Super Short Summary

What’s Bred in the Bone by Robertson Davies, the second novel in the Cornish Trilogy, centers on the life of Francis Cornish, a gifted painter born in early 20th-century Ontario. Raised in a complex family, Francis’s passion for art grows through various formative experiences, leading him to a renowned yet convoluted career involving forgeries during WWII. After his death, an academic endeavors to write his biography, revealing that Francis’s life and work held many secrets. The narrative explores themes of art, beauty, and identity. Topics include discrimination and mistreatment of individuals with disabilities.