Blindspot: A Novel of Art, Passion, and Politics in the Age

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tvc15ma
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Blindspot: A Novel of Art, Passion, and Politics in the Age

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Jane Kamensky & Jill Lepore. Blindspot: A Novel of Art, Passion, and Politics in the Age of the American Revolution. New York, NY: Spiegel & Grau, 2009. 528 pages. $15.00 (trade paperback).

Blindspot is an occasionally raunchy comedy of manners skewering the pretensions of upright and pious Bostonians in the age of the American Revolution. It’s a love story, a murder mystery, an art appreciation, and a history lesson presented in a most entertaining manner. Like all good historical fiction this novel depicts an era by conveying a sense of place and atmosphere often lacking in non-fiction.

The multiple interwoven plot lines are cleverly presented by two distinct voices; our heroes Stewart Jameson, artist and Fanny Easton, fallen woman. Background and context are provided through the use of contemporary newspaper articles which keep the narrative moving without the need for much explanatory exposition. Fanny disguises her gender in order to survive her jarring fall from grace, and of course is hired as an apprentice by Stewart. The resolution of the love story is never really in doubt, but the situation does lend itself to much bawdy humor and double entendre, and illustrates the contemporaneous attitudes toward homosexuality.

In many ways, this novel delights in skewering the self-importance and hypocrisy of the residents of “the Hub”. A city that viewed itself as preeminent and cosmopolitan, Boston is seen as a provincial backwater by Europeans. A city that is a self-described beacon of liberty is seen to harbor deeply held racist views in keeping with its mostly hidden slave population. And a religious people prone to invoke divine mercy are seen to possess near medieval attitudes on crime and punishment.

The murder mystery pits our sympathetic main characters against a villain you can love to hate. Along the way the reader will learn in a most agreeable way about the politics of the stamp act, slavery in New England, and art. Who knew that the mixture of ingredients to make just the right shade of paint was an art in itself back then?

A recurring theme throughout the book is that “a painter must paint”. True for any artist in any medium in any time, it’s illustrated by Stewart and Fanny’s devotion to their art even under the most trying of circumstances.

This book will have you guessing, will make you smile, and will make you want to keep reading. If you are new to historical fiction, it’s a great introduction. If you are already familiar with the genre, you should certainly add this book to your collection.

Stephen Donnelly is a consultant for the insurance industry and a Westfield State University alumnus.
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