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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
I tried and failed to really get into this book. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters; most of them were boring or unpleasant. The main plot was intriguing but the ending felt a bit anti-climactic, and the side plots were so uninteresting that I found myself skipping those pages after a while.
The author’s writing style is very poetic and there’s quite a bit of exposition, which I enjoyed at first but after a while it felt a little heavy-handed and rambling.
I did enjoy the setting of the English countryside, but overall this book just wasn’t for me.
The author’s writing style is very poetic and there’s quite a bit of exposition, which I enjoyed at first but after a while it felt a little heavy-handed and rambling.
I did enjoy the setting of the English countryside, but overall this book just wasn’t for me.
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gorgeous. Echoes of an updated, explicitly feminist (and socialist) Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre (or even Sherlock Holmes), but also entirely original.
I first tried listening to this on audiobook but found the language too rich, the story too complex for me to concentrate while driving. It was like trying to eat cake through a straw. The ability to flip among the characters' letters to one another, cross-reference allusions and motifs, and linger over beautiful sentences and imagery enhanced my reading greatly.
Rooted in Victoriana, yet with modern sensibility, this book is complex, dense with symbolism, but always driven by fascinating characters who won't be easily forgotten.
I first tried listening to this on audiobook but found the language too rich, the story too complex for me to concentrate while driving. It was like trying to eat cake through a straw. The ability to flip among the characters' letters to one another, cross-reference allusions and motifs, and linger over beautiful sentences and imagery enhanced my reading greatly.
Rooted in Victoriana, yet with modern sensibility, this book is complex, dense with symbolism, but always driven by fascinating characters who won't be easily forgotten.
I really wanted to like this book. Unfortunately, while there is no doubting that it is beautifully written, the story failed to grip or to carry me with the flow of the exquisite language. The book became more of a task to read rather than a joy. There were moments towards the end where I could see the potential of the tale and the mythical beast that gripped the village, however, this was not sufficient to make me pick up the book every day to carry on.
Although the book is set in the Victorian era, it is worth reminding ourselves that it is actually set very late in the era. Much had developed to transform the rights of women during Victoria's reign and we simply do not get a sense of the real sociological issues facing the female characters. Cora, Stella and Martha were intriguing, but each flawed in their own way, and it became difficult to identify with any of them. The redeeming feature of this book for me, however, can be summarised in one quote:
"It's a poor woman whose ambition is only to be loved. She has better things to be getting on with".
Although the book is set in the Victorian era, it is worth reminding ourselves that it is actually set very late in the era. Much had developed to transform the rights of women during Victoria's reign and we simply do not get a sense of the real sociological issues facing the female characters. Cora, Stella and Martha were intriguing, but each flawed in their own way, and it became difficult to identify with any of them. The redeeming feature of this book for me, however, can be summarised in one quote:
"It's a poor woman whose ambition is only to be loved. She has better things to be getting on with".
Bookshop Santa Cruz Books and Brews 2018
I enjoyed this book and found the characters predominantly believable. There were a few places where I had to remind myself to suspend my disbelief but, all in all, the story flows well and is captivating.
I enjoyed this book and found the characters predominantly believable. There were a few places where I had to remind myself to suspend my disbelief but, all in all, the story flows well and is captivating.
This book was a well-written tale that mesmerized me at times and left me drifting at times. Some of the writing took my breath away with its beauty and some of the writing had filling in the gaps because I wasn't paying attention. It is probably just me, though. The premise of the story was great! I think if I'd read it as a book book and not as an audiobook, I wouldn't have finished it.
DNF. After two hours in, I still couldn’t connect to the book. Had to abandon.