I won this book as an Early Reviewer and felt excited to read what I thought would be the story of the 5th Sex in the City girl. Margret dresses windows for Saks Fifth Avenue and loves birdwatching. Unfortunately The Bird Catcher did not live up to the hype created in my mind.
I don't mean to make it sound like a bad book (I gave it 3 out of 5 stars). The story was interesting but lacked intensity for me. One of my big hangups was being pulled away from the story every few pages by art references that were obscure to me. I only took Art History 101 in college and that was awhile ago, so I was lost reading sentences like, "Charles, who had seen them dressed like this at an art department cocktail party in the year before he and Margret were lovers, had said of Emily, 'She's a Modigliani inside a Braque,' which was perfect, Margret had to agree." Oh, me too. I totally agree. ??? Usually I enjoy looking up new things I read in books, but I'm not even exaggerating when I say in parts of the first half of the book I would have had to do it every 2-4 pages.
I wish I was a cool art girl. If you are an art aficionado who's hip to the lingo I think you will really enjoy the esoteric art innuendos sprinkled throughout The Bird Catcher. Otherwise I think you should catch another story.
P.S. O.K. I looked it up. In case you are having trouble picturing "...a Modigliani inside a Braque," here's a Modigliani:
and here's a Braque:
("Jeanne Hebuterne in Red Shawl" and "Violin and Candlestick" respectively)
(I like Jeanne!)
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