictional plot and the nonfictional essay, and the two don't always join up perfectly. But at the same time, the fact that he never tries too hard makes this an enjoyable, enlightening read. Rating: 4 lost Picassos out of 5.
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