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A review by jenbsbooks
Royal Replicas by Michael Pierce
Did not finish book.
So, I don't really feel like I should leave an official rating, as I'm marking this DNF at just 5% in. That was several chapters (12 of them, plus a prologue). I was one of those who loved [b:The Selection|10507293|The Selection (The Selection, #1)|Kiera Cass|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1322103400l/10507293._SY75_.jpg|15413183], but Bella Forrest novels not so much (both hyped used for promotion "If you liked xxx then you'll love this!")
The premise intrigued me, but once the chapters started, and it switched to the first person perspective, it was grating. The writing didn't feel natural, very stilted, not at all what a young girl would be thinking. As she is reflecting upon the beating her "foster father" gives her, to bend her to his will, she thinks "And I was a small girl who could easily be bent." But she's really a princess and the parents of this family know this, and instead of trying to find favor with the Queen, she's more of a "Cinderella" servant type (although the "step-sisters" and mother aren't bad, it's the father who beats her). Did he not fear that the queen would be angry when she finds out the daughter she put in their care was abused so? Is the mother aware? She seems to have a good relationship with Victoria but doesn't care that her husband, and the governess are constantly hitting her and leaving welts and broken skin? As the queen recalls Victoria to the capital to marry a prince from the neighboring kingdom, was there any reason why a younger daughter had been kept secret and raised away from the castle all these years? We, and Victoria, are told "your questions will be answered when you get here" and Victoria sure seems to accept that a lot more than I did!
As I read these few chapters, what went from a promising premise and my happy interest, went to my face being scrunched up thinking "uhhhh" ...
So in this world of billions of books at my fingertips, I'm not going to press forward on one that is rubbing me the wrong way so early on. Perhaps it gets better? Maybe I'm in a mood? The title, the cover, the premise were promising but I just didn't feel like they were going to deliver after all.
The whole series was available on Kindle Unlimited - I'm a bit sad I didn't like it.
The premise intrigued me, but once the chapters started, and it switched to the first person perspective, it was grating. The writing didn't feel natural, very stilted, not at all what a young girl would be thinking. As she is reflecting upon the beating her "foster father" gives her, to bend her to his will, she thinks "And I was a small girl who could easily be bent." But she's really a princess and the parents of this family know this, and instead of trying to find favor with the Queen, she's more of a "Cinderella" servant type (although the "step-sisters" and mother aren't bad, it's the father who beats her). Did he not fear that the queen would be angry when she finds out the daughter she put in their care was abused so? Is the mother aware? She seems to have a good relationship with Victoria but doesn't care that her husband, and the governess are constantly hitting her and leaving welts and broken skin? As the queen recalls Victoria to the capital to marry a prince from the neighboring kingdom, was there any reason why a younger daughter had been kept secret and raised away from the castle all these years? We, and Victoria, are told "your questions will be answered when you get here" and Victoria sure seems to accept that a lot more than I did!
As I read these few chapters, what went from a promising premise and my happy interest, went to my face being scrunched up thinking "uhhhh" ...
So in this world of billions of books at my fingertips, I'm not going to press forward on one that is rubbing me the wrong way so early on. Perhaps it gets better? Maybe I'm in a mood? The title, the cover, the premise were promising but I just didn't feel like they were going to deliver after all.
The whole series was available on Kindle Unlimited - I'm a bit sad I didn't like it.