THE WIFE IN WATERCOLOURS

The brutality of war meets the theater of the absurd in this historical novel set in Texas during its rebellion against Mexico.

In 1835, Texas, still a part of Mexico, is a place where Americans go for a fresh start and European immigrants arrive, hoping to make their fortunes from promotional offerings of vast tracts of land. The two central protagonists, “Señorita” Charlotte Vernon, originally from Surrey, England, and Harry Birchfield, a cobbler from the Whitechapel section of London, alternate narration, she aligned with the Mexicans and he with the Texans. And occasionally, even Davy Crockett gets to helm a few lively and sardonic chapters from the Alamo. Charlotte is a 30-something single artist, rescued from a New Orleans jail by Captain of Artillery Andreas Gerber, a Swiss mercenary hired by the Mexican army. Andreas brings Charlotte to Texas with him, where she is conscripted to paint battle scenes portraying the Mexicans in all their military glory. Meanwhile, Harry just wants to claim his acres of land and establish a cotton plantation that will bring him a life of leisure. He did not anticipate war with Mexico would be part of the bargain. But he takes charge of a decrepit cannon, originally given to the citizens of Gonzales by the Mexican government for defense against Comanche raiders. Now the Mexicans want it back; the ragtag volunteer Texas army wishes to keep it for the revolution; and Harry winds up a recruit. In this offbeat and melancholy tale, Giesser has a fine ear for language, and his characters speak in the jargon and cadence suiting their origins and stations. Readers get to know them primarily through dialogue filled with quips and musings. But the audience will have to pay close attention to follow the timeline. The novel opens in June 1836, just months before the book ends. Then it jumps back to 1835, filling in bits and pieces gradually, always holding back enough to keep things intriguing, albeit sometimes confusing. Although there is plenty of history and a smattering of politics to be found here, this is essentially an engrossing, character-driven tragedy.

An engaging tale offers a bit of farce, a touch of love, and quixotic characters.