Book review: The Original by Nell Stevens
Genre: Historical fiction
Release date: July 1, 2025
Goodreads rating: 4
My rating: 3.5
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The Original by Nell Stevens is a unique book… it reads like a classic… slower pace… introspective writing. It was not what I was expecting nor what I typically gravitate to but it’s a book that classic lovers should put at the top of their TBR.
We follow Grace, a young woman living in her aunt and uncle’s home in Victorian times after her parents are deemed insane. We simultaneously follow her mysterious cousin, Charles, who returns home after being presumed dead for 10 years. The family struggles to agree on whether this man is indeed Charles or an imposter.
Grace is a unique main character. She is an artist, skilled at reproducing fakes of masterpieces but struggles with prosopagnosia (face blindness), making it hard for her to identify individuals in her own everyday life.
The book revolves around many big themes: art, forgery (of art and maybe of people too), belonging, perspective. It also revolves around key existential questions: What is sanity vs insanity? What is real vs fake?
I found the pace a bit too slow but at the same time, found the writing artful and purposeful. For example, the characters are a bit hard to identify with but I feel this was very intentional on the part of the author, to reinforce the themes and subjects of the book (sense of belonging, face blindness, forgery).
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Other books you may enjoy:
The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry
The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue