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emilyinherhead's review against another edition
5.0
Self-Portrait With Boy is structured around a photograph taken by the main character, Lu Rile, in which she accidentally captures something tragic (this is described on the book's cover, but I won't spoil it here) and has to decide whether or not to keep the image and use it to further her struggling art career. The decision is complicated by several things: the controversial content of the photo; her developing friendship with her upstairs neighbor, Kate; the artistic quality of the image (it's by far the best Lu has ever made); and Lu's dire financial situation. Within the plot framework of this prolonged decision are descriptions of the 1990's Brooklyn art world, explorations of development and gentrification during that time period, a beautiful character study of Lu as she "begins to become herself" and awakens romantically, and peeks into several fraught family relationships. Although it isn't hard to guess what will happen with the photograph, there was enough sense of foreboding around that, and enough side plot to keep me interested. And the writing! The writing was the cherry on top. Spare at times, beautifully descriptive at others, but never pretentious or unnecessary. I loved this book.
paceamorelibri's review against another edition
5.0
I was blown away by this book.
[b:Self-Portrait with Boy|35297335|Self-Portrait with Boy A Novel|Rachel Lyon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1502043268s/35297335.jpg|56664180] is a ruthless examination of the cost of success for a young hopeful photographer. Lu Rile is in her late 20s, squatting in an Artists in Residence abandoned-warehouse-turned-apartment in Brooklyn which is so run down it should be condemned, working three jobs and trying to break into the competitive arts scene. When she accidentally captures in a self-portrait the image of a young boy falling to his death, the photograph turns out to be stunning, and Lu is forced to decide if she should destroy the print out of respect for the grieving family who she ends up befriending, or if she should use it to launch her career. (There's also a supernatural element to the story, as Lu believes she is being haunted by the ghost of the boy who died - though whether this element is literal or a manifestation of Lu's internal turmoil, I think Rachel Lyon leaves that for us to decide.)
Lu is one of the best anti-heroines I think I've ever read. She's fueled by an almost ruthless ambition, but so vulnerable that I found myself sympathizing with and rooting for her, even though she never asks you to. She's not a warm narrator and she doesn't ask for pity, but she's all the more honest and compelling for that fact. When she looks at her photograph she's forced to confront the very nature of art itself and the role of the artist - is it her responsibility to spare the feelings of this boy's family, or does she have a stronger duty to her career and the truth behind her art?
I'm actually very familiar with the Brooklyn neighborhoods - Dumbo and Brooklyn Heights - that provided this story with its setting, so that was definitely part of the appeal for me. It was fascinating to step back in time and look at Dumbo not as I know it now, but on the brink of gentrification in the early 90s. But even if you've never been to Dumbo, I think it's still possible to be impressed by just how immersive this novel is. It's such a brilliant and insular look at the New York art scene in the 90s; fans of twentieth century American art in particular I think will be entranced by this story.
There's really only one element of this novel that didn't work for me - the omission of quotation marks in dialogue. I can only assume that since Lu is recounting this story 20 years later, the desired effect is to imply that it's Lu's remembrance of characters' dialogue, rather than verbatim quotes? But I'm still not sure that it was necessary - it seems like a rather arbitrary stylistic choice. It didn't bother me enough to detract from my 5 star rating, but I think it's going to be a big deterrent for some people.
But like I said, all things considered, I was blown away. I don't think I appreciated just how hard-hitting this book was until I read the final sentence and nearly burst into tears. This whole novel was beautiful and unsettling and unique, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. I'll look forward to anything Rachel Lyon writes in the future - she's a huge talent to look out for.
Thank you to Scribner and Rachel Lyon for the advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
[b:Self-Portrait with Boy|35297335|Self-Portrait with Boy A Novel|Rachel Lyon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1502043268s/35297335.jpg|56664180] is a ruthless examination of the cost of success for a young hopeful photographer. Lu Rile is in her late 20s, squatting in an Artists in Residence abandoned-warehouse-turned-apartment in Brooklyn which is so run down it should be condemned, working three jobs and trying to break into the competitive arts scene. When she accidentally captures in a self-portrait the image of a young boy falling to his death, the photograph turns out to be stunning, and Lu is forced to decide if she should destroy the print out of respect for the grieving family who she ends up befriending, or if she should use it to launch her career. (There's also a supernatural element to the story, as Lu believes she is being haunted by the ghost of the boy who died - though whether this element is literal or a manifestation of Lu's internal turmoil, I think Rachel Lyon leaves that for us to decide.)
Lu is one of the best anti-heroines I think I've ever read. She's fueled by an almost ruthless ambition, but so vulnerable that I found myself sympathizing with and rooting for her, even though she never asks you to. She's not a warm narrator and she doesn't ask for pity, but she's all the more honest and compelling for that fact. When she looks at her photograph she's forced to confront the very nature of art itself and the role of the artist - is it her responsibility to spare the feelings of this boy's family, or does she have a stronger duty to her career and the truth behind her art?
I'm actually very familiar with the Brooklyn neighborhoods - Dumbo and Brooklyn Heights - that provided this story with its setting, so that was definitely part of the appeal for me. It was fascinating to step back in time and look at Dumbo not as I know it now, but on the brink of gentrification in the early 90s. But even if you've never been to Dumbo, I think it's still possible to be impressed by just how immersive this novel is. It's such a brilliant and insular look at the New York art scene in the 90s; fans of twentieth century American art in particular I think will be entranced by this story.
There's really only one element of this novel that didn't work for me - the omission of quotation marks in dialogue. I can only assume that since Lu is recounting this story 20 years later, the desired effect is to imply that it's Lu's remembrance of characters' dialogue, rather than verbatim quotes? But I'm still not sure that it was necessary - it seems like a rather arbitrary stylistic choice. It didn't bother me enough to detract from my 5 star rating, but I think it's going to be a big deterrent for some people.
But like I said, all things considered, I was blown away. I don't think I appreciated just how hard-hitting this book was until I read the final sentence and nearly burst into tears. This whole novel was beautiful and unsettling and unique, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. I'll look forward to anything Rachel Lyon writes in the future - she's a huge talent to look out for.
Thank you to Scribner and Rachel Lyon for the advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
jessicaxmaria's review against another edition
3.0
(I fear this was a good book read among many Great Books recently and context always matters when reading.)
Lu Rile is a famous artist—now. But she had to make a decision decades ago that cost her a lot, and made her career. In the '90s, she's living in a pre-gentrified, dilapidated apartment in Brooklyn. She takes a self-portrait every day in her place, and one day the camera clicks exactly when a figure falls behind her, just outside the window.
Lyon's debut novel impressed me a great deal in all that was managed here: questions about art and the provenance of greatness, a non-sympathetic protagonist whose motives you would probably understand if you were in similar circumstances, and even a slip of a ghost story. There's a lot to ponder, and I'll surely be awaiting her next book.
Lu Rile is a famous artist—now. But she had to make a decision decades ago that cost her a lot, and made her career. In the '90s, she's living in a pre-gentrified, dilapidated apartment in Brooklyn. She takes a self-portrait every day in her place, and one day the camera clicks exactly when a figure falls behind her, just outside the window.
Lyon's debut novel impressed me a great deal in all that was managed here: questions about art and the provenance of greatness, a non-sympathetic protagonist whose motives you would probably understand if you were in similar circumstances, and even a slip of a ghost story. There's a lot to ponder, and I'll surely be awaiting her next book.
meglynw's review
4.0
This book is a pretty incredible piece of art.
The choice to not use quotation marks to denote conversation is interesting. It got a bit confusing at first, but it also achieves two things: it forces the reader to really pay attention, and it gives the feeling that we are experiencing everything in a single voice. We are hearing every word through the scope of Lu's experience, rather than being an observer of the happenings. We are only observing the observer.
The story itself is so filled with desperation; to understand, to fit in, to succeed, to break free of the past and all its little catches.
I had to take my time reading this, because it was demanding and heavy, but it was worth it.
The choice to not use quotation marks to denote conversation is interesting. It got a bit confusing at first, but it also achieves two things: it forces the reader to really pay attention, and it gives the feeling that we are experiencing everything in a single voice. We are hearing every word through the scope of Lu's experience, rather than being an observer of the happenings. We are only observing the observer.
The story itself is so filled with desperation; to understand, to fit in, to succeed, to break free of the past and all its little catches.
I had to take my time reading this, because it was demanding and heavy, but it was worth it.
paulsr2712's review
4.0
7/10, beautiful and touching, but let down by silly supernatural elements that get in the way of a believable narrative.
passanteltarek's review
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
ellethinks's review
2.0
If this book had been tended to more, given more love and labor and editing, it could have been great.
What I liked:
- The prose, at times, was beautiful.
- The plot line was unique.
- The novel is deeply seeded in consciousness, so the lack of quotations worked for me.
What I did not like:
- The writing was inconsistent. When it was at it's best, it was airy and light. However, when it strayed from that, it strayed far.
- The book stars off in the future, and she looks back to this year in her life. I didn't feel like that added much, if anything, and when sporadically through the book you went back to the frame story, of sorts, it felt out of place.
- The themes of the book were all over the place. The book, at it's heart, is about a young woman making a decision and dealing with the consequences of it. It deals with her guilt, her friendships, her poorness, her sleepness, among other things. But then, in the last 40ish pages, some love nonsense is added in, which quite honestly just felt like a way to make the book more diverse. It wasn't built up to, it wasn't discussed, we never saw these thoughts in Lu's head. It was like reading a thriller novel with a nonsensical plot twist.
- Lu. I didn't mind her as a character. Some other reviewers found her unlikable, but there are plenty of unlikable people in the world so that doesn't bother me. What bothered me were the inconsistencies in her insights into others. Most of the time, she seemed to have no understanding of people's intentions, behaviors, thought processes, or other normal human things (like showing up to your shifts when your scheduled..) However, there were some moments, where she just seemed to get someone, what they were thinking and feeling. And as a reader, you knew she was correct in her "intuitions." But it was inconsistent to her character. It felt more like the author needed to give us some information, but didn't know how since it was a first person narrative. And, instead of using that framestory Lu, the one who had an understanding of how juvenile she was in this time of her life, she decided to use 26 year old Lu, who's quite clueless.
- The magical element was not well enough infused in the narrative to work for the author's purposes.
Never have I had such a tumultuous reading experience. I would go from loving to hating it in the scope of a chapter. And the last line made me angry. I don't want to say it read like a debut novel, because I've read some amazing debuts, but it read like it needed a few more rounds of editing.
Will I ever pick up another Rachel Lyon book? Maybe if I read reviews that the kinks of her writing style here was mended.
What I liked:
- The prose, at times, was beautiful.
- The plot line was unique.
- The novel is deeply seeded in consciousness, so the lack of quotations worked for me.
What I did not like:
- The writing was inconsistent. When it was at it's best, it was airy and light. However, when it strayed from that, it strayed far.
- The book stars off in the future, and she looks back to this year in her life. I didn't feel like that added much, if anything, and when sporadically through the book you went back to the frame story, of sorts, it felt out of place.
- The themes of the book were all over the place. The book, at it's heart, is about a young woman making a decision and dealing with the consequences of it. It deals with her guilt, her friendships, her poorness, her sleepness, among other things. But then, in the last 40ish pages, some love nonsense is added in, which quite honestly just felt like a way to make the book more diverse. It wasn't built up to, it wasn't discussed, we never saw these thoughts in Lu's head. It was like reading a thriller novel with a nonsensical plot twist.
- Lu. I didn't mind her as a character. Some other reviewers found her unlikable, but there are plenty of unlikable people in the world so that doesn't bother me. What bothered me were the inconsistencies in her insights into others. Most of the time, she seemed to have no understanding of people's intentions, behaviors, thought processes, or other normal human things (like showing up to your shifts when your scheduled..) However, there were some moments, where she just seemed to get someone, what they were thinking and feeling. And as a reader, you knew she was correct in her "intuitions." But it was inconsistent to her character. It felt more like the author needed to give us some information, but didn't know how since it was a first person narrative. And, instead of using that framestory Lu, the one who had an understanding of how juvenile she was in this time of her life, she decided to use 26 year old Lu, who's quite clueless.
- The magical element was not well enough infused in the narrative to work for the author's purposes.
Never have I had such a tumultuous reading experience. I would go from loving to hating it in the scope of a chapter. And the last line made me angry. I don't want to say it read like a debut novel, because I've read some amazing debuts, but it read like it needed a few more rounds of editing.
Will I ever pick up another Rachel Lyon book? Maybe if I read reviews that the kinks of her writing style here was mended.
attoliseugenides's review
2.0
this is not an easily likable book. while it does pose an important and thought-provoking question, the journey that the readers are taken to doesn't exactly try to answer it. because it gets answered fairly early on, and i feel like much of the appeal of the book is stripped because of that.
certain stylistic choices also made me unable to relate, let alone, like, any of the characters, despite the intensity of their experiences. this doesn't make the characters not fascinating; in fact they are, they just fail to arouse sympathy.
certain stylistic choices also made me unable to relate, let alone, like, any of the characters, despite the intensity of their experiences. this doesn't make the characters not fascinating; in fact they are, they just fail to arouse sympathy.
terriep's review
3.0
This book was a surprise. Recommended by a friend, I had no idea what to expect and isn't that the fun of a new book/author? It appealed to me on several levels - the moral dilemma is intriguing (what would I do if.....?), the lonesome, loner main character was sad but intriguing, and the artistic backdrop and setting was interesting because of my own artistic endeavors.
"You know, I said, since the medium was invented, photography has been undervalued, thought of as a second-rate art form. People tend not to understand the technique involved. We can see the artistry in an excellent painting, can see it in the brushstrokes. In a photograph, the artist's touch is more invisible. Part of is is also that the nature of the photograph is to exist in multiples. The value of a painting or a sculpture is higher because there is just one painting, one sculpture in the world. Dealers can sell it for all this money because it's one-of-a-kind. Because a photograph can be reproduced again and again its value is inherently lower."
"When he (the professor) said, 'an accident is just a change of course', I got it. He meant the grace in making art is being alive to chance. 'When you make a mistake, make it again', he'd say. 'There are only happy accidents'". That is, until the accident that affects the rest of her life occurs......
Well written, smoothly flowing, well developed main characters, a recommended read - could be a good book club story.
"You know, I said, since the medium was invented, photography has been undervalued, thought of as a second-rate art form. People tend not to understand the technique involved. We can see the artistry in an excellent painting, can see it in the brushstrokes. In a photograph, the artist's touch is more invisible. Part of is is also that the nature of the photograph is to exist in multiples. The value of a painting or a sculpture is higher because there is just one painting, one sculpture in the world. Dealers can sell it for all this money because it's one-of-a-kind. Because a photograph can be reproduced again and again its value is inherently lower."
"When he (the professor) said, 'an accident is just a change of course', I got it. He meant the grace in making art is being alive to chance. 'When you make a mistake, make it again', he'd say. 'There are only happy accidents'". That is, until the accident that affects the rest of her life occurs......
Well written, smoothly flowing, well developed main characters, a recommended read - could be a good book club story.
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