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| The Tattoo Artist: A Novel | 
 enlarge | Author: Jill Ciment
Publisher: Vintage
Category: Book
List Price: $12.95
Buy New: $7.17
You Save: $5.78 (45%)
New (16) Used (11) from $5.17
Avg. Customer Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 76488
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.7
ISBN: 140007844X
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9781400078448
ASIN: 140007844X
Publication Date: October 17, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Paperback. BRAND NEW
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 6-10 of 10 | | « PREV | | |
 tattoos, artists, who could ask for more? July 20, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
well, I'm an artist and I have tattoos so I was drawn to this book....BUT, believe me, it's so much more than that. Anyone who loves Andrea Barrett's writing or "The Life of Pi" will love this book. Ciment is a visual poet with the ability to create a believable world from unbelievable circumstances; her writing has the clarity of waking up very suddenly from a dream in the middle of the night. I absolutely loved this book...another one for my personal library.
Loved It May 5, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book is nothing like I expected it to be based on the title. In fact, the title is pretty much the only thing I would criticize because the book has nothing to do with the tattoo artist of contemporary culture.
This book is extremely well written, engaging from the start, and will leave you wanting more when the novel ends. I was impressed by the way Ciment weaves philosophical ideas into the character development, making this a deep and thoughtful story that will touch you in many ways. I loved this book and recommend it to anyone who's interested.
Perfect for Book Groups: moving and thought-provoking September 12, 2005
Jill Ciment's new novel "The Tattoo Artist" is deceptively slender. Although it is only 207 pages long, it is stuffed with events, history, fascinating characters and important ideas. For these reasons, book groups will have a great time talking about this novel, especially the ending.
As someone who reads novels almost exclusively and who has read almost all of Ciment's work, I think she makes a leap with this book that is similar to the one made by novelist Andrea Barrett in her marvelous book "Ship Fever," which won the National Book Award. Ciment has pushed herself to a whole new level as a writer here. As usual, her prose is spare and taut, and that works very effectively in the service of her tale about a "primitive" society. I couldn't put this book down, and I can't stop thinking about it.
 Not worth the time June 29, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The appeal of this novel is its premise: a New York artist becomes stranded on a South Pacific island for 30 years and tattoo's her narrative all over her body--innovative, great! However, the premise is all that remains appealing, as the novel lacks depth and breadth. Ciment presents us with Sara, the protagonist, who has the potential to become one of literatures memorable characters, but, instead she becomes a character who is quickly forgotten: she lacks much, but mostly she lacks any original thought or wisdom--her "philosophizing" is sophomoric and replete with platitudes. Sara's boyfriend, Paul, follows in the same trite and cliched footsteps as Sara--he is your typical (by the book) New York avant garde artist who offers us less than Sara, but unfortunately says more--too much. After pages and pages of Sara's Jewish history, which seem superfluous, as it neither shapes her nor does she muse over it, we arrive on the island. Anticipating richly complex descriptions and explanations about Sara's tattoos, we are left with only brief glances at several of them, and then Life magazine, with its irkesome editor, arrives to whisk Sara back to New York where she is snickered and mocked by people.
Rather than feel enlightened about culture, art, the human condition and the fraility of our perception of others, I was subsequenlty left frustrated, wondering what the point of this novel was. If Ciment is trying to convey some unique message of "otherness" that hasn't been conveyed before it just isn't there or it got lost among the unnecessary details about her fathers life. If you are interested in reading a book about a hackneyed artist who tries to find something, then you will enjoy this book; however, if you are looking for a book that really delves into the relationship between art and life reach for Jeanette Winterson's Art & Lies.
 Interesting, but creepy January 7, 2009
I agree with the previous poster that the story lacked depth. The premise of what is home, New York, the South Pacific, jewish heritage, etc, is facinating. However, these facets of the story were discussed very superfically. Also, the idea of tattooing an entire body, including the face and tongue was just too creepy for me, although I am sure for others it was not a problem. I understand that the tattooing was part of the premise of discovering who and what we are, but it was too distracting for me. Also, I would have liked to learn more about the Tan'un'uu characters, they were more interesting to me than Sarah, the central character.
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