Here, you can find an amuse-bouche of resources associated with GH Neale’s first two novels.
The Galápagos Islands
A map of the The Galápagos Islands – indicating the Title Chapters of Arriba
“The titles of the chapters are toponyms – names of the Galápagos islands, one of which was the central character from. But it doesn’t matter really. Those could be any islands. The plot is set in Sevenoaks, England, mostly – and that doesn’t matter either – it could be any town, real or imaginary.” (From Valentina Dordevick’s Review)
The Hole-in-the-Wall
Seal Hollow Rd, Sevenoaks TN13 3RP
” … she went through the hole-in-the-wall to the voyeurism of his garden of earthen delights.” (Plaza)
The Card Players
The Card Players Paul Cézanne 1894-95
“Two battered hatted elderly gentlemen, Mr Hubert Springs and Mr Caleb Williams, sat diametrically opposite each other, gazing reflectively at the playing cards in each of their hands.” (Guy Fawkes)
La Baccelli
Sculpture of Giovanna Zanerini, nicknamed La Baccelli, Knole House
“In hoker of losengerye Giovanna Baccelli.
Her ars toft naked and her sanyt a−liri.” (Corona del Diablo)
The Fountain
The Neoclassical Fountain of Cybele by Francisco Gutiérrez and Roberto Michel (1780), Madrid
“Manes to the mother and mine to the mother that is you, the true God of mine and my heart.” (Señor Mane)
The Statues
The two statues of Knole House: one a gladiator, the other a young maiden bathing. They have been set such that neither gaze falls on the other.
“In the cynope wike of gret hous venus riseth
In wrigteleslike stewe and schamefastnesse feith.
In oother wro, a renk with segge bely-naked semely
A gladiator repellens blazen Sackvile-West and duyti.
Neither can swiche sexe, unyliche Orlando, cors in stone
Certes quyk, Shoures soote as alle men azriuen.
Yet azer two semen, in discipline fast,
Ful feiydegful to monesten tai last.” (Corona del Diablo)
The Journey
Philomena’s Walk to the Vine Tavern
“… as past the wrong route where the Metropolitan Association water trough divides, where she should have travelled through the Bush, she instead escalated up the Vine.”
Some Imagery of the Galápagos Islands