Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by theamyleblanc
Pandora by Susan Stokes-Chapman
mysterious
medium-paced
3.75
This is a very enjoyable, atmospheric mystery with loose ties to Greek mythology. Some elements of the mystery were unpredictable, some were wholly predictable. The impeccable sense of place and interesting characters kept me engaged the entire time.
I loved Dora. She felt entirely appropriate for her age and station in life during that time. I loved her spunk and determination! And her artistry made me smile. Hermes is the perfect companion for someone like Dora. Edward and Cornelius were fun in their own rights but something felt lacking with both of them. They seemed a shade underdeveloped compared to Dora. It didn't bother me as much with Cornelius as it did with Edward, since we see Edward's PoV from time to time.
But I wish I had a stronger understanding of this story before diving in so I could temper my expectations accordingly.
The ties to Greek mythology are very loose. I kept looking for stronger ties, more inspiration, to direct the story's trajectory. I thought there might be a magical realism bent to the story, too. Instead, there's a much subtler relationship with the Pandora myth. I wish the author had leaned into that subtlety a bit more and utilized the elements of Pandora's Box to greater effect. It took something away from my experience to constantly look around for more.
All told, it's enjoyable and I'd recommend it to fans of historical fiction!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Perennial, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I loved Dora. She felt entirely appropriate for her age and station in life during that time. I loved her spunk and determination! And her artistry made me smile. Hermes is the perfect companion for someone like Dora. Edward and Cornelius were fun in their own rights but something felt lacking with both of them. They seemed a shade underdeveloped compared to Dora. It didn't bother me as much with Cornelius as it did with Edward, since we see Edward's PoV from time to time.
But I wish I had a stronger understanding of this story before diving in so I could temper my expectations accordingly.
The ties to Greek mythology are very loose. I kept looking for stronger ties, more inspiration, to direct the story's trajectory. I thought there might be a magical realism bent to the story, too. Instead, there's a much subtler relationship with the Pandora myth. I wish the author had leaned into that subtlety a bit more and utilized the elements of Pandora's Box to greater effect. It took something away from my experience to constantly look around for more.
All told, it's enjoyable and I'd recommend it to fans of historical fiction!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Perennial, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.