...yawn... - Rated 
Just like there are books that you will always remember and that fizz in your mind days after you have finished them, there are books you'll forget the minute you put them down. Notes from an Exhibition is the latter kind of book.
There was something so unchallenging and dull about the over-analyzed polite British emotions, that I found my thoughts wandering and at times I even rolled my eyes in frustration. It is a blue-grey book with average characters feeling average emotions and living average lives. This combined with the painful cliches - For example, all the women being not obviously attractive but having a 'sexy aura' (what IS that?) or the dramatic, pained but brilliant artist who is torn apart by internal struggles, makes enjoying this book hard work.
In addition to this, it is written so that the story jumps back and forth in time, which, when done well, can be amazing. But in this flaccid tale the direct effect is that I know what is about to happen, thus skipping some paragraphs because I have a feeling I have already read it. This structure also allows the story to amble aimlessly on without a point, climax or centre, the result being a disjointed and uninvolving tale.
There are some highlights, such as the bits on the Quaker religion, which I found very interesting, and some touching sequences between the characters, but they were far and few between - nowhere near good enough to save the rest of this tired baloon.
couldn't put it down - Rated 
I picked up Notes from an Exhibition by Patrick Gale, I had not expected it to be much more than a semi-interesting read. However, with every page turn, I became more and more attached to the novel's heroine, and actually found it very difficult to put the book down. Since reading this book, I have highly recommended it to all my girlfriends. It's a beautiful story about life, love and friendship filled with excitement, heartbreak and hope. I'd also recommend reading Tino Georgiou's bestselling novel--The Fates--if you haven't yet!!
Boring - Rated 
I couldn't agree more with the 2 previous reviews. I found this book hard work and actually gave up three quarters of the way through, which I rarely do with any book.
I was once told by an English teacher that you should never continue reading if a book doesn't 'grab' you in the first couple of chapters. I wish I had taken that advice.
Dull and disappointing schlock - Rated
Having read two others of his earlier books I thought decent beach reading at least but ... Stereotypes abound in this mawkish high-brow schlock. Cardboard cut-out characters (think: unhinged talented artist, stock-in-trade stolid solid husband, 'challenging' zany offspring with unlikely names, the uniquitous gay characters obssessed with matching fabrics, the art world and lifestyle)... generally a po-faced lot. Oh, and a North American connection chucked in too for transatlantic sales no doubt. The first 200 pages is especially hard going and padded.
The cover reviews are, in my opinion, are bizarrely over the top.
If you want good character studies with lovely tightly-written prose try Barbara Pym or Roddy Doyle or Julian Barnes.
Disappointing - Rated
Really did not enjoy the book, could not warm to the characters and felt after all the hype that it would be much more poignant than it was. However after reading all the other reviews then it is obvious that i am in the minority perhaps i should read it again!
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