Gerard
Woodward is the author of a number of novels and is Professor
of Creative Writing at Bath Spa University.
Gerard Woodward's Vanishing is a complex novel about an incarcerated
WWII British Army lieutenant held on suspicion of spying for
the Germans. The charge is the result of a landscape painting
he did of the countryside of his family's farm, knowing it
would soon be leveled to make way for a British military airfield
– today known as Heathrow.
This novel is not a typical classic spy narrative, but rather
a narrative told completely from the first person perspective
of the main character, Kenneth Brill, who is being held in
a military prison pending his trial of espionage. It is from
prison that Kenneth recounts his life story in a complicated
interweaving of flashbacks, reflecting upon his family background,
adventures as a young boy, his formative school years, his
struggles in art school at a budding artist, his exploits
and various escapades, and military service as a camouflage
expert for the British Army in North Africa.
The novel has two parallel undercurrents that were intriguing
and engaging: that of an artist trying to get his footing
in developing his personal style, but not succeeding in the
commercial world; and that of his sexual awakening, which
included awkward and compromising moments in his life. In
many respects, the latter facet of the novel presents itself
as an Odyssey of self-discovery.
Overall, Woodward has painted for us a picture of a way of
life that “vanished” between the early 20th century
and WWII. It’s a portrait of a world that was forever
lost as Great Britain – and its people – changed
before and during the war years. The author provides detailed
descriptions and a fondness of an England lost to us, along
with its unique vernacular that will hold particular appeal
to Anglophiles.
Reviewer Note: Gerard Woodward is the author of
a number of novels and is Professor of Creative Writing at
Bath Spa University. |
