this book is a suspenseful tale of deception and identity set in a grand English house in 1899. Grace, an aspiring art forger, must uncover the truth about a mysterious man claiming to be her long-lost cousin, all while navigating family intrigue and her own secrets. A compelling story about authenticity, love, and the price of lies.

The prose is poetic and beautiful, almost dreamlike in places. I did feel the uncertainty over madness that the character grappled with. I found the plot to be rather slow-moving. I did not feel much dramatic tension, even in the context of the events of the book. Overall, not my preference in a book, but lovely for what it was. As a note, I did decide to DNF this about 40% of the way in.

A hesitant 2.5-3 star read for me. I really loved the idea of this book on paper: a historical fiction about an artist who makes illegal copies of famous paintings but also has face blindness. However, the story ultimately ended up falling flat for me.

The main character, Grace, is an orphan whose parents died while living in an insane asylum and who now lives with her rich aunt and uncle in England. While living at their grand estate, she befriends her cousin, Charles, who is the one that first encourages her to take up painting. Charles disappears for a few years in Grace's later childhood, claiming that he is going to become a sailor. However, years later, he contacts the family again, saying he plans to return home. When he arrives, he stirs up a controversy. While his mother believes that it's him, many others claim that the man who claims to be Charles is an imposter. The only person that might be able to shed some light on the mystery of his identity is Grace, who is, conveniently, unable to clearly remember faces.

Again, a really interesting idea for a story, and I loved the discussion of LGBTQ issues and especially the interesting concept of face blindness. The ending was also great - I really didn't expect the outcome of the mystery. However, I did feel that the book was just a bit slow, and I had a particularly hard time connecting with the characters. Considering how little plot there was, the characters need to be particularly strong to make up for the slowness of the story. Yet, I just didn't feel that they came to life as well as they could have. The writing is also beautiful but sometimes tedious to read.

Overall, an interesting premise that I didn't think was executed to perfection.

I have absolutely loved Nell Stevens’ previous books, though I will say I’m more partial to her nonfiction. But this was a really strong fiction entry. The narrative had a casual, storytelling nature that did a great job of immediately creating an intimacy between the narrator and readers. Stevens always wonderfully creates a sense of the time period; it’s clear she has done a great deal of research before writing. The Original blended historical fiction, mystery, and literary fiction to create an enjoyable, captivating read.

Nell Stevens’ “The Original,” in which a young woman becomes a masterful copier of paintings, put me in mind of another recent novel about art, Lucy Steeds’ “The Artist,” in which a similar situation is at play, though a reader is a while coming upon exactly what's going on.
Also true of both novels is a male principal character who’s on the outs with his father – in “The Artist,” it’s for his being a conscientious objector, while in “The Original,” it's for something more intensely personal – something it turns out that’s true for the young woman as well.
Quite the burdened character, Stevens' Grace, both with the secret she carries with the male principal as well as having to live with the knowledge that her parents killed themselves.
But mostly it’s the copyist motif that dominates Steven’s work, which delivers an engrossing treatment of authenticity in art, although it had me wondering at book’s end if I was completely squared away with a final plot development.

Screaming because this is so good! It’s giving ‘be gay do crime’ but with Nell Steven’s beautiful writing style. I loved Briefly, a Delicious Life and I was so excited when I saw this and it definitely hasn’t let me down.

Grace lives in her uncle’s house following her parents' admission into an asylum. She is face blind but has a talent for copying paintings. Her cousin Charles returns after being presumed lost at sea for over a decade to claim his inheritance although there are questions surrounding his true identity.

Parts definitely reminded me of Shirley Jackson, specifically the crumbling manor, the threads of madness that run in the family, and the mc being a strange young woman. Of course the tone is much less horrific overall but I really enjoyed this.

Artworks are woven into the text in a similar way to how music was present in BaDL, adding an additional depth to the storytelling. I was obsessed with the way forgery was used as an act of love and devotion throughout the story.

Overall I adored this and I can’t wait to get a hold of a physical copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Beautifully written and atmospheric, this is a genre-twisting novel that has the gothic broody mood of Jane Eyre (with an poor-relation orphan living with wealthy relatives that take almost no interest in her) combined with a modern-day queer sensibility. A story about imposters/fakers of all kinds -- from a man claiming to be the long-lost heir of a wealthy family, to the heroine's secret talent for painting copies of famous paintings, to those hiding their true sensibilities. A dark and wholly original page-turner!

“The Original” is the latest novel by Nell Stevens that prompts readers to contemplate authenticity, social class, and the values we assign to various aspects of life. The story follows Grace, who is living with her wealthy extended family after her parents succumbed to madness, leaving her orphaned.

Set in the late 19th century, primarily in England, the novel’s premise revolves around Grace, who, despite struggling with face blindness, is a talented forger. She secretly engages in this craft while attempting to save money for herself. Her cousin, Charles, whom she hasn’t seen since childhood, returns over a decade later, seeking to reclaim his inheritance. However, questions arise about his true identity.

Readers will be left wondering whether Charles is indeed the rightful heir and Grace’s cousin or just an imposter. This mystery unfolds in a way that keeps you guessing until the very end. The novel evokes vibes reminiscent of “Jane Eyre” and Sarah Waters’ “The Fingersmith.” Fans of those works, as well as Patricia Highsmith’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” are likely to appreciate this queer, turn-of-the-century mystery.

I highly recommend this book—it was so engaging that I couldn’t put it down. Thank you to NetGalley and WW Norton and Company for providing the ARC.