Dee Mullingar, Ireland

• For a lot of this book I really really liked it. I never quite loved it; but for a while I did really enjoy it. The writing is great. And the premise was interesting. But it just didn’t work in the end. And I think that one of the major problems was that the character who makes this big decision, we ... (continue)

  For a lot of this book I really really liked it. I never quite loved it; but for a while I did really enjoy it. The writing is great. And the premise was interesting. But it just didn’t work in the end. And I think that one of the major problems was that the character who makes this big decision, well, I just didn’t get why she made it. And I really didn’t understand why other characters went along with her. That wasn’t the only problem, it just meant that I was less forgiving of the others.

  However there are positives about this book too. Niffenegger has some writing quirks that won’t endear her to everyone. The switching of POVs for example is something I’m sure plenty of people won’t be too happy with. And it did cause me to reread sentences on occasion, just to be sure I knew who’s POV I was reading. What I didn’t like was her habit of having the characters speak and then telling us what they were really thinking in the very next line. It might work if just one character was doing it at a time, but she’ll often have characters having a conversation and both speaking and then translating what they think in the very next line. It annoyed me as much as it worked.

  However I did really like the opening third. It was a slow and deliberate build-up of atmosphere. Unfortunately the characters never really came to life for me. I liked Robert, but never understood him all that much. The second third I kept waiting for the plot to kick in. And the final third I disliked because, as I said before, it didn’t really make all that much sense to me.

  I suppose you might be waiting for some sort of plot summary, well you was wait away, because I don’t intend to give one. Not because the book is dependent on twists and spoilers, although it does have some, but because by the end of the book I just didn’t feel that the plot mattered. And most of the characters I disliked or was ambivalent about. Robert and Elspeth’s story had changed from one that made you care about them to one that simply made you wonder why they had bothered in the first place.

  That all sounds very negative, but to be honest the book is very readable, and parts of it are so well written! So I don’t want to be all “this book sucked” because it didn’t. It just should have been so much better and so, in a way, is a disappointment.

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  ― Posted on Dec 8, 2009 | Add your feedback

• You know, I’ve been reading this series since I was in second year in school. Thats what, 1992? ‘92 or ‘93. Whichever it was, that is a long time to be reading the same story. But I don’t regret a second. Not even the incredible feeling of disappointment after book 10 when I shrieked that “nothing h ... (continue)

  You know, I’ve been reading this series since I was in second year in school. Thats what, 1992? ‘92 or ‘93. Whichever it was, that is a long time to be reading the same story. But I don’t regret a second. Not even the incredible feeling of disappointment after book 10 when I shrieked that “nothing happened”. Because it is a great story, with great characters, and I really do want to get to the end and find out what happens.

  And when I heard that RJ was sick a few years back it seemed like that might never happen. And in 2007 he passed away; and although I felt bad for him and his family I really couldn’t help the selfish thought that crept into my mind, that he’d never get to finish WOT. I suppose in a way it is a compliment to his world & character building skills.

  Of course RJ had known that this might happen, and even dealing with his own illness and everything that must have entailed for him and his family he still thought about his fans and readers, and he asked his wife, Harriet to find someone to carry on the books and finish the story. Brandon Sanderson was the writer she chose, and I have to say that he has done a pretty good job. He doesn’t try to imitate Jordan’s style, he tells the story in his own way. The biggest difference, imo, is that Jordan comes across as having a much smoother style. Sanderson’s seems rougher, and more repetitive. I distinctly noticed the same point being made a couple of times in the book, and in a very similar manner. Jordan handled things like that very well. He made sure you noticed the important things but never bashed you over the head with them, and that’s what it feels like, on occasion, with this book.

  Overall though I did enjoy the book. Loads happens. And at the same time not enough. I stayed up way too late reading it so I could finish it, but once I’d finished I wished that I hadn’t rushed it. Although in saying that maybe too much happens in certain chapters. Certain things seemed to be thrown in to whack you into wtf!-ness and then the book all too quickly moves on. But maybe that’s what has to happen in order to finish the series off. Otherwise we might be here in another 20 years still wondering how the story will end.

  The other gripe I have is that some characters feel different. It’s understandable. Sanderson is bringing his understanding of them to life. And while it might feel the same to him there are bits and pieces that just don’t ring true for me. Mat especially I think. He’s almost right, so close, but it just doesn’t seem exactly like him. Of course maybe that is character development ;)

  I am tempted to start a reread straight away but I’m not going to. We’ve been promised a book a year, and presumably the pbk version of this will be out in a couple of months. I’ll reread it when I buy my copy.

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  ― Posted on Dec 4, 2009 | Add your feedback

• Not recommended. I was hoping for something vaguely Georgette Heyer-like, only in New York, but this isn't even a quarter as good.

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  ― Posted on Jul 21, 2009 | Add your feedback

• This is one of those books that I've been noticing every time I go into a book shop recently. Finally gave in and bought it as I was heading on a bit of a train journey that day. Glad I did as it is a really well told story. Plot is a retelling of The Aeneid; I know very little about that as I've ne ... (continue)

  This is one of those books that I've been noticing every time I go into a book shop recently. Finally gave in and bought it as I was heading on a bit of a train journey that day. Glad I did as it is a really well told story. Plot is a retelling of The Aeneid; I know very little about that as I've never read it.

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  ― Posted on Apr 5, 2009 | Add your feedback

Dee has margin notes. Take a look.

• Let down by the ending

  This started off really well, witty and sharp. But the ending was poor, and the story never really came together properly

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  ― Posted on Feb 22, 2009 | Add your feedback

• Shiny

  But not world altering. Still, more adventures from Serenity are always welcome

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  ― Posted on Feb 22, 2009 | Add your feedback

• This is the third book to star Yelana Zaltana as its heroine. And, as I am still reading them, I'm still enjoying learning her story. Way back in book one she was a lowly food-taster, condemned to death for murder, but ver the course of the other two books she has come a long way, so if you haven't ... (continue)

  This is the third book to star Yelana Zaltana as its heroine. And, as I am still reading them, I'm still enjoying learning her story. Way back in book one she was a lowly food-taster, condemned to death for murder, but ver the course of the other two books she has come a long way, so if you haven't read them this review will spoil some of the developments for you. But then again, by knowing that there is a 3rd book you already know she didn't die at the end of the first book. Or do you... maybe her ghost is telling the story.

  If you have read the previous two books, well, then you'll already know that she isn't a ghost telling a story. Though that would be kinda cool. If it was done well.

  Back to the book.
  I did like Yelana, a lot, in the first book. Not quite so much in the second, and the same in this one. Maybe the book just isn't as tightly written as it could be, I'm not exactly sure what isn't as good as it was. I guess I just found somethings a little too contrived. The distancing herself from others for example seemed a bit forced in there. It could have worked, it is something that would fit with the character, but it just didn't ring through for me while I was reading it.

  That being said I did still enjoy the book. And if you've read and enjoyed te first one there is no reason you wouldn't enjoy this either. It is a quick entertaining read. It isn't grand high literature, but who wants that when you are settling in to enjoy a nice adventure of a story?

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  ― Posted on Feb 13, 2009 | Add your feedback

Dee has margin notes. Take a look.

Dee has margin notes. Take a look.

• Seems a bit of a "oooh somethings about to change" volume. good, but not great

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  ― Posted on Nov 2, 2008 | Add your feedback

Dee has margin notes. Take a look.

• Venetia Lanyon lives with her younger brother Aubrey, managing the estate for her elder brother who is away with the army. Or abandoning his family duties, whichever option you prefer. As an unmarried woman of 25 years of age she appears to be on the verge of a life of spinsterhood, however, she doe ... (continue)

  Venetia Lanyon lives with her younger brother Aubrey, managing the estate for her elder brother who is away with the army. Or abandoning his family duties, whichever option you prefer. As an unmarried woman of 25 years of age she appears to be on the verge of a life of spinsterhood, however, she does have two options in the locality. Oswald Denny is too young for her, but that doesn’t stop him pursuing her. While Edward Yardly is far too “worthy” to really attract her attention. But she has little option. For once her elder brother marries she will have to find somewhere to live, her vague plans for setting up home with the scholarly Audrey are quite eccentric, marriage would be far more prudent.

  I really enjoy Heyer’s works. Even the worst of them have something worth reading them for; whether that is the characters she creates, the humour she uses, or the way she uses language. In this case it is a combination of the humour and the characters. Venetia clearly knows her own mind. She isn’t about to let anyone force her into doing anything she objects to. While at the same time is aware that other people’s opinions are important as she cannot live totally isolated from all society.

  What is really interesting about this book is that it really does show how life for women was limited by convention and “manners”. How Venetia is hamstrung by society’s expectations. It makes for an interesting companion book to The Courtesan’s Revenge. Two contrasting views of a similar society. Harriette Wilson, the courtesan was outside polite society. Yes, she may have mixed with the men of the aristocracy, but she never would have been accepted into “proper society”. Venetia, similarly, is outside most of society simply because she is content to stay in Yorkshire, managing the estate.

  Of course this is a romance, so Venetia will not be *condemned* to a life alone. From the 2nd chapter the reader is pretty much aware of who she will end up with, but that isn’t really important. As always it is the description of how they get together that is important. And in this case it is through a growing friendship, which makes a nice change from people being swept off their feet.

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  ― Posted on Oct 13, 2008 | Add your feedback