The Bird Artist - Howard Norman

"I've never been all night anywhere but my own house," I said.

"Now you have."

"I'm going to have to explain it."

"Not to me."

"My mother, I meant.  My father."

"If we walk right up to your house hand in hand, stand right in the kitchen and ask for breakfast together, I bet they'll get the hint."



The bird artist is Fabian Vas, a young man living in Witless Bay, in the far reaches of Newfoundland in the early 20th century.  Fabian has been drawing since he was a young boy and is taking lessons, by correspondence, with a rather critical teacher who is sparse with compliments but who does seem to suggest that Fabian does have talent.  The village of Witless Bay is populated with the odd sorts you might expect in a remote village (think Northern Exposure, which was out at about the time this book was published) by the sea.  Fabian lives with his parents, who seem to mostly endure their marriage rather than enjoy it. Fabian has a puzzling relationship with Margaret Handle, who is a bit older than Fabian, drinks a lot, and is the dominant half of their relationship.  Fabian's passivity is, in fact, the distinguishing feature of his life. 


It seems the unchanging inflexibility of life in Witless Bay is a motivator, primarily for the women in this book, to seek, or inspire, change in the men in their lives.  Both Margaret and Fabian's mother, Alaric (his father is Orkney; odd names are a staple of life here), end up sleeping with the menacing lighthouse keeper Botho August.  Their motivations for doing so are intertwined;  Alaric is dissatisfied with her married life and Margaret is dissatisfied with Fabian, who has, essentially by providing no resistance, agreed with a marriage to his cousin (who he has never met) set up by his parents.  Alaric is not fond of Margaret.


The result of all this is a murder, the breakup of a family,  the beginning of an outlaw legend, and the growing up of Fabian.  And the making of an artist.  This is a decidedly peculiar book;  I have reread it several times, just for sheer enjoyment.  Margaret is an odd, at time frustrating, but always interesting character, as is Orkney, who seems to find himself in a most unconventional way.


Howard Norman has written 2 other books that I have read, The Museum Guard and The Haunting of L. Both take place in early 20th century Canada and include similar themes to The Bird Artist.  While I was less taken with them, they are both excellent.