Out of the Picture

by Polly Samson

Quite unlike her fair stepsisters, Lizzie is dark and "Just like your father," says her mother—but what was her father like? Photos of him are hidden away; snatches of overheard conversation between her mother and her stepfather deepen the mystery. When events propel Lizzie alone to London, she stops wondering and starts searching. Beautifully evoking the ache of childhood loss, the scrappy joys of chaotic families, and the hurt and relief of understanding,  Out of the Picture  reveals Polly Samson's talent for laying bare the uncomfortable truths that lie just under the skin— in every family, in every secret.

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 13, 2000

About the author

Polly Samson is the author of three novels and two collections of short stories. Her most recent novel, A Theatre for Dreamers, reached number 2 in The Sunday Times bestsellers list and she has written introductions to new editions of Charmian Clift's Mermaid Singing and Peel Me A Lotus which will be published in April 2021.

Reviews

[Laura Bit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this novel, especially the first part that tells Lizzie's impossible love story. I've read it mostly on the beach and the pages flowed fast. There are many twists and turns, sometimes I had to stop reading for a moment to absorb it all.
The thing I love most about Polly's writing are the descriptions: every time I read one of her books I feel like I'm going back to my beloved England and live the life of the characters.
I enjoyed the music references (even though they are quite random in the story). And the photo of Syd Barrett of course.
I've found the last part where she's stalking her father a bit awkward and sometimes it was making me uneasy, maybe because I was identifying myself with Lizzie and I was so scared that she was getting herself into big troubles.
A part from this, I really liked it, I'll probably read it again.

[João Solimeo · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some missed opportunities here, some scenes could´ve been better developed; but it´s a good book, very well written, interesting characters, a very feminine voice. The thing that I liked the least was the fact that the author chose to randomly alternate narrators.

[☆ Driti ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the characters and all for what they are worth but got so lost in between because the author was constantly changing the voices and the timeline I could not- THIS IS JUST A STRETCHED OUT NOVELLA GUYS THAT I HAD TO READ FOR MY LIBRARY CLASS I WAS FALLING ASLEEP SO MANY TIMES 😭😭

[Maryann · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pointless novel about a young lady, after discovering her sluttish best-friend and step-father together, moves away and fancies herself in love with a man twice her age even though he's sexually abusive. She lets him treat her like a cheap sex toy for a while, throwing away opportunities with better men who have found interest in her. She lies to everyone, making up stories about her life to cover up her secret romance with the paedophile. She later starts stalking her biological father and begins breaking and entering into his home when his not around. Her mother is suicidal, her best friend becomes pregnant, her dogs gets cancer and they all live happily ever after. I didn't really thing the main character was a slut but she was a very weak woman who let everyone treat her like a doormat. The only character that appealed to me was the young magician who appeared now and again throughout the story.........
Now that I've finished the story, I thought the ending sort of made up for the rest of the novel. Great ending. At the end, father and daughter meet. The young girl, (main character) fantasizes about murdering her father and then when they finally meet, sort of reconciles with him. We find out her father was a stalker as well, not the bad kind, but the kind that misses his daughter and watches her grow up from a distance. As I said, crappy story but the magician saved the story.

[Eva Le Bon · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 star review.
Found it a really neat book to read and think it would well be seen as biblio-therapy these days.
For so many of us the missing pieces of our jigsaw lives hold the curiosity and flickers of promise and yet to be discovered journeys that bring with them intrigue and a sense of excitement. What will we do when we find out? It would be so different 'if only'

In this simple story where we get to know several characters we see the preoccupation and fascination we can dream up about any one of our missing pieces of the jigsaw puzzle.

I think this little book would be great reading for a reading group and spark many a conversation. It is imaginative yet light enough to cope with looking at quite big issues.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the stories of "Lying In Bed", the plot of this novel is chock full of twists and turns, and the descriptions of people and places are as rich and varied as the cast themselves. This is the kind of book that drives a person to read in public, hoping someone will inquire about what they're reading, so they can share their excitement about it!

[Libby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Polly Sampson is by far a better short story writer than novels. This felt like a glorified short story a lot of the time.
Except for the magician! He was ace.

[Nancy Faughnan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Identified with the stalker/obsessive part. :)

[Janieke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leuk!