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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
It took me a while to get through this book, partially because I read it on my kindle and that slows me down and partially because the first part felt a little slow. Once I hit the halfway point, I really sped up and raced to find out what happened next. Some of the turns I expected, but many I did not. The ending leaves you wishing for just a few more chapters and you wonder what happened after, but it was a nice ending that closed enough doors to be satisfied.
I will definitely be paying attention to this author in the future!
I will definitely be paying attention to this author in the future!
Wow
What a ride! I started reading to see how San Francisco would be evoked, but got caught up in it!
What a ride! I started reading to see how San Francisco would be evoked, but got caught up in it!
Such a delightful read! It hits all the points I look for in a book.
Loved this book. A bit of a Gone With the Wind Flair and I loved every second of it. Romance, society, insane asylum, natural disaster and revenge.
Not my normal style of reading, but found this to be a refreshing change from my normal genres. Got this book as a part of the free prime giveaway, and once I started it, couldn’t put it down. The author compels me through this wonderful tale of revenge and high society during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, thoroughly satisfying my interests throughout the entire novel. I recommend this highly.
I think that the pacing, the writing, and the character development is absolutely stellar.
Looking for a period piece? A mystery? Interesting character arcs? A revenge plot? A post-apocalyptic feeling setting? Class commentary? This book has it all.
I think what made this book ultimately work for me was the pacing. It’s told in three parts: May’s arrival to San Francisco, a plot twist, and recovery after the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Although some parts are longer than others, I think each section is (mostly) given enough time to develop. (Part three did feel a little bit short and slightly rushed, hence the 4.5, but I still think it was well done.) This book wears so many different hats, tackling a wide range of issues and settings, but they all worked for me. And they did it in a period accurate way, which is even more impressive.
The main character, May, was fascinating. She grew up in poverty, so there’s some resilience there, and then she’s thrust into this new money family and has to deal with navigating that world. Then, after the plot twist, she has to renavigate her situation yet again, this time using the knowledge and past experiences to get back what was hers. It’s super hard to develop a character like this in a way that doesn’t feel jarring or disingenuous, but Chance delivered it well.
I did guess most of the facets of the plot twist accurately (I only missed one aspect, but I still wasn’t totally far off of what was really going on), but I don’t think that is because it was badly told. On the contrary, I think that the author laid the clues really well and so when the twist ultimately came, it made sense.
Really enjoyed myself with this one. Definitely recommend if you are not triggered by forced institutionalization, which is explored quite graphically in the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
a little too slow for my taste, especially when the book is a mix between period drama and thriller
A Pleasant Surprise
I never really thought much about the history of the city of San Francisco, but this story changed that. This book gave me a wonderful introduction to an exciting time.
I never really thought much about the history of the city of San Francisco, but this story changed that. This book gave me a wonderful introduction to an exciting time.
Enjoyable historical fiction set in SF prior to the great Earthquake. A little romance/rags to riches fish out of water.