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A review by irenealgi
The Rector's Daughter by F.M. Mayor
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I think I may have had too high hopes for this novel, so it was bound to disappoint me. I found the story interesting but dragging, and it doesn't really properly pick up until 60-70% into it, which is a long wait. I found the writing quite odd, it had some great moments of insightful commentary and beautiful phrasing, but more often than not it was dull and strangely confusing. I often wondered if there had been issues with the editing of the book, because some sentences were just wrongly structured and grammatically incorrect. Punctuation was also a bit of a hit or miss.
In terms of the plot and character development, this is where the novel's strength lies, and the main characters (Mary, her father, Mr Herbert and Kathy) are well rounded. Secondary characters such as Dora, Lady Meryton or Lesbia were unfortunately a lot more one-dimensional, but that is a fairly common problem. The story really picks up, in my opinion, when Kathy's misfortune befalls on her, and I found that section of the book the most enthralling by far.
In terms of the plot and character development, this is where the novel's strength lies, and the main characters (Mary, her father, Mr Herbert and Kathy) are well rounded. Secondary characters such as Dora, Lady Meryton or Lesbia were unfortunately a lot more one-dimensional, but that is a fairly common problem. The story really picks up, in my opinion, when Kathy's misfortune befalls on her, and I found that section of the book the most enthralling by far.