Customer Reviews

The Forger

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

3.5 Stars

Author Paul Watkins clearly is a writer of talent. His work, The Forger, has all of the elements for a suspenseful, engaging read of art fraud, albeit for a noble cause, set just before and during the occupation of Paris. The story he shares should be a book read with great zest, and anticipation as horrible risks are run in the face of arguably the most organized and voracious art thieves in history.

The Author is meticulous with detail, and setting. He also creates characters with depth, complex pasts, and unexpected conduct. The descriptions of the craft of forging an internationally known piece of art are more detailed than I have ever read in any novel. Often the great forgery ends with the final brush stroke imitated on canvas of an age to convince, surrounded by a time worn, worm eaten frame. Not so with this story. A forger requires much more than great skill and the ability to mimic. He must be able to tangibly create the passage of time. This must be done for every one of the senses, not just that of the eyes. The means by which this is done is truly fascinating.

The Authors style is relaxed, his book is not rushed, and it has the cadence of a deliberate, planned passage. And this is where I felt the book was mismatched. The story is one of deception, whether of art or people. The action takes place in the midst of a World War. If there is a time when pace is to favor the swift with unanticipated changes and improvisations, war certainly provides the setting. I never felt that caught up in the pressure the book unfolded its tale with. Paris may have been an open city, however the risks taken by the primary characters matched those taken much closer to the front.

The Author also used certain historical characters that were almost too much. His story worked with the people he created, I dont feel it needed the addition of notorious celebrity. And as I have mentioned previously, the explanation of the forging process was extremely detailed, with almost a checklist like precision. When a forgery is presented and the list is repeated almost verbatim it seemed unnecessary. It seemed the proof should be in the outcome, was the work accepted as genuine or not?

There were also a few too many revelations, and an event or two that the story did not need. They came across as a bit cliché, and the writer did not need to use them. The book is a good read, and my impression may place me in the minority.

For me, this was one of those spur of the moment purchases. It turned out to be an excellent choice.

Set in pre-WWII Paris, Watkins' story introduces the reader to some very vivid characters: David, a young American out to fulfill a dream of painting in Paris; Pankratov, a disgruntled russian master painter; Dietrich, a strong-headed henchman of Hitler's; Fleury, a shady art dealer. What David gets into is more than he bargained for, but certainly a life experience. As the Germans advanced, the French began an effort to protect certain works of art from being absconded by the Germans. Part of the project involved reclaiming certain works from the Germans by trading forgeries of masterpieces for them. This is where David comes in, with the help of Pankratov's experience and Fleury's promotion.

This book has everything...good pacing, strongly developed characters, excellent setting. I could see, smell and feel Paris at the time. I wanted to cry for Pankratov and his daughter, get mad at the Germans and cheer David on. I was actually mentally tired when the story ended, having gotten so worked up in the conclusion.

Watkins obviously researched art and the "art" of forgery. While I enjoy art, I never really gave much thought to what went on at the time with respect to the paintings and works taken by the Germans. This is a fabulous read. Highly recommended.

Although not a sequel per se, this book follows the story of David Halifax (who's father was the main character in Paul Watkins' previous novel, "In The Blue Light of African Dreams") as he travels to WWII Paris to pursue his art education under the direction of the famous teacher, Alexander Pankratov. Like its predecessor, the plot of "The Forger" is very loosely based on actual events.

Perhaps no painter has been as successfully copied as Jan Vermeer. In the early 1940's, Hans van Meergeren, another (less talented) Dutch painter, claimed to have discovered several lost paintings by the master Vermeer. A rare (and valuable) find since only about 35 originals are know to exist. He sold these "lost paintings" to Hermann Goering and was put on trial by the Dutch after World War II for selling national treasures to the Nazis. Van Meergeren eventually proved himself innocent by painting another "Vermeer" in his jail cell.

Paul Watkins' fictional narrative of these events is skillfully told through the eyes of the likable protagonist, David Halifax. He presents his time and place with eerie clarity, capturing the essence of living in the world's most beautiful city during the ugliest time in its history. And he does this while showing us that great forgery is an art unto itself.

A semi-sequel to his book In the Blue Light of African Dreams, Watkins' literary (or rather painting) thriller tells the story of David Halifax (the son of the protagonist in that previous novel). David is a promising young American painter brought to Paris in 1939 via a mysterious scholarship which sets him up to study with a bizarre Russian painter, Pankratov. The first part of the story focuses on David's attempt to make it as an artist in Paris, living a spendthrift existence in a small apartment. Soon, however, he becomes friends with his two other fellow students and a shady gallery owner. One of the books' major strengths is how these characters-and all others, no matter how fleeting their role-spring to life under Watkins' pen.

Gradually the threat of invasion looms larger and larger, and David decides not to leave (sparking a major revelation that isn't as much of a surprise to the reader as Watkins probably intended). This leads to his involvement in an elaborate scheme to hide valuable French artwork from the Nazis, who have been systematically looting the countries they sweep though. The scheme involves forging old master paintings and trading them to the Germans for confiscated "degenerate" Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces destined for destruction. It's a small-scale thriller, not end-of-the-world stuff, but perhaps richer for staying within reasonable bounds (although a late scene with Goering veers from the rest of the book). There's plenty of tension as David and his accomplices must walk a tightrope in dealing with and deceiving the dangerous Germans, and facing reprisal from the French who see them as collaborators.

The final third of the book feels a bit rushed, especially given the length of buildup, but the atmosphere is great throughout. From the dusty classroom, to David's damp apartment, to the cave-like forging studio, to smoky cafés, and occupied streets, the book is crammed with oppressive sets. Watkins writes in an understated but vivd prose that projects the images into the mind in cinematic fashion. The details of painting forgery are intriguing, and the psychology of why men (and women) would risk their lives for art is handled very well. The book is not quite a masterpiece, but it is a very solid tale that will appeal to art lovers, WWII buffs, and general readers.

What a great combination! The Forger has terrific descriptions - of the art world, of wartime Paris, of the tale's quirky characters combined with a thriller-like plot full of suspense and plot twists. It is a rare writer who can combine these unrelated literary talents - Watkins has succeeded. The descriptions of the local café are so deftly written I re-read the passages several times. The Forger is an original, certainly not a fake.

This was the first thing I've read by Paul Watkins. It won't be the last. This is an engaging story with interesting characters who are caught, as everyone was, in the fast moving events of war in Europe.

It reminded me somewhat of Alan Furst, one of my favorite writers ("Dark Star", "The Polish Lieutenant", several others) Furst's work is darker, even more atmospheric and told from a stronger European perspective. "The Forger" is a lighter read, yet still has substance. I'd recommend this book for its story, characters, and the fascinating picture of certain aspects of the art world, forgery, etc.

A young American, David Halifax, has arrived in Paris in 1939, when France is mostly ignoring the threat of war, to study art in the atelier of the Russian artist Alexander Pankratov. His study has been financed by a mysterious foundation. He is soon recruited by Pankratov and a gallery owner to forge paintings so that the Germans will confiscate the forgeries rather than priceless originals. The characters in this novel are well drawn and completely believable. Watkins ably conveys their innermost thought, fears, dreams, and aspirations.

However, this book really dragged in places, with very uneven pacing, epecially the time leading up to when David was recruited to do the forgeries. I thought he would never get started!

Another complaint is that I had expected to read much more about painting--the works, how the forgeries were done, and so on. There was some information about these aspects, but not nearly enough. In my opinion, too much time was spent leading up to this part of the book.

I did learn a bit from this book, especially about some little-known activities World War II France. But I was hoping for a book like Watkins' "Archangel", which gets 5-plus stars from me.

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I found myself involved from Page 1 with this story about a young artist from America who becomes involved with the German's as a forger of art masterpieces during the German occupation of Paris in World War II. This is a fascinating book that takes a different look at the "Great War" told from the angle of a young man with a great talent who uses it to help make a great sacrifice for the sake of art, risking his own identity and perhaps his own life. So many stories of WWII have been told from the military standpoint, it was great to read an account of bravery from a civilian viewpoint.

Paul Watkin's narrator David Halifax, the young artist, tells the story in a very descriptive & detailed way. I could envision Paris and the surrounding countryside very easily. This portrait of the young artist really taught me a lot about fine art I didn't know or realize before. If you enjoy beautiful art & paintings you'll find the details about forgery fascinating and eye-opening. There is so much happening in this story you just can't help but read on. A truly enjoyable and emotional read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Watkins draws the reader in with his splendid details and vivid scenery of a challenging and enigmatic age. Highly recommended.

THE FORGER by Paul Watkins

It's a good lesson in history--how the people lived and died in Paris during the occupation through the Second World War. David Halifax, art student, went to Paris just before the war and stayed until the end of the war. He survived by becoming a master forger and helping France save some of her paintings. He worked with the Nazis and the German Embassy playing one side against the other.

Meanwhile, he was observing the people around him, painting and working at staying alive. He managed to get through the war without being killed by the French resistance or the Nazis. I like this book it is an honest attempt to show how the people live, or at least survive in a war.