We find ourselves on the cusp of World War One on a small island of Fance's Brittany coast. Houat with a population of only a few hundred is also host to a Scottish painter, Henry MacAlpine. Henry is on a self-imposed exile from his native country and is now hosting an old friend and art critic, William Nasmyth, to sit for a portrait.
The Portrait is written as a one long monologue from Henry to William as William sits for the portrait. It was a feature of the book that I was not aware of until I got a few pages into the book. Over the course of the book we the readers learn more and more about the relationship between the two characters. One is an artist who has never achieved the fame for his art that he would have liked. The other is a one time artist and now full time art critic who is also an ego-maniac.
One great thing about the book is the way that Pears is able to give breadcrumbs as to how the book will play out but not ruin the ending. Other authors would possibly struggle with the abilit to tease the reader and let the reader know how this book will come to a conclusion without making the reader disinterested. About halfway throught the book I had concluded that I had guessed the ending and was still very much interested in reading.
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