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beverly_h 's review for:
A Double Life
by Charlotte Philby
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I relished this book, mainly for the character depth that was developed throughout. (Anyone who reads my reviews will know that I am a character-driven reader/writer.)
I found that all of the characters in this book were atypical as opposed to stereotypical. Gabriela, as the prime example, subverts the typical female homemaker role and is the family breadwinner. Moreover, she is attracted to what I might call 'unconventional' men, which was a breath of fresh air considering how - in so many books - the partner of the protagonist is an attractive, highly-paid alpha male.
The children are depicted realistically in the story. I like the sense of maturity that the author bestows on Sadie, the firstborn, and I relate to Sadie as somewhat of a perceptive 'old soul', similar to how I was as a child. The last words that Sadie utters in the story are chilling yet extremely befitting and justified.
I didn't relate very well to Isobel within the story, and I felt that her plotline got muddled at times. I didn't much care for her backstory or her current predicament and found myself rushing through her sections, intrigued as I was by the double life being led by Gabriela.
As for the overall plot, I found that the book's blurb isn't as great a reflection as it could have been, and I was expecting quite a different read. I will say that - if you are a plot-driven reader - you may find this novel to be especially slow-moving. It is 454 pages long, and for me the plot's pace and juiciness didn't thicken until around page 300 or so. However, I still gave this book a 4-star rating because the complexity and richness of the characters (mainly Gabriela and her immediate family) more than made up for any lack of plot pacing.
I didn't want this story to end, and I devoured the last 150-or-so pages. The ending is quite ambiguous, which probably won't fly with those of you who enjoy a nicely-sealed ending, but on reflection I appreciate that the ending is lifelike in that nothing is truly black and white. I commend the author for her decision to end the story in this way, as I know it can sometimes draw negativity from critics.
I found that all of the characters in this book were atypical as opposed to stereotypical. Gabriela, as the prime example, subverts the typical female homemaker role and is the family breadwinner. Moreover, she is attracted to what I might call 'unconventional' men, which was a breath of fresh air considering how - in so many books - the partner of the protagonist is an attractive, highly-paid alpha male.
The children are depicted realistically in the story. I like the sense of maturity that the author bestows on Sadie, the firstborn, and I relate to Sadie as somewhat of a perceptive 'old soul', similar to how I was as a child. The last words that Sadie utters in the story are chilling yet extremely befitting and justified.
I didn't relate very well to Isobel within the story, and I felt that her plotline got muddled at times. I didn't much care for her backstory or her current predicament and found myself rushing through her sections, intrigued as I was by the double life being led by Gabriela.
As for the overall plot, I found that the book's blurb isn't as great a reflection as it could have been, and I was expecting quite a different read. I will say that - if you are a plot-driven reader - you may find this novel to be especially slow-moving. It is 454 pages long, and for me the plot's pace and juiciness didn't thicken until around page 300 or so. However, I still gave this book a 4-star rating because the complexity and richness of the characters (mainly Gabriela and her immediate family) more than made up for any lack of plot pacing.
I didn't want this story to end, and I devoured the last 150-or-so pages. The ending is quite ambiguous, which probably won't fly with those of you who enjoy a nicely-sealed ending, but on reflection I appreciate that the ending is lifelike in that nothing is truly black and white. I commend the author for her decision to end the story in this way, as I know it can sometimes draw negativity from critics.