I'm generally a huge fan of historical mysteries; especially ones set in the late 19th century (Gilded Age/Victorian). Unfortunately this story never really felt convincingly as if the setting (and characters) were more than pasted in. I never connected with the characters and (as other reviewers have noted), I had a great deal of trouble keeping them straight in my mind. The plot was convoluted and odd, I can't figure out why it never gelled for me. I found myself plodding through the book, though I did finish it. I don't review books for which I'm guilty of skimming (or cheating and reading ahead). The story developed very very slowly. I never felt much (any) dramatic tension. It's a shame because the author is a talented writer. It just wasn't for me.
The dialogue was (to my ear) often stilted and awkward, and not in a formal 'polite society' manner. It also felt to me that the author couldn't decide whether to write a mystery or a romance and wound up doing neither justice.
I would, with some mild hesitation, recommend this book to previous fans of the author or possibly historical romance fans. The ending was satisfying in a some ways, but mostly had me rolling my eyes and internally thinking, "really?! Almost 400 pages for that"?!
Two and a half stars, rounded up because the author really is talented, I think.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
No comments:
Post a Comment