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A review by blueshadow
Magic and Manners by C.E. Murphy
2.0
I like this author. I love Austen. I like Pride & Prejudice. I like fantasy. I like Regency fantasy. I somewhat like the quirky humor typically found in these books. I SHOULD have liked this book, but only made it to about 10% before giving up.
I sometimes get frustrated at Austen's delicate touch in her writing. There is humor, and there is characterization, but you have to look for it and think about it, it's not all obvious. And then I read something like this book, where we get told (over and over) how witty Mr. Dover is, how Mrs. Dover talks irritatingly much, how foolish the younger girls are, how priggish and pedantic Ruth is, and I suddenly feel a great appreciation for the subtlety in Austen's writing. I think perhaps the exaggerated writing was supposed to be funny, but it is a sort of humor I have never been able to understand, much less appreciate. (Also entirely possible I am wrong - see comment about me not understanding the humor).
Plus Archer was a jerk. I have never been excessively fond of Mr. Darcy, but I didn't want to spend any time at all with Mr. Archer. Other reviews suggest he is nicer later on. I didn't have enough patience to stick around and find out.
I sometimes get frustrated at Austen's delicate touch in her writing. There is humor, and there is characterization, but you have to look for it and think about it, it's not all obvious. And then I read something like this book, where we get told (over and over) how witty Mr. Dover is, how Mrs. Dover talks irritatingly much, how foolish the younger girls are, how priggish and pedantic Ruth is, and I suddenly feel a great appreciation for the subtlety in Austen's writing. I think perhaps the exaggerated writing was supposed to be funny, but it is a sort of humor I have never been able to understand, much less appreciate. (Also entirely possible I am wrong - see comment about me not understanding the humor).
Plus Archer was a jerk. I have never been excessively fond of Mr. Darcy, but I didn't want to spend any time at all with Mr. Archer. Other reviews suggest he is nicer later on. I didn't have enough patience to stick around and find out.