A review by sausome
The Black Painting by Neil Olson

4.0

Family turbulence and mysteries, mysterious deaths, urban tales, intrigue, and art history - this book runs the gamut! I quite enjoyed the style, the writing, and the whole feel of the book, and especially enjoyed the bit of art-mystery surrounding Goya's so-called "Black Paintings." It feels somehow Gothic, without being set in an older time, though the old house gives a sort of Gothic, mysteries-abound, feel.

My only criticism is that I felt the characters weren't quite what they could be, and this could be due to the sheer number of them. But I felt like I didn't really know everything about any one character, and was skating over the characters with more of a general, and occasionally more detailed, look at their internal lives. That being said, I quite enjoyed the tale, and would add it to anyone looking for a mystery-creepy tone, without much "boo-scary" feeling.