The Opposite of Art by Athol Dickson

 

Glass Road Public Relations sent me a copy of Athol Dickson's latest novel The Opposite of Art for the purpose of review.  You can visit Mr. Dickson's website by visiting atholdickson.com.  There you will find a complete bio as well as links to his blog and information about his books.  Mr. Dickson's novel Lost Mission was his third Christy award winner and his fifth to be nominated for that award. His writing has been compared to that of Flannery O'Connor.  He and his wife live in Southern California and he is the publisher of the popular news website dailycristo.com. 

Synopsis of The Opposite of Art:
A great artist is cast into the icy Harlem River by a hit-and-run driver.  His heart stops and he sees something that defies description.  Presumed to be dead by all who knew him and obsessed by a desire to paint the inexpressible, he embarks on a pilgrimage to seek help from holy men around the globe.  But is it possible to see eternity without becoming lost in it?  After a quarter of a century, when the world begins to whisper that he may be alive, two people come looking for the artist:  the daughter he never knew existed and the murderer who hit him on the bridge all those years ago.

My thoughts:
The Opposite of Art is not a light read.  Dickson's writing makes you have to stop and ponder what you are reading; so much so that I found myself getting bogged down and at points not wanting to finish the book.  It is an intriguing read about a man's search for the Glory, which he desires to capture on canvas.  I was disappointed that there was not a clear picture of Christ as The Glory in Ridler's journey.  The book just simply left me wanting.

The Opposite of Art includes a reading group guide as well as a Q and A with Mr. Dickson at the end of the book.  

The Opposite of Art can be purchased from Amazon.com by going HERE. 

Blessings,