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taramisu's review against another edition
3.0
The premise: Morgan Pearce is a guest at the Palfry estate, assisting General Sir Janus Palfry in writing his memoirs. While taking a walk, Morgan meets a disabled lady in a Bath chair. Determined to make up for failing his best friend in the same quest, Morgan assists Miss Miranda Runyon to regain her mobility and will to live.
Miscellaneous notes: Given that I am a suck for gentle, Kelly novels that have less to do with London society than human suffering, I am surprised at how little this book grabbed me. I guess Miranda's self pity and anger put me off from the beginning and I had a hard time liking her. Perhaps it was a subject better handled by a more adept writer than Ms. Butler. She brings none of the true passion and despair from real life into her book. It felt more like reading a manual than a glimpse into these characters' lives.
While I certainly had to read the whole book, I would not read it again.
Miscellaneous notes: Given that I am a suck for gentle, Kelly novels that have less to do with London society than human suffering, I am surprised at how little this book grabbed me. I guess Miranda's self pity and anger put me off from the beginning and I had a hard time liking her. Perhaps it was a subject better handled by a more adept writer than Ms. Butler. She brings none of the true passion and despair from real life into her book. It felt more like reading a manual than a glimpse into these characters' lives.
While I certainly had to read the whole book, I would not read it again.
sarahconnor89757's review
3.0
How should I rate this? I thought it was a pretty good book, very unusual for the genre, but I didn't enjoy it. It gave me PTSD.
I was looking forward to seeing how the author dealt with a wheelchair-bound character in the regency era and Butler really did do a great job of it, but I hate stories where someone overcomes something by another coming into their life to challenge them and therefore give them "self-respect."
Firstly, it is lazy writing. It is easy to exploit emotions from the mundane with this format and is the biggest cliche in the gimp-fiction-sub-genre.
Secondly, it is harmful. For entertainment purposes it is acceptable but unfortunately people learn how to see and deal with minorities through their equivalent media portrayals and inspirational stories like these can lead people to assume someone who is disabled is that way because they have just not tried to get better. This seems ludicrous but it's true.
Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't write or read these types of stories (even if it is lazy) but that this is my opinion on these types of stories and since this is my review, my opinion is the only one that matters.
I was looking forward to seeing how the author dealt with a wheelchair-bound character in the regency era and Butler really did do a great job of it, but I hate stories where someone overcomes something by another coming into their life to challenge them and therefore give them "self-respect."
Firstly, it is lazy writing. It is easy to exploit emotions from the mundane with this format and is the biggest cliche in the gimp-fiction-sub-genre.
Secondly, it is harmful. For entertainment purposes it is acceptable but unfortunately people learn how to see and deal with minorities through their equivalent media portrayals and inspirational stories like these can lead people to assume someone who is disabled is that way because they have just not tried to get better. This seems ludicrous but it's true.
Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't write or read these types of stories (even if it is lazy) but that this is my opinion on these types of stories and since this is my review, my opinion is the only one that matters.
takethyme's review
4.0
The very first thing I noticed as I started reading Prospero’s Daughter was Nancy Butler was talking to me. Yes, it appeared to be a conversation and I listened. She was explaining Morgan Pearce’s odd friendship with Ronald Palfrey.
Morgan, the poor guy, was to relive over and over again Ronald’s wartime version of saving his life in Spain. Palfrey brought this tale up when he was going to ask Morgan for a favor. This time the former lieutenantwanted had already promised his dear old dad, a retired General, that Morgan would review his memoirs and provide tips for improvement. And, once again, Morgan was outmaneuvered.
~~~~~
The plot was unusual for a Signet romance. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Morgan Pearce at the onset. Besides letting Palfrey inveigle his way into his life, he was involved with a married woman and his life appeared shallow. Instead, when he arrived at Windemere, the retired general’s home, things changed in a big way. What appeared on the surface to be an ideal setting with a perfect family was something else.
I don’t want to reveal too much of what happened, but the theme was different. The romance developed at a slow pace and neither of the MCs were always shown in the best light. If you enjoy characters pushing buttons, you should enjoy this story.
All in all, it was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
Morgan, the poor guy, was to relive over and over again Ronald’s wartime version of saving his life in Spain. Palfrey brought this tale up when he was going to ask Morgan for a favor. This time the former lieutenant
~~~~~
The plot was unusual for a Signet romance. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Morgan Pearce at the onset. Besides letting Palfrey inveigle his way into his life, he was involved with a married woman and his life appeared shallow. Instead, when he arrived at Windemere, the retired general’s home, things changed in a big way. What appeared on the surface to be an ideal setting with a perfect family was something else.
I don’t want to reveal too much of what happened, but the theme was different. The romance developed at a slow pace and neither of the MCs were always shown in the best light. If you enjoy characters pushing buttons, you should enjoy this story.
All in all, it was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
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