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A review by readingwithmrleo
Chasing the Horizon by Mary Connealy
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
In this book, we follow Beth and her mother through their escape on the Oregon trail. After being put in an asylum by her husband, Beth's mom is able to get away with the help of her daughter. Together, they leave on a wagon train heading west, with fake identities and in hopes they can reach Idaho without people asking too many questions. It isn't that often that I read about that specific time period so I always find it interesting to learn more about it. The reality and the hardship of it, it makes you feel grateful for what we have these days and always make for a touching story.
Surprisingly, this book was more about a bigger story than focused on two characters. You get all these people traveling together, Beth and her mother are helped throughout their journey, you also get to see the dad in parallel with all of it, which keeps the suspense going. There are lots of side characters that you can tell might be of some importance later and are full of secrets. The romance wasn't the biggest part of the book, it was more about that journey, about the people, about their hope for a better life and what it took to get there.
My main problem with the book was probably my expectation VS what it was. After reading the blurb, I just assumed this would be about two characters and be more of a love story. So it was disappointing to me that there was practically no romance whatsoever (a little love at first sight thingy, that's all) and the book focused on so many characters that we barely knew them all in the end. I'm more of a get to know characters on a deeper level, otherwise I don't get attached and it leaves me with a very indifferent feeling about all that is going on. I also assumed the interactions between Jake and Beth would be all about trying to hide secrets and all, but what it really was was "I know you are hiding things and I'll protect you no matter what"... so I didn't get what I was hoping for, once again.
I also found it hard to have so many characters that seemed important but still not knowing any infos about them when the book ends. For example, I get that Sebastian will be in the next book, but as someone who only read the first book I was expecting to learn a little something that would make me want to know more but my infos about him are the same as when the book started, I got nothing more through it, even though he still was an important character in the story. Or I would have loved to get just a hint of a possible relationship with Kat since it was mentioned multiple times she took care of him, but we saw none of it.
And last thing, the whole ending wrapped-up so quickly and with nothing really resolving, so it was a little frustrating.
I still think that this book has its public, it just wasn't me. The story is interesting, it follows through and you get a great feeling of found family, the importance of being there for each other and helping others as best as we can, it also approaches harder subjects such as grief and the whole asylum aftereffects.
Thanks to the publisher and austenprose for my eARC. All opinions are my own.
Surprisingly, this book was more about a bigger story than focused on two characters. You get all these people traveling together, Beth and her mother are helped throughout their journey, you also get to see the dad in parallel with all of it, which keeps the suspense going. There are lots of side characters that you can tell might be of some importance later and are full of secrets. The romance wasn't the biggest part of the book, it was more about that journey, about the people, about their hope for a better life and what it took to get there.
My main problem with the book was probably my expectation VS what it was. After reading the blurb, I just assumed this would be about two characters and be more of a love story. So it was disappointing to me that there was practically no romance whatsoever (a little love at first sight thingy, that's all) and the book focused on so many characters that we barely knew them all in the end. I'm more of a get to know characters on a deeper level, otherwise I don't get attached and it leaves me with a very indifferent feeling about all that is going on. I also assumed the interactions between Jake and Beth would be all about trying to hide secrets and all, but what it really was was "I know you are hiding things and I'll protect you no matter what"... so I didn't get what I was hoping for, once again.
I also found it hard to have so many characters that seemed important but still not knowing any infos about them when the book ends. For example, I get that Sebastian will be in the next book, but as someone who only read the first book I was expecting to learn a little something that would make me want to know more but my infos about him are the same as when the book started, I got nothing more through it, even though he still was an important character in the story. Or I would have loved to get just a hint of a possible relationship with Kat since it was mentioned multiple times she took care of him, but we saw none of it.
And last thing, the whole ending wrapped-up so quickly and with nothing really resolving, so it was a little frustrating.
I still think that this book has its public, it just wasn't me. The story is interesting, it follows through and you get a great feeling of found family, the importance of being there for each other and helping others as best as we can, it also approaches harder subjects such as grief and the whole asylum aftereffects.
Thanks to the publisher and austenprose for my eARC. All opinions are my own.