The Original: A Novel

Grace is a gifted artist, but only when it comes to copying prior artworks. She struggles when painting from life, especially painting people, as she cannot remember faces long after seeing them.

When a man appears claiming to be her long-disappeared cousin Charles, Grace must rely on the word of others, particularly her aunt, to tell whether he really is her cousin or an imposter. Despite her aunt’s insistence that this is her son, Grace remains uncertain and suspicious.

The Original is a fascinating, unsettling, and beautiful novel that beautifully captures the Gothic atmosphere of Victorian literature. The themes of originality and copies are clear both in Grace’s art and in the plot involving Charles without being didactic, and several chapters of the book feel like poetic digressions, adding depth to the story without drawing too much attention away from the plot.

Most of all, I loved Grace herself. She is one of my favorite sorts of protagonists: a woman growing into herself and learning how to take power for herself while remaining true to her surroundings and her personality. I highly recommend this book, to fans of historical fiction and mysteries alike.