Friday, September 3, 2010

The Forgery of Venus, by Michael Gruber

So the deal is that Chaz Wilmot, son of a not-quite Norman Rockwell, paints illustrations for magazines.  He is separated from a wife who is disappointed that he wastes his gift and with whom he has two children, one of whom is quite sick.  He is able to paint flawlessly in the style of the old masters.  Through participation in a trial of a drug to enhance creativity, he is transported into the time and body of Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (June 6, 1599 – August 6, 1660), and is sucked into a gzillion dollar art forgery by a shadowy villain.  It sounds more interesting that it is.  Not a single likable character to be found.  Gruber thinksVelázquez is the most important painter to have ever lived. 

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