Your rating:
An ambitious young artist accidentally photographs a boy falling to his death—an image that could jumpstart her career but that would also devastate her most intimate friendship. Lu Rile is a relentlessly focused young photographer struggling to make ends meet. Working three jobs, responsible for her aging father, and worrying that the crumbling warehouse she lives in is being sold to developers, she is at a point of desperation. One day, in the background of a self-portrait, Lu accidentally captures on film a boy falling past her window to his death. The photograph turns out to be startlingly gorgeous, the best work of art she’s ever made. It’s an image that could change her life…if she lets it. But the decision to show the photograph is not easy. The boy is her neighbors’ son, and the tragedy brings all the building’s residents together. It especially unites Lu with the boy's grieving mother, Kate. As the two forge an intense bond based on sympathy, loneliness, and budding attraction, Lu feels increasingly unsettled and guilty, torn between equally fierce desires: to use the photograph to advance her career and to protect a woman she has come to love.
No posts yet
Kick off the convo with a theory, question, musing, or update
Your rating:
0Looking for a thriller with a plot that you probably have never considered? Self-Portrait With Boy is one of the most inventive plot concepts that I've read in a long time and absolutely captivated me. This novel is about a struggling photographer who lives in an artist loft where she has been working on a personal photography project taking a daily self-portrait.
A little boy, in the apartment above her's, tragically falls to his death and Lu happens to be taking an image of herself when the tragedy occurs. Upon development, she sees that it is one of the most beautiful images she has ever taken and has to grapple with the decision to let this work be seen.
As the tenants grow closer together following the tragedy, she finds herself entangled in a friendship with the mother and must decide if she is going to share the image of her son with the world.
Adding to the deep moral dilemma, she is barely making ends meet and her father has to undergo a pricey surgery. It isn't just about the fame, it's about survival. This image could help her become known in her field, but at what cost?
I listened to this one on audiobook in a single day, and had to know what was going to happen with this photo. I don't want to say more- it's really awesome. This book would lend itself well to a book club discussion.
0
© 2024 Pagebound