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A review by unapologetic_reviews
A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
Did not finish book.
DNF at 26%
I really wanted to like this book. I've been in a reading slump for months, so trying different things. I hoped this one would work, as there are several books, but I just couldn't stand the main character anymore.
She's a Mary Sue. She's a Victorian woman who is "not like other women". She's smart, independent, strong, observant, well-travelled, etc. You get it. She's way too perfect and way too sure of herself. She knows everything better than anyone. Does she sound annoying? Oh yes. While she's not like other women, she also impromptu cooks a soup, tidies up the place, mends the man's shirt and tells him how to organise his business. Because of course she's smarter than everyone in the room. On her high horse she insists she's not in danger, while obviously she is.
I could overlook a Mary Sue. What I can't is boredom. How fleeing for your life can be made boring I never knew until now. Let me tell you. It's boring when nothing relevant is talked about, or done. I tried reading ahead a bit, it's what I do when I find a story boring. That's where I read about shirt mending. I even tried to read the last chapter, which made her even more of a Mary Sue and didn't make me want to turn back to my marked position and read further.
The prose was nice. Really captured the Victorian era. Too bad the characters nor the story could hold my interest. Oh well, back to searching for a book that I don't get bored by. I either need a compelling mystery or characters I like. Extra brownie points for both.
I really wanted to like this book. I've been in a reading slump for months, so trying different things. I hoped this one would work, as there are several books, but I just couldn't stand the main character anymore.
She's a Mary Sue. She's a Victorian woman who is "not like other women". She's smart, independent, strong, observant, well-travelled, etc. You get it. She's way too perfect and way too sure of herself. She knows everything better than anyone. Does she sound annoying? Oh yes. While she's not like other women, she also impromptu cooks a soup, tidies up the place, mends the man's shirt and tells him how to organise his business. Because of course she's smarter than everyone in the room. On her high horse she insists she's not in danger, while obviously she is.
I could overlook a Mary Sue. What I can't is boredom. How fleeing for your life can be made boring I never knew until now. Let me tell you. It's boring when nothing relevant is talked about, or done. I tried reading ahead a bit, it's what I do when I find a story boring. That's where I read about shirt mending. I even tried to read the last chapter, which made her even more of a Mary Sue and didn't make me want to turn back to my marked position and read further.
The prose was nice. Really captured the Victorian era. Too bad the characters nor the story could hold my interest. Oh well, back to searching for a book that I don't get bored by. I either need a compelling mystery or characters I like. Extra brownie points for both.