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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
The Poppy & the Rose is a story told through dual perspective and timelines. In one timeline, we follow Ava as she boards the Titanic and is recruited to be a spy. In the other, we follow Taylor as she arrives in England nearly a decade later and is drawn into the mysterious world of Lady Mae Knight.
I didn't really care much for either of the main characters. I was much more invested in other characters, such as Mae, Taylor's father, Caleb and Nathaniel.
While the mystery aspect of the book was definitely intriguing and I found myself wanting to find out how the two characters are connected, I also often found myself quite bored with the story. It all happened so quickly that there wasn't time for the plot to properly develop, and parts of it felt weak. It reminded me of a children's book more than anything else.
I did love the settings. Reading about the people on the Titanic was very interesting, and I appreciate the fact that the author clearly did a lot of research. It was also a very atmospheric, almost spooky, read, which I enjoyed as well.
Overall, while it missed the mark for me in a few spots, I was intrigued enough to keep reading, and it wasn't a bad read at all.
(e-ARC provided by Owl Hollow Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
I didn't really care much for either of the main characters. I was much more invested in other characters, such as Mae, Taylor's father, Caleb and Nathaniel.
While the mystery aspect of the book was definitely intriguing and I found myself wanting to find out how the two characters are connected, I also often found myself quite bored with the story. It all happened so quickly that there wasn't time for the plot to properly develop, and parts of it felt weak. It reminded me of a children's book more than anything else.
I did love the settings. Reading about the people on the Titanic was very interesting, and I appreciate the fact that the author clearly did a lot of research. It was also a very atmospheric, almost spooky, read, which I enjoyed as well.
Overall, while it missed the mark for me in a few spots, I was intrigued enough to keep reading, and it wasn't a bad read at all.
(e-ARC provided by Owl Hollow Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
I really wanted to like this book. I felt from the get-go that this story held a lot of promise; dual POVs set nearly a century apart, spies on the Titanic, a gothic manor, and many, many secrets to unravel, among other things.
Unfortunately, I just didn't find that the execution held up. The prose often felt a little lack-luster, choppy, and slow. I didn't feel particularly drawn to the characters (although, I admit I immediately had a soft spot for Nathaniel) and honestly, I was annoyed with them more often than not. Our main characters felt one-dimensional, and I found myself more intrigued with the side-characters.
I'm a huge fan of historical fiction, but one of the most notable comments I have for The Poppy and the Rose is that I felt like I was on the outside looking in. With historical fiction, I need a strong atmosphere to make me feel lost in the time period -- unfortunately, Ava's chapters lacked that. With a number of clumsy name-drops (Freud and Jung, namely), blunt modern-day references (hand dogs in purses...), and a list of historical facts and events being ticked off, I felt... well, like I was reading a book. And when I'm reading a book, I really don't want to feel like I'm reading a book.
The stakes felt too low for me to really feel captivated. The separate plots are intended to fit together, and they do, but it ends up feeling clunky and awkward. While I do want to praise Cowles for what she was intending to do here (because multigenerational stories like these are HARD), I think it just needed a little more time in the workshop to ensure both stories fit smoothly together and had their own individual intrigue.
All that said, there were certainly elements I enjoyed! There were many moments and lines that had me grinning, and personally, I'm a sucker for a good cliché, especially when gothic vibes are involved ("oh no! Flooding has blocked off the bridge, guess you'll have to stay in our dark creepy manor).
The Poppy and the Rose wasn't for me, but there is definitely an audience for it, and if it still sounds like your cup of tea, I highly suggest checking it out!
Unfortunately, I just didn't find that the execution held up. The prose often felt a little lack-luster, choppy, and slow. I didn't feel particularly drawn to the characters (although, I admit I immediately had a soft spot for Nathaniel) and honestly, I was annoyed with them more often than not. Our main characters felt one-dimensional, and I found myself more intrigued with the side-characters.
I'm a huge fan of historical fiction, but one of the most notable comments I have for The Poppy and the Rose is that I felt like I was on the outside looking in. With historical fiction, I need a strong atmosphere to make me feel lost in the time period -- unfortunately, Ava's chapters lacked that. With a number of clumsy name-drops (Freud and Jung, namely), blunt modern-day references (hand dogs in purses...), and a list of historical facts and events being ticked off, I felt... well, like I was reading a book. And when I'm reading a book, I really don't want to feel like I'm reading a book.
The stakes felt too low for me to really feel captivated. The separate plots are intended to fit together, and they do, but it ends up feeling clunky and awkward. While I do want to praise Cowles for what she was intending to do here (because multigenerational stories like these are HARD), I think it just needed a little more time in the workshop to ensure both stories fit smoothly together and had their own individual intrigue.
All that said, there were certainly elements I enjoyed! There were many moments and lines that had me grinning, and personally, I'm a sucker for a good cliché, especially when gothic vibes are involved ("oh no! Flooding has blocked off the bridge, guess you'll have to stay in our dark creepy manor).
The Poppy and the Rose wasn't for me, but there is definitely an audience for it, and if it still sounds like your cup of tea, I highly suggest checking it out!
*I received an eArc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5
The Poppy and the Rose by Ashlee Cowles is a delightful story of 2 girls each on their own journey of finding the truth, though separated by nearly a century. But what is time really, if not some intangible, powerful, remorseless force that connects us all in more ways than we’ll ever know.
To be honest I’ve only come to understand the significance of the title as I’m writing this.
Anyway, I’ve always had a fascination with the Titanic so I was very eager to read this book. It lived up to my expectations of a true historical fiction piece. I’m quite impressed with all the research done to make this story more real. The Titanic chapters and storyline were easily my favourite and best part of this book.
Then there’s the contemporary storyline of a 16 year old that doesn’t really spark my interest too much. Her storyline was quite static and unmoving compared to the Titanic storyline. Though how could you even compete with such an event. Still, I wished for more during the modern parts. This storyline basically went nowhere once the Titanic one began to pick up speed.
The overarching motif of time and memories was really cool. I felt like I learned something, that my perspective of time was changed. I loved how this book provided so many aspects of how to perceive time by many different characters, fictional and true. So I thank the author for giving me some food for thought.
I’ll finish by saying this:
If you are fascinated by the Titanic and some history surrounding that time period as I am, I would recommend picking up this book.
If you are more interested by the storyline of a high school girl going to an Oxford summer program, you might be disappointed.
3.5/5
The Poppy and the Rose by Ashlee Cowles is a delightful story of 2 girls each on their own journey of finding the truth, though separated by nearly a century. But what is time really, if not some intangible, powerful, remorseless force that connects us all in more ways than we’ll ever know.
To be honest I’ve only come to understand the significance of the title as I’m writing this.
Anyway, I’ve always had a fascination with the Titanic so I was very eager to read this book. It lived up to my expectations of a true historical fiction piece. I’m quite impressed with all the research done to make this story more real. The Titanic chapters and storyline were easily my favourite and best part of this book.
Then there’s the contemporary storyline of a 16 year old that doesn’t really spark my interest too much. Her storyline was quite static and unmoving compared to the Titanic storyline. Though how could you even compete with such an event. Still, I wished for more during the modern parts. This storyline basically went nowhere once the Titanic one began to pick up speed.
The overarching motif of time and memories was really cool. I felt like I learned something, that my perspective of time was changed. I loved how this book provided so many aspects of how to perceive time by many different characters, fictional and true. So I thank the author for giving me some food for thought.
I’ll finish by saying this:
If you are fascinated by the Titanic and some history surrounding that time period as I am, I would recommend picking up this book.
If you are more interested by the storyline of a high school girl going to an Oxford summer program, you might be disappointed.
I am thrilled by this ARC I was lucky to get through Netgalley.
Looking for a historical fiction filled with intrigue, romance, tragedy, and a bit of spirituality mixed with science? Well, you've found your next read. I could not put this book down, devoured it by staying up past 2 am.
This book merges the timelines with grace and fluidity. There is no jumping back and forth, instead the tale of the pasts flows smoothly with the story from current times. I can't wait for the official release so I can buy a copy for my mother!
Looking for a historical fiction filled with intrigue, romance, tragedy, and a bit of spirituality mixed with science? Well, you've found your next read. I could not put this book down, devoured it by staying up past 2 am.
This book merges the timelines with grace and fluidity. There is no jumping back and forth, instead the tale of the pasts flows smoothly with the story from current times. I can't wait for the official release so I can buy a copy for my mother!
Didn’t grab me at all to care one way or the other about what she did or didn’t figure out.
The second I saw the cover and read the description for The Poppy and the Rose I was interested. I'm always intrigued by stories that are told from two points of view as I'm always trying to piece together how the two fit together. I'm quite a fan of historical fiction, especially in the early 1900s and stories that involve the Titanic then you add in a good mystery and I am all over it.
The Poppy and the Rose follows two young women on the brink of something life-changing. Ava, a young aspiring photographer, and heiress in 1912 has no idea just how much her life is about to change when she steps foot onto the Titanic. In 2010, Taylor arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program while also searching for the answers to a mysterious photo that she found of her father after he died. Quickly you discover that the two young women are linked and the story of how is slowly unraveled throughout the book. The story alternates between their points of view, Taylor's in real-time and Ava's through her diary recounting her time on the Titanic. Sometimes stories with alternating narratives can be choppy or difficult to follow from one narrative to the next and it can be unsure of how the two work together, that is not the case here. I found the switching of narratives to be done extremely well.
I found the story very easy to follow and while I was able to predict a lot of the reveals I wasn't upset by that. For me, it was easy to see the pieces fit together because it made sense and I was so excited for the characters to discover the answers (and to see if I was actually right because sometimes I can have some far-fetched ideas - I will say the reveal towards the end of Ava's story I did not see coming at all!). I also thought that the characterization was great! There were times where I could definitely relate to things that Taylor and Ava were feeling, and they were both good and interesting narrators. I found Galena to be one of the most interesting characters in the entire book and I would've loved for there to have been more interactions with her that were not observations but conversations between her and others because she was so interesting.
One of the things that I felt could've been expanded upon was the history of Meadowbrook Manor. Throughout the story, there are multiple references to the spirits that are still in the house. This could simply be because I absolutely love ghost stories, but I felt like there could've been something really interesting had that been further developed, especially when connecting it to Lord Knight, Galena, and the clear mentions of the spirit world in Ava's section.
I also felt that the romance between Taylor and Nathaniel was not needed. It's not that their subplot drew attention from the actual plot or was poorly written, I just felt that it didn't really add much to the story and was thrown in because Taylor needed a love interest.
Overall I found The Poppy and the Rose to be a quick and enjoyable read that kept my attention from start to finish.
The Poppy and the Rose follows two young women on the brink of something life-changing. Ava, a young aspiring photographer, and heiress in 1912 has no idea just how much her life is about to change when she steps foot onto the Titanic. In 2010, Taylor arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program while also searching for the answers to a mysterious photo that she found of her father after he died. Quickly you discover that the two young women are linked and the story of how is slowly unraveled throughout the book. The story alternates between their points of view, Taylor's in real-time and Ava's through her diary recounting her time on the Titanic. Sometimes stories with alternating narratives can be choppy or difficult to follow from one narrative to the next and it can be unsure of how the two work together, that is not the case here. I found the switching of narratives to be done extremely well.
I found the story very easy to follow and while I was able to predict a lot of the reveals I wasn't upset by that. For me, it was easy to see the pieces fit together because it made sense and I was so excited for the characters to discover the answers (and to see if I was actually right because sometimes I can have some far-fetched ideas - I will say the reveal towards the end of Ava's story I did not see coming at all!). I also thought that the characterization was great! There were times where I could definitely relate to things that Taylor and Ava were feeling, and they were both good and interesting narrators. I found Galena to be one of the most interesting characters in the entire book and I would've loved for there to have been more interactions with her that were not observations but conversations between her and others because she was so interesting.
One of the things that I felt could've been expanded upon was the history of Meadowbrook Manor. Throughout the story, there are multiple references to the spirits that are still in the house. This could simply be because I absolutely love ghost stories, but I felt like there could've been something really interesting had that been further developed, especially when connecting it to Lord Knight, Galena, and the clear mentions of the spirit world in Ava's section.
I also felt that the romance between Taylor and Nathaniel was not needed. It's not that their subplot drew attention from the actual plot or was poorly written, I just felt that it didn't really add much to the story and was thrown in because Taylor needed a love interest.
Overall I found The Poppy and the Rose to be a quick and enjoyable read that kept my attention from start to finish.
I was given an ARC copy from NetGalley.
The Poppy and the Rose has a really interesting premise that I like -- weaving the story of Ava, a passenger on the Titanic, and Taylor, who is in the present. I love the historical factors in the story. The book reads very fast and I really enjoyed the flashbacks. The dual POV worked really well for the story to push the story along with Ava's story being read in a book by Taylor. They are both unfolding a mystery around their respective fathers and family histories. Overall, I enjoyed the book but I would have liked more of Taylor's story.
The Poppy and the Rose has a really interesting premise that I like -- weaving the story of Ava, a passenger on the Titanic, and Taylor, who is in the present. I love the historical factors in the story. The book reads very fast and I really enjoyed the flashbacks. The dual POV worked really well for the story to push the story along with Ava's story being read in a book by Taylor. They are both unfolding a mystery around their respective fathers and family histories. Overall, I enjoyed the book but I would have liked more of Taylor's story.
I think that this book really has the potential to be great, it’s just not for me. I had a hard time relating to the main character, and couldn’t really immerse myself in the story. It unfolds too slow for my liking. I do think the idea of the two stories being told together and connecting is very interesting and is something that really appealed to me from the beginning. It is really well written, and again, it could be amazing for someone. I just don’t think it’s for me. I will probably give it another shot sometime down the road, but for now I DNF.
This had all the bones of a good book but the execution was dissatisfying.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
"Only they aren’t roses. They’re poppies. A wilder, more dangerous beauty, but a beauty, nonetheless."
This historical drama was endearing, engaging, enthralling & entertaining. Taylor's connection with Ava is palpable & as a reader I identified very much with a person compelled by a book that felt like it was written for them. The dual time lines criss crossed very well, it was always clear where we were, which I appreciate. The historical elements regarding the Titanic were interesting and well placed without being distracting. This is easily worth a reread & will be my go-to recommendation for friends looking for an enchanting experience.
This historical drama was endearing, engaging, enthralling & entertaining. Taylor's connection with Ava is palpable & as a reader I identified very much with a person compelled by a book that felt like it was written for them. The dual time lines criss crossed very well, it was always clear where we were, which I appreciate. The historical elements regarding the Titanic were interesting and well placed without being distracting. This is easily worth a reread & will be my go-to recommendation for friends looking for an enchanting experience.