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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
Simply too many ridiculous plot points for me to enjoy. Fremont's instant business success wasn't very realistic. And for a well born, educated woman, how could she not realize what an insult it was for Justin to be surprised at her virginity, or to be insulted when one of his main concerns after her first sexual encounter was the blood on his new carpet?! I entirely disliked the Edgar Allen Partridge character (and the repeated, awkward use of his name), as well as the horror stories that were interspersed throughout the book. Frankly, I didn't find Fremont very likable either. I bought this book because the cover claimed fans of Elizabeth Peters and Anne Perry would like this character, but while I've read and enjoyed most of the works by those authors, I didn't much like this.
Charming and enjoyable. I will look for more of her books.
Very fun story with a likable protagonist, perfect for London light reading.
1905. Blueblood Fremont née Caroline Jones escapes her stepmothers matchmaking by fleeing Boston for San Francisco. Now a career girl, she works as a 'type-writer' and is embroiled in a murderous intrigue.
I'm a fan of the period mystery, especially with a female detective. This wasn't quite a mystery and Fremont isn't a detective really, but it still fits that genre. I found the book amusing - a perfect summer read.
I'm a bit torn on how to review this book. There were things I liked about it, but there were also things that really didn't work for me, or felt odd and out of place with the rest of the book. I decided to go with the three stars, because overall, I did enjoy the book enough to finish it.
Fremont is a spunky, independent character, and I liked that she determinedly made a life for herself on her own terms, in spite of living at a time when this was difficult for women. She is intelligent and thoughtful, resourceful and kind. On the down side, there are moments in the book where she reverts to the damsel in distress which irritated me. To be fair, I expect that women at this time probably did have moments where they "fell off the wagon" of independence given how hostile society was to such women, but it did diminish my fondness for Fremont a little each time it happened.
The plot seemed to be trying to be too many things at once, and felt a bit chaotic and confused at times. There is a plucky girl on her own component, there's a mystery component, there is a romance, sort-of [although that part felt very odd and almost off-putting to me in how it was handled, and I read a fair bit of romance so I have read a variety of books including a romance component. It didn't work for me in this book], and there is also a paranormal aspect to the story. Any one of these could have been the focus of the book, since it is a relatively short book. But in trying to cram in all of these components, the book just felt disjointed and not *quite* anything to the fullest.
As I said, I did enjoy the story, and I like the character of Fremont. I would read another book in this series, with the hope that the author will choose what the book and storyline is meant to be and stick with that. I also would like to see Fremont settle into being an independent woman, and be completely okay with that choice, letting go of the need to go all fluttery when challenges come her way.
Fremont is a spunky, independent character, and I liked that she determinedly made a life for herself on her own terms, in spite of living at a time when this was difficult for women. She is intelligent and thoughtful, resourceful and kind. On the down side, there are moments in the book where she reverts to the damsel in distress which irritated me. To be fair, I expect that women at this time probably did have moments where they "fell off the wagon" of independence given how hostile society was to such women, but it did diminish my fondness for Fremont a little each time it happened.
The plot seemed to be trying to be too many things at once, and felt a bit chaotic and confused at times. There is a plucky girl on her own component, there's a mystery component, there is a romance, sort-of [although that part felt very odd and almost off-putting to me in how it was handled, and I read a fair bit of romance so I have read a variety of books including a romance component. It didn't work for me in this book], and there is also a paranormal aspect to the story. Any one of these could have been the focus of the book, since it is a relatively short book. But in trying to cram in all of these components, the book just felt disjointed and not *quite* anything to the fullest.
As I said, I did enjoy the story, and I like the character of Fremont. I would read another book in this series, with the hope that the author will choose what the book and storyline is meant to be and stick with that. I also would like to see Fremont settle into being an independent woman, and be completely okay with that choice, letting go of the need to go all fluttery when challenges come her way.
This was so good she reminded me of a female Sherlock Holmes, very smartly written.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The first in a feminist historical series set in San Francisco in 1905–Fremont, an adventurous young woman, moves out to start her own typewriting business, and finds mysteries, and mysterious men, everywhere she turns. The book is also suffused with the supernatural. The ending was a little eerie. Her attitudes were rather modern for the time. Still, it was very absorbing—I couldn’t put it down. [2021: I have yet to read another book in the series.]
Good historical setup, good characters, Fremont's lack of experience shows (she's 22 and sheltered, after all). I probably would've enjoyed it more if I hadn't been trying to figure out whether it was fantasy or not - I conclude that it probably isn't. Except maybe for the last line. Nonetheless, I will probably try to find the succeeding volumes at some point; good historical fiction is worth looking for!