Spadework : A Novel

Timothy Findley's "Spadework" doesn't conform to any specific type or genre in literary fiction. To begin with, it's most certainly not a murder mystery or thriller the blurb suggests it is - Penguin Books, its UK publisher, should be rapped for being misleading. So, what kind of book is it ? A tale of marital breakdown, lust and ambition among members of a theatrical community in Ontario ? Hard to say. But love - all sorts of love - takes centre stage in "Spadework". There's conjugal love between struggling stage actor Griffin Kincaid and his prop designer wife Jane, love between parent and child (as between the Kincaids and their son Will), love between family members (as between gardener Luke and his young troubled uncle Jesse), homosexual love or lust of stage director Jonathan for Griffin, mature love between housekeeper Mercy and Luke, and Jane's idealised love for the Bell repairman Milos. According to Findley, love caves in under pressure, its manifest qualities change albeit temporarily. Like an elastic band, it finds its original shape eventually. Findley's characterisation doesn't always succeed. His supporting characters like Mercy, Luke, Milos and Claire fare much better than his protagonists. With each page, I found Jane increasingly shrill and irritating and I began to feel she deserves what's happening to her.....until Milos turns up and she wanders into a dream world of her own and becomes interesting as a human being once again. Griffin's character is the most problematic. He's supposed to be desperate and ambitious and his sudden abandonment of his family for Jonathan's casting couch is a move that suggests he has sold his soul to the devil - remember Rosemary's husband in "Rosemary's Baby" ? - but in truth, he's a wimp and his return to the family fold after Jonathan's confessional is a bizarre twist that strains credibility and ends the story on a hastily executed feel-good note. Quite apart from revealing his roots as a playwright, Findley's liberal use of asides and self directed utterances to punctuate his narrative is also a devise that doesn't quite work. Indeed, I found it unhelpful and distracting and gives the novel an incongruous feel about it. There is nevertheless much to enjoy in "Spadework". The good parts are excellent and they'll make it all worthwhile for you.

Griffin Kincaid gets involved with another man, while his wife Jane becomes obsessed with the telephone repairman. Loved this book, especially the scenes with Milos Saworski. (A+)

The Kincaid family lives a superficially contented, easy life revolving around the theatre in Stratford until one day their gardener slices their phone cable, some vital calls are missed, and their lives begin to unravel. A very readable, suspenseful novel, a bit different from what I'm used to from Findley. I'm a big Findley fan, but this is not my absolute favourite of his... and Findley himself called it his "slightest book," although I'm not sure I'd go that far. It still goes to say that this is a really great book with believable characters and a complicated plot with common but complex themes. It may even make you question your own character and what events it would take to make you break away from what you think is most important in your life.Note also that anyone who's ever been to Stratford, Ontario, will recognize a lot of landmarks and even people in this story!

I've read and re-read this book as I have done with most of Mr. Findley's books. I have to say this is my least favorite. The characters are much less developed than in any of his other books (i.e. Pilgrim or The Piano Man's Daughter.) However, the author himself called this book slight which must mean he didn't consider it one of his best either. Still it is worth the read if you are a Findley admirer.

Spadework may not be Findley's most creative book, but as far as capturing honest characters goes, this book is dead-on. The mannerisms, thoughts, and actions of the characters are so vividly portrayed, the book is almost like a play is being acted out in front of you. A fairly quick read, but by no means a light one: the husband must confront the depths that his ambition will drive him to; his wife ponders love with another, beautiful man; while their seven-year-old son is ignored and left largely to himself to deal with his pain and anger. This story is dark and frightening because the people are so average, and are left to battle their addictions, ambitions, loves and hates, all alone.Definately read Findley's other books (Piano Man's Daughter, Pilgrim, Headhunter, The Wars), but don't count out Spadework by any means. Like most of the dark things in life, it will creep up on you when you're least expecting it.