What do you think?
Rate this book
The Very Picture of You
A forbidden love, a life-long secret, and one chance to make the right decision. Ella has always been an artist, jotting down pictures from a young age, and now in her thirties she has made it her profession. Commissioned to capture memories, fading beauty and family moments, her sitters often reveal more about themselves than merely their outward appearance. When Ella's younger sister Chloe asks her to paint a portrait of her new fiance Nate, Ella is reluctant. He is a brash American who Ella thinks has proposed far too fast, so the thought of spending many hours alone with him fills her with dread. But before long Ella realises there is more to Nate than meets the eye. Beautifully inter-weaving the stories of Ella's sitters -- from the old lady with a wartime secret, to the handsome politician who has a confession to make -- with Ella's own hunt for her real father and slow realization that she is falling in love with the wrong man, Isabel Wolff delivers a mesmerizing story that delivers a powerful emotional punch. A truly unforgettable portrait of the many aspects of love.
371 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
63 people are currently reading
1861 people want to read
About the author
Isabel Wolff
36 books632 followersIsabel Wolff's ten bestselling novels are published worldwide. 'Ghostwritten', set in present day Cornwall and on wartime Java, was published in the UK in March 2014 and will be published in the US in February 2015 as 'Shadows Over Paradise'. 'The Very Picture of You' was published in the UK and the US in October 2011. 'A Vintage Affair', was an Amazon.co.uk 'Best of 2009' title and was shortlisted by the American Library Assocation for their Reading List awards (Women's Fiction). Isabel lives in west London with her family. Visit her 'Isabel Wolff Author' Page on Facebook, follow her on Twitter @IsabelWolff or visit her website, IsabelWolff.com. Thank you...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 379 reviews
November 15, 2015
‘The Very Picture of You’ was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Random House Publishing Group .
Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!
‘I felt like Tantalus, neck-deep in water that he could never drink, grasping at fruit that was always just out of reach.’
Storyline
Ella is an extremely successful portrait artist who has just been asked by her sister Chloe to do a portrait of her future brother-in-law, Nate, whom she despises. Early on in Nate and Chloe’s relationship, Ella overheard Nate speaking to someone and it appeared that he was not having an honest relationship with Chloe and that forever changed her opinion of him. After only their first sitting where she begins Nate’s portrait, her feelings have drastically changed towards him and Ella doesn’t know how to stop them, even if she wanted to.
Ella is also dealing with recent revelations regarding the father who left her and her mother when Ella was only five years old. Her mother always told her how he abandoned them after she caught him with another woman and that he made the decision to leave his family in order to be with her. Ella never had a reason to doubt her mother but when she discovers that may not be an accurate accounting of what actually happened she is more confused than ever.
Thoughts
This was a very interesting read and I enjoyed it immensely. Once the story began to unfold I had an idea of how it would all unveil; however, Isabel Wolff wrapped up all of the loose ends fabulously. I feared that it would be your ‘typical’ type of ending but I was left completely satisfied. I loved the details of Ella’s painting sessions: the particulars of the colors she uses, how she mixes them and the steps she takes to create the portrait of the person she’s painting.
‘Then came the moment when I put in the very last thing I ever add to a portrait – the light in the eyes. That’s when I feel like Pygmalion, having life breathed into his statue; because it’s that little flick of white in each pupil that finally – ping! – brings a portrait alive.’
I also enjoyed the closeness she develops with the people she paints and the stories she learns about them and how it’s woven into the story. It reminded me quite a lot of Isabel Wolff’s other novel that I’ve read, A Vintage Affair, and how the main character becomes immersed in one of her customer’s lives. (Also a fabulous read)
There were parts of this novel that I had a hard time liking at first, primarily the feelings that Ella develops for her sister’s fiancée. Strangely unfitting and not exactly understandable… her infatuation with him occurred a bit too quickly for it to be plausible in my opinion. Fortunately though, it was well written and by the end I was mollified with the outcome.
I also had difficulty liking her mother who was a major character in the story. Despite her tale of what had happened between her and Ella’s father, the fact that she withheld so much information for so long and even after she told it there still seemed to be something missing and I believed her to still be lying throughout the entire story. It’s hard to really care for a character if you feel that they are being deceitful. I loved the side-story of Grace and Mike that was the part of the story that touched me the most.
This is now the second book I’ve read by Isabel Wolff and it certainly won’t be the last.
Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!
‘I felt like Tantalus, neck-deep in water that he could never drink, grasping at fruit that was always just out of reach.’
Storyline
Ella is an extremely successful portrait artist who has just been asked by her sister Chloe to do a portrait of her future brother-in-law, Nate, whom she despises. Early on in Nate and Chloe’s relationship, Ella overheard Nate speaking to someone and it appeared that he was not having an honest relationship with Chloe and that forever changed her opinion of him. After only their first sitting where she begins Nate’s portrait, her feelings have drastically changed towards him and Ella doesn’t know how to stop them, even if she wanted to.
Ella is also dealing with recent revelations regarding the father who left her and her mother when Ella was only five years old. Her mother always told her how he abandoned them after she caught him with another woman and that he made the decision to leave his family in order to be with her. Ella never had a reason to doubt her mother but when she discovers that may not be an accurate accounting of what actually happened she is more confused than ever.
Thoughts
This was a very interesting read and I enjoyed it immensely. Once the story began to unfold I had an idea of how it would all unveil; however, Isabel Wolff wrapped up all of the loose ends fabulously. I feared that it would be your ‘typical’ type of ending but I was left completely satisfied. I loved the details of Ella’s painting sessions: the particulars of the colors she uses, how she mixes them and the steps she takes to create the portrait of the person she’s painting.
‘Then came the moment when I put in the very last thing I ever add to a portrait – the light in the eyes. That’s when I feel like Pygmalion, having life breathed into his statue; because it’s that little flick of white in each pupil that finally – ping! – brings a portrait alive.’
I also enjoyed the closeness she develops with the people she paints and the stories she learns about them and how it’s woven into the story. It reminded me quite a lot of Isabel Wolff’s other novel that I’ve read, A Vintage Affair, and how the main character becomes immersed in one of her customer’s lives. (Also a fabulous read)
There were parts of this novel that I had a hard time liking at first, primarily the feelings that Ella develops for her sister’s fiancée. Strangely unfitting and not exactly understandable… her infatuation with him occurred a bit too quickly for it to be plausible in my opinion. Fortunately though, it was well written and by the end I was mollified with the outcome.
I also had difficulty liking her mother who was a major character in the story. Despite her tale of what had happened between her and Ella’s father, the fact that she withheld so much information for so long and even after she told it there still seemed to be something missing and I believed her to still be lying throughout the entire story. It’s hard to really care for a character if you feel that they are being deceitful. I loved the side-story of Grace and Mike that was the part of the story that touched me the most.
This is now the second book I’ve read by Isabel Wolff and it certainly won’t be the last.
October 29, 2011
I had read Isabel Wolff's A VINTAGE AFFAIR and was quite taken by it, hence my excitement when THE VERY PICTURE OF YOU was offered. I must say that I was disappointed in the story. It was so predictable, and in a few instances downright vapid, that it failed to hold my interest.
While I will admit there was more than enough information about the preparation of canvas for a portrait and the myriad of colors artists use to achieve a look in the eyes, a particular skin tone, etc. those particular digressions did nothing but slow down the progress of the story. Perhaps that was a good thing, since the story was filled (for the most part) with characters I didn't really care about.
The turmoil suffered by "Ella" Graham as she paints the portrait of her sister's fiancé and her angst about her "real father" as well as the back-story of her client Iris are relatively interesting, however, the secrets she gleans from her various subjects as she commits their visages to canvas are, in most instances, pretty vanilla when it comes to flavor. For example, the story of Celine, a woman approaching forty who has a caring, devoted older husband, loads of cash, a palatial home, etc. but feels the need to escape her stifling circumstances is a little much. I know that old saw about "money can't buy you happiness" but really what was so unbearable about this woman's life?
Then we have Polly, the hand and foot model whose terrible burdens are caring for her valuable appendages via manicures and pedicures (some provided by hungry fish) as well as trying to locate a suitor who doesn't have a foot fetish. PLEASE SPARE ME! Oh, and let us not forget Ella's mother, another piece of work. If you looked up the words selfish, liar or self-absorbed in the dictionary, I'm certain you would find her picture.
No lessons to be learned, nor blinding flashes of revelation for these characters (or the reader for that matter), just your basis fluff piece suitable for an afternoon at the beach.
While I will admit there was more than enough information about the preparation of canvas for a portrait and the myriad of colors artists use to achieve a look in the eyes, a particular skin tone, etc. those particular digressions did nothing but slow down the progress of the story. Perhaps that was a good thing, since the story was filled (for the most part) with characters I didn't really care about.
The turmoil suffered by "Ella" Graham as she paints the portrait of her sister's fiancé and her angst about her "real father" as well as the back-story of her client Iris are relatively interesting, however, the secrets she gleans from her various subjects as she commits their visages to canvas are, in most instances, pretty vanilla when it comes to flavor. For example, the story of Celine, a woman approaching forty who has a caring, devoted older husband, loads of cash, a palatial home, etc. but feels the need to escape her stifling circumstances is a little much. I know that old saw about "money can't buy you happiness" but really what was so unbearable about this woman's life?
Then we have Polly, the hand and foot model whose terrible burdens are caring for her valuable appendages via manicures and pedicures (some provided by hungry fish) as well as trying to locate a suitor who doesn't have a foot fetish. PLEASE SPARE ME! Oh, and let us not forget Ella's mother, another piece of work. If you looked up the words selfish, liar or self-absorbed in the dictionary, I'm certain you would find her picture.
No lessons to be learned, nor blinding flashes of revelation for these characters (or the reader for that matter), just your basis fluff piece suitable for an afternoon at the beach.
September 26, 2013
The thing I love and/or hate about Wolff is that her novels are always lauded as "Summer Beach Reads"... well, I disagree... for the most part. I think they are much more in depth, & insightful than the "picture" (ha) that phrase elicits. In this one, I was impressed by the amount of research that had to be done to understand the world of a portrait artist. To be completely honest, I went to The National Portrait Gallery only a week before reading this, & I really wish I had waited... because I will never see a portrait in the same way again. This is what reading is all about. About exploring, learning, discovering. I would have never learned about this had I not read this book, myself not being one in fine art circles. The side stories were also of interest to me, most notably that of the missing father. I will not lie... this is what led me to contact my father, whom I have not spoken to since I was ten. Now, that seems a little dramatic, but it is the truth. Unlike imaginative books, however, I can already tell you that it is not a great ending, as the real world, unfortunately, usually fails to live up to that of imaginary stories.
As for the negatives, I do not like how much Wolff overuses italics. Take one look at any random page... they are all over the place. The overuse caused me not to notice much emphasis of anything. This novel was very much so a "Summer Beach Read" in so far as the main, cheesy plot lines were quite predictable. Sentimental, lack of plot twists, predictable... That is not a compliment.
In all, Wolff has written a very commendable novel that I loved reading, but not one that I would have a strong desire to reread... If she had taken out the parts that categorize it as a "Summer Beach Read", I would no doubt be placing it on my all-time favorites list...
As for the negatives, I do not like how much Wolff overuses italics. Take one look at any random page... they are all over the place. The overuse caused me not to notice much emphasis of anything. This novel was very much so a "Summer Beach Read" in so far as the main, cheesy plot lines were quite predictable. Sentimental, lack of plot twists, predictable... That is not a compliment.
In all, Wolff has written a very commendable novel that I loved reading, but not one that I would have a strong desire to reread... If she had taken out the parts that categorize it as a "Summer Beach Read", I would no doubt be placing it on my all-time favorites list...
September 17, 2011
As I read this wonderfully colorful story, I couldn't help thinking of the saying: "A picture is worth a thousand words." We learn Ella's story, as well as those of her family, friends, and the people she paints...as she paints them. In each sitting, Ella, the portrait artist, elicits the stories of her subjects. And as she gradually portrays them, we learn bits and pieces of her story as she interacts with them and reflects on her life.
At thirty-five, Ella Graham has a big hole in her heart...and in her life. Her father, about whom she has some happy memories, disappeared just before she turned five. Drawing him over and over as a child was her way of somehow capturing him.
Her mother's secrecy and complete dismissal of his presence or importance in her life back then create an agony that cannot be fully healed.
So in painting the lives of others and seeing their loves, hearing about their losses, Ella feels a connection that, while it doesn't replace what she's lost, gives her something on which to focus.
Then one day, something unexpected happens, and Ella's life changes course. Gradually she uncovers the secrets of her past...and at the same time, discovers something right in front of her that had eluded her. Unexpected love.
Visually vibrant settings, along with fully-drawn characters, brought "The Very Picture of You: A Novel" completely alive for me. I enjoyed this memorable story that in some ways fully realizes the idea that we all see something different when we look at the world, and that our individual perceptions can sometimes distort events. Secrets, betrayals, and even love can be fully seen when we acknowledge them. Four stars.
At thirty-five, Ella Graham has a big hole in her heart...and in her life. Her father, about whom she has some happy memories, disappeared just before she turned five. Drawing him over and over as a child was her way of somehow capturing him.
Her mother's secrecy and complete dismissal of his presence or importance in her life back then create an agony that cannot be fully healed.
So in painting the lives of others and seeing their loves, hearing about their losses, Ella feels a connection that, while it doesn't replace what she's lost, gives her something on which to focus.
Then one day, something unexpected happens, and Ella's life changes course. Gradually she uncovers the secrets of her past...and at the same time, discovers something right in front of her that had eluded her. Unexpected love.
Visually vibrant settings, along with fully-drawn characters, brought "The Very Picture of You: A Novel" completely alive for me. I enjoyed this memorable story that in some ways fully realizes the idea that we all see something different when we look at the world, and that our individual perceptions can sometimes distort events. Secrets, betrayals, and even love can be fully seen when we acknowledge them. Four stars.
November 16, 2011
liked this story. I finished in one day. The only disappointing thing for me is that sometimes you read a story and it stays with you for days and you keep thinking about it and going back over it and for me, this story was not like that. Don't get me wrong, it was good but just not one that I'm recapping in my head.
I loved the side stories that went with each character. Particularly, Iris. I loved her story and I couldn't wait to hear the entire thing. This novel was easy to predict. There was really only one story that I didn't see coming. I loved them all though and I think they all added that extra something.
I found it a little difficult when famous artists were being mentioned because I know nothing about art. I know that's not the authors problem but aside from the Mona Lisa I knew no one that was mentioned. I don't think that it really took away from the story just difficult to get through those parts, for me.
I did love how Isabel Wolff described Ella's paintings and how she brought them to life. I thought that was masterful. I really felt like I could see the paintings.
Although, this novel didn't evoke strong feelings from me, I'm still glad I read it. I thought it was done very well.
Amazon Vine provided this book to me for my honest opinion. http://www.amazon.com/Very-Picture-Yo...
I loved the side stories that went with each character. Particularly, Iris. I loved her story and I couldn't wait to hear the entire thing. This novel was easy to predict. There was really only one story that I didn't see coming. I loved them all though and I think they all added that extra something.
I found it a little difficult when famous artists were being mentioned because I know nothing about art. I know that's not the authors problem but aside from the Mona Lisa I knew no one that was mentioned. I don't think that it really took away from the story just difficult to get through those parts, for me.
I did love how Isabel Wolff described Ella's paintings and how she brought them to life. I thought that was masterful. I really felt like I could see the paintings.
Although, this novel didn't evoke strong feelings from me, I'm still glad I read it. I thought it was done very well.
Amazon Vine provided this book to me for my honest opinion. http://www.amazon.com/Very-Picture-Yo...
May 11, 2020
This book by Mrs. Wolff is one of the most submersive stories I’ve ever read. The story featured a boatload of torrid affairs, yet it was written with beautiful style in a unique voice that kept me flipping pages at a rapid pace. (It only took me two days to read it.) The step-parent/step-child relationship was exquisitely portrayed in this book. I’m not sure I’ve seen that relationship done better in a fictional book. The author made great use of italics. While some people might say she went a little overboard with them, I personally adored her usage and thought she was spot-on and perfectly emphasized the right words at the exact right time.
Perhaps the best and most memorable thing about this entire story was the painting. The author’s research was on great display, yet it felt eased in and expressive rather than dumped in the reader’s face. The lead’s passion and skills for painting and drawing out her sitters’ deepest worries and fondest memories made this story come alive, and the details surrounding the style of painting were wonderfully expressed and obviously well researched. It was a pure delight reading the scenes in which Ella worked on her paintings.
Might I also mention the amazingly beautiful cover? It’s what first attracted me to this book, and I’m glad because I enjoyed it pretty well.
Because of the devotion to great research and wonderful delivery of the information gleaned, I just might have to try this author again sometime.
Content: profanity, expletives, marital affairs, alcohol
Perhaps the best and most memorable thing about this entire story was the painting. The author’s research was on great display, yet it felt eased in and expressive rather than dumped in the reader’s face. The lead’s passion and skills for painting and drawing out her sitters’ deepest worries and fondest memories made this story come alive, and the details surrounding the style of painting were wonderfully expressed and obviously well researched. It was a pure delight reading the scenes in which Ella worked on her paintings.
Might I also mention the amazingly beautiful cover? It’s what first attracted me to this book, and I’m glad because I enjoyed it pretty well.
Because of the devotion to great research and wonderful delivery of the information gleaned, I just might have to try this author again sometime.
Content: profanity, expletives, marital affairs, alcohol
March 25, 2019
It is rare that I give a book 5 stars, but this one deserved it. The story is well developed, and richly characterized. Although I could guess the big secret quite easily, I understood why the main character, Ella, didn't see what was right in front of her. We often have blinders on when it comes to people we love, our parents particularly, and believe the narrative that they want us to believe when we are children. Those beliefs follow us well into adulthood and are difficult to change. So it is with Ella, as she comes to realize a truth about her own life as she listens to the stories of her subjects while painting their portraits. I enjoyed this story, finding it very hard to put down, even with the predictable ending. It was a charming read, and a keeper to read again.
September 12, 2011
I love Isabel Wolff, she is one of my favourite Chick Lit authors and there’s only two of her novels I haven’t read. The rest are all wonderful reads, with her last novel A Vintage Affair being a particular favourite. I was extremely pleased to see Isabel was back in 2011 with a new novel called The Very Picture of You and I couldn’t wait to read it and I nearly died when I received a copy to review. I did wonder if the novel would be as good as A Vintage Affair, because, seriously, that book was something so, so special, but I’m pleased to say that The Very Picture of You was amazing. Even better than A Vintage Affair, something I didn’t think I’d say!
The Very Picture of You is a novel with many layers. On the surface, it’s the tale of Ella Graham, who spends most of her time getting to know other people’s lives via the medium of portrait painting. But Ella’s life isn’t as easy as she thought it was, as her father left when she was only a small girl, so when he gets back in touch, she isn’t necessarily sure it’s something she wants to do – after all, he upped and left her and her mother… Didn’t he? I absolutely adored The Very Picture of You. It’s easily one of my favourite books this year. I liked all the book’s layers, the way there were lots of little stories being told via Ella’s job, the way Ella’s family life wasn’t perfect and she learned a lot about her life as the novel progressed. I was really very fascinated with the book and I could barely put it down.
Another facet of The Very Picture of You is the friendship that develops between Ella and Nate, who is Ella’s sister Chloe’s fiance. Ella hasn’t always liked Nate, after overhearing some unsavoury things when they first met, but when Chloe wins a free portrait it’s Nate she chooses to have painted, so Ella finds herself spending more and more time with Nate, and realises he’s perhaps not as terrible as she first thought he was. I also really loved the stories we learned from Ella’s other ‘sitters’. There’s an MP, Mike Johns, who has a secret confession to, er, confess; Celine, a beautiful French lady approaching the big four-0; and then there’s Iris, who has a painting in her bedroom with a wonderful back-story. I found all of those stories fascinating and they didn’t take away from the main story at all, they were a very worthy part of the novel and it’s like all the different stories were integral to Ella’s life, even if they hadn’t directly affected her in any way.
I absolutely loved Ella. She carries the story beautifully. She’s an excellent main character and I was drawn in from page one. She’s the kind of character you can relate to and I thought her job was so fascinating. She was such a wonderful and warm person, and I was entranced by her story, entranced by her life and her work as a portrait painter. Like I’ve mentioned, I found all of Ella’s sitters to be so fascinating, too. They weren’t particularly big characters in the novel, but their lives and how nice they were did rather stay with me. Ella’s family were a big part of the novel, her mum, her step-dad Roy, her sister, Chloe, and I found them to be such a nice family. They have their ups and downs, some pretty big ups and downs, but the warmth they exuded and the way Roy treated Ella as her own made me feel warm and happy inside. I also really liked Nate, I didn’t expect to – after all, Ella has some reservations about him, but once it was all cleared up, I did really rather like him. Ella’s best friend, Polly, provided a nice rock to Ella and I loved that she was a hand and foot model. I didn’t even know there was such a thing; I didn’t know there were actors/actresses who had hand/feet doubles, it’s creepy.
The Very Picture of You was an amazing story. Isabel Wolff is a natural-born storyteller and I was sad to reach the end of the book because it was just stunning. The pages just flew by so effortlessly, and there was nothing I didn’t like about the book. There were a few niggles with editing (Polly’s daughter, Lara, becomes Lola for the second half of the novel and there are a LOT of words italicised, much more than I’ve ever seen in one novel and not all of them were necessary) but they were easy to bypass. This is an amazing novel, Isabel Wolff just seems to ‘know’ how to write a novel I’ll love. She continually brings out novels I absolutely adore and I’m just so sad I’ve already finished it. I want to read it again. I want to read more of Ella and co. I sincerely hope Isabel is working on a new book – I cannot wait another two years for another Isabel Wolff novel, she should be bringing a book out every year. I thoroughly recommend The Very Picture of You, it is utterly, utterly amazing.
The Very Picture of You is a novel with many layers. On the surface, it’s the tale of Ella Graham, who spends most of her time getting to know other people’s lives via the medium of portrait painting. But Ella’s life isn’t as easy as she thought it was, as her father left when she was only a small girl, so when he gets back in touch, she isn’t necessarily sure it’s something she wants to do – after all, he upped and left her and her mother… Didn’t he? I absolutely adored The Very Picture of You. It’s easily one of my favourite books this year. I liked all the book’s layers, the way there were lots of little stories being told via Ella’s job, the way Ella’s family life wasn’t perfect and she learned a lot about her life as the novel progressed. I was really very fascinated with the book and I could barely put it down.
Another facet of The Very Picture of You is the friendship that develops between Ella and Nate, who is Ella’s sister Chloe’s fiance. Ella hasn’t always liked Nate, after overhearing some unsavoury things when they first met, but when Chloe wins a free portrait it’s Nate she chooses to have painted, so Ella finds herself spending more and more time with Nate, and realises he’s perhaps not as terrible as she first thought he was. I also really loved the stories we learned from Ella’s other ‘sitters’. There’s an MP, Mike Johns, who has a secret confession to, er, confess; Celine, a beautiful French lady approaching the big four-0; and then there’s Iris, who has a painting in her bedroom with a wonderful back-story. I found all of those stories fascinating and they didn’t take away from the main story at all, they were a very worthy part of the novel and it’s like all the different stories were integral to Ella’s life, even if they hadn’t directly affected her in any way.
I absolutely loved Ella. She carries the story beautifully. She’s an excellent main character and I was drawn in from page one. She’s the kind of character you can relate to and I thought her job was so fascinating. She was such a wonderful and warm person, and I was entranced by her story, entranced by her life and her work as a portrait painter. Like I’ve mentioned, I found all of Ella’s sitters to be so fascinating, too. They weren’t particularly big characters in the novel, but their lives and how nice they were did rather stay with me. Ella’s family were a big part of the novel, her mum, her step-dad Roy, her sister, Chloe, and I found them to be such a nice family. They have their ups and downs, some pretty big ups and downs, but the warmth they exuded and the way Roy treated Ella as her own made me feel warm and happy inside. I also really liked Nate, I didn’t expect to – after all, Ella has some reservations about him, but once it was all cleared up, I did really rather like him. Ella’s best friend, Polly, provided a nice rock to Ella and I loved that she was a hand and foot model. I didn’t even know there was such a thing; I didn’t know there were actors/actresses who had hand/feet doubles, it’s creepy.
The Very Picture of You was an amazing story. Isabel Wolff is a natural-born storyteller and I was sad to reach the end of the book because it was just stunning. The pages just flew by so effortlessly, and there was nothing I didn’t like about the book. There were a few niggles with editing (Polly’s daughter, Lara, becomes Lola for the second half of the novel and there are a LOT of words italicised, much more than I’ve ever seen in one novel and not all of them were necessary) but they were easy to bypass. This is an amazing novel, Isabel Wolff just seems to ‘know’ how to write a novel I’ll love. She continually brings out novels I absolutely adore and I’m just so sad I’ve already finished it. I want to read it again. I want to read more of Ella and co. I sincerely hope Isabel is working on a new book – I cannot wait another two years for another Isabel Wolff novel, she should be bringing a book out every year. I thoroughly recommend The Very Picture of You, it is utterly, utterly amazing.
November 3, 2011
I am flirting with the idea of 5 stars, but cannot decide! I won this book on goodreads (Thanks Ania), and had never heard of Isabel Wolff and did not really know what to excpect. The inside flap of the book was slightly different than the write up on good reads and my excpectations going into this declined and were not real high. Combine that with the fact that this is not my normal genre...and I still don't know exactly what genre lable to place upon this book.
This story is heart breaking and heart warming all at the same time. The book gripped me right from the get go, with the devestating memories of Ella's childhood. The Very Picture Of You is heavy on dialouge, details and character development rather than action, although I don't mean that in a negative way. Ella was a riviting main character, and drew me into to her story right out of the gates. The heartbreaking childhood memories, the development of her craft, the deepness of her thoughts and relationships, unrequited love (maybe) and her inner turmoil made her very real. I am not sure if it was intentional but I didn't feel like her male characters had quite enough depth to them. With most of the other characters we got to understand their hurts, their faults as well as their honor, love and values etc. Roy and Nick just did not get developed with enough depth to allow me to connect with them as deeply as I would have liked to (They were both very likeable). The only character that I really did not like was Ella's mom...I struggled back and forth with her, She is imature and self centered, she cares for her family, she is decietful, she is weak, hurt and confused...by the end of the book I was about to swing in the favor of liking her, on the basis of the hurts that she has incured through her life...but the epilouge shifted me back the other way. I would also liked to have seen a little more closure with Ella's dad, although in fairness the end of the book kind of hints at that as well.
This was a great read, and don't tell any of my guy friends....but I might check out some other Wolff books. I know nothing about art (although I do appreciate it), and I really have no skill for it other than I can draw with bubble letters and make a pretty mean paper airplane if that counts. This book made me wish that I could pose for a portrait, or better still paint one. The intamacy projected through those encounters in this book resonated with a truth that I had never grasped before....Again this book is well worth checking out!
This story is heart breaking and heart warming all at the same time. The book gripped me right from the get go, with the devestating memories of Ella's childhood. The Very Picture Of You is heavy on dialouge, details and character development rather than action, although I don't mean that in a negative way. Ella was a riviting main character, and drew me into to her story right out of the gates. The heartbreaking childhood memories, the development of her craft, the deepness of her thoughts and relationships, unrequited love (maybe) and her inner turmoil made her very real. I am not sure if it was intentional but I didn't feel like her male characters had quite enough depth to them. With most of the other characters we got to understand their hurts, their faults as well as their honor, love and values etc. Roy and Nick just did not get developed with enough depth to allow me to connect with them as deeply as I would have liked to (They were both very likeable). The only character that I really did not like was Ella's mom...I struggled back and forth with her, She is imature and self centered, she cares for her family, she is decietful, she is weak, hurt and confused...by the end of the book I was about to swing in the favor of liking her, on the basis of the hurts that she has incured through her life...but the epilouge shifted me back the other way. I would also liked to have seen a little more closure with Ella's dad, although in fairness the end of the book kind of hints at that as well.
This was a great read, and don't tell any of my guy friends....but I might check out some other Wolff books. I know nothing about art (although I do appreciate it), and I really have no skill for it other than I can draw with bubble letters and make a pretty mean paper airplane if that counts. This book made me wish that I could pose for a portrait, or better still paint one. The intamacy projected through those encounters in this book resonated with a truth that I had never grasped before....Again this book is well worth checking out!
September 25, 2011
This was the story of Ella, a portrait artist whose reputation is growing through painting some very high profile people as well as some sitters that she thought would be normal but that told some extremely interesting, emotional and heart warming stories. When her mother cajoles her into giving away a portrait for a charity auction prize, she is devastated when her sister Chloe pays for her to her paint her fiancé Nate who she really dislikes due to a conversation she has overheard him having whilst on the way to her sister’s party. Being the professional that she is, and out of duty to her sister she agrees, and after a deep and meaningful conversation with Nate, they declare a truce so that the sittings can go ahead. As the portrait develops, she sees a side to Nate that comes as a complete surprise. All this at a time when her sister and Nate’s wedding looms nearer and nearer!
Ella has always wondered about her real father, even though she loves her step-father more than anything, and when he contacts her after seeing an article in the newspaper, she is thrown into complete turmoil as to whether she should contact him or whether he should stay firmly in the past where she believed he chose to be!
As I may have mentioned earlier, I love her work, and when Isabel described Ella as a child looking out of the window waiting for her absent father to come home, it just tugged massively at my heart strings. The contrast of emotions that Ella felt about her sister’s fiancée were so well detailed, that you felt every single one of them. The pages seemed to turn themselves in this wonderfully gentle story of love, family and regret. When an author such as Isabel (have I mentioned that I love her work lately?) continually turns out such a fantastic quality of writing, time after time, it shows what a very clever lady she is.
This is a lovely, gentle, heart warming, delightful story and I thoroughly enjoyed reading every page of it. Keep on writing please Isabel, I can’t wait to read your next one!
Ella has always wondered about her real father, even though she loves her step-father more than anything, and when he contacts her after seeing an article in the newspaper, she is thrown into complete turmoil as to whether she should contact him or whether he should stay firmly in the past where she believed he chose to be!
As I may have mentioned earlier, I love her work, and when Isabel described Ella as a child looking out of the window waiting for her absent father to come home, it just tugged massively at my heart strings. The contrast of emotions that Ella felt about her sister’s fiancée were so well detailed, that you felt every single one of them. The pages seemed to turn themselves in this wonderfully gentle story of love, family and regret. When an author such as Isabel (have I mentioned that I love her work lately?) continually turns out such a fantastic quality of writing, time after time, it shows what a very clever lady she is.
This is a lovely, gentle, heart warming, delightful story and I thoroughly enjoyed reading every page of it. Keep on writing please Isabel, I can’t wait to read your next one!
September 24, 2011
Ella paints portraits of other people. She spends hours staring at someone’s face, trying to capture not just their looks but a bit of what makes them who they are. She never paints herself though because if she did, the abandonment by her father might show up as part of whom she is. See, Ella has never really gotten over that and when the estranged father contacts her, she can’t see any choice but to refuse to see him.
When she is commissioned to paint her sister’s fiancé and two other people, she will find out more about these three people than she ever expected. That knowledge might also help shed light into her own life and her own self-discovery. It may also open up to forgiveness towards her father and bring an unseen happiness her way.
This book enchanted me. Ella is an interesting character with complexities that made her story interesting. It also added some depth to the characters around her that I didn’t expect. What I expected with a slightly heart-warming but ultimately forgettable read. Instead I found the story of a woman who found that by looking into others, she might find something out about herself. It was also a sweet story.
I enjoyed reading A Very Picture of You but did find parts of it a little annoying. The romance between Ella and another character was believable but had me wondering a little bit – but I’m not going to delve much more into that as I don’t want to give too much away. I also found parts of the plot a little predictable but waiting for the thing I suspected to be revealed was still entertaining.
I found The Very Picture of You to be entertaining and sweet. 4 Stars.
I received this book through the Amazon Vine program.
When she is commissioned to paint her sister’s fiancé and two other people, she will find out more about these three people than she ever expected. That knowledge might also help shed light into her own life and her own self-discovery. It may also open up to forgiveness towards her father and bring an unseen happiness her way.
This book enchanted me. Ella is an interesting character with complexities that made her story interesting. It also added some depth to the characters around her that I didn’t expect. What I expected with a slightly heart-warming but ultimately forgettable read. Instead I found the story of a woman who found that by looking into others, she might find something out about herself. It was also a sweet story.
I enjoyed reading A Very Picture of You but did find parts of it a little annoying. The romance between Ella and another character was believable but had me wondering a little bit – but I’m not going to delve much more into that as I don’t want to give too much away. I also found parts of the plot a little predictable but waiting for the thing I suspected to be revealed was still entertaining.
I found The Very Picture of You to be entertaining and sweet. 4 Stars.
I received this book through the Amazon Vine program.
September 20, 2011
Isabel is a fantastic storyweaver. What I picked up thinking it would be a good book turned out to be a page turner. Complete with characters so well developed they feel real and utterly fascinating. Ella is an artist that paints people. She has a rule though, only in real life. She doesn't do any paintings from pictures or post humous -- However Ella will find out a lot about herself and others around her very quickly.
Ella's mother told her when she was 11 that her father abandoned them for another woman -- divorced her mother and everything just to go be with this other woman, Frances. Then Ella was adopted by her mother's 2nd husband, Roy, whom is the father to Ella's sister Chloe. When Chloe gets engaged suddenly to her boyfriend of a few months, Nate and commissions her to paint Nate's picture, will Ella really learn the truth about Nate? Ella heard Nate on the phone one time, talking to another woman, calling her Honey...
Also Ella does paintings for a few other people, finding out all kinds of truths that can apply in her whole life as well.
Ms Wolff brings everyone full circle, with real life in there but beautifully woven. This is one you DON'T want to miss this fall!
Ella's mother told her when she was 11 that her father abandoned them for another woman -- divorced her mother and everything just to go be with this other woman, Frances. Then Ella was adopted by her mother's 2nd husband, Roy, whom is the father to Ella's sister Chloe. When Chloe gets engaged suddenly to her boyfriend of a few months, Nate and commissions her to paint Nate's picture, will Ella really learn the truth about Nate? Ella heard Nate on the phone one time, talking to another woman, calling her Honey...
Also Ella does paintings for a few other people, finding out all kinds of truths that can apply in her whole life as well.
Ms Wolff brings everyone full circle, with real life in there but beautifully woven. This is one you DON'T want to miss this fall!
June 2, 2019
Este libro fue mi salvador. Me paso que cuando estaba leyendo Imperio de Tormentas, no me daban ganas de leer preferiría hacer otra cosa o me entretenía haciendo otras cosas, pero me costaba leerlo y tenia miedo de estar por un Bloqueo de lector, porque yo aun quiero leer los libros que tengo en mi biblioteca personal, pero cuando finalmente termine y empece a leer este libro de un de repente ya estaba a la mitad y se me pasaba como agua.
No es un libro perfecto y me parece que tiene la misma formula que una Pasión Vintage (otro libro de la autora), pero es muy fácil de leer los libros de Isabel Wolff, logra algo con las historias de sus personajes que te atrapa y si hubieran mas libros en español de ella no dudaría en comprarlos.
No es un libro perfecto y me parece que tiene la misma formula que una Pasión Vintage (otro libro de la autora), pero es muy fácil de leer los libros de Isabel Wolff, logra algo con las historias de sus personajes que te atrapa y si hubieran mas libros en español de ella no dudaría en comprarlos.
April 23, 2015
I love Isabel's books and this one in no exception. The thing I admire most in her work is the character development, not just in the main character but in the supporting ones too.
In this book everybody has their own story to tell and secrets to be shared. I'm not going to reveal much of the plot, but for me, the premise didn't disappoint. As the story unfolds, often through portraits created by Ella, we are led through a web of deceit, betrayal and intrigue. Family ties are put to the test and I didn't see how the happy ever after would be possible. Highly recommended.
In this book everybody has their own story to tell and secrets to be shared. I'm not going to reveal much of the plot, but for me, the premise didn't disappoint. As the story unfolds, often through portraits created by Ella, we are led through a web of deceit, betrayal and intrigue. Family ties are put to the test and I didn't see how the happy ever after would be possible. Highly recommended.
May 23, 2012
Too predictable for me!
November 28, 2014
Very poorly developed story.
April 24, 2020
Ella Graham is a successful portrait artist who is in the process of painting her future brother-in-law Nate and dealing with some very deep family secrets regarding her father's abandonment of the family when Ella was just five years old. As the story was unfolding, it wasn't difficult to see what the secrets are and how Ella had been manipulated all her life. What I enjoyed best about the book were the painting sessions between Ella and her clients. I don't know anything about this art and it was interesting how a portrait artist dissects the subject, chooses the colors, interacts with the person sitting. Wolff created several great side stories based on these sessions and they were quite touching; I especially loved the character Iris and her reflection back on her life. All in all, this was a good read!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
November 16, 2017
Ez most jót tett a lelkemnek. Anglia, festőnő, titkok a családban, szerelem...
September 23, 2024
Viegli, mīlīgi, apakšā ar kāds noslēpums, ko gan ļoti ātri varēja nojaust.
Lasīts periodā, kad veselība nebija tā labākā un ļoti labi palīdzēja uz brīdi aizmirsties.
Lasīts periodā, kad veselība nebija tā labākā un ļoti labi palīdzēja uz brīdi aizmirsties.
May 26, 2012
I won this as a goodreads give-away and admit I did not pick it up right away, maybe because the cover of the uncorrected proof is so bland, I'm not sure. But the old adage stands, don't judge a book by it's cover, because I throughly enjoyed this book. I found compelled to keep reading as i wanted to know the stories of Ella, her family and those of whom she painted their portraits. Sitting for a portrait is such an intimate relationship in which Ella was able to examine the souls of those she painted. In a complex weaving connection of characters the story unfolds of Ella's childhood heartbreak of her father, John, abandoning her as a child and the lies her mother, Sue, told her about her and John. Ella has a good relationship with Roy, her adopted father, and her sister Chloe, yet has struggled with why her biological father left her so suddenly and completely. There are secrets hidden in those she paints, one of them being that she had fallen in love with her sister Chloe's fiance, Nate. Ella is torn up over her feelings for Nate and refuses to acknowledge them for fear of hurting her sister who had recently recovered from a broken relationship with a married man. In Mike there is a man heartbroken over the loss of his mistress. In Iris there's a tragic story of a broken relationship with her father, in many ways a mirror of Ella's childhood. In Celine there is a woman dreading turning forty, restless and feeling she has never truly lived her life. In everyone there is much that is hidden behind the faces shown to the world.
October 5, 2011
I've given up looking at a book n thinking 'hmmmm not sure it my thing'... as i do that so much and then am captivated by the story so much that i end up only talking about that book for ages. This has happened with this book, the story of Ella painting portraits is one on its own, but then the sitters storys come into it, along with Ella's mom. Each story is unique but tied to that person so firmly and told so well. I loved every page of this book and can usually see the out come by half way through the book, but this one slapped me with an ending i didnt see. Brilliantly done...a whole package that i will certainly tell all my friends to read :)
January 7, 2016
I was a bit disappointed with this book because I had loved A Vintage Affair so much and I had high expectations for her next novel. It was a quick, light read and I generally liked the story and characters. The main character being a portrait artist was the most interesting part and I can definitely applaud the author for giving her female main characters really unique careers. Although this wasn't my favorite book, I would still recommend this if the story looks interesting to you and you're looking for a quicker read.
November 1, 2011
Very breezy, predictable novel about a woman learning about not just the secrets of her own past but that everyone around her has secrets. The details about painting make this stand out more than the usual romance, but I really disliked the idea that the main character could hook up with her sister's ex-fiance with absolutely no bad blood between them. Not to mention the ickiness factor of sleeping with a man who had sex with your sister.
January 21, 2012
This is a great book and one that hooked me right from the start and one that i could definitely read again. I really enjoyed reading about the different characters who were totally believable, and the family secrets that had been hidden for decades. I also really enjoyed the whole setting of painting portraits and reading about how that works. I can't wait to read Isabel Wolff's next book and hope I don't have to wait too long for it.
July 20, 2012
Probably three and a half stars. i enjoyed this story of Ella the portrait painter. Liked the detail about painting and getting to know her subjects as she painted them and their histories. And yes, there's a romantic interest as well as the mystery about Ella's father who diappeared from the scene when she was a child. One thing that did annoy me was characters who often started sentences with 'Erm.'
April 6, 2014
Un très bon Isabel Wolf! J'ai retrouvé la même atmosphère que dans "un amour vintage" de la même auteur. Ce n'est pas un coup de coeur pour moi mais j'ai vraiment beaucoup aimé! Un des meilleurs Isabel Wolff selon moi! Je mettrai juste un petit bémol pour les 20 dernières pages... je trouve la fin un peu "gnian gnian" et non réaliste, mais ce n'est pas grave, cela n'a pas réussi à gâcher ma lecture :) Je recommande ce roman de chicklit!
October 5, 2014
I really enjoyed this book because there were many plot twists. The author kept me interested in the story line , which doesn't always happen while reading a book. This was the second book I read by Isabel Wolff.
August 9, 2012
I got through about 20 pages and said, "enough of this!" I thought I wanted something 'light' but this was not worth spending time on.
February 20, 2021
Very interesting and a fun read.
Spoilers:
But almost every story had something to do with someone cheating on someone else and it got so repetitive and confusing!
Spoilers:
But almost every story had something to do with someone cheating on someone else and it got so repetitive and confusing!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 379 reviews