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A review by yaytaylor
The Chimney Sweeper's Boy by Barbara Vine
1.0
I have very little good to say about this book: after wasting my time reading all 344 pages only to be presented with an incredibly obvious and anti-climactic “shocker”, I cannot recommend it to anyone. The only reason I persevered was because it was the monthly selection for my book club. Besides the poorly written dialogue, plot-holes galore, and obnoxious characters, the ending of the book could have been guessed in the first three pages. You could read the first chapter and the last chapter and come away with the same satisfaction gained in reading it from cover to cover.
Here are my main frustrations:
•The title and the prologue spell out EXACTLY what the big twist is. I’m more shocked by the lack of shock than the ending, given this is supposed to be a mystery.
•I can’t resonate with any of the characters. Ursula garners a bit of pity but overall I don’t find her compelling, and am frustrated by her decision making. The daughters are bratty and childish, and I truly dislike them as people by the end.
•Why are Sarah and hope so cruel to their mother? Having a distant mother doesn’t explain their complete lack of empathy for her, and their lack of interest. I understand the need to demonstrate Gerald as the leading parent, but family relationships don’t work the way they’re portrayed here.
•Why on earth is there a twisted, needless romance with Sarah and Adam foley? And why is he the only character to always be referred to by first and last name? Further: why bother mentioning them or their friend group at all? Adds absolutely nothing to the story.
•Why is it necessary for Jason and Sarah to fall in love, even after many mentions of her distaste for him? He has minimal encounters with her and makes a creepy move. I see no logic or emotional reason for their relationship whatsoever other than to tie up ridiculous loose ends.
•Alcoholism? It’s brought up multiple times that Sarah is likely an alcoholic and possibly other characters as well, but this point doesn’t serve any purpose. There’s no conclusion to the mentions, other than to make light of the multiple bottles of wine consumed daily for no other reason.
•Gerald’s lack of background/family/friends going completely unquestioned seems highly unlikely. For his daughters to be unquestionably devoted seems less compelling when you’re told they never cared about his history until after he died. His daughters were obsessed with him, why would they never ask about his past? Their grandparents? Etc.
I am sorry this book turned out so badly, and that I was made to finish it.
Here are my main frustrations:
•The title and the prologue spell out EXACTLY what the big twist is. I’m more shocked by the lack of shock than the ending, given this is supposed to be a mystery.
•I can’t resonate with any of the characters. Ursula garners a bit of pity but overall I don’t find her compelling, and am frustrated by her decision making. The daughters are bratty and childish, and I truly dislike them as people by the end.
•Why are Sarah and hope so cruel to their mother? Having a distant mother doesn’t explain their complete lack of empathy for her, and their lack of interest. I understand the need to demonstrate Gerald as the leading parent, but family relationships don’t work the way they’re portrayed here.
•Why on earth is there a twisted, needless romance with Sarah and Adam foley? And why is he the only character to always be referred to by first and last name? Further: why bother mentioning them or their friend group at all? Adds absolutely nothing to the story.
•Why is it necessary for Jason and Sarah to fall in love, even after many mentions of her distaste for him? He has minimal encounters with her and makes a creepy move. I see no logic or emotional reason for their relationship whatsoever other than to tie up ridiculous loose ends.
•Alcoholism? It’s brought up multiple times that Sarah is likely an alcoholic and possibly other characters as well, but this point doesn’t serve any purpose. There’s no conclusion to the mentions, other than to make light of the multiple bottles of wine consumed daily for no other reason.
•Gerald’s lack of background/family/friends going completely unquestioned seems highly unlikely. For his daughters to be unquestionably devoted seems less compelling when you’re told they never cared about his history until after he died. His daughters were obsessed with him, why would they never ask about his past? Their grandparents? Etc.
I am sorry this book turned out so badly, and that I was made to finish it.