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A review by merawlee
The Locksmith's Daughter by Karen Brooks
3.0
It's more a 3.5 stars than 3.
This book might not be for everyone due to its high attention to minutia. I would almost put it in the Naturalist genre, really. Though I can understand the wish of the author to be as true to the historical aspect of her story, I personally felt the usage of archaic speech to be an early obstacle that might make some put the book down.
I did have problem with Mallory. She's depicted as an intelligent and witty young woman and yet, at a most crucial point, she turned into a damsel in distress despite supposedly knowing everything that she did. I know the use of the first person narration usually makes a reader bond with the main protagonist but, in this instance, it was more a detriment for me.
Despite all of that, the story is superbly well crafted even despite some scenes making no sense and/or contradicting something that had already occurred. The mix of fact and fiction are beautifully spun together which is what I usually look for in historical novels. I just wish it had captivated me more than it actually did.
This book might not be for everyone due to its high attention to minutia. I would almost put it in the Naturalist genre, really. Though I can understand the wish of the author to be as true to the historical aspect of her story, I personally felt the usage of archaic speech to be an early obstacle that might make some put the book down.
I did have problem with Mallory. She's depicted as an intelligent and witty young woman and yet, at a most crucial point, she turned into a damsel in distress despite supposedly knowing everything that she did. I know the use of the first person narration usually makes a reader bond with the main protagonist but, in this instance, it was more a detriment for me.
Despite all of that, the story is superbly well crafted even despite some scenes making no sense and/or contradicting something that had already occurred. The mix of fact and fiction are beautifully spun together which is what I usually look for in historical novels. I just wish it had captivated me more than it actually did.