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The People in the Photo Paperback – June 10, 2014

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Hélène Gestern (Author)
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Hélène Gestern (Author), Emily Boyce (Translator), Ros Schwartz (Translator)
4.3 out of 5 stars 23 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Gallic Books (June 10, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1908313544
  • ISBN-13: 978-1908313546
  • Product Dimensions: 1 x 5 x 8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #393,363 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsHeart Warming
By Liz Barnsley on January 31, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
Translated from the French by: Emily Boyce and Ros Schwartz

Thank you to Gallic for the lovely surprise of a copy of this book in the post.

The three figures in the photograph are frozen forever, two men and a woman bathed in sunlight . . .

The chance discovery of a newspaper image from 1971 sets two people on the path to learning the disturbing truth about their parents’ pasts.

Helene Hivert discovers a photograph of her mother, a woman she knows little about, and advertises for information about the two men pictured with her – so starts a correspondence with Stephane Crusten, and a journey of discovery. As the two start to piece together the past, painful possibilities arise.

This is classic, beautiful storytelling – a tale of family secrets and age old dilemma’s coming to light in a compelling, sometimes sad, perfectly paced novel. Written with a rich, evocative prose and giving voice to two elegantly drawn people who are seeking answers about their childhoods and their parentage, Ms Gestern breathes life and soul into her characters as the people in the photo come to life.

Told via letters between Helene and Stephane, interspersed with descriptive chapters of other discovered photo’s, we follow avidly in their wake as they begin to learn more about their history and where they have come from. Each newly discovered nugget leads on to the next – like a literary game of pass the parcel, each layer reveals another and another until finally the gift of full disclosure emerges. At turns fascinating, heartbreaking, passionate and astonishing, this one will touch your reading soul.

It may bring a tear to your eye – it did to mine- ultimately this was that very wonderful thing, an absolutely fulfilling reading experience. Exquisite and inspiring.

My thanks to the translators without whom I may never have read this story – an outstanding job.

Happy Reading Folks!
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4.0 out of 5 starsUnsurprising but satisfying unearthing of family secrets
By Lady Fancifull on August 5, 2014
Format: Paperback
Hélène Gestern's first novel, translated from the French by Emily Boyce and Ros Schwartz may be a book which the reader can quickly identify all the revelations and major events which are likely to happen, but all that demonstrates is that life itself has only so many stories, and that certain obvious `unknowns' in a real world, are likely to have a limited number of solutions. This means that a discerning reader may often be able to predict what happened and what will happen, only because `in reality' shocks are unlikely to be shocks FOR THE READER, But, and here is the point, shocks and surprises may well be in store of the characters within a novel.

Probably most of the major events which may happen to many of us can be statistically predicted, but they are (generally) a shock and surprise when they personally happen to us.

So.......this is a long introduction to say that the unsurprising trajectory of this short novel does not in any way detract from the reading pleasure, because the pleasure lies in the unfolding realisations in the lives of the protagonists. This book is effectively a two-hander, a series of exchanges, by post, by email and by text, between 2 rather diffident, reserved people, each successful in their professional fields, but each held back from full emotional engagement with their fellows, because of childhoods which contained secrecy, discord and unresolved grief, guilt and anger.

Hélène Hivert, a Parisian archivist, with some mystery surrounding her childhood, unearths a newspaper clipping of a photo taken of a woman with two men, in Switzerland, in 1971, identifying the woman and one of the men as winners of an amateur tennis tournament, in Interlaken.Read more ›
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4.0 out of 5 starsA real page turning mystery of forgotten family secrets
By FrenchVillageDiaries on August 16, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
Knowing nothing about her Mother, who died when she was three, the main character Hélène Hivert turns detective and takes out an advert in a newspaper in an attempt to find some information. Her only link to her Mother is a photograph taken in Interlaken in 1971, but she has no idea who the two men pictured with her are. Until, that is, she is contacted by Stéphane, a Swiss biologist living in Kent and the son of one of the men in the photograph.

A correspondence between the two of them begins, formally by letter at first and then as they grow comfortable with each other they chat and email more frequently and informally. It is obvious that a relationship is growing, but with so many unanswered questions from their ‘shared’ past they must proceed with caution. Her investigation brings as many questions as it gives answers and as every new bit of information is found and shared between them, their lives (past and present) change forever. Many of their family friends and relatives have died or are too old and infirm to be quizzed, but how much do Hélène and Stéphane really want to know? Has Hélène left it too late to find out the truth about her past? Will knowing give her closure and will that bring them together or drive them apart?

This is a very different book to my normal reads, has an intriguing plot and as it is written as a collection of letters and emails is very easy to read. It is engaging and page turning as you are drawn into both the investigation into the past, but also in wanting to find out how their relationship is coping with what is uncovered. I loved how the tones of the correspondence changed throughout the book as their relationship evolves. I will probably read this book again as I’m sure there will be bits I missed first time around.

I was sent a copy of this book to read and review by the publisher.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 starsI thoroughly enjoyed this novel

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. A story of intrigue and generations told through letters. I did not want to put it down. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Maureen P.
5.0 out of 5 starsA well written interesting story that I thoroughly enjoyed

When Helene discovers an old photo of her mother, who died when she was 3, she advertises asking for information about the two men in the picture to try and learn more about her... Read more

Published 2 months ago by Sally Coles
5.0 out of 5 starsA Wonderful First Novel

I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to reading Ms. Gestern's next novel. I was drawn into the book immediately and wanted to just keep reading. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Linda Cades
5.0 out of 5 starsHeld my interest

Great story of how people come together and paths cross. The search for the truth was fascinating to me and the descriptions of the photos made a lasting picture. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Ellen P
4.0 out of 5 starsBitter-sweet tale of loss and love

I found the author's writing very engaging. The story is written in epistolary form so, for me, it was interesting and made for a great page turner. Read more

Published 2 months ago by MMH6979
4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

Brilliant

Published 5 months ago by Denise O'Byrne
4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

A REALY good read! DD

Published 10 months ago by DD
5.0 out of 5 starsA friend suggested I read this book. I wondered ...

A friend suggested I read this book. I wondered how a book of letters to hold your thoughts so tightly. Read more

Published 12 months ago by Sue Bennett
3.0 out of 5 starsPleasant book which you will enjoy - and which will give you nostalgic...

I enjoyed the book very much, but unfortunately had read, in someonelse's review, the outcome of the story. It really spoiled it for me, knowing what was going to happen. Read more

Published 12 months ago by LSN
4.0 out of 5 starsA Look In A Mirror?

I enjoyed this. It could be a lot of people's lives. Life. Is or can be extremely complicated depending on how we live it. Read more

Published 12 months ago by Mary

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