The characters in this book were very well developed, but that's really the only positive thing I have to say. I had previously read Penelope Lively's book 'Consequences' and enjoyed it, so I decided to read some of her other books. This one sounded interesting, but I found it slow, boring, and not worth my time.

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THis book will stay with me for awhile I'm sure. I loved it. As it unfolds much is learned by those in the photograph and the person who took it. It's a lesson in "why didn't I pay more attention at the time". I will be seeking out many more of Ms. Lively's books.

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Extremely well written novel, and I was captivated throughout by the way the characters were all portrayed as interconnected. I can't say enough about Penelope Lively's writing - it is pure, intelligent literature, and at the same time entertaining and thought-provoking.

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Ever wonder what the people you love do when you're not around? This book examines this issue using the vehicle of a photograph. The author uses the word "feckless" alot. British Author.

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I didn't love this book. I found it to drag on and be a little slow. I enjoyed the last 4 chapters the most - they kept my attention.

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I've been on a Penelope Lively kick lately. I first discovered her on my mission to read all the Booker Prize winners. Her Moon Tiger won for its beautiful depiction of romance and nostalgia set in World War II. Her books that I've been reading lately take place in more recent times.

The Photograph is the story of a man who discovers, after his wife's death, a photograph of her holding hands with another man. Whom he knew. During their marriage. So Glyn sets out on the warpath to unearth everything he can about Kath. The unexpected discoveries end up overturning more than his own understanding of his departed wife.

It's great writing, with varied and believable characters. If you like this, you might love, as I did, Consequences, which in a similar way explores the consequences of a chance meeting reverberating throughout generations.

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This book is beautifully written, but I found myself skimming some parts as it seemed to drag out. A man finds a photograph of his late wife holding hands with her sister's husband, as well as a somewhat incriminating note from one to the other, confirming they were intimately involved (although, you never learn exactly what was in the note). The story is interesting, as you watch the husband research his wife's past - where there others? - as well as scrutinize his own memories of her and their marriage. As other characters - the sister, her husband, the friend who took the photograph - all learn of its existence, they all look back on their lives in a different way.

Not a bad book, but I just wasn't wowed by it.

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unabridged

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Looking through cupboards, Glyn finds an envelope with the words "Don't Open - Destroy" written on it by his wife, Kath. Consumed by curiosity, he opens the envelope to find a photograph showing Kath holding hands with another man. This one act of betrayal, concealed for many years, obsesses Glyn as he tries to get to the root of Kath's infidelity. Very well written, told from several different viewpoints, I found it hard to put down.

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