A resonant new novel from the Guernica Prize-winning author of This Cleaving and This Burning.
A symphony of memory, art, and resilience, The Blind Viper explores war, creativity, and survival. Set on a secluded Greek island and in the shadows of the Spanish Civil War, it follows Leo Dalca, a blind painter whose artistry transcends sight.
Leo’ s past— marked by a friendship forged and shattered in battle— haunts his present, where his work captures both personal and collective loss. When a young poet arrives, a clash of ideals and memory sparks revelations about love, sacrifice, and artistic integrity.
With echoes of Michael Ondaatje and Kazuo Ishiguro, The Blind Viper is a meditation on history’ s scars and the power of art, cementing J.A. Wainwright’ s place among Canada’ s foremost literary voices.