Picture the Dead

Historical fiction meets creepy ghost/suspense story

Picture the Dead was an interesting book. It was a quick read, because it actually had pictures--the second author credited on the cover is actually the illustrator--pictures which gave clues to things that were about to happen or clarified things that already had. I enjoyed the story, but the pacing seemed a bit off--for a lot of it, it felt like not much was happening and then once it did, bam! it all happened at once. Still, though, it was a fun way to spend a few hours.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Great book!

Picture the Dead is an unearthly romantic tale set in the civil war era. Jennie lives with her aunt and uncle and is engaged to their son, Will. After Will's death, his brother, Quinn, returns home injured. Quinn is moody and quiet and very reluctant to talk about the trials of war. However what he does tell Jennie disturbs her greatly. The Will that Quinn tells her about is not the Will she knows. Desperate to find the truth Jennie seeks the help of the supernatural. What she uncovers is far worse than she ever imagined.
The story is told from Jennie's point of view. It also contains sections in the book that look like a scrapbook. The pictures in this book have scribbling underneath them expressing Jennie's feelings about that particular picture. This is an unique way to help convey the main character's feeling. Lisa Brown did a fantastic job. This really added to the book. I like that this book takes part during the civil war. The authors combine history with superstition and spins it into this mysterious tale of romance and intrigue. This was an enjoyable read from start to finish. I found myself caught up in the story line eager to uncover the truth with the heroine.
Overall this was a really good read. It is haunting, creepy and eerie. Although there is quite a bit of drama, I think this book would be appropriate for kids twelve and up. It's fairly clean with only a little war time violence. However you might get chills while reading this book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I hope it is good

It looks so strange...

???????

WHAT IS THIS??? WHAT IS BLACKFIRE????? IS THIS A BOOK OR WHAT??????

I rok

Givin it 1 star cuz i never read it but it looks very interesting

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Courtesy of Mother Daughter Book Club.com

Jennie Lovell has suffered much tragedy in her 16 years. Her parents died, her twin brother was killed fighting in the Civil War, and now her fiancé/cousin has also fallen on the battlefield. The aunt and uncle who have taken her in-never overly warm towards her- have fallen on hard times. She doesn't know what she'll do if they put her out.

Jennie's cousin Quinn seems to be harboring a secret about his brother's death, and his own wounding in combat. When the family turns to a spiritualist photographer to help calm their grief, Jennie begins to feel her fiancé is trying to send a message through the prints made. Deciphering the meaning of what she sees may just save her life.

Picture the Dead, written by Adele Griffin and illustrated by Lisa Brown, intertwines the interest in spiritualism that was rampant during the American Civil War with the story of soldiers who fought in the war and the families they left behind. So many young men died in bloody conflict it's not surprising that their mothers, fathers and siblings sought to know if their loved ones found comfort on the other side. Photography had only recently been created, so it's maybe not surprising that people tied the mysteries that went on in a photographer's dark room with the mysteries of death.

Readers also see the precarious position that women of the times were often in. Dependent on the men in their lives for support, their entire futures could easily be turned upside down if a husband, father or brother died. During the Civil War, many of them did. Part historical fiction, part mystery, Picture the Dead is deliciously creepy and fun to read. Jennie keeps a scrapbook, and black-and white illustrations portray the things she secretes away: newspaper clippings, photographs, lists, letters, and notes from her twin. I highly recommend this book for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 14 and up.'

review taken from One Book At A Time http://onebooktime.blogspot.com

This book surprised me! I think I was expecting a little bit more of a ghost story, which this story really isn't. You do get a little bit of that creepy feeling every once in awhile. But, it's more of a story about a young women coming to terms with the chaos and loss that surrounds her. I had a hard time getting into the story at first, and wasn't sure how I felt about the illustrations that came at the beginning of each chapter. But, the story builds into a wonderful mystery as you follow Jennie while she's trying to piece together what happened. What she discovers was not what I was expecting and the dramatic ending fit perfectly with the events that unfolded in the book. I enjoyed the spiritualistic aspect of the story. I could take or leave the illustrations though. They were an interesting addition to the story, but I found myself skipping them more than anything.

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