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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Silly victorian novel w a little gothic thrown in. Girl gets engaged to a bad rich man and finds out too late what he’s all about.
Took me a second to get into, but I sped through the last half of the book! Great suspense and an unexpected ending make for a memorable story :)
*BookBub recommendation
*BookBub recommendation
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
dark
mysterious
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Interesting story that definitely picked up pace in the latter half. I wasn’t exactly sure where it was going, but I’m amused with how it went.
A nice enough, traditional gothic tale to pass the time, however, there won't be any surprises for those who love the isolated heroine who must chose between two men trope.
For me the book falls a bit flat with Iris, the heroine. I never became sympathetic to her because she seemed rather bossy and bold (asking the servant girl at the marketplace in front of others if she is illiterate seemed very callous). The painter was typical hero fare.
Worse, I just couldn't get past the historical inaccuracy of a girl in 1850 LIVING at the home of her fiancé. No way on this little green earth would that have been allowed or approved of by society. Her friendliness with the servants was also very odd. I can't imagine a wealthy family putting a COOK in charge of soon-to-be lady-of-the-house's toilette. Bizarre.
This author has promise for I thought the story was a better than average read, the pacing was good, and it hit all the gothic tropes. It just needs more historical accuracy if you are going to set a story in 1850 England, and emotional depth to the main characters.
For me the book falls a bit flat with Iris, the heroine. I never became sympathetic to her because she seemed rather bossy and bold (asking the servant girl at the marketplace in front of others if she is illiterate seemed very callous). The painter was typical hero fare.
Worse, I just couldn't get past the historical inaccuracy of a girl in 1850 LIVING at the home of her fiancé. No way on this little green earth would that have been allowed or approved of by society. Her friendliness with the servants was also very odd. I can't imagine a wealthy family putting a COOK in charge of soon-to-be lady-of-the-house's toilette. Bizarre.
This author has promise for I thought the story was a better than average read, the pacing was good, and it hit all the gothic tropes. It just needs more historical accuracy if you are going to set a story in 1850 England, and emotional depth to the main characters.
emotional
medium-paced
The Portrait tells the story of Iris, a devoted sister and fiancee of Winston. Winston's rich and that's great because Iris is sick and he bankrolls her care.
Everything is great until Winston hires a portrait painter to paint Iris before the wedding. Yes, he's broodingly handsome, but that's not all there is to the story, for there are secrets to uncover and mysteries to solve.
The narrative kicks into high gear about 100 pages in. Reader, once I reached that milestone, I finished the rest that night. This one's a no-brainer for fans of gothic romance/mystery. (and for fans of handsome painters!)
Everything is great until Winston hires a portrait painter to paint Iris before the wedding. Yes, he's broodingly handsome, but that's not all there is to the story, for there are secrets to uncover and mysteries to solve.
The narrative kicks into high gear about 100 pages in. Reader, once I reached that milestone, I finished the rest that night. This one's a no-brainer for fans of gothic romance/mystery. (and for fans of handsome painters!)
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
It's been a while since I've read a well-done gothic suspense/romance. This one perfectly scratched that itch. If I had to pick one genre to read for the rest of my life it would be in this arena. Iris irritated me at first... those who overly dote on family members, especially to the level of self-sacrificing their own happiness, often do. However, as I learned more behind why she was that way it made sense and felt more believable and less of a trope. Thomas James had just a dash enough Darcy while also completely being a distinct character himself... really loved the brooding artist. Winston gave me the ick from the get-go and I don't think him being a creep is much of a spoiler. While I saw that coming I was fully invested in what the mystery was behind his ickiness. Even though it was quite clear where this story was headed I really enjoyed filling in the missing details of how we were to get there. I also had fun researching the glass palace (I've seen the remains and never knew what they were), the Great Exposition of 1851, and the paintings that served as inspiration for the author. Highly recommended.