Black & White

February 12, 2007
Clara, the protagonist of Shapiro's uneven fifth novel (after Family History
), is the youngest daughter and muse of Ruth Dunne, a famous Manhattan photographer who made her name shooting Sally Mann–style (read: nude and provocative) photos of a young Clara. Unable to bear the humiliation of being "the girl in those pictures," Clara runs away from home at 18. Fourteen years later and still estranged from her mother, Clara's living in Maine with her husband and daughter when her older sister calls and tells her Ruth is in failing health. Clara travels back to Manhattan, where she comes to terms with her family and herself. Though Clara's frequent bemoaning of her emotional scars tries the reader's patience, Shapiro's sharp depictions of love and shame go a long way toward putting the self-pity into relief. It's unfortunate that Ruth fails to comes across as anything more than a narcissistic artist, but the novel offers some fine insights into marriage, the making of art and the often difficult mother-daughter dynamic.

January 1, 2007
It has been 14 years since Clara last saw or spoke to her mother, the renowned photographer Ruth Dunne, when her sister calls to say that Ruth is dying of lung cancer. Returning home to New York, Clara is forced to revisit her feelings about Ruth's work, particularly the subversive, invasive photographs of Clara from age three to 14, while dealing with Ruth's inevitable decline toward death. The story unfolds beautifully, drawing the reader into the family drama, while Shapiro ("Family History") creates a sense of uneasy secrecy about Ruth and Clara's relationship by revealing only a few details at a time. Oprah's Book Club readers or fans of Jodi Picoult will enjoy this psychologically gripping book, and there will be a reading group guide available. Recommended for most libraries.Amy Ford, St. Mary's Cty. Lib., Lexington Park, MD

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2007
In Shapiro's newest over-the-top family drama, Clara is only three years old when she becomes the focus of her mother's photography. For the next 11 years, Ruth Dunne takes provocative and controversial photographs of her daughter that make them both famous. To escape the weight of being her mother's muse, Clara runs away to Maine, where no one recognizes her. Now, years later, Clara comes face-to-face with her past when she finds out her mother is dying. How can she make peace with what happened to her so long ago? Was it art or abuse? Can she forgive her mother before it is too late? Shapiro pits the photographer against the child; however, there really is no contest. Ruth is a harsh, demanding artist devoid of maternal instinct. There are no explanations for the choices she's made and therefore no empathy for her. As the title suggests, Shapiro renders this interesting conflict in stark black and white. The novel would have been much more compelling had she used some shades of grey.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)