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ejimenez 's review for:
Lord John and the Private Matter
by Diana Gabaldon
Not entirely a success - this book is neither meaty, complex and id-pleasing (like Gabaldon's Outlander series) nor witty and smart (like a successful mystery novel), and ends up mediocre.
I think part of the problem here is that Gabaldon's strength is in the epic full of anguish, love, and sex, and this book has none of the first two, and the third is entirely off-stage. She's stuck in part due to the fact that Lord John Grey, the protagonist here, is a secondary character in the Outlander books, and thus has much of his story pre-determined. Nothing too exciting can happen to him here, because it would undermine or undo those books.
Another issue is that Gabaldon stumbles in her dealings with the queer subcultures of 18th century London. She raises interesting issues and introduces potentially interesting characters - and then drops them, with their stories unsettled.
Lord John Grey himself, a highlight of the Outlander books, seems pale and cold here, close to boring. The best scene was his interaction with a Scottish whore halfway through the book. I think without the English-Scottish culture clash, Gabaldon can't manage to write compelling character interplay.
It's not an awful book, but it was a disappointment. I guess if I want to see really interesting (and sexy) things happen to Lord John Grey, I'll have to rely on fanfiction.
I think part of the problem here is that Gabaldon's strength is in the epic full of anguish, love, and sex, and this book has none of the first two, and the third is entirely off-stage. She's stuck in part due to the fact that Lord John Grey, the protagonist here, is a secondary character in the Outlander books, and thus has much of his story pre-determined. Nothing too exciting can happen to him here, because it would undermine or undo those books.
Another issue is that Gabaldon stumbles in her dealings with the queer subcultures of 18th century London. She raises interesting issues and introduces potentially interesting characters - and then drops them, with their stories unsettled.
Lord John Grey himself, a highlight of the Outlander books, seems pale and cold here, close to boring. The best scene was his interaction with a Scottish whore halfway through the book. I think without the English-Scottish culture clash, Gabaldon can't manage to write compelling character interplay.
It's not an awful book, but it was a disappointment. I guess if I want to see really interesting (and sexy) things happen to Lord John Grey, I'll have to rely on fanfiction.