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There are currently 22 member reviews
for The Original
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Catharine L. (Petoskey, MI)
The Original
I rarely give a 5 review, and rarely read books about art. This book had my attention from the first page. Grace is an orphan, brought up in an English manor, completely unaware ignored by her aunt and uncle. She can't remember faces, and so appears unfriendly. Her cousin Charles befriends her and because he paints, she copies his paintings, and discovers she has a talent for it.
Charles disappears and returns years later, but is it really Charles? The characters are complex and not always likable, but so interesting. There are several plot twists so the reader never guesses the ending. I enjoyed Grace's description of the paintings she copied and googled them while reading. I never would have bought this on my own and will recommend it to my reader friends.
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Julie Z.
The Original
A fascinating story about hidden realities- whether an heir to a fortune is an imposter, which is woven with a story of a young woman who forges paintings for a living. This novel is set in England at the end of the 1800’s. The writing is lush and evocative, and Steven’s keeps you guessing the outcome until the end. I had previously read two books by Nell Steven’s, and The Original seals her as a must- read for me.
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Aprile G. (Northampton, MA)
Deceptively entertaining read
I'm struggling to articulate why I liked this book so much--but sections of it are really staying with me which is a good sign. I particularly liked how the book began; with a resonant story that became a major plot point. I also appreciated the voice of the main character and how true to the character it was--highly descriptive, perceptive, but distant; removed from the action even as she was participating in it. It seemed that she engaged with the world through thinking about paintings, and the deep and nuanced descriptions of artworks were really great--in fact, I thought they were the most "alive" characters in the novel. None of the characters were likable, and I didn't exactly root for them, but I was invested in the trajectory of the story. Even though I figured out some major plot points before they happened, it didn't really matter--the characters themselves were not predictable which made it exciting.
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Laura S. (South River, NJ)
Laura's review
While this was not the type of book I would generally be interested in, I found this was a solid read. This was definitely a slow burn and read like a true gothic novel. Borrowing from another reviewer, the main character never seemed like they were in immediate danger but it was imminent. I did suspect how the twist turned out, but I doubted myself many times throughout the book.
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Gloria K. (Madison, WI)
The Original is Original!
I'm glad I had the opportunity to read and review The Original because it aligns with my strong interest in Art, Psychology and Mystery. I enjoyed the characters because they are both non-predictable and intriguing. This is the first book I read by Nell Stevens and hope to read more of her books. The story is set in England, 1899 when science and medicine did not have the understanding of DNA as we do today. Had it been available at that time the question of Grace and Charles family relationship could have been determined more easily. Were they cousins or was Charles an imposter? What do you, the reader think?
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Leslie R. (Lynchburg, VA)
Just not "good" to me
In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I waited to read other reviews of The Original before attempting my own. One reviewer wrote, "I'm struggling to articulate why I liked this book so much…" I relate to that statement because I'm struggling to articulate why I did not particularly like it.
When an author reaches this level in the publishing world, I think it is a given that he or she can write. That is certainly the case with this author; the writing is engaging and evocative. The plot holds the reader's attention as subtle clues lead to the resolution of the mystery: is the son returning from the sea himself or an imposter? The surrounding characters, even minor ones, are well drawn. On a personal level I am interested in art history, and I dabble in watercolor painting. So, what was missing in my satisfaction with this book?
First, I found too much of the story beyond believability: the family relationships, the contrived coincidence of Grace meeting Ruby, the ease with which a young single girl settled herself in London in 1900, the fact of being able to paint and secretly transport large oil canvases without being detected, the likelihood of pampered Charles doing hard physical labor on a boat. Maybe more important, when I read, I want to like or care about or at least understand some of the characters. This book left me missing that element of enjoyment.
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Margaret S. (Palo Alto, CA)
Skilful unpeeling of romantic pentimento
THE ORIGINAL, a novel by Nell Stevens, is a lively spiraling investigation into truth using memorable characters who are or or not what they seem. Ruby, Charles and especially the narrator are finding their way from the outside in as each makes their presence known.
Historic stately home, mischievous orphan on a quest, charming rascals-who could ask for anything more? Well, you can throw in a counterfeit relative lately in from the Antipodes. Who is the imposter? Anna Anderson, Martin Guerre, Frank Abagnale-Who is the. imposter? And does it make a difference? The "IT" is the truth
I have always had a soft spot for forgers- Thomas Wise, Hans van Meegren, Mary Butterworth, Thomas Chatterton. They have a touchingly cynical reach for the ineffable. Along the way you just have to live your life and pay the bills. Grace, our narrator, does just that., gradually scratching throught the pentimento to the truth. Or does she?
A lovely book.
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