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Picture the Dead

by Adele Griffin (Goodreads Author), Lisa Brown (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator)

3.52 of 5 stars 3.52 · rating details · 699 ratings · 220 reviews

"A perfectly haunting combination."
--Jon Scieszka, bestselling author and Caldecott Honor winner

"I loved Picture the Dead. Eerie, romantic, moody, and immersive. A beautifully illustrated gothic delight!"
--Holly Black, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cat

"A tour de force, a remarkable feat of visual and verbal storytelling, as playful as it is serious, as hauntin...more

Paperback, 264 pages

Published February 1st 2012 by Sourcebooks Fire (first published May 1st 2010)

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Jul 23, 2012 Wigs rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved it! So you may start seeing me review books with illustrations, being illustrator by career myself. This book is told in a combo of text, pictures, and letters. Here are some of the lovely illustrations that I took some jank pictures of with my phone:

The illustrations are interspersed before every chapter, meant to represent the main character's scrapbook. There are many chapters, and therefore a lot of illustrations!

The genre I believe is young adult, though the text is a little big as it...more

6 likes · like · see review

May 04, 2010 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews, young-adult

Set during the American Civil War, Jennie Lovell is orphaned and living with her Aunt and Uncle -- who are anything but kind. She has lost her brother and now her fiance on the battlefields. With both the men gone Jennie feels lost. When she becomes friends with a spirit photographer she learns secrets that are almost too hard to bare.

An interesting story about war, spirits and death. I've always found stories of the civil war captivating, especially hauntings or ghost stories. I found Jenny's j...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 03, 2012 Kara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, gothic, ghosts, massachusetts, own, paranormal, young-adult, historical

Blurb:

A ghost will find his way home.

Jennie Lovell's life is the very picture of love and loss. First she is orphaned and forced to live at the mercy of her stingy, indifferent relatives. Then her fiancé falls on the battlefield, leaving her heartbroken and alone. Jennie struggles to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, but is haunted by a mysterious figure that refuses to let her bury the past.

Review:

I cannot rave enough about the writing in Picture the Dead. It was awesome. It was moody...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 16, 2010 Margo Tanenbaum rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, civil-war, mysteries, ghosts

Recommended for ages 12 and up.

Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown have written a unique illustrated young adult novel that is difficult to categorize. It's carefully researched historical fiction but also a ghost story and a mystery with graphic novel elements as well. With illustrations that mimic the look of a Civil War scrapbook kept by our heroine, our story is told in the first person by orphan Jennie Lovell, who together with her twin brother has been raised for the last four years by her aunt a...more

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May 10, 2010 Katieb (MundieMoms) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-i-own, 2010-100-book-challenge, books-i-own, mundie-moms-review

I absolutely loved that Adele Griffin wove a haunting love story around historical fiction. I am such a sucker for history and really enjoyed this YA paranormal book. It's a haunting read, with a dark and twisty plot that had me devouring the pages. While it's not a shake in the seat of your pants haunting, it's a vivid and real life haunting. I like that through out the book, there are vivid illustrated pages with pictures from Jennie's scrapbook. The illustrations are of pictures, letters and...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Collin Dykes rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Picture the Dead by Adele griffin and Lisa Brown was fascinating. Lisa Browns illustrations made me think exactly like the book wanted me to and were very detailed pictures, I loved it and that's why I gave it a 3 stars. It had its ups and downs, but overall was a good book and I would recommend it to people that are in to eerie, romantic type of books. This book takes place in the 1900's during the American Civil War when Jennie had lost her parents and her brother, all she has now is Will who...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Rema rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Picture the Dead is an illustrated haunting Gothic tale about a woman haunted by her dead lover. Jennie Lovell is an orphan, along with her twin brother, Toby. They're thrust upon her mother's half-brother and his wife, who're less than charming. Jennie finds comfort and love in the arms of the couple's eldest son, Will.
All too soon her romance ends when Will goes off to battle and never comes back-alive. Instead his younger, reserved and almost cold handsome brother, Quinn returns with a terri...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Four Stars: An intriguing ghost story told with the aid of pictures.

The carriage wheels rattle up to the house in the dead of night. The entire household is quickly aroused from their slumber. Master Quinn has arrived home from the war, injured but alive. Jennie takes one look in his eyes and sees the terrible truth: Will, his brother and her fiancé, is not coming home. Jennie's world comes crashing down. Without Will, her position in the house becomes precarious. She was taken in by her aunt a...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 21, 2012 Aria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown is an eerie book with beautiful and fittingly-colored illustrations that are actually pages from Jennie Lovell’s scrapbook. Picture the Dead is set in the nineteenth century where after losing her parents and her brother, Jennie’s last opportunity for happiness rests with Will, the man she fell in love with. However, she lost him as well as he dies in the Civil War. As Jennie tries to mend the pieces of her broken life, she feels the eerie presenc...more Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown is an eerie book with beautiful and fittingly-colored illustrations that are actually pages from Jennie Lovell’s scrapbook. Picture the Dead is set in the nineteenth century where after losing her parents and her brother, Jennie’s last opportunity for happiness rests with Will, the man she fell in love with. However, she lost him as well as he dies in the Civil War. As Jennie tries to mend the pieces of her broken life, she feels the eerie presence from something otherworldly, something that won’t let her leave the past behind. Many times she is terrified by the ghost of her beloved after Quinn, Will’s older brother, returns injured from the Wilderness. Will’s ghost is sending her a message but she doesn’t understand it. To make things even more complicated, Quinn isn’t telling her the entire truth and she has a horrible aunt—Will and Quinn’s mother—that she has to deal with. Plus, Quinn wants to marry Jennie.

This book is very intriguing and my heart goes out to Jennie. Life is very harsh to her with all of the people she loves dying. Besides that, the characters in this book are very real. Although I do not know about the histories of other countries, I know some of the histories of USA, UK and Europe from the historical fictions and movies I’ve read and watched set in those eras. So, I can say that Jennie and the other characters fit perfectly in their world in the nineteenth century of USA.

However, there is one downside to this book and that is the writing/chosen font on the illustrations. I am the curious type and I often read the book from the front cover to the back—yes, that includes the page where the terms and conditions, copyright ownership, etcetera etcetera is—which then, leads to my frustration of not being able to make out some the illustrations’ words until after several minutes of squinting and guessing.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It has a nice story pace.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.(less)

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Jul 10, 2012 drey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, ya

Jennie Lovell has lost much. Orphaned, she and her twin brother Toby go to live with her miserly relatives, where she eventually falls in love. Then she loses her twin brother to the Civil War, and now it looks as though she’s lost her fiancé, Will, too. Will’s brother Quinn is the only one to return from the war, albeit wounded.

Then Jennie is convinced that Will is haunting her. But why? And why won’t Quinn tell her how he died? She has no one to turn to, nowhere to go, and her life is getting...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Star (The Bibliophilic Book Blog) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Picture the Dead combines the interest in spiritualism that was rampant during the American Civil War with a story of soldiers who fought in the war and the families they left behind. So many died that it’s not unusual for their family members to seek knowledge of their loved ones through mediums and spirit photography. Also in this era, women were in a precarious position - dependent on the men in their lives for support, their entire futures could easily be destroyed if their male caretaker is...more

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Feb 20, 2012 A Canadian Girl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, sourcebooks, 5-stars

When I got Adele Griffin's Picture the Dead in the mail, I couldn’t help flipping through the pages and admiring the gorgeous illustrations within. Days later, I read the book and was thrilled to find that the gothic ghost story and mystery is just as good.

The main character, Jennie, is an orphan in a precarious living situation: her twin brother Tobias and cousin/fiancé Will are both dead, her uncle doesn’t really care about her, and her aunt is vile. This immediately made her a narrator I coul...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Heather Pearson added it

The years of the American Civil War (1861-1865) were a time of much turmoil in the country. North against the South, neighbour against neighbour even brother against brother. It was also a time of limited communications. Written letters could take weeks if not months for delivery, if they made it to their destination at all. Those waiting at home for their loved ones might never know details of their fate.

Sixteen year old Jennie Lovell has not yet accepted the death of her brother Tobias, and n...more The years of the American Civil War (1861-1865) were a time of much turmoil in the country. North against the South, neighbour against neighbour even brother against brother. It was also a time of limited communications. Written letters could take weeks if not months for delivery, if they made it to their destination at all. Those waiting at home for their loved ones might never know details of their fate.

Sixteen year old Jennie Lovell has not yet accepted the death of her brother Tobias, and now she is confronted with the death of her cousin and fiance Will. While she knows that Toby died from an illness, she has no clue as to why Will won't be coming home to marry her. She hopes that when cousin Quinn recovers from his wounds, he will be willing and able to answer her questions.

Quinn has returned home seriously wounded and reluctant to talk about his experiences. Jennie senses that there is something he is not telling her. She also thinks that the ghosts of her brother and fiance have returned home to comfort her. or are they trying to tell her something.

From the first pages, I found this a very enticing book. The events have already happened and we follow along with Jennie, finding the clues to uncover the truth. Author Adele Griffin made me feel as though I was truly reading words written by a 16 year old girl who had been brought up in a very sheltered existence. She was not worldly and had very little idea of how war could change men, that nice, civil men could lie, cheat, steal and even murder when their survival was threatened. Picture the Dead does talk about the Civil War, but it is not about the war, rather it is about it's impact on one particular group of young men. It also explores the practice of spirit photography. From approximately 1860 til 1930, there was a belief that the image of ghosts could be captured in photographs. Jennie must ask herself whether these ghosts are trying to pass her a message or are they there to comfort her in her grief.

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Feb 08, 2012 Aik Chien 인첸 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Picture The Dead is a charming gothic ghost story which incorporates elements of suspense, mystery and paranormal. Each chapter is ended with detailed illustrations which reflects the bits and pieces of Jennie's scrapbook. The overall design of the book is very eye-catching and special. However, I don't feel particularly spooked or frightened by the story.

Jennie is a likeable heroine. She has just lost her beloved Will in a battlefield, and her heart aches for him, but be that as it may, she is...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 19, 2011 Jan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teenbooks, historical-fiction

This Civil War ghost story/mystery is quite lovely in its execution. Author Griffin incorporates historical detail—such as the fad for spiritualism during the Civil War—with a gripping and suspenseful plot to create an atmosphere that brings this period to life. The addition of the wonderful scrapbook style illustrations by Lisa Brown complete the spell. They include faded photographs, bits of letters, and other memorabilia that not only relate to the text, but offer clues as to the mystery of h...more This Civil War ghost story/mystery is quite lovely in its execution. Author Griffin incorporates historical detail—such as the fad for spiritualism during the Civil War—with a gripping and suspenseful plot to create an atmosphere that brings this period to life. The addition of the wonderful scrapbook style illustrations by Lisa Brown complete the spell. They include faded photographs, bits of letters, and other memorabilia that not only relate to the text, but offer clues as to the mystery of how one of the characters died.

The story has gothic elements that add a frisson of menace to the story. I loved the spiritualist photographer and the photographs that developed ghostly details that could not be explained except as communication from beyond the dead.

The main character, Jennie, is wonderfully complicated. She has lost her fiancé, Will, to the war and her position in the household of her lost fiancé is quite precarious. She is relegated to a status of unwanted relative/servant. When Will’s twin brother, Quinn, begins to court her, her motives for accepting his attentions are driven both by desire and her fear of abandonment. Although Jennie’s uncle and nasty aunt are really sort of stock characters, the other characters that appear in the story are well drawn and memorable, especially the injured soldier Nate who holds a key to the mystery of Will’s death. And the spiritualist photographer Geist and his sullen maid/muse Viviette are delightful.

The chilly New England setting, all gray and overcast, echoes the desperate bleakness of the Civil War.

The writing is very visual and atmospheric. For example, on page 120:
“Dismal by winter afternoon, it (kitchen path) appears as a trek of starved gray trees and hard-packed soil. Along its path, Quinn moves steady, casting a long shadow that is wafer-thin and lonely as a reaper against the gray sky.”

I loved how the visual clues meshed with the textual clues to lead us along in discovery. I thought the ending was a little stock murder mystery (no spoilers), but all in all, I was charmed and intrigued by this book.

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Sep 04, 2010 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Picture the Dead is an interesting story about the impact the loss of a young Civil War soldier has on his family. Not the first to fall to the hands of the Confederacy Will leaves behind his fiance Jennie, a young girl with no family of her own. Having already grown up at the unrelenting hands of Will’s condescending mother and indifferent father she is once again thrust into second class citizen status upon news of his demise. Practically a servant Jennie endures the continually passive aggres...more Picture the Dead is an interesting story about the impact the loss of a young Civil War soldier has on his family. Not the first to fall to the hands of the Confederacy Will leaves behind his fiance Jennie, a young girl with no family of her own. Having already grown up at the unrelenting hands of Will’s condescending mother and indifferent father she is once again thrust into second class citizen status upon news of his demise. Practically a servant Jennie endures the continually passive aggressive attitude of her aunt as each day more and more of her life — her engagement ring, her freedom from housework, etc — is taken away from her.

Enhanced beautifully by illustrations created by Lisa Brown, Picture the Dead not only tells a story but shows it. Joining in on a trend I’ve seen more of recently, the addition of pages providing the reader with visual elements adding further depth and perspective to the written words, Picture the Dead embraces it well. Setting the tone for both characters and physical surroundings Brown provides the reader with excellent visuals. Her imagery was lovely in the ARC I was reading but I imagine that the final version is even more pleasing to the eye. The best part is that these additions don’t overwhelm the story nor are readers wading through useless information. I have only one complaint about their inclusion and that is that the font selected for Will’s letters was difficult to read. This was a minor issue, however, and one that should not keep anyone from reading the book.

Another aspect of the story that wasn’t overdone or out of place was the inclusion of small paranormal elements. The infusion of ghosts made sense and was a believable addition to the story. Not wanting to spoil any of the twists and turns as it relates to these aspects of the story I’ll simply say that the way this element of the story played out was an interesting addition and created a richer tone to the mystery. While not a mystery story in the grandest sense, there were several twists and revalations throughout that were very well done. I was so caught up in the history and Jennie’s characterization that some crept up on me. I’m sure this was Griffin’s intent and she did not disappoint as I enjoyed being surprised by a few of the turns I encountered.

Certainly age appropriate for the young adult crowd and I would even go as far as saying that the middle grade reader would enjoy this book as well. I don’t know that the attention of the youngest middle graders would be grabbed by it, the story would need to be a bit more amped up for them, but certainly if a teacher were wanting a fun book that gave some small into families affected by the Civil War this might be a good quick read that would exemplify a few points here and there.

In the end, if you like historical perspective with some good imagery attached Picture the Dead is definitely worth a read.(less)

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Aug 05, 2010 Debasmita rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Picture The Dead,written by Adele Griffin and illustrated by Lisa Brown,sketches a very realistic picture of the society during the American Civil War. The book intertwines the evil of war with interest in spiritualism. The bereaved families who had suffered the losses of their loved ones naturally sought for any and every method by which they could connect with their loved ones. And that many times meant searching for answers beyond the world,beyond the adamantine chains of life and death in th...more Picture The Dead,written by Adele Griffin and illustrated by Lisa Brown,sketches a very realistic picture of the society during the American Civil War. The book intertwines the evil of war with interest in spiritualism. The bereaved families who had suffered the losses of their loved ones naturally sought for any and every method by which they could connect with their loved ones. And that many times meant searching for answers beyond the world,beyond the adamantine chains of life and death in the world. Thus came in spiritualism which proposed methods like séance to connect with those who had passed beyond the bounds and claims of the world. Photography,a recently developed and much popular art was much helpful with its tricks to create illusions of angels and ghosts so as to provide some or a little solace to the bereaved families who were ready to believe in anything and trust anyone if they could only have a glimpse of their lost beloveds.

Adele Griffin’s writing is absolutely brilliant. She successfully transported me to Jennie’s world and I smoothly sailed through the book,as if a close confidant to Jennie. Needless to say,I loved Jennie’s character. Though delicate and fragile,Jennie was extremely mature for her age and capable of enduring severe complexity of emotions which could break even the tried and tested ones. Solving the mysteries and putting together the pieces of puzzle with Jennie was a wonderful adventure. Adele Griffin also successfully and very interestingly also portrays the precarious position of women during those times,who had to depend on the male members in their lives if they were to live a respectable life. Jennie however empowers herself throughout the book and overcomes the restraints of the society as she finds a way to support herself at the end. Adele Griffin kept me hooked till the end. The twists and turns in the book were so intriguing. I could never guess what would come after and that for me was a delightful experience. The unpredictability of the book combined with the sinister atmosphere,made it a star for me,unlike anything I have ever read.

Lisa Brown’s illustrations were extremely interesting and Jennie’s scrapbook came alive due to her wonderful artwork. Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown worked together to architecture an innovative and mellifluous ride for us readers.

A magnanimous attempt to weave together literature and art,Picture The Dead for me is a phenomenal book replete with the right amount of mystery and romance,presenting to the readers a very living picture of the contemporary society. ‘Embrace the unexpected’ folks!(less)

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Oct 30, 2012 Giselle at Book Nerd Canada rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, from-publishers

Jennie's an orphan who lives with her half uncle and horrid aunt. Her twin brother has just been killed and her fiancé has also died at the war. The only living person she can seek comfort in, is her cousin Quinn who has changed from the war. When Jennie starts receiving messages from beyond the grave from Will, she seeks to unravel the truth about his death. What she finds might just be the truth that'll set her free.

For some reason I don't completely understand historical fiction because there...more Jennie's an orphan who lives with her half uncle and horrid aunt. Her twin brother has just been killed and her fiancé has also died at the war. The only living person she can seek comfort in, is her cousin Quinn who has changed from the war. When Jennie starts receiving messages from beyond the grave from Will, she seeks to unravel the truth about his death. What she finds might just be the truth that'll set her free.

For some reason I don't completely understand historical fiction because there is so much to know that I get lost. So when something is set in the past, just like Picture the Dead is set, I immediately think "Oh no, now I need to know what year they're in so I can understand their language, their social status, their dialogues, their slang, the technology that had or didn't have..etc." My brain starts to forge ahead and I find it so terribly bad that I get lost worrying about the whole history that I don't pay attention to the plot. I definitely didn't have that problem with Picture the Dead. Yet, I fully understood the whole process about photography. This just being released to the masses. (We have it easy now-a-days!)

I am in love with the illustrations from Jennie's scrapbook. Very original and very cute idea to add into the book. It definitely gave me a break from screaming out when ever something ghostly would happen. And several chapters definitely made my skin tingle. To be honest, I even skipped a couple of lines just because I wanted the ghostly encounter to be over with. Eeps! The paranormal element in this book had me devouring the pages. It's not scary in your face, but creepy and realistic. And the characters just added so much dimension to the plot. I really fell in love with Jennie and her strength. She is smart and hilarious. I find her scribbles about her aunt humourous, but completely true.

If you're looking for a paranormal, chilling, historical fiction novel, then this one's for you. If you're into books that have a fast paced plot with a mystery that you need to unravel, then this one's also for you. I highly reccommend buying this one and keeping it on your shelves.
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Apr 13, 2012 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ghosts, historical-fiction, mystery, teen-fiction

Here we have a historical drama, a mystery and a ghost story all wrapped up in one nice literary package. Jennie Lovell was engaged to her cousin Will before he left to go fight for the Union in the Civil War. When his brother, Quinn, is the only one to return, the family is devastated, particularly Jennie. Even more unfortunate for Jennie is the fact that her fiancee's family treats Jennie with apathy at best and ire at worst. She had been preparing to become the lady of the house but now find...more

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Apr 06, 2011 Doret rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jennie and her twin brother, Toby moved in with their Uncle Henry and Aunt Clara after their parents died. Jennie's distance Uncle and Aunt, are well to do and have two sons, Will and Quinn.

After Toby dies in battle (Civil War) Jennie was left alone, but Toby's ghost did visit on occasion. Aunt Clara doesn't think much of Jennie. In 1864, the only thing keeping 17 yr old Jennie in good standing is her engagement to Will. When Quinn returns wounded from the war, with news of Will's death, Jennie...more Jennie and her twin brother, Toby moved in with their Uncle Henry and Aunt Clara after their parents died. Jennie's distance Uncle and Aunt, are well to do and have two sons, Will and Quinn.

After Toby dies in battle (Civil War) Jennie was left alone, but Toby's ghost did visit on occasion. Aunt Clara doesn't think much of Jennie. In 1864, the only thing keeping 17 yr old Jennie in good standing is her engagement to Will. When Quinn returns wounded from the war, with news of Will's death, Jennie knows are future is in question.

Will may be dead but his ghost won't leave Jennie alone, she must figure out why. Does Will have something to tell her? Or is Will refusing to let Jennie go even in death? Or is he jealous now that Jennie has fallen in love with Quinn?

Griffin's lauguage is the right amount of beauty and questioning darkness. And 100% lovely.

"Quinn, I didn't draw on the glass." He takes another step away from me. "Who, then? My brother's damaged and wandering spirit? As a reminder of his everlasting love for you?" I feel his exasperation pulse through every moment . I have no answer the tears that well in my eyes.

"If this is your game, then so be it," he says levelly. "But remember, love isn't a nightmare, or an empty bed, or a print on fogged glass. Love is flesh and blood. Don't you see me? Because I'm right here, and I'm very much yours."

Then he leaves, shutting the door firmly behind him. I'm pained to have led the conversation into such a fraught and stupid place. Now I'm alone with my view and a knowledge that no matter how lovely this room is, it won't give me the peace I crave. I press my forehead to the window. "If I'm a ghoul Will, it's your doing," I say under my breath. " Let me have my future. If you ever loved me, you'd free me."

Picture the Dead sounded like something I would love and I did. It's a well crafted, entertaining, page turner. Griffin kept me guessing until the very end. Lisa Brown's illustrations added another dimension to the story. I only put the book down when there was nothing left to read. Ages 13up
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Dec 17, 2012 Kris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, ya-books, books-reviewed

Jennie is told that Will died in battle, but certain clues lead her to believe that something else happened. Something that Quinn and everyone else involved wants to cover up. With the belief that Will is haunting her, Jennie makes full use of her brother's spy tactics to figure out just what happened and if the true Will is the same Will that she knew and loved. In the spiritual photographer Geist, she finds a friend and fellow believer in ghosts. In Quinn, she finds comfort and a potential lov...more Jennie is told that Will died in battle, but certain clues lead her to believe that something else happened. Something that Quinn and everyone else involved wants to cover up. With the belief that Will is haunting her, Jennie makes full use of her brother's spy tactics to figure out just what happened and if the true Will is the same Will that she knew and loved. In the spiritual photographer Geist, she finds a friend and fellow believer in ghosts. In Quinn, she finds comfort and a potential love she had never before considered. However, there is more to the true story and circumstances to Will's death than she could have imagined, and learning the truth could undermine the security that she's scrambling to establish in a hostile home.

I love the subtle taste with which the supernatural elements are inserted into the story. There are signs and suggestions that a restless spirit haunts Jennie and the Prichett family; at the same time, it is easy to believe that Jennie might be being played and the true identity of the spirit is human. Whatever we choose to believe is up to us, the reader, but Jennie strongly believes that Will has come back to help her uncover the truth behind his death. Best of all, the story will keep you guessing and second guessing yourself on what really happened. Even after thinking through all the possibilities, I was beginning to fall for the lies when the truth came out, which was not at all what I was expecting after all that happens. It seems that I am not cut out for spy work at all!

Picture the Dead isn't a long book, and the pages are filled with pictures from Jennie's scrapbook, always foreshadowing what is to come. The simplicity of the language lends power to the words wrought with emotion and is at a level where younger readers may also enjoy this beautiful, poignant story. The ease with which this story can be read and the gorgeous illustrations make this book a good read for readers of all ages.

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads.(less)

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Nov 02, 2011 James Schmidt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't read much fiction but I am trying to read more...as a guy in his 40s (OK, late 40s), I haven;t read "young adult" fiction since I tore through the Lemony Snicket series a few years back (loved it).

And yet, two books: "Picture the Dead" and "The Woman in Black," keep popping up as recommended reading on amazon under some of my favorite novelists, such as Louis Bayard, Matthew Pearl, and others.

Perhaps I was caught by the spiritual "undertow" that Adele Griffin describes in the book, but...more I don't read much fiction but I am trying to read more...as a guy in his 40s (OK, late 40s), I haven;t read "young adult" fiction since I tore through the Lemony Snicket series a few years back (loved it).

And yet, two books: "Picture the Dead" and "The Woman in Black," keep popping up as recommended reading on amazon under some of my favorite novelists, such as Louis Bayard, Matthew Pearl, and others.

Perhaps I was caught by the spiritual "undertow" that Adele Griffin describes in the book, but I decided to give Picture/Dead a try...and I'm SO GLAD I did!

The book has two subjects that interest me immensely: the Civil War and 19th-century Spiritualism.

Griffin treated the two subjects with great respect and I'm impressed by her commitment to keeping the history straight...the choice of the 28th Massachusetts infantry was very interesting and was used well...the fact that some of the principals in the book die from disease or in prison is also keeping with the history of the Civil War...not everyone died on the battlefield (only 1 out of 3) but deaths on a hospital bed or in prison required no less bravery or were any less grim.

The story itself is so well written that I could hardly put it down. The heroine, Jennie, is a strong and passionate young woman, penned in an unwelcome home...the most interesting character, Quinn, is full of surprises...apart from the aunt and uncle (both a bit cartoonish), the adults in the book interact with Jennie on nearly equal terms...the few scenes of intimacy are done quite well...the subject of Spiritualism is done realistically and with humor in the case of the Spirit Photographer but also with some just sympathy for what was a significant social movement in the 19th-century, all without slipping into the danger or absurdity of the occult.

The illustrations were not quite as strong as the writing, but still well done. There were some editorial and historical mistakes in the illustrations (I cringe a little whenever I see the word "Sucession" instead of the proper "Secession" and an illustration of a long-dead baby cousin has dates that are off by at least 10 years when compared to the narrative...both were not very distracting, though)...the idea of a "scrapbook" was interesting. I do give the illustrator a LOT of credit for basing her work on archival material, though. The inclusion of patriotic stationery and envelopes was a *very* nice touch.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! (less)

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Feb 21, 2012 Julia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Jennie Lovell hasn't seen much luck in her young 16 years. Not only is she left orphaned and sent to live with her awful Aunt and Uncle, but her twin dies fighting in the Civil War, and not much later her fiancé meets an untimely demise at war as well. Now, things only become worse as her ward's household has fallen into debt and her late fiancé begins to haunt her. And Jennie won't give up until she uncovers the secret surrounding the details of his death.

The writing held me captivated from pag...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Auggie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: difficult-subjects, ghosts, historical-fiction, middlegrade, paranormal, romance, spooky

You know me and my happy little addiction to creepy kids fiction! Well, in all actuality this one really isn't middle-grade. The main character is a teenager and there's some spice in this love story. Personally I would have put it right on in there with the teen fiction but that's not my job, I can only shelve the books where that little sticker directs. *Salutes the Shelving Sticker*

This little gem is about a young woman during the cival war whose fiance, and cousin, Will is killed in battle....more

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Sep 27, 2012 Kendra Healy rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: illustrated-books, mixed-feelings, should-ve-been-canon, bad-ends-for-good-stories

The more I reflect on this book, the more I dislike it. I was going to go for a three star rating, then dropped down to two, and then dropped down to one. It isn't that Picture the Dead is precisely a bad book, it's that it just could be so much better.

Griffin's writing is beautiful, and Brown's illustrations are unique and polished. They just don't ... really work together in this particular narrative. This is a problem I seem to be running into a lot with illustrated books, which might have so...more The more I reflect on this book, the more I dislike it. I was going to go for a three star rating, then dropped down to two, and then dropped down to one. It isn't that Picture the Dead is precisely a bad book, it's that it just could be so much better.

Griffin's writing is beautiful, and Brown's illustrations are unique and polished. They just don't ... really work together in this particular narrative. This is a problem I seem to be running into a lot with illustrated books, which might have something to do with personal taste &c., but the sleek, flat colors of the illustrations feel weirdly modern against the setting of the American Civil War.

On a similar graphical note, the text on the illustrated pages is difficult to read, to the point I almost stopped bothering. Very few of the images really illuminate much of anything in the text, and quite often it almost felt as if the creators were straining to generate content to fill up the pages reserved for illustrations (the jam-label page comes to mind).

Furthermore, while I found a couple minor characters engaging, most of the major ones fall flat. Jennie lacks any defining characteristics and has no real goal or motive to the story aside from deciphering a pretty predictable mystery. A lot of the conflict in the book is generated by other women who are terrible and either hate Jennie for no real reason or are vapid and dull &c. In fact, the narrative is deeply guilty of making everyone even slightly antagonistic to the character so reprehensible they become caricatures (vice versa, Mavis, Jennie's ongoing support structure, is self-sacrificing and noble even when her self-sacrifice and nobility makes no sense?). The romance in the story (both past and present) is completely unbelievable, and Jennie's character wildly inconsistent.

(view spoiler)

It feels almost as if Picture the Dead is an incomplete collection, a literal scrapbook of a story where both creators try different things with mixed results. It's a quick read and, like I said, not a bad book, but it was, to me, ultimately disappointing.(less)

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Feb 18, 2012 Marcie rated it 4 of 5 stars

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 wo...more

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Oct 11, 2010 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

Picture the Dead was a chilling tale that kept me turning the pages long past my bedtime.

The novel is set in the Civil War era and revolves around Jennie, Quinn and Will. Jennie narrates the story through a scrapbook of clippings, pictures, and letters that precede each chapter. She is a very engaging character who is putting her life back together, and having a bit of a difficult time with it as ghosts seem to be trying to commune with her. As for Will and Quinn, I both loved and hated them at...more

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Sep 01, 2010 Bridget R. Wilson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fiction, ya-historical

Living in the aftermath of the American Civil War, Jennie Lovell has no choice to accept certain things. Her twin brother Toby is dead. Her fiancee and cousin Will Pritchett is dead. Treated more like a servant than a lady in her aunt and uncle's home, Jennie survives.

The Pritchett family seeks out the services of Heinrich Geist, a spirit photographer, in hopes of seeing their son once more. Jennie begins an uneasy friendship with Geist. She hopes to explain the unusual happenings in her life. S...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Allie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jennie Lovell's life is the very picture of love and loss. First she is orphaned and forced to live at the mercy of her stingy, indifferent relatives. Then her fiancé falls on the battlefield, leaving her heartbroken and alone. Jennie struggles to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, but is haunted by a mysterious figure that refuses to let her bury the past.

This book was a level Z and Lexile 800. There was some pretty hard vocabulary and I had to look words up occasionally. I would recomme...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Michele rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was really excited to read this one because it had pictures leading in to each chapter, much like Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. The story itself is wonderful. This is a true historical fiction taking place in Massachusetts during the Civil War (1864 to be exact). The female protagonist is Cinderella-ish (relegated to the attic room but an evil aunt and forced to do housework to earn her keep) but the most exciting part of this novel is it's insight to the Spiritualist movement o...more

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“Aunt Clara doesn't take her eyes off her toast. Her delicate jet earrings tremble as her knife scratches at the toast like a cat's paw, buttering every inch. Strange how even the most mundane habits of dislikable people can strike such harsh chords. I even hate the way Aunt butters.” — 5 people liked it

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