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A review by wanderaven
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
1.0
Nope, I didn't give this much of a chance - about fifty pages.
And here's my primary reason: the story is told in third person POV, not first, but it is a close POV for the modern day protagonist, Connie. We hear her thoughts and trepidation about her exam, etc. and then, suddenly, we're told about how her face "pales significantly" or "reddens suddenly" (something along those lines, I don't care enough to go back and look up the exact wording). Beyond the irritation that this characterization is provided multiple times in a very short time frame (does she have no other reaction?), I immediately have to ask, Who is seeing this reaction? There are no other character POVs provided at this time. It's all close third-person POV from Connie's perspective, so she can't be seeing her own face redden or pale. Sure, she could feel herself blush or whatever, but this isn't what happens.
I understand this can be typical of a newer writer but where is the editor here??
Had it happened once, I would have been irritated (I'm easily irritated by that sort of easily-caught oversight). But so many times in such a short number of pages and so early in a book that I am not committed to leaves me... not committed.
I look at the other reviews and know I may be missing something great here but I don't want to torture myself in order to try and find it...
And here's my primary reason: the story is told in third person POV, not first, but it is a close POV for the modern day protagonist, Connie. We hear her thoughts and trepidation about her exam, etc. and then, suddenly, we're told about how her face "pales significantly" or "reddens suddenly" (something along those lines, I don't care enough to go back and look up the exact wording). Beyond the irritation that this characterization is provided multiple times in a very short time frame (does she have no other reaction?), I immediately have to ask, Who is seeing this reaction? There are no other character POVs provided at this time. It's all close third-person POV from Connie's perspective, so she can't be seeing her own face redden or pale. Sure, she could feel herself blush or whatever, but this isn't what happens.
I understand this can be typical of a newer writer but where is the editor here??
Had it happened once, I would have been irritated (I'm easily irritated by that sort of easily-caught oversight). But so many times in such a short number of pages and so early in a book that I am not committed to leaves me... not committed.
I look at the other reviews and know I may be missing something great here but I don't want to torture myself in order to try and find it...