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saranel81's review
2.0
I've admired Holland's knowledge of the Edwardian era for a while and was eager to pick up this fiction work from her. She nails the historical details, but unfortunately, that can't save this mess of a story.
Actually, the plot isn't so bad - it's very much an anti-romance, and there is plenty of conflict to keep the characters active. The problem is that they don't do much except sit around hating each other. Amanda marries her duke, complains about his mother keeping a firm grip on life at Bledington, and does nothing about it for ten years. Bron is just a useless ass throughout the entire novel and apparently expects Amanda to read all of his thoughts because he absolutely refuses to communicate anything to her. The minor characters are all just as unlikable. Flawed characters are great, but there still has to be something about them that draws the reader into wanting to see them succeed in the end. They have to have some redeeming qualities. I got to the end of this novel and thought, "Great, they can all go to war and die for all I care." I found it so difficult to feel for any of them, especially when half of them get themselves into their sorry positions and never do anything to dig themselves out. And when they do, it's glossed over and mentioned only briefly in the narrative.
Also, the editing is terrible. So many mistakes that could (should) have been fixed in the editing process.
All in all, the book gives a great view into the lives of Edwardian high society, but the characters just aren't worth investing in. Not sure if I want to read the second novel or not.
Actually, the plot isn't so bad - it's very much an anti-romance, and there is plenty of conflict to keep the characters active. The problem is that they don't do much except sit around hating each other. Amanda marries her duke, complains about his mother keeping a firm grip on life at Bledington, and does nothing about it for ten years. Bron is just a useless ass throughout the entire novel and apparently expects Amanda to read all of his thoughts because he absolutely refuses to communicate anything to her. The minor characters are all just as unlikable. Flawed characters are great, but there still has to be something about them that draws the reader into wanting to see them succeed in the end. They have to have some redeeming qualities. I got to the end of this novel and thought, "Great, they can all go to war and die for all I care." I found it so difficult to feel for any of them, especially when half of them get themselves into their sorry positions and never do anything to dig themselves out. And when they do, it's glossed over and mentioned only briefly in the narrative.
Also, the editing is terrible. So many mistakes that could (should) have been fixed in the editing process.
All in all, the book gives a great view into the lives of Edwardian high society, but the characters just aren't worth investing in. Not sure if I want to read the second novel or not.
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