a review and a percolation ....

SUSAN HILL arrived in my mud-room yesterday afternoon. She was left inside the stoop by way of 145 tightly bound pages sandwiched between a 7x4" hardcover first American edition 2008.

1942-

The Man in the Picture is a story within a story told through memory retelling about a Victorian painting which is mysterious and eerie. I got caught up in the writing style more than the story itself, though it was entertaining. The tone of the words have a gothic-Victorian feel. Scenery and rooms are depicted in meticulous fashion, and tended to with a vivid attention to detail. The words flow effortlessly and with sheer compelling ease. I have to tip my hat to Ms. Hill in that regard. The story? Ah, the story is a different matter. Since we, the readers, are not told the time period, we are left to speculate and, depending on circumstance, become somewhat confused. That confusion soon becomes a distraction to an otherwise dull narrative.

The under-belly of the tale starts with the first word and is quite fast-paced throughout. I would call this a macabre story instead of the ghost story it is touted to be, and reminds me of The Twilight Zone or more succinctly The Picture of Dorian Gray.  In my opinion, the story was run-of-the-mill and predictable.

Two stars for the book but a five star shout-out for the extraordinary writing. I believe I will give her one more try and percolate on Howard's End is on the Landing. This is a book about the author’s journey through her own bookshelves and the forgotten books she reads again.

240 soft cover pages

Profile Books (October 12, 2010)