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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
The fact that this novel took 30 years to complete is...puzzling. The plot is eminently predictable (the only twist I didn't see coming used the specter of incest to make it seem unlikely), and the language has little sparkle or verve.
I wasn't expecting to be changed by this novel, but I was hoping to be delighted by its portrayal of fin de siecle Vienna. Sadly, while the author kept assuring me of the city's charm and energy, I experienced none of it myself.
One of the earliest adages I recall learning in middle school English class was "show, don't tell." Sadly, it seems no one ever shared this idea with Selden Edwards. His characters are built entirely out of description - as opposed to action - and have the same conversations over, over and over again. (And not in a nifty, time travel, cyclical way, either.)
Overall, I was deeply disappointed in this book. Such a cool premise; such poor execution.
I wasn't expecting to be changed by this novel, but I was hoping to be delighted by its portrayal of fin de siecle Vienna. Sadly, while the author kept assuring me of the city's charm and energy, I experienced none of it myself.
One of the earliest adages I recall learning in middle school English class was "show, don't tell." Sadly, it seems no one ever shared this idea with Selden Edwards. His characters are built entirely out of description - as opposed to action - and have the same conversations over, over and over again. (And not in a nifty, time travel, cyclical way, either.)
Overall, I was deeply disappointed in this book. Such a cool premise; such poor execution.
I really enjoyed this book but fell just short of being great. To many times the story falls back on repeating details, and I found the end of the book fell really flat for me. So overly romantic mush. Bad end to an otherwise really good book
Evidently Edwards spent around three decades working on this novel. I admire that sort of never-give-up dedication the man had for this novel! Reading THE LITTLE BOOK, you can really tell that Edwards spent that long with writing drafts of it over and over through the years, not due to the way it reads, but the way if feels like with each version, more story elements were added whether they should have been there before or not. The book is kind of charming with its time travel story about a man going back to 1897 Vienna and getting embroiled with the famous and non-famous, romance and even life-threatening danger. I am a real sucker for time travel novels, but the twists and hooks of this are just a tad too much for me. At a certain point there's too much of a "come on" reaction as the twists start to occur. If it wasn't for my love of time travel, lower score, but it is a time travel novel so that was enough for me.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
What an interesting book! The underlying premise is the connectivity of all our lives and actions, presented through the adventures of a person who is transported back into the past by a traumatic event. The time travel paradox takes on a whole new life under Selden Edwards creative writing. Rather than refraining from damaging the delicate fabric of time, the protagonist actually realizes that he has been transported back exactly so that what takes place a century later will transpire. I may want to re-read this some day because it is so intricately woven that I'm sure I may have missed some clues.
UPDATE: This is just a fabulous book - so many twists and turns. I enjoyed it as much this re-read as I did back in 2013, though I think the last chapter could have been excised.
UPDATE: This is just a fabulous book - so many twists and turns. I enjoyed it as much this re-read as I did back in 2013, though I think the last chapter could have been excised.
I didn't really like the writer's narrative style and after an hour reading was bored out of my mind.
I liked the time travel premise of the book and I thought that how he connected the characters was creative. Otherwise, it did not flow well for me and I found it difficult to follow. Would not be on my recommend list.
If you like historical fiction that mixes historical figures with fiction, give this a try. It's very well written, just not my cup of tea. I really tried, but kept hopping onto my ipad to see what was fact and what was fiction. Ultimately, too distracting. It did, however, make me want to read some non-fiction about turn-of-the-century Vienna.