The Girl in the Photograph [Paperback]

Gabrielle Donnelly (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1999

"Entertaining...a likable, unpretentious [protagonist] who admits to her weaknesses with charming candor."--The New York Times Book Review

In her haunting and humorous novel, Gabrielle Donnelly explores how perceptions of sin and habits of lies can form and change a family.

Allegra O'Riordan is a modern single woman in her thirties; urban, independent, irreverent and smart, with a growing career as a standup comic. But there's a hole in her life that opens up when her father dies, leaving her an orphan. Going through her father's possessions, Allegra finds a photo of her mother. This photograph doesn't show the prim, unsmiling woman who died when Allegra was three, but a laughing, beautiful, sexy girl. And what's more, the picture is inscribed to someone Allegra has never heard of. Intrigued, she returns to her mother's hometown of Los Angeles to find out more. The tight smiles and evasive answers she gets from friends and family only make her more determined to discover the truth about her mother. But looking too closely at the girl in the photograph may forever alter the way she sees the girl in the mirror...

"Well-honed characters."--Kirkus Reviews

"Intriguing...a detailed, intelligent portrait of an Irish-American Catholic family."--Publishers Weekly

"A story about love, life, truth, and sin, this fourth novel by Donnelly may unnerve readers--or cause them to think. Well recommended."--Library Journal

"What a wonderful read! Gabrielle Donnelly has a finely tuned ear for the rhythms of the Irish-American family."--Caryl Rivers, author of Virgins

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Home for her father's funeral, Allegra O'Riordan?single, hip, and thirtysomething?becomes intrigued and later obsessed by a photo of her mother (who died when Allegra was three). This strikingly attractive woman surely is not the same sober, colorless mother whom Allegra vaguely recalls. She interrogates family and friends in her hometown of Los Angeles as a start. However, those who knew Theresa Higgins are strangely reticent and uncommunicative. Why won't Theresa's relatives talk about her? What is the "terrible" thing people say she did? Catholics, especially those of Irish American descent, will enjoy this young woman's search for answers. A story about love, life, truth, and sin, this fourth novel by Donnelly (Faulty Ground, Trafalgar, 1998) may unnerve readers?or cause them to think. Well recommended.?Ellen R. Cohen, Rockville, MD
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

A story about love, life, truth, and sin, this...novel...may unnerve readers - or cause them to think. Well recommended. -- Library Journal, September 15, 1998

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; First Edition edition (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425170586
• ISBN-13: 978-0425170588
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #291,597 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Girl in the Photograph, April 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Girl in the Photograph (Hardcover)

The Girl in the Photograph was a lyrical look into the lives of warm, intriguing and very real characters. I was kept in suspense as the mystery of the photograph slowly unfolded; the impact it made on the main character was believeable and poignant. Donnelly weaves a keen mystery into the fabic of the story of a proud family, secretive, protective, at times, distant, yet always loving. I look forward to reading more books by this author, and recommend this one heartily!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific storytelling, November 6, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Girl in the Photograph (Hardcover)

Thirtyish Allegra O'Riordan leaves her Chicago home to attend the funeral of her father. While going through his things, Allegra comes across a picture of her mother that stuns the single woman to the core of her soul. Instead of the prudish, cold woman she vaguely remembers having died when Allegra was three years old, the photograph contains a smiling, very happy, and extremely beautiful woman. The inscription, which includes the word "love", is to someone who is a complete unknown to Allegra.

Allegra needs to learn more about her mother. She goes to Los Angeles where her mother lived. However, friends and relatives empathize with Allegra, but avoid responding to her inquiries. However, the insistent young woman continues her quest to uncover the mystery behind Theresa Higgins O'Roarke.

THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPH is an interesting quest for one's roots that will elate and anger readers. For most of the novel, the story line is a crisp, personal mystery. The novel is laden with large doses of Catholicism, but that actually adds to the personal endeavor of the female lead. Allegra is an appealing character who, for the more part, acts as an amateur sleuth would be expected to behave in trying to ferret out family secrets. However, the ending is somewhat of a disappointment because of the lead protagonist's reaction to the mystery of her mother, making a fabulous tale take a slight dip in the level of excellence.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good light read, January 19, 2001

By 

Ms Diva "cycworker" (Nanaimo, B.C. Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Girl in the Photograph (Paperback)

I found this book quite absorbing at times. The mystery was quite interesting. I wanted to know the story of the main character's mother as much as she did. I found some of the writer's stylistic habits hard to get used to, but once I knew what to expect it was fine. She has the main character go into her head and do a running comedy routine and it can be distracting. Also, the ending was rather simplistic. I didn't like the judgemental tone of it.