Loved the characters - especially Isabelle. The photography and cartography hobbies made for a terrific vein through which the characters lived. I give it 4.5 stars.
Helen Humphreys Afterimage is a beautiful, lyrical novel that tells the story of Annie Phelan a young Irish woman who takes a job as a maid in 1865 for an eccentric pair in England. Isabelle is a photographer who desperately desires to be taken seriously as an artist and her husband Eldon is a cartographer who faces similar dilemmas. Annies intelligence and beauty endear her to the couple, for varying reasons. She ultimately becomes a subject for Isabelles photos and almost a friend to Isabelle. The conflict between what role Annie plays in the household and with her employers is a source of confusion for young Annie. The story is interesting, mesmerizing and well written. Enjoy.
This novel has not much of a plot, but that does not really matter; rather, it can actually be seen as a strength. Annie Phelan is hired as a new maid by a somewhat strange couple: Isabelle, photographer and Eldon, writer. Isabelle is struggling against peoples prejudices (the novel is set in Victorian England and it shows): she is a woman, she does not have any children and she does not care much for class distinctions. On top of the above, she is a photographer, and a talented one. However, when she gets some success, she realizes, finally, that it does not matter, she is still her fathers daughter and that is all. Her husband, Eldon, is very supportive of her art, although distant in other matters. They have had three children together, none of which lived. Eldon dreams about exploring the world, but his health makes that impossible, so he reads and writes instead. Both Isabelle and Eldon are infatuated by Annie. Isabelle uses her as a model, and Eldon talks with her about books. I consider this to be a very beautiful novel. Reading it increases your understanding of human beings. This is not a very dramatic story, but there is much to think about. I cannot get this novel out of my head.
