Indigo [Paperback]

Graham Joyce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2001

It is a color the human eye cannot truly see, a slice of the spectrum imbued with the promise of invisibility. But for Jack Chambers, the son of a scientist renowned as both a genius and a madman, it will lead to places of unknown treachery. As executor of his estranged-father's will, Jack is appointed two ominous tasks: publish Timothy Chambers' bizarre manuscript "Invisibility: A Manual of Light," and track down an unknown woman who stands to inherit the substantial estate. Jack's mission leads him to reunite with his half-sister, Louise, now grown into a stunning woman. Bound by a tense attraction, Jack and Louise head to Rome, where a cultlike group pursues the intoxicating secrets of the elusive indigo -- and where Jack perceives its horrid danger only when it's too late.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Erstwhile fantasy novelist Joyce (Requiem; Dark Sister) switches genres with this enticing, if finally underwhelming, work of literary intrigue. Jack Chambers, a London process server, is summoned to Chicago after the death of his mysterious father, whose will mandates that Jack arrange to publish a manuscript called "Invisibility: A Manual of Light." In Chicago, Jack also meets his attractive half-sister Louise and her young son, Billy. Soon Jack, Louise and Billy are in Rome, where the secrets of Jack's father's life emerge: the elder Chambers led a secret cult of artists, who sought the power of invisibility through psychological and surgical practices related to the elusive color indigo. The cult's efforts, Jack discovers, have resulted in "one psychotic, one suicide, and one dead junky." As Jack investigates its sinister workings, his illicit passion for Louise grows. Joyce's asides on perception and science can fascinate; sections of the manual's delightfully convincing arcane text appear as little chapters of their own. His writing is fine though sometimes precious in its symbolisms. Lupine themes from Roman myth and history jostle uneasily with the color codings; the two sets of metaphorical connections are too much for this short novel to sustain. Nor does the plot keep its initial vigor. Joyce offers (though he doesn't quite insist on) plausible explanations for all his supernatural events, but by the end, magic has become mere allegory, suspicious schemes acquire quotidian explanations, and the fantasy is aborted, contained by a disappointingly thin psychology. (Jan.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

British fantasist Joyces fourth novel to be published here (Dark Sister, p. 764, etc.) turns from fantasy to straight suspense, with a glowing tablespoon of the uncanny added to the generally realistic mix. Jack Chambers, 40, a twice-divorced ex-bobby running his own business as a London process server, is called to Chicago to hear his odd, wealthy, despised fathers will. At the reading of the will, Jack discovers he has a half sister, Louise, 30, a single mother who has never married. Louise will inherit the bulk of coldhearted Tim Chamberss estate, although Jack will receive a handsome fee as executor if he sells off Tims Chicago apartment and furnishings plus a house he owned in Rome, and if he sees to the publication of a manuscript his father wrote. This manuscript, written in invisible ink that comes to light when exposed to oxygen, is called Indigo and is a Manual of Light concerned with the art of invisibilityof going unseen or of assuming an aura that more or less deflects being seen. The aura comes from the color indigo, a richly deep twilight blue that cant be seen itself without the self-training set forth by the guidebookwhose every word is included here. This highly original ploy will have readers straining to see a color thats the gateway to invisibility, a hue so elusive that the mind cant quite capture it. At first, half siblings Louise and Jack dont hit it off, but then Jacks feelings for Louise teeter on incest. Will she, wont she, will she, wont she? The two go off to Rome, where hints of sex and fantasy are joined by hints of murder. Though the second half is less gripping than the first, Joyce sustains his imaginative opening device until the very end. Readers lucky enough to get in at the ground floor will hail the birth of a strongly inventive suspense novelist. -- Copyright ©2000, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Washington Square Press (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671039385
• ISBN-13: 978-0671039387
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #193,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Surreal thriller, January 5, 2000

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Indigo (Hardcover)

Chicago lawyer Harvey Michaelson calls Londoner Jack Chambers with the news that the Englishman's father Tim died. Jack has not seen his father in over twenty years and they only met a few times since Tim deserted Jack and his mother. Jack learns that he is the executor of his father's estate. Louise Durrell, an American half-sister, will gain some of the inheritance, but the bulk goes to an unknown person Natalie Shearer.

Jack flies to Chicago to understand the specific terms of the will. The major item for Jack to deal with in order to earn a sizable fee as the executor is publishing 200,000 copies of his father's manuscript, "Invisibility: A Manual of Light. The book is a text on the art of vanishing by seeing the color or non-color (if one chooses to be scientific) of INDIGO. Jack meets Louise for the first time in over two decades and to his chagrin finds himself attracted to her. They travel to Italy to find Natalie, who is reported living there. Jack soon finds himself embroiled in a mystery involving two apparent disappearances linked to his father. He also begins to enjoy the effects of INDIGO and defies the taboo of falling in love with his half-sister.

INDIGO is a weird, but intoxicating thriller that will leave readers wondering how much talent does Graham Joyce possess? The story line centers on the impact of INDIGO on the individual and their relationships, most of which fail. Jack is a cleverly drawn character whose motives ring genuine. Through character discussions the inner core of Tim is revealed. Not for those who want Action with a capital "A", INDIGO is a mind-bending journey into a surrealistic world.

Harriet Klausner

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars My first "Joyce", but not my last, December 2, 2001

By 

Chris Lee Mullins (Highlands Ranch, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Indigo (Paperback)

Every now and then, a book comes along with characterizations so strong, they completely overcome the (weak) plot. This is one of those books.

First things first, though. The plot is definately NOT compelling. Jack comes to America and meets his half-sister and wants to sleep with her, then goes to Rome with said sister, looking for some girl, all the while wringing his hands about how to publish this "manual of light". So they find this girl and Jack likes her, too, and....

See what I mean? The plot is not the book's strong point.

I kept reading Indigo because the characters were strong, well-fleshed out, and felt like they were alive. Each character has their story, their own quirks, something that makes then interesting and special, and they had them in spades.

I plan to keep this book on my shelf for some time, perhaps adding some of Joyce's other novels as well.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Huge Letdown, April 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Indigo (Hardcover)

I'm a big fan of Joyce. Tooth Fairy, Dark Sister and Requiem were all unique and engrossing reads, which makes Indigo all the more disappointing. I couldn't empathize with any of the characters and the pseudo-scientific concept of Indigo lost its appeal quickly. Pass on this one and read Tooth Fairy.