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_groovyginger_ 's review for:
The Wedding Shroud
by Elisabeth Storrs
I DNF this book. This was my third attempt at trying to read it over the years, and I finally had to give up and accept I could not do it. I have never DNF a book before; I always push through, but I finally realized I couldn't anymore. I wasn't happy and didn't think it was worth it to spend any more time on this book. So, why didn't I like it?
First, it was so hard to get past the whining of the main character. The plot just wasn't strong enough for me, but it was so promising at the beginning. I couldn't understand or relate to the main character's thoughts and decisions. Why was she so desperate to return to Rome, a place where the only family she has left thoroughly mistreated her? Compared to the standards of the day, her life was grand, with a caring husband and freedoms of the society.
Also, the 'mystery' surrounding the husband's dead first wife was just uninteresting to me. Everyone kept details of her a secret, and it seemed at every turn Caecillia was discovering another 'clue.' I just didn't care because it did not seem relevant to the plot in the slightest.
I get that the cultural shock of the Etruscan society was indeed a complete change from everything the MC knew, but she could (and should) have made the most of it. Thought I will say, I have to agree with her shock and disgust at some of the depravities, including brutal animal slaughter, featured in the book. They were a little much for me to read about, so I could understand a little about her feelings.
Ultimately though, I just didn't like the main character enough to push through. Finally, my last gripe is the constant referral of the main character as "the girl." Actually, a few characters are reduced to "the girl," and it especially annoys me because they're grown women!! At least by the standards of the time period. I don't think I've ever read a third person narrative that refuses to just use the characters' names. "The matron" "The Roman" "The Greek girl" and so on was just so weird and off-putting to me. Maybe I can't explain it as well as I'd like, but just use pronouns or the character's name.
I will say, this book might have promise for some. And I did make it halfway through. The author does a good job at describing the ancient Etruscans, and it's a setting that I haven't read about before. The supporting characters were much better than the MC, and they probably help to keep the book afloat to the end; I just didn't have the patience to find out.
First, it was so hard to get past the whining of the main character. The plot just wasn't strong enough for me, but it was so promising at the beginning. I couldn't understand or relate to the main character's thoughts and decisions. Why was she so desperate to return to Rome, a place where the only family she has left thoroughly mistreated her? Compared to the standards of the day, her life was grand, with a caring husband and freedoms of the society.
Also, the 'mystery' surrounding the husband's dead first wife was just uninteresting to me. Everyone kept details of her a secret, and it seemed at every turn Caecillia was discovering another 'clue.' I just didn't care because it did not seem relevant to the plot in the slightest.
I get that the cultural shock of the Etruscan society was indeed a complete change from everything the MC knew, but she could (and should) have made the most of it. Thought I will say, I have to agree with her shock and disgust at some of the depravities, including brutal animal slaughter, featured in the book. They were a little much for me to read about, so I could understand a little about her feelings.
Ultimately though, I just didn't like the main character enough to push through. Finally, my last gripe is the constant referral of the main character as "the girl." Actually, a few characters are reduced to "the girl," and it especially annoys me because they're grown women!! At least by the standards of the time period. I don't think I've ever read a third person narrative that refuses to just use the characters' names. "The matron" "The Roman" "The Greek girl" and so on was just so weird and off-putting to me. Maybe I can't explain it as well as I'd like, but just use pronouns or the character's name.
I will say, this book might have promise for some. And I did make it halfway through. The author does a good job at describing the ancient Etruscans, and it's a setting that I haven't read about before. The supporting characters were much better than the MC, and they probably help to keep the book afloat to the end; I just didn't have the patience to find out.