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manderzreadz's review against another edition
3.0
This book had so much potential, but it was dragged out and hard to push through sometimes. The ending was very satisfying though!
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
2.0
The English Wife is a new novel by Lauren Willig that takes us back in time to 1899. Annabelle Van Duyuil and her husband, Bayard (Bay) are holding a Twelfth Night Ball at their newly finished home Illyria. Later that evening, Bay is found stabbed to death in the folly and his sister, Janie catches a glimpse of Annabelle in the river. It is believed that Bay pushed Annabelle into the river and then killed himself. Annabelle’s body, though, is not found. There had been rumors swirling around society that Annabelle had been having an affair with the architect of Illyria. Janie does not believe the rumors and wants to discover what really happened that night at the ball. She knows that her mother would never hire a detective, so Janie seeks out assistance from reporter, James Burke. The pair delve into Annabelle and Bay’s lives seeking answers. The more Janie learns, the more she realizes how little she knew about her brother and his wife. Did one of their secrets get them killed? And why did Bay die with saying the name George?
The English Wife sounded like such a great book. A Gilded Age story with scandals, secrets and murder. The final product, though, was like being stuck in rush hour traffic. You move forward very, very slowly. The pace was slow, and the dialogue was awkward. There were a couple of good sections, but they were few (and did not make up for the rest of the book). There are numerous characters (with very similar names) and background stories on each of them. The book is written with one chapter in present time and the next chapter takes you back when Bay met Georgie. There are detailed descriptions of homes (inside and out), clothing, art, and plays (many discussions on Shakespeare plays). The author did capture the lifestyle of the rich living in 1899. The only likeable character is the reporter, James Burke. I quickly tired of Janie (whiny) and her overbearing, dominating mother. The author should have given Janie a strong backbone and a curious nature. Instead, she retreats into the wallpaper (very much the wallflower). There is a lot of repetition in the book. The mystery plays out slowly over the course of the novel and the reveal is anticlimactic. The identity of the killer was no surprise. The ending was disappointing with many threads left dangling. The author was attempting to capture the era with the writing style, but it comes across as contrived. The connections to the play Twelfth Night are apparent (for those who have read or seen Shakespeare’s play). The English Wife had potential, but it was not achieved. I found it a tedious book to read and I want the hours I spent reading it back.
The English Wife sounded like such a great book. A Gilded Age story with scandals, secrets and murder. The final product, though, was like being stuck in rush hour traffic. You move forward very, very slowly. The pace was slow, and the dialogue was awkward. There were a couple of good sections, but they were few (and did not make up for the rest of the book). There are numerous characters (with very similar names) and background stories on each of them. The book is written with one chapter in present time and the next chapter takes you back when Bay met Georgie. There are detailed descriptions of homes (inside and out), clothing, art, and plays (many discussions on Shakespeare plays). The author did capture the lifestyle of the rich living in 1899. The only likeable character is the reporter, James Burke. I quickly tired of Janie (whiny) and her overbearing, dominating mother. The author should have given Janie a strong backbone and a curious nature. Instead, she retreats into the wallpaper (very much the wallflower). There is a lot of repetition in the book. The mystery plays out slowly over the course of the novel and the reveal is anticlimactic. The identity of the killer was no surprise. The ending was disappointing with many threads left dangling. The author was attempting to capture the era with the writing style, but it comes across as contrived. The connections to the play Twelfth Night are apparent (for those who have read or seen Shakespeare’s play). The English Wife had potential, but it was not achieved. I found it a tedious book to read and I want the hours I spent reading it back.
willbefunorelse's review against another edition
3.0
I guess my problem is that I liked their courtship and and want to see more of them together - gee, why does that grouse sound familiar, LAUREN
For the full review - including aspects of The English Wife that are very similar to Ms. Willig's Pink Carnation series - follow the link to That's What She Read.
Guster Reading Challenge
"Fall In Two" / Parachute
Read a book with a number in the title
For the full review - including aspects of The English Wife that are very similar to Ms. Willig's Pink Carnation series - follow the link to That's What She Read.
Guster Reading Challenge
"Fall In Two" / Parachute
Read a book with a number in the title
kpotter831's review against another edition
3.0
Started off great, but really dragged on and was honestly hard to finish. Could have easily been 100 pages shorter.
whatsmomreading's review against another edition
4.0
Mystery, secret identifies and even darker secrets haunt a lovely couple who are just beginning their lives together. While at times it was hard to follow along the characters and remember who knew what, this novel was an excellent read.
jilligin's review against another edition
4.0
It started out a bit slow and I wasn’t sure if I would like Janie. But once the story picked up, I couldn’t stop reading it. Janie is was of the most interesting characters in the story but it isn’t quite her story. I did not see the ending coming but I throughly enjoyed it.
scribblinaway's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
shadypinesma's review against another edition
4.0
Another entry in the dual timeline historical fiction oeuvre. It has a murder (or is it a murder?) mystery, a romance, a woman finding her voice and sense or self separate from an oppressive upbringing, an aristocratic Gilded Age setting, conflict between performative propriety vs expansive authenticity, and all of the other expected tensions. These are rarely all-time favorites for me but have a high hit-rate as satisfying and enjoyable reads, and this book is no exception.
judithdcollins's review against another edition
4.0
From the New York Times bestselling author, Lauren Willig brings the glitz, glamour, and scandal of the Gilded Age to life in her latest THE ENGLISH WIFE – Rich in history, a mix of a gothic murder mystery, and romantic suspense.
A portrayal of culture, class, and privilege at the turn of the twentieth century mingled with dark secrets and numerous twists and turns.
Headlines New York, 1899. "Knickerbocker murders wife and kills himself. Murder and suicide on the Hudson."
Janie Van Duyvil and brother Bayard, and cousin Anne were best friends. Bay takes a trip to London and comes home with a new wife, Annabelle. Annabelle and Bayard Van Duyvil live a charmed life in New York. The perfect couple.
Then Janie and Anne find Bay at the glamorous Twelfth Night dinner party with a knife stuck in his chest.
Annabelle, the wife, is nowhere to be found. A final dying word "George." Annabelle has gone missing. Could it be a stranger or someone else? What secrets were they hiding?
Janie (an outsider in this prominent family) becomes obsessed with finding the truth about her brother and the mysterious death. Who was this strange and mysterious woman? Was she an imposter? Her past. Who murdered her brother?
With the help of a reporter, Burke — Janie begins to investigate and dig for clues. However, not sure who she can trust. Is there something between them? What about the secrets of her own family?
From London to New York, with dual timelines and a multitude of characters, Willig creates a compelling, dark, scandalous and atmospheric tale of mystery and intrigue— with hidden secrets, keeping readers guessing to the end.
Multi-layered, compelling, and skillfully written, THE ENGLISH WIFE is highly recommended for fans of historical fiction, romantic suspense, and mystery with a Gothic twist.
A special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.
JDCMustReadBooks
A portrayal of culture, class, and privilege at the turn of the twentieth century mingled with dark secrets and numerous twists and turns.
Headlines New York, 1899. "Knickerbocker murders wife and kills himself. Murder and suicide on the Hudson."
Janie Van Duyvil and brother Bayard, and cousin Anne were best friends. Bay takes a trip to London and comes home with a new wife, Annabelle. Annabelle and Bayard Van Duyvil live a charmed life in New York. The perfect couple.
Then Janie and Anne find Bay at the glamorous Twelfth Night dinner party with a knife stuck in his chest.
Annabelle, the wife, is nowhere to be found. A final dying word "George." Annabelle has gone missing. Could it be a stranger or someone else? What secrets were they hiding?
Janie (an outsider in this prominent family) becomes obsessed with finding the truth about her brother and the mysterious death. Who was this strange and mysterious woman? Was she an imposter? Her past. Who murdered her brother?
With the help of a reporter, Burke — Janie begins to investigate and dig for clues. However, not sure who she can trust. Is there something between them? What about the secrets of her own family?
From London to New York, with dual timelines and a multitude of characters, Willig creates a compelling, dark, scandalous and atmospheric tale of mystery and intrigue— with hidden secrets, keeping readers guessing to the end.
Multi-layered, compelling, and skillfully written, THE ENGLISH WIFE is highly recommended for fans of historical fiction, romantic suspense, and mystery with a Gothic twist.
A special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.
JDCMustReadBooks
literary_faerie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0