The Wish House

The Wish House is the setting for the gradual introduction of a 15-year-old innocent to the world of a 1970s artist and his family – well-off, well-known, unconventional, unsurprised. Richard is ensnared by the mysterious attractiveness of their carefree life, where, he discovers, almost anything goes.

Very well written, the book takes the form of a visit six years later to an exhibition of work by the now dead artist and by his daughter, Richard’s first lover. Episodes are prefaced by catalogue entries which evoke memories in Richard; thus the story is revealed. This sophisticated structure demands a lot of the reader – those unfamiliar with the conventions of gallery labels may take some time to understand their role, and the aspects of Celtic allegory underpinning the artist’s work add another layer to the whole; the metaphor of the garden in particular recalls the work of Iris Murdoch or A S Byatt set in the same period.

The 1970s are evoked well, and as a rite of passage novel it is engrossing, poignant and beautifully unfolded. The longer term effects on Richard of some shocking events are only hinted at, and his feeling that he can now put the past behind him is rather hurriedly added; perhaps Rees has more to tell?

The publishers suggest 12+ as a suitable age for this: I’d say 16 to adult is more realistic in view of some of the content, and of the maturity needed to reflect on the effect of events on the characters.