Studio Game

Peter Burnett lives in Edinburgh. He is the author of The Machine Doctor, Odium, The Supper Book and the forthcoming #freetopiary: An Occupy Romance.

While I found I couldn't put this book down I also found it relatively slow to read because it was very thought provoking. Many of the arguments the author put forward I had already thought about and he gave much more reason to think on those and other aspects of the art world. The idea of suicide is always one that will be controversial but here it is an accepted 'is' - I didn't understand the feelings behind it so couldn't argue against it and it just becomes an accepted part of the story. But one of the biggest underlying themes has to be Guy's guilt at not joining Liska and the only reason he has that guilt is because he is so in love with her and therefore this is a love story and about how it is tearing Guy up. An extremely well told story that is difficult to classify as any one thing except as literary. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it left a big impression on me. http://ourbookreviewsonline.blogspot.co.uk/ Burnett has created a lovable, slightly eccentric anti-hero surrounded by a weird and wonderful plethora of characters. This bittersweet, dreamlike tale may be fiction but the astutely-researched narrative is set within today's real art auction market of Warhol, Emin, Hirst and Creed. Burnett's previous novels, The Supper Book and The Machine Doctor received high praise - " hilarious, informative and just a tad crazy " - " an exhilarating and anarchic comedy. " Likewise, The Studio Game is a cleverly constructed, rollercoaster ride, rich in humour, taking us on an intellectual and emotional journey which also challenges our own notion of "what is art" along the way. Vivien Devlin: Edinburghguide.com