The Tattoo Artist

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.

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.

It's been several months since I read this book, and I still can't forget it. One of my favorite books of last year, and all time. This not a typical novel written in the typical authorial voice generated by writer workshops and popular weekly magazines. This story about art, love, and tattoos explores the mysteries inherent in each, without falling into pat themes or regurgitated meaning. Not a retelling of myth, it works on a mythological level and I was transformed by it, as if I had not just read about tattoos but gotten one. And in a way I have, that's how strongly I feel about this book, it's not just something I read, it's something I experienced.

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.