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Review: The Man in the Picture, by Susan Hill


The Man in the Picture is a small book. As in, it’s only 142 pages, and its trim size, according to Amazon.com, is 6.9 x. 4.5’’. It’s more of a short story than a novella. Therefore, it only took me about an hour to finish.

The story revolves around an 18th century painting, of a scene at Carnevale in Venice, and the deep, dark secrets hidden within. The Man in the Picture has four narrators. One is Oliver, a medieval scholar. The second is his old professor at Cambridge, Dr. Parmitter. The third is the Countess, and the fourth is Oliver’s fiancé, Anne. This is a tale of revenge and obsession, and it works to a certain extent. However, the story is so short that there’s very little room for character development. The story and the method of telling the story aren’t very original—Hill has used it several times in her ghost stories (The Woman in Black comes to mind). And you could see the ending coming from a mile away. Still, I enjoyed the premise of this little ghost story, and I definitely recommend reading it on a cold autumn day.

Also reviewed by: A Life in Books, A High and Hidden Place, Tripping Towards Lucidity
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Michelle said…
I have found that most short stories have a hard time developing characters.
November 20, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Andi said…
I have this one out from the library right now, and I was considering taking it back unread. Based on your review and the shortness, I'll probably whip through it right quick. :)
November 23, 2008 at 1:35 PM
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