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The People in the Photo
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.
Parisian archivist Hélène takes out a newspaper advert calling for information about her mother, who died when she was three, and the two men pictured with her in a photograph taken at a tennis tournament at Interlaken in 1971. Stéphane, a Swiss biologist living in Kent, responds: his father is one of the people in the photo. Letters and more photos pass between them as they embark on a journey to uncover the truth their parents kept from them. But will the relics of the past fill the silences left by the players?
Winner of fifteen literary awards, this dark yet touching drama deftly explores the themes of blame and forgiveness, identity and love.
Hélène Gestern lives and works in Nancy, France. The People in the Photo is her first novel.
The chance discovery of a newspaper image from 1971 sets two people on the path to learning the disturbing truth about their parents’ pasts.
Parisian archivist Hélène takes out a newspaper advert calling for information about her mother, who died when she was three, and the two men pictured with her in a photograph taken at a tennis tournament at Interlaken in 1971. Stéphane, a Swiss biologist living in Kent, responds: his father is one of the people in the photo. Letters and more photos pass between them as they embark on a journey to uncover the truth their parents kept from them. But will the relics of the past fill the silences left by the players?
Winner of fifteen literary awards, this dark yet touching drama deftly explores the themes of blame and forgiveness, identity and love.
Hélène Gestern lives and works in Nancy, France. The People in the Photo is her first novel.
270 pages, Paperback
First published August 25, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 273 reviews
November 27, 2025
Archivist and Paris resident Hélène Hivert finds a photo of her now deceased mother whom she can hardly remember, pictured with two men unknown to her. She places an advert in a paper seeking aid, which comes to the attention of London resident Swiss-born Stéphane Crusten, who recognises his father. What begins as a toing and froing of communications and phone calls see the two of them bond over the investigation of their likely joined past. Possible a slow burn romance an very much so an interest unravelling mystery, this translated from French read does not really live up to the expectations raised, although it is ultimately still very much a worthwhile read. A Three Star, 7 out of 12 jam.
2025 read
2025 read
September 21, 2024
EXCERPT: The three figures in the photograph are frozen forever, two men and a woman bathed in sunlight. All three are dressed in white and holding tennis racquets. The young woman is in the centre; the man on her right - who is quite tall - is leaning towards her as if poised to tell her something; the second man stands on her left at a slight remove, bending his knee and leaning on his racquet in a playful Charlie Chaplin pose.
They all look about thirty, but the taller man is possibly a little older. The tree-covered Alpine slopes in the background are partially blocked out by a sports centre, and the snowcapped peaks on the horizon led the scene an unreal picture postcard feel.
ABOUT 'THE PEOPLE IN THE PHOTO': 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.
Parisian archivist Hélène takes out a newspaper advert calling for information about her mother, who died when she was three, and the two men pictured with her in a photograph taken at a tennis tournament at Interlaken in 1971. Stéphane, a Swiss biologist living in Kent, responds: his father is one of the people in the photo. Letters and more photos pass between them as they embark on a journey to uncover the truth their parents kept from them. But will the relics of the past fill the silences left by the players?
MY THOUGHTS: The People in the Photo is told in a series of newspaper cuttings, letters, emails and postcards. It is a gently rambling story of a woman trying to trace the life of her mother who had died when she was quite young and who was not spoken about by her father or his second wife who had been her mother's friend.
Along the way she picks up the support of Stephane, whose father is also in the photograph. The People in the Photo chronicles their quest to get to know their parents as they sift through letters and journals left to them and to close friends.
The story is beautifully written; it tells of secrets being slowly revealed that have been hidden for decades and chronicles the effects these revelations have on Hélène and Stephane and their burgeoning relationship. It is a story of love, of blame, of forgiveness (or not, as the case may be).
There were occasions that I felt my heart was about to break as Nataliya, or Natasha as she is known, endeavours to build a life with her husband while pining for the man she was not allowed to marry. She leads a tragic life, a sad life, and yet I was fascinated and lingered over little details.
Poignant and beautiful.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.4
#ThePeopleinthePhoto #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Hélène Gestern (born 1971) is a French writer. One of her favorite themes is photography, and the power it exercises over memory.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Gallic Books via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The People in the Photo written by Hélène Gestern and beautifully translated by Emily Boyce and Ros Schwartz for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
They all look about thirty, but the taller man is possibly a little older. The tree-covered Alpine slopes in the background are partially blocked out by a sports centre, and the snowcapped peaks on the horizon led the scene an unreal picture postcard feel.
ABOUT 'THE PEOPLE IN THE PHOTO': 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.
Parisian archivist Hélène takes out a newspaper advert calling for information about her mother, who died when she was three, and the two men pictured with her in a photograph taken at a tennis tournament at Interlaken in 1971. Stéphane, a Swiss biologist living in Kent, responds: his father is one of the people in the photo. Letters and more photos pass between them as they embark on a journey to uncover the truth their parents kept from them. But will the relics of the past fill the silences left by the players?
MY THOUGHTS: The People in the Photo is told in a series of newspaper cuttings, letters, emails and postcards. It is a gently rambling story of a woman trying to trace the life of her mother who had died when she was quite young and who was not spoken about by her father or his second wife who had been her mother's friend.
Along the way she picks up the support of Stephane, whose father is also in the photograph. The People in the Photo chronicles their quest to get to know their parents as they sift through letters and journals left to them and to close friends.
The story is beautifully written; it tells of secrets being slowly revealed that have been hidden for decades and chronicles the effects these revelations have on Hélène and Stephane and their burgeoning relationship. It is a story of love, of blame, of forgiveness (or not, as the case may be).
There were occasions that I felt my heart was about to break as Nataliya, or Natasha as she is known, endeavours to build a life with her husband while pining for the man she was not allowed to marry. She leads a tragic life, a sad life, and yet I was fascinated and lingered over little details.
Poignant and beautiful.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.4
#ThePeopleinthePhoto #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Hélène Gestern (born 1971) is a French writer. One of her favorite themes is photography, and the power it exercises over memory.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Gallic Books via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The People in the Photo written by Hélène Gestern and beautifully translated by Emily Boyce and Ros Schwartz for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
February 16, 2020
"The three figures in the photograph are frozen forever, two men and a woman bathed in sunlight."
The woman in the newspaper photo is Nathalie Hivert who died when her daughter, Helene, was four. Helene was intrigued by the photograph and wanted to know more about her mother's life. She placed an ad in some French and Swiss newspapers, and began a correspondence with Stephane, the son of one of the men in the photo.
The story is told in letters and e-mails with occasional descriptions of other photos linking their parents. Helene and Stephane learn almost more than they can handle emotionally--their parents' secrets and an explanation of their troubled childhoods.
The People in the Photo is a beautifully written book translated from French. I read it in one evening because I could not put it down. Although many of the characters made mistakes in their lives, they were caring people who often did not have a clear option in front of them. This book is recommended to readers who enjoy character-driven fiction.
The woman in the newspaper photo is Nathalie Hivert who died when her daughter, Helene, was four. Helene was intrigued by the photograph and wanted to know more about her mother's life. She placed an ad in some French and Swiss newspapers, and began a correspondence with Stephane, the son of one of the men in the photo.
The story is told in letters and e-mails with occasional descriptions of other photos linking their parents. Helene and Stephane learn almost more than they can handle emotionally--their parents' secrets and an explanation of their troubled childhoods.
The People in the Photo is a beautifully written book translated from French. I read it in one evening because I could not put it down. Although many of the characters made mistakes in their lives, they were caring people who often did not have a clear option in front of them. This book is recommended to readers who enjoy character-driven fiction.
February 9, 2015
3.5 After her Father's death, Helene is sorting through his papers when she finds a photograph of her mother at a tennis tournament, with two unknown young men. Knowing very little about her mother except that she died in an accident when Helene was four, she places an advert with the photo in the newspapers. She receives a reply from a young biologist in Switzerland who claims one of the men in the photo is his late father.
From there, in a series of letter, e-mails and postcards, Helene and Stéphane attempt to solve the mystery of her mother and the fact that her father would never mention her name, and his father and his depressive, aloof nature.
I enjoyed this easy but poignant read. As they unravel clues, letters and at last journals from a friend of both parents and the letter left from her adopted mother after her death, they at last learn the true story. They also form a personal relationship, but will that survive the knowledge they now have on how their parents were connected? Can they forgive what they learn of their parents actions and can they now move forward?
From there, in a series of letter, e-mails and postcards, Helene and Stéphane attempt to solve the mystery of her mother and the fact that her father would never mention her name, and his father and his depressive, aloof nature.
I enjoyed this easy but poignant read. As they unravel clues, letters and at last journals from a friend of both parents and the letter left from her adopted mother after her death, they at last learn the true story. They also form a personal relationship, but will that survive the knowledge they now have on how their parents were connected? Can they forgive what they learn of their parents actions and can they now move forward?
November 16, 2013
Coming 2014 from Gallic Books
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!
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!
March 25, 2014
Once you start this book, you won't want to put it down, each letter and photo gives a little more, slowly unravelling the bigger picture of the lives of the two correspondents and their connection. Riveting.
My full review here at Word by Word.
My full review here at Word by Word.
February 8, 2016
A beautifully written poignant and moving story of parental secrets.
The story starts with Hélène who doesn't remember her mother as she died when she was an infant. She finds a picture of her mother as a very young woman, at a tennis tournament with two young men she did not recognise at all. Hélène places an advertisement, asking for more information about the people in the photo.
Stéphane responds as he recognises one of the young men is his father and so the story unfolds via the correspondence between Stéphane and Hélène.
The book reminded me a little bit of 84 Charing Cross Road in utilising a series of letter, e-mails and postcards as the main narrative. This works particularly well as you gain insight into the feelings, thoughts and personalities of Helene and Stéphane more so than a more traditional narrative.
I particularly enjoyed the exquisite and detailed descriptions of the various photos in the story that brought the unseen fictional images to a sharp clarity.
An enchanting, moving and enjoyable read written in the most beautiful prose.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The story starts with Hélène who doesn't remember her mother as she died when she was an infant. She finds a picture of her mother as a very young woman, at a tennis tournament with two young men she did not recognise at all. Hélène places an advertisement, asking for more information about the people in the photo.
Stéphane responds as he recognises one of the young men is his father and so the story unfolds via the correspondence between Stéphane and Hélène.
The book reminded me a little bit of 84 Charing Cross Road in utilising a series of letter, e-mails and postcards as the main narrative. This works particularly well as you gain insight into the feelings, thoughts and personalities of Helene and Stéphane more so than a more traditional narrative.
I particularly enjoyed the exquisite and detailed descriptions of the various photos in the story that brought the unseen fictional images to a sharp clarity.
An enchanting, moving and enjoyable read written in the most beautiful prose.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
November 28, 2025
Една снимка на близо 40 години среща двама напълно непознати. Защото там са нейната (на Елен) майка, починала много рано, и неговият (на Стефан) отчужден и студен баща. Все повече снимки и факти от една забравена история започват да изплуват, за да обяснят много от настоящето на двамата герои.
Много свеж е подходът действието да напредва чрез разменените писма между Елен и Стефан, придружавани от въздействащите и меланхолични описания на появилите се стари снимки, запечатали една забравена и укривана драма. Стилът на авторката е приятен, мек и увлекателен.
Единствено разкритието на миналото за мен не изпълни началната си висока заявка с натрупаната атмосфера и напрежение. Имаше потенциал за много повече. Но в крайна сметка се оказа приятно преживяване.
3,5⭐️
П.П. С удоволствие бих прочела и друго от авторката, но това е единственият ѝ превод на английски.
Много свеж е подходът действието да напредва чрез разменените писма между Елен и Стефан, придружавани от въздействащите и меланхолични описания на появилите се стари снимки, запечатали една забравена и укривана драма. Стилът на авторката е приятен, мек и увлекателен.
Единствено разкритието на миналото за мен не изпълни началната си висока заявка с натрупаната атмосфера и напрежение. Имаше потенциал за много повече. Но в крайна сметка се оказа приятно преживяване.
3,5⭐️
П.П. С удоволствие бих прочела и друго от авторката, но това е единственият ѝ превод на английски.
May 23, 2016
Secrets.
Hélène Hiver knows virtually nothing about her mother who died when she was four. She learned early never to question her father and stepmother, fearing their anger. But she is now thirty nine years old, her father dead three years and stepmother Sylvia who raised her is without any memory in a rest home.
She finds a newspaper clipping in her father's office, her mother young and beautiful accompanied by two men. From her apartment in Paris, Hélène casts a net with newspaper ads in France and Switzerland and gets the one important reply.
Stéphane Cüstin and Hélène begin the search into the mystery of her mother and the unexplained presence of Pierre Cüstin, Stéphane's father, in the photo.
Stéphane lives in England and travels frequently for business. They communicate with letters which include copies of other findings, email, text messages and slowly they begin to admit their first suspicions of their parents' possible clandestine love affair.
People keep secrets. The cost is borne as empty places where partial memories or disrupted bonds meld, in next generations.
Painful facts are unearthed, some explaining and others devastating.
Hélène writes to Stéphane, "There is no denying we have suffered. ....But the conclusion you came to in an earlier letter is the right one.
We are now the sole beneficiaries of this past, so we alone are responsible for deciding what to do with it."
There is a lovely cadence to the epistolary style of The a People in the Window. One voice calls, another answers and each echo the other's confidences in a rhythm not unlike poetry. As suspense builds, they comfort each other until a point of dissonance, of suffering, cannot be contained.
The ending is wistful, in fact one might say that of the whole story. Author Hélène Gestern invites you to put your feet up, sip a cup of tea and read the letters which tell about someone, or similar to someone that you might know.
Hélène Hiver knows virtually nothing about her mother who died when she was four. She learned early never to question her father and stepmother, fearing their anger. But she is now thirty nine years old, her father dead three years and stepmother Sylvia who raised her is without any memory in a rest home.
She finds a newspaper clipping in her father's office, her mother young and beautiful accompanied by two men. From her apartment in Paris, Hélène casts a net with newspaper ads in France and Switzerland and gets the one important reply.
Stéphane Cüstin and Hélène begin the search into the mystery of her mother and the unexplained presence of Pierre Cüstin, Stéphane's father, in the photo.
Stéphane lives in England and travels frequently for business. They communicate with letters which include copies of other findings, email, text messages and slowly they begin to admit their first suspicions of their parents' possible clandestine love affair.
People keep secrets. The cost is borne as empty places where partial memories or disrupted bonds meld, in next generations.
Painful facts are unearthed, some explaining and others devastating.
Hélène writes to Stéphane, "There is no denying we have suffered. ....But the conclusion you came to in an earlier letter is the right one.
We are now the sole beneficiaries of this past, so we alone are responsible for deciding what to do with it."
There is a lovely cadence to the epistolary style of The a People in the Window. One voice calls, another answers and each echo the other's confidences in a rhythm not unlike poetry. As suspense builds, they comfort each other until a point of dissonance, of suffering, cannot be contained.
The ending is wistful, in fact one might say that of the whole story. Author Hélène Gestern invites you to put your feet up, sip a cup of tea and read the letters which tell about someone, or similar to someone that you might know.
June 23, 2015
page turner consisting of letters (including emails), phone calls, diary entries; while the general outline of the story is easily guessable after a while (the blurb is fairly accurate), the novel is so engrossing that I simply couldn't put it down once I opened it; beside the engrossing story and the very interesting dual set of characters (the present day librarian/archivist and the biology professor and their parents), the book also shows starkly the differences in social life between the 60's and the 70's and present day especially as empowering women and having them have real choices goes;
it is also about friendship, passion, family and how wanting the best for your child, especially in the novel's circumstances (whether it was having had to rebuild your life after history's marching over you and once that done, wanting security for your children, or trying to protect them from the painful past) can backfire so badly and sometimes irreversibly so, sometimes having second chances
if there was one thing I thought a bit forced, it was the decision of one of the main characters to leave and not try again in a few years, though again given his character revealed later and the circumstances, it could be construed as plausible
overall, superb novel and a top 25 of the year
it is also about friendship, passion, family and how wanting the best for your child, especially in the novel's circumstances (whether it was having had to rebuild your life after history's marching over you and once that done, wanting security for your children, or trying to protect them from the painful past) can backfire so badly and sometimes irreversibly so, sometimes having second chances
if there was one thing I thought a bit forced, it was the decision of one of the main characters to leave and not try again in a few years, though again given his character revealed later and the circumstances, it could be construed as plausible
overall, superb novel and a top 25 of the year
August 8, 2014
‘The People in the Photo’ arrived from France garlanded with literary awards. I’m inclined to be a little wary of books like that, books that are often too serious and too modern for my taste, but I fell in love with this particular book. It tells wonderfully moving and though-provoking human story; and it is so very east to read, to become involved, to keep turning the pages because you care about these people and you need to know what happens ….
Hélène didn’t remember her mother, who had died when she was an infant, and no one would ever speak of her. Her father, her step-mother, anyone who might have known her mother drew a careful veil over the past.
But Hélène found a picture, a picture of her mother as a very young woman, at a tennis tournament with two young men she did not recognise at all. Her need to know more was overwhelming, and so she placed an advertisement, asking for more information about the people in the photo.
Stéphane, a Swiss scientist who lived and worked in England, responded. He recognised one of the young men as his father, and that made him realise that he also had unanswered questions about his own history.
Each hoped to learn more from the other, and so they continued to correspond – by letter, by email, by text message. Slowly and steadily they find out more about their parents, their history, and the relationship between them.
They are intelligent, they are articulate, and that illuminates their correspondence. Their words bring Hélène and Stéphane to life, as real, complicated, living, breathing human beings. Two people drawn together by their need for answers about their childhoods and the secrets of the past that their parents have kept from them.
The photographs they found were described so beautifully that I could see the past, could see the people in their photo. That was lovely, and it gave brought those people to life too, and set them apart from the story in the present and the questions being asked about them.
There were photographs from the Swiss mountains, the Brittany coast, and the streets of Paris ….
The plot was intricately and cleverly constructed. Sometimes questions led to answers, and sometimes they would lead to more questions. There were moments of understanding, moments of despair, moments of doubt, moments of hope, before the final pieces fell into place.
I loved that as well as the big picture there were so many little nuances. Little things like a change in salutation, a change in tone, made this correspondence so very real.
At times it was predictable, but sometimes people are predictable.
If I have reservations, it was because I felt that at times the story ran too smoothly. Sometimes answers came too easily, suspense was maintained artificially, there was a little too much good luck …..
But the story held me, because I believed in these people, I cared about them, and I was caught up with their emotional journey and their voyage of discovery from the first page to the last.
Hélène didn’t remember her mother, who had died when she was an infant, and no one would ever speak of her. Her father, her step-mother, anyone who might have known her mother drew a careful veil over the past.
But Hélène found a picture, a picture of her mother as a very young woman, at a tennis tournament with two young men she did not recognise at all. Her need to know more was overwhelming, and so she placed an advertisement, asking for more information about the people in the photo.
Stéphane, a Swiss scientist who lived and worked in England, responded. He recognised one of the young men as his father, and that made him realise that he also had unanswered questions about his own history.
Each hoped to learn more from the other, and so they continued to correspond – by letter, by email, by text message. Slowly and steadily they find out more about their parents, their history, and the relationship between them.
They are intelligent, they are articulate, and that illuminates their correspondence. Their words bring Hélène and Stéphane to life, as real, complicated, living, breathing human beings. Two people drawn together by their need for answers about their childhoods and the secrets of the past that their parents have kept from them.
The photographs they found were described so beautifully that I could see the past, could see the people in their photo. That was lovely, and it gave brought those people to life too, and set them apart from the story in the present and the questions being asked about them.
There were photographs from the Swiss mountains, the Brittany coast, and the streets of Paris ….
The plot was intricately and cleverly constructed. Sometimes questions led to answers, and sometimes they would lead to more questions. There were moments of understanding, moments of despair, moments of doubt, moments of hope, before the final pieces fell into place.
I loved that as well as the big picture there were so many little nuances. Little things like a change in salutation, a change in tone, made this correspondence so very real.
At times it was predictable, but sometimes people are predictable.
If I have reservations, it was because I felt that at times the story ran too smoothly. Sometimes answers came too easily, suspense was maintained artificially, there was a little too much good luck …..
But the story held me, because I believed in these people, I cared about them, and I was caught up with their emotional journey and their voyage of discovery from the first page to the last.
January 12, 2017
This is a book of letters, emails, text messages and diary excerpts, with each chapter beginning with a segment written in no-point-of-view prose, like a text book (or omniscient author). It is a translation from the French.
Parisian archivist Helene knows very little about her mother who died when Helene was four. Hoping to find out something about her, Helene puts an ad in the newspaper, with a photo of her mother and two men.
The response is the story. It is a story within a story, as we follow the interaction between the letter-writers and at the same time, we learn the story the photos tell.
The book is well written - and has won many awards - but although I really enjoyed it and wanted to keep reading , there was a slight emotional distancing between reader and protagonists, possibly the result of its being a story within a story, and letters.
Parisian archivist Helene knows very little about her mother who died when Helene was four. Hoping to find out something about her, Helene puts an ad in the newspaper, with a photo of her mother and two men.
The response is the story. It is a story within a story, as we follow the interaction between the letter-writers and at the same time, we learn the story the photos tell.
The book is well written - and has won many awards - but although I really enjoyed it and wanted to keep reading , there was a slight emotional distancing between reader and protagonists, possibly the result of its being a story within a story, and letters.
July 10, 2014
Rule #1 when writing an epistolary novel: make sure the two characters are actually distinct and distinguishable.
August 17, 2014
There are times when you read a book that takes your breath away…you sit for hours on end trying to internalize what you have just read…. trying to piece together the storm of emotions as your brain tries to re-direct itself to the more practical and realistic matters at hand, but for all its effort, neither the brain nor your heart can process the catharsis that you have gone through!! It’s an emotional trauma, not necessarily bad, but definitely something you cannot ignore nor can you afford to overlook, because you stay completely stunned and mesmerized by what you have just read.
As usual one may wonder exactly what am I blubbering about?
I am talking about “The People in the Photo” by Hélène Gestern (Translated by Emily Boyce and Ros Schwartz). Now on the face of it, it may not be a book I usually pick up – I mean its French (can’t abide by it!! I love France and its people and its food, but I somehow cannot make up my mind about their literature – I think the tragedies of Madame Bovary and Les Miserables hangs over me!!) its set in present day and as everyone knows I am most comfortable in 19th century and a brief synopsis looked suspiciously of a Kate Morton novel married to a romance chick lit. (I like Kate Morton and like all chicks I do dig into romance once in a while, but somehow put them together and it seems like a Rebecca wanna be!) But the cliché of never judging a book by its cover came absolutely true in this instance.
The book opens with a description of a picture and “the people’ in the picture and this unique start to the narrative is in itself a wonderful beginning. Hélène an archivist is looking for some answers – she wants to know who the two people are in the picture and if they had any information about her mother, the third person in the picture. Hélène’s mother Natasha died when she was very young and was brought up by her father and her step mother Sylvie. Now Sylvie is the last stage of Alzheimer disease and her father has already died couple of years ago. In an effort to understand her roots before it completely slips away, Hélène puts out an advertisement in the paper seeking more information about the other two people in the photograph. Stéphane, a Swiss biologist settled in England responds to the advertisement stating the two men in the picture are known to him – his father and his Godfather. However he has no idea how the two men knew Hélène’s mother! As they begin to communicate more often they delve into the past of Natasha and Pierre and Jean and Sylvia and how they all were connected and how each of their lives were shaped by the actions of the past!
It’s a beautiful work narrated through letters, emails and texts; the only descriptive chapters are the ones a photograph is explained. The details of these photographs are richly drawn and one can practically see those pictures in one’s mind, so vivid are the imagery of the words. The characters are rich and more importantly, they are all human – there is good, bad and ugly and the ability to repent and to forgive, the wide array of emotions that make a human, humane. Most importantly, what could have been a clichéd story, has been very cleverly crafted into a lovely heart searing sometimes tragic and sometimes optimistic tale. This novel is a testimony to the fact that while the stories of mankind are more or less the same, how you choose to tell those stories, proves your worth as a storyteller. Ms. Gestern has definitely proved she is worthy and so much more – an awesome debut!!
A last word of Thanks to Jane; it was her wonderful review of this book that prompted me to read it. Like her I am not particularly very modern in reading tastes, and this book smacked of it!! But her tastes in books are excellent and I have been introduced to many great authors thanks to her. So I plunged in and as always, it was a great experience!!
As usual one may wonder exactly what am I blubbering about?
I am talking about “The People in the Photo” by Hélène Gestern (Translated by Emily Boyce and Ros Schwartz). Now on the face of it, it may not be a book I usually pick up – I mean its French (can’t abide by it!! I love France and its people and its food, but I somehow cannot make up my mind about their literature – I think the tragedies of Madame Bovary and Les Miserables hangs over me!!) its set in present day and as everyone knows I am most comfortable in 19th century and a brief synopsis looked suspiciously of a Kate Morton novel married to a romance chick lit. (I like Kate Morton and like all chicks I do dig into romance once in a while, but somehow put them together and it seems like a Rebecca wanna be!) But the cliché of never judging a book by its cover came absolutely true in this instance.
The book opens with a description of a picture and “the people’ in the picture and this unique start to the narrative is in itself a wonderful beginning. Hélène an archivist is looking for some answers – she wants to know who the two people are in the picture and if they had any information about her mother, the third person in the picture. Hélène’s mother Natasha died when she was very young and was brought up by her father and her step mother Sylvie. Now Sylvie is the last stage of Alzheimer disease and her father has already died couple of years ago. In an effort to understand her roots before it completely slips away, Hélène puts out an advertisement in the paper seeking more information about the other two people in the photograph. Stéphane, a Swiss biologist settled in England responds to the advertisement stating the two men in the picture are known to him – his father and his Godfather. However he has no idea how the two men knew Hélène’s mother! As they begin to communicate more often they delve into the past of Natasha and Pierre and Jean and Sylvia and how they all were connected and how each of their lives were shaped by the actions of the past!
It’s a beautiful work narrated through letters, emails and texts; the only descriptive chapters are the ones a photograph is explained. The details of these photographs are richly drawn and one can practically see those pictures in one’s mind, so vivid are the imagery of the words. The characters are rich and more importantly, they are all human – there is good, bad and ugly and the ability to repent and to forgive, the wide array of emotions that make a human, humane. Most importantly, what could have been a clichéd story, has been very cleverly crafted into a lovely heart searing sometimes tragic and sometimes optimistic tale. This novel is a testimony to the fact that while the stories of mankind are more or less the same, how you choose to tell those stories, proves your worth as a storyteller. Ms. Gestern has definitely proved she is worthy and so much more – an awesome debut!!
A last word of Thanks to Jane; it was her wonderful review of this book that prompted me to read it. Like her I am not particularly very modern in reading tastes, and this book smacked of it!! But her tastes in books are excellent and I have been introduced to many great authors thanks to her. So I plunged in and as always, it was a great experience!!
July 28, 2017
Helene and Stephane join together in a search for the identity of people in photo, one of whom is her mother and another of whom is his father. Their search leads them to more photos, letters and journals, and in the process they learn more about the secrets their parents had. The entire story is told through e-mails and text messages and letters and journal entries and descriptions of photos. It's a captivating story that gives readers both a mystery and philosophical food for thought.
September 21, 2014
Meh. Another so-so book to add to my recent reads. Am I in a personal slump, are my tastes changing or have I just been picking a run of bad'uns?
April 16, 2024
A pair of strangers bond over some found photographs of their parents, images whose innocuous appearance conceals a lifetime's worth of secrets. Their story is told entirely in correspondence.
This isn't the sort of book I'd read normally outside of book club, but it is a good choice for discussion groups. The act of uncovering the historical story through photographs interested me far more than the relationship between the modern-day main characters.
This isn't the sort of book I'd read normally outside of book club, but it is a good choice for discussion groups. The act of uncovering the historical story through photographs interested me far more than the relationship between the modern-day main characters.
July 4, 2025
Love this Genre of novel. the clue in a long lost foto the wrong face in a crowd. the secret history and possibilities. peoples secrets and loves and the outcome of hidden pieces of their lives. and the letters written back and forth leading to attachments and intrigue,not always easy and surprising. loved this....
August 9, 2014
The three figures in the photograph are frozen for ever, two men and a woman bathed in sunlight. All three are dressed in white and holding tennis racquets."
Helene (I can't do the accents on this keyboard, sorry!) has put an ad into a paper seeking information on an old photograph (described above). Two of the people in the photo from 1971 are named, the second man is not. Helene knows that the woman in the photo is her mother, but neither of the men are her father. She was raised by her father and stepmother, and they both hid information about her birth mother from her. Why? What are they hiding?
Helene gets a response from Stephane, who has seen the paper and recognises one of the men in the photo as his father. He also has information about the other man. A correspondance begins between Helene and Stephane - she wanting to learn about her mother, he wanting to learn more about his father, who was very closed off and private.
The book is written in the form of emails, letters and text messages between Helene and Stephane. Sadly this isn't "The Jolly Postman" - there are no font changes or special papers or anything. This format makes it easy to read and easy to follow. It was like an extra-long episode of Long Lost Family, with little bits of information and history being slowly revealed until Helene and Stephane discover the truth.
I found it dragged in places, and I really didn't like Helene. She dithered and she made a big deal about little things. I know she was looking for information, but she had it there in front of her for ages and "couldn't get the courage" to open it?! Surely if you were waiting years to find out about your mother, you'd open it straight away?! The tale itself was sad, it was a melancholy story about love and loss, sadness and regret. I suppose it was to tell the characters to live for now, and to do what makes them happy in the moment, but I didn't connect with either of them and I wasn't overly bothered about what they did, to be honest.
I really think there should have been photos included with the book. While the author and translator both have extraordinary skills in describing details of photographs, the addition of at least one or two would have peaked my interest a little more. I also found the book a bit too long, but it was very cheap on amazon so I suppose I can't complain.
Helene (I can't do the accents on this keyboard, sorry!) has put an ad into a paper seeking information on an old photograph (described above). Two of the people in the photo from 1971 are named, the second man is not. Helene knows that the woman in the photo is her mother, but neither of the men are her father. She was raised by her father and stepmother, and they both hid information about her birth mother from her. Why? What are they hiding?
Helene gets a response from Stephane, who has seen the paper and recognises one of the men in the photo as his father. He also has information about the other man. A correspondance begins between Helene and Stephane - she wanting to learn about her mother, he wanting to learn more about his father, who was very closed off and private.
The book is written in the form of emails, letters and text messages between Helene and Stephane. Sadly this isn't "The Jolly Postman" - there are no font changes or special papers or anything. This format makes it easy to read and easy to follow. It was like an extra-long episode of Long Lost Family, with little bits of information and history being slowly revealed until Helene and Stephane discover the truth.
I found it dragged in places, and I really didn't like Helene. She dithered and she made a big deal about little things. I know she was looking for information, but she had it there in front of her for ages and "couldn't get the courage" to open it?! Surely if you were waiting years to find out about your mother, you'd open it straight away?! The tale itself was sad, it was a melancholy story about love and loss, sadness and regret. I suppose it was to tell the characters to live for now, and to do what makes them happy in the moment, but I didn't connect with either of them and I wasn't overly bothered about what they did, to be honest.
I really think there should have been photos included with the book. While the author and translator both have extraordinary skills in describing details of photographs, the addition of at least one or two would have peaked my interest a little more. I also found the book a bit too long, but it was very cheap on amazon so I suppose I can't complain.
April 12, 2014
This book is one that I probably never would have heard about or even considered if I had not gotten it sent to me for consideration for possible review. Once, it arrived, I was very interested in reading it. I grabbed it and dug in. Wow, I loved how the story of lost love mixed with the present and a little mystery was portrayed in this story. It goes to show you that all you need is a good author who knows how to write to bring life to any story.
The way this story was told with the back and forth correspondence was nice. I liked that the author made the story move faster by jumped days or even weeks between Helene and Stephane. Although there is no real surprise as to how the story ends or even how Helene and Stephane are connected, their story is still a lovely one. Love can span time and long distance. If you are looking for a new author to read, then you should check out Helene Gestern and The People in the Photo.
The way this story was told with the back and forth correspondence was nice. I liked that the author made the story move faster by jumped days or even weeks between Helene and Stephane. Although there is no real surprise as to how the story ends or even how Helene and Stephane are connected, their story is still a lovely one. Love can span time and long distance. If you are looking for a new author to read, then you should check out Helene Gestern and The People in the Photo.
January 16, 2022
Second reading just as engaging as the first
Grabbed me from the first page.
Never Spoilers.
The flow of this story was so natural. Great descriptions of photos that make you think you are viewing them. You want to find the answers with the MCs. I can see why this has won so many awards. One of my favorites of the year.
Grabbed me from the first page.
Never Spoilers.
The flow of this story was so natural. Great descriptions of photos that make you think you are viewing them. You want to find the answers with the MCs. I can see why this has won so many awards. One of my favorites of the year.
February 25, 2021
The People in the Photo by Hélène Gestern, translated from the French by Emily Boyce and Ros Schwartz, unfolds in a series of letters, texts, and emails between Hélène, a French archivist; and Stéphane, a Swiss biologist living in England.
Hélène discovers a photograph of her mother with two men while sorting through her father’s papers after his death. Having virtually no knowledge of her mother who died when Hélène was too young to remember her, she decides to post the photograph in the paper asking if anyone can identify either of the men. She receives a response from Stéphane who informs her that one of the men is his father; the other is a close family friend. The two begin corresponding. They unearth more photos, snippets of memories, postcards, and letters until they eventually piece together long held secrets about their parents’ lives and loves.
In this award-winning novel, Hélène Gestern captures the poignancy of lost love, heartache, and egregious mistakes made with the best of intentions to protect loved ones. The poignancy is heightened with descriptions of photos that intermittently interrupt the correspondence. Hélène describes each photo in intricate detail as she searches for answers behind a sideways glance, a relaxed pose, the position of a hand, a forced smile. Frozen in time, the characters initially conceal their secrets. But as she and Stéphane piece together their parents’ lives and tragic circumstances, they breathe life into the characters. The subtle gestures and wistful expressions gradually reveal painful secrets that had previously been buried.
Gestern adroitly unlocks the power of photographs to not only freeze a moment in time but to transport us back to a time and place and persons who have long since disappeared. Her use of letters and emails circumvents authorial intrusion by placing the reader alongside Hélène and Stéphane as they gradually unearth the past. Furthermore, the intricate description of each newly discovered photograph invites the reader to decipher the image with Hélène and Stéphane while they construct a narrative behind the image. We participate in their discovery and share in their anticipation as they unravel family secrets.
A poignant story told in compelling, eloquent prose of the role of memory in identity, of secrets shrouded in silence, of betrayal, and of the tragic loss of a life.
Highly recommended.
My book reviews are also available at www.tamaraaghajaffar.com
Hélène discovers a photograph of her mother with two men while sorting through her father’s papers after his death. Having virtually no knowledge of her mother who died when Hélène was too young to remember her, she decides to post the photograph in the paper asking if anyone can identify either of the men. She receives a response from Stéphane who informs her that one of the men is his father; the other is a close family friend. The two begin corresponding. They unearth more photos, snippets of memories, postcards, and letters until they eventually piece together long held secrets about their parents’ lives and loves.
In this award-winning novel, Hélène Gestern captures the poignancy of lost love, heartache, and egregious mistakes made with the best of intentions to protect loved ones. The poignancy is heightened with descriptions of photos that intermittently interrupt the correspondence. Hélène describes each photo in intricate detail as she searches for answers behind a sideways glance, a relaxed pose, the position of a hand, a forced smile. Frozen in time, the characters initially conceal their secrets. But as she and Stéphane piece together their parents’ lives and tragic circumstances, they breathe life into the characters. The subtle gestures and wistful expressions gradually reveal painful secrets that had previously been buried.
Gestern adroitly unlocks the power of photographs to not only freeze a moment in time but to transport us back to a time and place and persons who have long since disappeared. Her use of letters and emails circumvents authorial intrusion by placing the reader alongside Hélène and Stéphane as they gradually unearth the past. Furthermore, the intricate description of each newly discovered photograph invites the reader to decipher the image with Hélène and Stéphane while they construct a narrative behind the image. We participate in their discovery and share in their anticipation as they unravel family secrets.
A poignant story told in compelling, eloquent prose of the role of memory in identity, of secrets shrouded in silence, of betrayal, and of the tragic loss of a life.
Highly recommended.
My book reviews are also available at www.tamaraaghajaffar.com
January 26, 2013
Hélène Hivert n’a pas connu sa mère, Nathalie morte alors qu’elle n’avait que trois ans. Elle a été par la suite légalement adoptée par la deuxième épouse de son père, Sylvia, qui a été une mère tendre et attentionnée pour elle. Alors que son père est mort et que Sylvia, atteinte de la maladie d’Alzheimer, ne peut plus répondre à ses questions sur sa mère biologique, Hélène a trouvé entre les pages d’un livre une coupure de journal datant de l’été 1971. Un entrefilet relate les résultats d’un tournoi de tennis amateur qui s’est tenu à Interlaken, dont les vainqueurs étaient Mme N. Hivert et M. P. Crüsten. Tous deux figurent sur une photo, en compagnie d’un autre homme qui n’est pas nommé.
Il s’agit d’un roman épistolaire, qui sait utiliser à merveille les moyens modernes de communication. Au début, les premiers contacts entre Hélène et Stéphane se font par lettres, classiquement, ils s’appellent Monsieur et Madame, sont très formels. Puis, c’est une véritable amitié qui s’installe, petit à petit, pleine de confiance et de discrétion. Lorsque Stéphane doit partir travailler en Islande, la correspondance avec Hélène se fait par mail afin de gagner du temps. Quelquefois, ils échangeront des SMS, surtout une fois qu’ils se seront rencontrés en face à face. Mais de ces rencontres, le lecteur en saura très peu, même lorsque la relation évolue au-delà de l’amitié. Et c’est cette pudeur que j’ai aimé dans ce livre, délicat et émouvant sans jamais être mièvre.
De nombreux billets à propos de ce livre font référence à Quand souffle le vent du Nord de Daniel Glattauer, à cause de sa forme épistolaire, sans doute. En ce qui me concerne, il n’y a rien de semblable entre ces deux livres, si ce n’est le genre. Autant j’avais détesté le minaudage d’Emmy, autant j’ai apprécié ici la justesse des émotions et la sincérité des correspondants. Plusieurs fois, les découvertes menacent de bouleverser leur relation mais tour à tour, chacun trouve des ressources pour continuer la quête et se méfier des faux-semblants.
Ce livre est une réussite et je le recommande fortement.
Il s’agit d’un roman épistolaire, qui sait utiliser à merveille les moyens modernes de communication. Au début, les premiers contacts entre Hélène et Stéphane se font par lettres, classiquement, ils s’appellent Monsieur et Madame, sont très formels. Puis, c’est une véritable amitié qui s’installe, petit à petit, pleine de confiance et de discrétion. Lorsque Stéphane doit partir travailler en Islande, la correspondance avec Hélène se fait par mail afin de gagner du temps. Quelquefois, ils échangeront des SMS, surtout une fois qu’ils se seront rencontrés en face à face. Mais de ces rencontres, le lecteur en saura très peu, même lorsque la relation évolue au-delà de l’amitié. Et c’est cette pudeur que j’ai aimé dans ce livre, délicat et émouvant sans jamais être mièvre.
De nombreux billets à propos de ce livre font référence à Quand souffle le vent du Nord de Daniel Glattauer, à cause de sa forme épistolaire, sans doute. En ce qui me concerne, il n’y a rien de semblable entre ces deux livres, si ce n’est le genre. Autant j’avais détesté le minaudage d’Emmy, autant j’ai apprécié ici la justesse des émotions et la sincérité des correspondants. Plusieurs fois, les découvertes menacent de bouleverser leur relation mais tour à tour, chacun trouve des ressources pour continuer la quête et se méfier des faux-semblants.
Ce livre est une réussite et je le recommande fortement.
February 24, 2015
It's been a long time since I've read a book that wasn't recommended to me in some way. I plucked this off the New Books shelf at the library and what a pleasant surprise! Told almost exclusively in letters and emails but with some extraordinarily detailed descriptions of old photographs, it is a story of family secrets waiting to be discovered. Helene's mother died when Helene was only 4 so she doesn't remember her. Neither her father nor her stepmother will answer any of her questions about her mother and when she finds an old photo of her mother and two young men she places an advert in the newspaper. Enter Stephane. He believes he knows who both of the men are. What follows in a correspondence and some revelations about both of their families. I could not put this book down. The descriptions of the photos were so beautifully written and the characters compelling. I cannot imagine knowing so little about my mother and being thwarted every time I asked a question.
March 12, 2015
Written in epistolary form, this novel gives us insight into Helene & Stephane's lives as they search for answers to their parents past. I've said it before but I really like reading a novel that's just letters. This one had a little mystery to it. I really felt like I was on this journey with these two as they set out to open Pandora's box. It was a little sad when Helene & Stephane learn the truth but I enjoyed watching (reading) these two develop their own relationship through all the sadness.
June 5, 2014
'Sometimes I wonder what 'truth' it is we're chasing after exactly, and what kind of state it will leave us in if we find it.'
Hélène Hivert is an archivist in Paris. She places a newspaper advertisement with a photograph, asking for information about the people in it. One of them is her mother, Nathalie, and then there are two men in the photography with her. It was taken in 1971 at a tennis tournament in Interlaken. Hélène's mother died when she was only three years old. She receives a response from Stéphane, informing her that his father Pierre was one of the two men in the photograph. Stéphane is Swiss, a biologist currently living in Kent, England.
After his initial response, further correspondence is undertaken between the two, and they reveal memories and gaps in their pasts to each other, increasingly able to confide in each other. They uncover more about their pasts and those of their parents. But it remains to be seen whether the things they discover will help or hurt them, bring them relief and understanding or pain and sadness; either way, the revelations will affect and change their lives:
'...I'm aware that digging up the past is risky. Who knows what secrets they were trying to protect us from and at what cost?'
Hélène's father disclosed little about her mother, and she was raised by a loving stepmother too. After her father's death she found the photograph of her mother with the two men, and decided to now try and find out more about Nathalie. Some of the pair's relatives have passed away, so they must look harder sometimes if they are to continue the search for the truth that has been hidden in history.
I loved this book. Once I started reading, I was captivated by the story, I cared about the characters and I didn't want to stop reading until I'd finished it. The narrative is told predominantly through the exchanges between Hélène and Stéphane via the content of their letters, emails and text messages. It was incredibly moving to be an observer of their exchanges, reading how their connection to each other developed and evolved as they corresponded, and to notice the similarities in some of the feelings and emotions they had experienced in their lives:
'I too feel that inner emptiness, which you describe so poignantly. And, as I grow older, I find it increasingly hard to bear.'
There is a very understandable need to find answers, to discover their real background, so that they might feel a truer sense of themselves too:
'You told me you found it difficult to come to terms with your background. As for me, I've been plagued by anxiety my whole life. My mind is filled with images I can't explain, scenes of catastrophe and things falling apart. I have rarely been able to shake this sense of anguish, even at what should have been the happiest times of my life.'
This aspect in particular really appealed to me; who doesn't wonder about those parts of their past and their family's past that they know little of, and if this relates to a parent, even more so.
Another part to the narrative, interspered amongst the correspondence, are descriptions of further old photographs; these are uncovered as the story progresses, and each sheds light on another aspect of the past. Each is beautifully described by the author, so that without having them in front of us, it is almost as if we do, and we can picture them in our minds eye.
The People in the Photo is a wonderful, emotional and very moving read, definitely a keeper for me, and a book I'd love to read again. I do like epistolary novels and this form works very well here, brought up to date by the use of email and text. There are themes of love and friendship, identity and memory, confronting and dealing with the past, and finding forgiveness. There's always a sense of intrigue and wonder when we look at old photographs of people and this novel captures this and delivers a great story via this starting point. One of my favourite reads so far this year. Beautifully written and translated, I loved the structure and the way the story was told, so I'd certainly recommend this novel. I hope there will be more novels from this author.
Hélène Hivert is an archivist in Paris. She places a newspaper advertisement with a photograph, asking for information about the people in it. One of them is her mother, Nathalie, and then there are two men in the photography with her. It was taken in 1971 at a tennis tournament in Interlaken. Hélène's mother died when she was only three years old. She receives a response from Stéphane, informing her that his father Pierre was one of the two men in the photograph. Stéphane is Swiss, a biologist currently living in Kent, England.
After his initial response, further correspondence is undertaken between the two, and they reveal memories and gaps in their pasts to each other, increasingly able to confide in each other. They uncover more about their pasts and those of their parents. But it remains to be seen whether the things they discover will help or hurt them, bring them relief and understanding or pain and sadness; either way, the revelations will affect and change their lives:
'...I'm aware that digging up the past is risky. Who knows what secrets they were trying to protect us from and at what cost?'
Hélène's father disclosed little about her mother, and she was raised by a loving stepmother too. After her father's death she found the photograph of her mother with the two men, and decided to now try and find out more about Nathalie. Some of the pair's relatives have passed away, so they must look harder sometimes if they are to continue the search for the truth that has been hidden in history.
I loved this book. Once I started reading, I was captivated by the story, I cared about the characters and I didn't want to stop reading until I'd finished it. The narrative is told predominantly through the exchanges between Hélène and Stéphane via the content of their letters, emails and text messages. It was incredibly moving to be an observer of their exchanges, reading how their connection to each other developed and evolved as they corresponded, and to notice the similarities in some of the feelings and emotions they had experienced in their lives:
'I too feel that inner emptiness, which you describe so poignantly. And, as I grow older, I find it increasingly hard to bear.'
There is a very understandable need to find answers, to discover their real background, so that they might feel a truer sense of themselves too:
'You told me you found it difficult to come to terms with your background. As for me, I've been plagued by anxiety my whole life. My mind is filled with images I can't explain, scenes of catastrophe and things falling apart. I have rarely been able to shake this sense of anguish, even at what should have been the happiest times of my life.'
This aspect in particular really appealed to me; who doesn't wonder about those parts of their past and their family's past that they know little of, and if this relates to a parent, even more so.
Another part to the narrative, interspered amongst the correspondence, are descriptions of further old photographs; these are uncovered as the story progresses, and each sheds light on another aspect of the past. Each is beautifully described by the author, so that without having them in front of us, it is almost as if we do, and we can picture them in our minds eye.
The People in the Photo is a wonderful, emotional and very moving read, definitely a keeper for me, and a book I'd love to read again. I do like epistolary novels and this form works very well here, brought up to date by the use of email and text. There are themes of love and friendship, identity and memory, confronting and dealing with the past, and finding forgiveness. There's always a sense of intrigue and wonder when we look at old photographs of people and this novel captures this and delivers a great story via this starting point. One of my favourite reads so far this year. Beautifully written and translated, I loved the structure and the way the story was told, so I'd certainly recommend this novel. I hope there will be more novels from this author.
July 23, 2014
This is an epistolary novel, meaning that the story is revealed through a series of correspondences; in this case, between Helene and Stephane.
Helene lost her mother at age 3, though details pertaining to her mother have always been shrouded in mystery, and the mere mention of her mother and the cause of her death had only been met with stony silence, discomfort and anger.
Now approaching middle age, Helene's father has died and she finds herself sorting through his papers, only to find an old newspaper clipping of a tennis club presentation, captioning the woman in the photo as Nathalie, Helene's mother. She stands alongside two men.
With ignited curiosity about her mother and her life, Helene forms a desperate plea for information, through a newspaper ad, requesting information about the two men in the photo. After many weeks, Helene receives a reply from Stephane, who might have some longed for answers for Helene about her mother, but little do they know, they are about to open a Pandora's Box.
Rather than a "who dunnit", this is a who-is-it. The intrigue and curiosity about the people in the photo immediately draws the reader in, and continues,as each letter or email reveals a little more or dispels this or that theory.
In addition to the family mystery, the relationship between Parisian Helene and Swiss born, UK residing Stephane develops with the arrival of each correspondence and their shared childhood pains and present day need "to know".
Many times Helene was presented with articles that might surely bring her closer to having her questions answered, but avoided opening a parcel or letter, and I really wanted to scream - JUST OPEN THE DAMN THING, but with patience the mystery is revealed.
Helene lost her mother at age 3, though details pertaining to her mother have always been shrouded in mystery, and the mere mention of her mother and the cause of her death had only been met with stony silence, discomfort and anger.
Now approaching middle age, Helene's father has died and she finds herself sorting through his papers, only to find an old newspaper clipping of a tennis club presentation, captioning the woman in the photo as Nathalie, Helene's mother. She stands alongside two men.
With ignited curiosity about her mother and her life, Helene forms a desperate plea for information, through a newspaper ad, requesting information about the two men in the photo. After many weeks, Helene receives a reply from Stephane, who might have some longed for answers for Helene about her mother, but little do they know, they are about to open a Pandora's Box.
Rather than a "who dunnit", this is a who-is-it. The intrigue and curiosity about the people in the photo immediately draws the reader in, and continues,as each letter or email reveals a little more or dispels this or that theory.
In addition to the family mystery, the relationship between Parisian Helene and Swiss born, UK residing Stephane develops with the arrival of each correspondence and their shared childhood pains and present day need "to know".
Many times Helene was presented with articles that might surely bring her closer to having her questions answered, but avoided opening a parcel or letter, and I really wanted to scream - JUST OPEN THE DAMN THING, but with patience the mystery is revealed.
April 30, 2015
Every now and then it is wonderful to find a book that you can just grab and race through the pages. The sentences flow beautifully, there is no flipping backwards and forwards and the storyline keeps you intrigued. The People in the Photo is such a book. From the opening lines you are away. "The three figures in the photograph are frozen for ever, two men and a woman bathed in sunlight."
After the discovery of a newspaper clipping of the photo described above, Parisian archivist Hélène takes out a newspaper advert calling for information about her mother, who died when she was three, and the two men pictured with her in a photograph taken at a tennis tournament at Interlaken in 1971. Stéphane, a Swiss biologist living in Kent, responds: his father is one of the people in the photo. Letters and more photos pass between them as they embark on a journey to uncover the truth their parents kept from them. But will the relics of the past fill the silences left by the players?
Although the novel is told in a series of letters I found that this doesn't constrain the flow of events at all. In fact as the letters travel backwards and forwards we gradually find out about both the letter-writers - their relationship with their parents, their troubled childhoods and how the past has impacted on both their present day lives.
The strength of the novel in the descriptive passages about several photographs that turn up. "...But for now, the sunlight bouncing off the water, the mercury coloured beach,the tree stump breakwaters, the solitude of idle stone are timeless, forming a moment suspended between land and sea where the muted light of an afternoon redolent of salt water and marine birds is gently fading."
After the discovery of a newspaper clipping of the photo described above, Parisian archivist Hélène takes out a newspaper advert calling for information about her mother, who died when she was three, and the two men pictured with her in a photograph taken at a tennis tournament at Interlaken in 1971. Stéphane, a Swiss biologist living in Kent, responds: his father is one of the people in the photo. Letters and more photos pass between them as they embark on a journey to uncover the truth their parents kept from them. But will the relics of the past fill the silences left by the players?
Although the novel is told in a series of letters I found that this doesn't constrain the flow of events at all. In fact as the letters travel backwards and forwards we gradually find out about both the letter-writers - their relationship with their parents, their troubled childhoods and how the past has impacted on both their present day lives.
The strength of the novel in the descriptive passages about several photographs that turn up. "...But for now, the sunlight bouncing off the water, the mercury coloured beach,the tree stump breakwaters, the solitude of idle stone are timeless, forming a moment suspended between land and sea where the muted light of an afternoon redolent of salt water and marine birds is gently fading."
August 30, 2020
Un roman épistolaire plein de sensibilité. L'écrivain avec un style simple présente une intrigue bien amenée. J'ai surtout aimé comment l'auteur rendait les photos vivantes par sa description détaillée.
November 12, 2014
“The People in the Photo” is one of the most beautifully written novels I’ve read this year, in both its use of language and its format.
The epistolary format, using letters, e-mails and text messages, is both removed and intimate, building suspense while allowing the reader to carefully strip away the layers of two family histories. It matches the intensity of the chapters devoted solely to describing a photograph or a journal entry. All provide the reader with modest description and intimacy, allowing the reader to strip away each layer of a carefully constructed story to reveal a satisfying, yet heartbreaking conclusion.
The epistolary format, using letters, e-mails and text messages, is both removed and intimate, building suspense while allowing the reader to carefully strip away the layers of two family histories. It matches the intensity of the chapters devoted solely to describing a photograph or a journal entry. All provide the reader with modest description and intimacy, allowing the reader to strip away each layer of a carefully constructed story to reveal a satisfying, yet heartbreaking conclusion.
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