Book Review: The Vanitas & Other Tales of Art and Obsession by Jake Kendall

Spanning three hundred years of art history, The Vanitas & Other Tales of Art and Obsession tells the stories of those with an insatiable hunger for creation – those who may sacrifice friendships, careers, romance, and even their own happiness in pursuit of a vision.

Weaving art styles such as Cubism, Surrealism, and the Baroque into his prose, Jake Kendall has crafted a vivid and inventive collection. Each story is complemented by a black and white illustration, drawing out the visually evocative nature of the writing and offering readers a unique artistic delight.

GENRE: Short Story Collection / Art History Fiction

PURCHASE LINK: Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jake Kendall was born in Oxford and studied an MSc in Creative Writing with the University of Edinburgh. He takes inspiration from the visual arts, a theme that formed his debut collection. The Vanitas & Other Tales of Art and Obsession (Neem Tree Press) refracts contemporary issues and anxieties through timeless imagery and artistic movements. Jake lives and works in Edinburgh and spends his free time visiting bookshops, exhibitions, theatre, and independent cinemas.

Review

I'm no stranger to anthologies or short story collections, but this is my first book that centers on art, art history, and creative obsession. (I usually read sci-fi or fantasy anthologies.) I might not be a painter or an illustrator, but I am a creative, and many things in this book's stories resonated with me. The accompanying artworks were a nice touch, though the words, for me, were more than enough. Jake Kendall managed to convey his messages in a digestible manner, evoking emotions without using needlessly extravagant words.

My favorite, after The Vanitas itself which formed the core of the book, was Composition #5. There was just something horrifyingly unhinged yet real about it all. It's hard to describe. The characters' search for inspiration and meaning, their obsession, their downward spiral into burnout and disillusion... The balcony scene was particularly poignant!

Then there was The Vanitas, which was not simply just an insightful foray into art's effects on society and religion, or a painful glimpse into an artist's life and struggles. It also showed what it might be like for someone connected to an artist, especially a spouse, a collaborator, or a supporter. It even got me introspecting on my own situation as a self-published author so desperately trying to succeed in a world where the odds are stacked against me. Have I neglected my family, my friends, in those times I've been so engrossed with making it? Have I been selfish, sacrificing others for my art? It really says something when a piece makes you think about the things in your life, huh.

The Vanitas also had a nugget of wisdom that validated something I recently realized and embraced as an author (a story for another time). But this part I feel particularly worth highlighting, as I really paused to mark these passages: "If Sandro Signorelli is a painter of echoes, why not embrace it? Why not simply become an echo of a different music?"

If you're a creative who enjoys reading short fiction, this might be something worth checking out!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️️

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Hi! I'm Marie, a Filipino fantasy author and book reviewer currently based in the UK. I’m the co-author of The Prophecies of Ragnarok, a Norse myth new adult urban fantasy trilogy, and I also have several short stories published in anthologies and literary journals.

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