Your Next Read: Self-Portrait with Boy by Rachel Lyon

Self-Portrait with Boy

by Rachel Lyon

Picking out books, especially by authors you've never heard of, can be a daunting task. It is the ability to step outside our comfort zone and explore new authors that opens us to fantastic reads we would otherwise miss. Self-Portrait with Boy was one of those take-a-chance novels for me.

Author readings and signings are one of those treats that I love to indulge in whenever possible. Luckily, living in the Los Angeles Metro Area where I have access to a great many independent book stores which host wonderful events. If you haven't already, do an online search to find your local indie bookstores and sign up for their newsletter because your new favorite authors may very well find their way to your town.

That is how I discovered Rachel Lyon, on the second stop of her book tour for Self-Portrait with Boy. Book Soup was hosting the event on Monday evening, squeezing chairs in a narrow aisle to create a makeshift event space. In one corner of the store was a podium with two directors chairs for the author and her interviewer and a small speaker and microphones set up off to the side. Not the most polished of set-ups, but then again the flaws of the hosting store do not reflect upon the novel itself.

The theme of the book is riveting as it explores the debate between ambition and loyalty. Our protagonist, Lu Rile, is a starving artist in the most literal way you can imagine. She squats in a New York City loft in an area known as DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), which is run down and sparsely furnished. She works odd jobs which pay almost nothing just to fund her art and keep herself above water. Then one day tragedy strikes her building when the young son of the upstairs neighbors falls to his death past her window. What she soon realizes is that she managed to catch the tragedy in a photograph that could change her life. It is a masterpiece and could be the launching of her career and her way out of poverty. But it is also the tragedy of the woman that she will call her best friend who is the mother of that boy.

Throughout the novel we watch as Lu debates what actions she should take regarding her art. Does she take her chance to gain everything she has ever wanted? And what price will that be for her relationships and her own morality? How do you live with the decisions you must make?

The reviews for Self-Portrait with Boy are very positive and I found myself flying through this story. You could see her trajectory and want so badly to help her navigate the difficulties she faces and the ending is incredibly satisfying no matter which outcome you find yourself rooting for as the story progresses.

I especially recommend this to any readers looking for a good Book Club option as it is the perfect set up for a lively discussion on ethics and morality for artists. You can find a reading group guide at the publishers website.