Review: Whistler

I haven’t read all of Ann Patchett, but I was always impressed with The Dutch House and her essay collection These Precious Days. Whistler had an interesting premise about a woman named Daphne Fuller reconnecting with her former stepfather, Eddie, at the Met after having not seen him in over 40 years. The last time they saw each other she was nine. The book aims to bring a lot of weight to this temporally distant relationship and unpack a lot of unsaid and unexplored thoughts and new beginnings for Daphne, Eddie, and the other surrounding family members.

The book is its best when it explores how children can suppress memories, mentally fill in holes with made up facts, and assume some false reality behind a situation surrounding dealings between parents or adults. Daphne and Eddie shared a traumatic experience in a car accident when she was nine, which led to Eddie’s divorce, and Daphne carrying some guilt thinking its her fault. Her mother doesn’t feel the need to explain, especially to a nine year old Daphne, and her sister Leda, who won’t quite understand the complexity. To Daphne and her sister, Eddie was a remarkably loving stepfather who went beyond the call of duty to make them happy. He had a huge influence on Daphne’s life, even imparting his bug for literature to her, Eddie being an editor for a publisher.

Daphne revisits these events, and as the book unfolds the past, we see how she bridges her childhood understanding to the facts and revelations that her mother, Eddie and others start to shed. Meanwhile, Eddie is ecstatic to have run into Daphne after four decades and doesn’t waste any time catching up and getting involved in her life, and Daphne is just as eager to be part of his.

“Line up all the daughters in the world,” Eddie said…”You’re never going to find a girl as good as this one.”

Another type of suppression the book tackles surrounds Eddie and the complexity his character navigates growing up at a time when his sexual orientation isn’t as openly accepted, especially in the circles he was in. He grapples with the guilt of marrying Daphne’s mom in order to blend into society and appear “normal,” and for his on-again, off-again affair with his college roommate. Daphne eventually learns more about Eddie and his past, because why would a nine year old kid ever think to ask about their stepfather’s past? Which leads to more dots being connected between her nine year old self and her 53 year old self. I found that in a way Whistler is a book about the ways we suppress the past, our authentic selves, and the consequences of our decisions, then unwittingly fill the gaps left behind, which leaves things unclear and incomplete.

The themes around revisiting and confronting childhood memories, filling them up with new and updated context, and seeing things with a different light were interesting to read. The characters felt complex and believable, and I really enjoyed getting to know and unpack each of them. Eddie was a treat to read. He felt like someone you might meet in New York City, part of the old guard at the ground level of the literature and art scene. Someone you can have coffee with and never be bored of the conversation.

While I found the themes and characters terrific, I did feel that no stakes were built up, and there was no major plot tension to resolve. The novel can be quite straightforward and doesn’t do anything particularly unique or standout. Some of the revelations came about much easier than expected, which did lower the shock value of them, which is ultimately fine, but just an example of how the novel is written quite flat. So while I enjoyed the novel, it’s likely not something I’ll carry with me or recommend, unless you’re particularly a fan of Ann Patchett and her other works.