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maplessence's review
3.0
I have given 3.5★ . Just can't quite push my rating up to 4.
While I loved [b:Katherine|17908563|Katherine|Anya Seton|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1375136913s/17908563.jpg|2372397] which is supposed to be Seton's best work, I am starting to think that in most of her books, Seton lacks the ability to make me care about her characters. & Seton shares the heavy foreboding style of [a:Jean Plaidy|6590|Jean Plaidy|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1237699211p2/6590.jpg] where you start to wonder if all these real life characters had the gift of second sight!
The most interesting parts of the story were Elizabeth's early life in England and right at the end with Elizabeth's third husband. There Elizabeth shows some normal human frailties & Seton having her in love withFor a lot of the book Elizabeth was just too perfect for me where in real life she must have been a truly remarkable, flawed & strong willed woman who defied a lot of conventions. I think Seton tried to show this but wimped out. But a big plus for showing the unfairness to the native population, but then a big minus, for the way Seton shows secondary character Anneke's heavily accented English.
Just painful.
A lot of research went into this book. Unfortunately Seton wanted to use all of it.
While I loved [b:Katherine|17908563|Katherine|Anya Seton|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1375136913s/17908563.jpg|2372397] which is supposed to be Seton's best work, I am starting to think that in most of her books, Seton lacks the ability to make me care about her characters. & Seton shares the heavy foreboding style of [a:Jean Plaidy|6590|Jean Plaidy|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1237699211p2/6590.jpg] where you start to wonder if all these real life characters had the gift of second sight!
The most interesting parts of the story were Elizabeth's early life in England and right at the end with Elizabeth's third husband. There Elizabeth shows some normal human frailties & Seton having her in love with
Spoiler
her cousin Jack? Is there any basis for this? I'm not finding anything online. Made me think - a lot-of [b:Angelique|1175147|Angelique (Angelique Original version, #1)|Anne Golon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1332064569s/1175147.jpg|1162918] & [b:Forever Amber|5368|Forever Amber |Kathleen Winsor|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1350464965s/5368.jpg|2522906] with ill fated first loves."Ve can do nothing..."
Just painful.
A lot of research went into this book. Unfortunately Seton wanted to use all of it.
linda_rose's review
4.0
Not sure but I think this was based on a real person. It was ok, the narration was ok. It needed knock my socks off but it held my interest and it was a long book.
missjazzage's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
mslisadenise's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
caitytruss's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
nadoislandgirl's review against another edition
3.0
This is a tome! My copy, deceivingly, looked like a little paperback - but it took a while to work my way through it.
The novel did tend to drag here and there, but by the midway point, I was mostly engaged and ready to keep going. Most interestingly was that this novel is based on read characters, and it seems as though the author might actually have taken historic document and letters and actually quoted them in the novel (will have to look into this to know for sure). The old English and spelling was a bit of a chore to read, but was used sparingly.
A great look into the Puritan era and colonial America!
The novel did tend to drag here and there, but by the midway point, I was mostly engaged and ready to keep going. Most interestingly was that this novel is based on read characters, and it seems as though the author might actually have taken historic document and letters and actually quoted them in the novel (will have to look into this to know for sure). The old English and spelling was a bit of a chore to read, but was used sparingly.
A great look into the Puritan era and colonial America!
gretel7's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
patlibrary89's review
4.0
I like the 1600's, so this was a good book for me, giving some history as well as a love story. This is a bookclub book from Becky.
ashbcgc's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
martig's review
5.0
This is one of my all-time favorite novels. I have read it at several ages - first in my teens, then my 20s... every decade or so. I always find new insights based on the life lessons I have learned in the time that has passed.