Van Gogh's Backward Tavern

Author: [US] Tuton
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Magical illustrations created from colored text. — Publishers Weekly
A captivating and sorrowful charm. — The New York Times
Sex and Desire: A beautiful, mysterious novel that intertwines life and art with blood and tears. — Oscar Dijkstra
This story is as mysterious and alluring as its protagonist, Ursula. It is both a manifestation of imagination and a mesmerizing love story. Tuton captures the frenzied passion of Van Gogh's paintings with stirring inspiration, while exploring the motivations behind artistic creation with serene reflection. — Aric K
Van Gogh's Debauched Tavern is an elegant and humorous novel that delves into humanity's obsession with morphine, alcohol, and art through dreamlike plotlines, retelling the story of Beauty and the Beast with a satirical tone. — William Matthews
To search for the vanished Van Gogh, Ursula crosses brick walls and temporal boundaries, traveling from the small village of Auvers in the late 19th century to the streets of New York City in the late 20th century. With the help of "Louis," Ursula becomes acquainted with the modern metropolis. When she longs to return to Van Gogh's side, she finds herself unable to resist the passage of time.
The novel weaves together the protagonist's experiences in modern New York and the Auvers of a century ago. The author employs the cinematic technique of montage to connect scenes across different timelines in the story, guiding readers through the love affair between Van Gogh and Ursula, their struggles between commitment and betrayal, and their journey through the joys, frenzies, melancholy, and despair of love. Amidst the interplay of reality and illusion, they move together toward the final day of Van Gogh's life.