Review Detail

Portrait of a Shadow weaves together a haunting mystery about an ominous painting and the secrets that lie within it. Readers follow the main protagonist, Mae, who is desperate to find her missing sister as it seems the police as well as her parents have given up. She can’t shake the nagging feeling that there may be more to Inez’s disappearance and when she goes through her sister’s belongings, she finds a white painting and Inez’s neighbor which she believes is tied to everything. As the mystery unravels though, is Mae prepared for the answers she might discover?

What a chilling and suspenseful read that Metoui has crafted in this novel! Metoui takes her readers on an arduous journey full of entangled secrets from the past in this plot. Her writing is detailed, yet vague enough in certain parts that it doesn’t give all the answers away too quickly. I was thoroughly engrossed in the plot, and I appreciated the winding road that the story presents in this novel. Being a fan of the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, I loved how the novel used elements of the classic tale to create a painting that seems to grant your heart’s deepest desires but at a deadly cost.

I enjoyed the constant shifting of point-of-view to add to the mystery aspect. The constant twists keep the readers on their toes as they learn more about this creation of the painting and aren’t sure which characters to trust. Mae, as the main protagonist, may be an amateur sleuth of sorts but she is fueled by the love for her sister even though she is estranged from the rest of the family. Her fierce determination and strength navigating through a difficult situation make her an admirable character. This novel displays just how far the lengths people are willing to go to help the people we love.

The novel has a steady pace for the most part, starting slowly and then quickly speeding up as truth bombshells are revealed. I appreciated that the format of the story kept me guessing and I liked the cast of the characters too. I would like to have more about Inez’s background seeing as the story surrounds her disappearance and hearing from her own words what slowly happened. I also would have expanded more on the creation of the painting which could have happened if the novel were longer or had a sequel.

All in all, I would recommend Portrait of a Shadow for readers that enjoy mysteries, thrillers, or retellings. Metoui has created a novel that provides an engrossing reading experience and a story that will stick with you long after reading it!