Critics admired Steve Martin for being a Renaissance after all, there are few comedians and actors who are also serious (and successful) writers. And most agreed that An Object of Beauty, more than a simple comic tale, is both a smart satire and a serious novel of manners. Martin shares his ample knowledge of Laceyas profession and the art world; indeed, his ruminations enlightened more than a few reviewers. Some critics, however, found the novel lacking.
Complaints ranged from flat prose to a confused plot, a nearly invisible first person narrator, an unlikable Lacey, some tangential plot lines, and prosaic discussions of art. Still, even the detractors admitted that the book’s premise “is a good one, filled with all sorts of juicy potential.
