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A review by ohnoflora
Freya by Anthony Quinn
4.0
Reading Anthony Quinn is a delight. Like Sarah Waters, he has the knack of slipping into period idiom in a way that appears effortless and he has a breezy style that zips along despite the length of this book.
He also seems genuinely interested in his characters. Freya (the character) is infuriating: self-righteous, arrogant, thoughtless, prone to grandstanding and the odd bit of self-sabotage. And yet we are interested in her - we want to spend time with her - partly, I think, because Quinn is interested in her too.
Freya (the book) lacks the deliciousness of [b:Curtain Call|23347053|Curtain Call|Anthony Quinn|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1415297485s/23347053.jpg|42905540] and it falters in its final third in which too much happens in too short a time. However, it is an engrossing character study and celebration of those pioneering 20th century women who fought to be recognised, were sometimes thwarted, but carried on regardless.
He also seems genuinely interested in his characters. Freya (the character) is infuriating: self-righteous, arrogant, thoughtless, prone to grandstanding and the odd bit of self-sabotage. And yet we are interested in her - we want to spend time with her - partly, I think, because Quinn is interested in her too.
Freya (the book) lacks the deliciousness of [b:Curtain Call|23347053|Curtain Call|Anthony Quinn|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1415297485s/23347053.jpg|42905540] and it falters in its final third in which too much happens in too short a time. However, it is an engrossing character study and celebration of those pioneering 20th century women who fought to be recognised, were sometimes thwarted, but carried on regardless.