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kathrynamonett's review against another edition
3.0
I feel that the cover misrepresents the novel, written by two historians, about the pre-revolutionary war times. Yes, there was romance in a comedic Shakespearean way, but it was mostly about history: about the cruelty of slavery, the starting of a rebellion and of course. Throw in a murder for good measure.
This novel is part "Girl with the Pearl Earring" part "Twelfth Night" part "1776" and some Sherlock Holmes as well.
This novel is part "Girl with the Pearl Earring" part "Twelfth Night" part "1776" and some Sherlock Holmes as well.
unicyclegirl's review against another edition
3.0
☆☆☆1\2
This book does an excellent job of putting you right into 18th century Boston, the characters and settings are quite believable. It really shows that the authors are history professors. I did find the end a little anticlimactic though.
This book does an excellent job of putting you right into 18th century Boston, the characters and settings are quite believable. It really shows that the authors are history professors. I did find the end a little anticlimactic though.
sharkmom's review against another edition
3.0
Since I just visited Boson for the first time, I liked hearing all the street names that I walked. Also, I am a sucker for historical fiction.
farkle's review against another edition
3.0
Should have saved this for the summer. A good beach read—a little raunchy, plenty of intrigue—but as historical fiction less guilt inducing.
jereshkigal's review against another edition
2.0
Thank the Heavens I’m finally done with this book! I just really didn’t care too much for it.
stephb413's review against another edition
3.0
It took awhile to get into the plot, but I loved the idea from page 1. A wealthy woman with little choices becomes a poor man is the hook that pulled me in. Interesting read.
drewjameson's review against another edition
2.0
A full-on, saucy corset-fest with cross-dressing, Revolutionary history and more double entendres than you can shake a cod (OK, that was a triple entendre, just ask me) at.
I definitely enjoyed the frippery, puffery, bosh and flimshaw, the bawdy wit, and the constant use of the (probably-fictional) period adjective "shitten". Although, after several chapters, the perpetual obvious "Tis what she said" puns grew awfully tiresome. I definitely did NOT enjoy the too-modern/self-aware/PC opinions of the main characters, who can't go five seconds without whining about the evils of sexism, racism and slavery, as if institutionalized racism and white male privilege were typical subject matter for letters and diaries. I also hated the exposition through inserted newspaper clippings, the constant irrelevant and highly unrealistic qouting from Shakespeare in dramatic scenes to supposedly show us the erudition of the characters (or the authors'? They're both Harvard professors; should we really be impressed that they've read Shakespeare?), or the hammy epistolary format. The authors' research shows far too obviously here. The "expositolary" form, to my mind, really slows down fluffy pseudo-intellectual romance novels such as this and the Time Traveler's Wife. To me, what's interesting about letters as story-telling, is that characters may present themselves or their world views in very different ways to themselves or to their friends, or to one friend rather than another. It's much less interesting when it feels like the author telling us something she should have shown us, or where "reality" doesn't feel terribly different from one point of view to the next.
I definitely enjoyed the frippery, puffery, bosh and flimshaw, the bawdy wit, and the constant use of the (probably-fictional) period adjective "shitten". Although, after several chapters, the perpetual obvious "Tis what she said" puns grew awfully tiresome. I definitely did NOT enjoy the too-modern/self-aware/PC opinions of the main characters, who can't go five seconds without whining about the evils of sexism, racism and slavery, as if institutionalized racism and white male privilege were typical subject matter for letters and diaries. I also hated the exposition through inserted newspaper clippings, the constant irrelevant and highly unrealistic qouting from Shakespeare in dramatic scenes to supposedly show us the erudition of the characters (or the authors'? They're both Harvard professors; should we really be impressed that they've read Shakespeare?), or the hammy epistolary format. The authors' research shows far too obviously here. The "expositolary" form, to my mind, really slows down fluffy pseudo-intellectual romance novels such as this and the Time Traveler's Wife. To me, what's interesting about letters as story-telling, is that characters may present themselves or their world views in very different ways to themselves or to their friends, or to one friend rather than another. It's much less interesting when it feels like the author telling us something she should have shown us, or where "reality" doesn't feel terribly different from one point of view to the next.
kimselden's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
rebecatorresrose's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to the audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed it. The wit, the mystery and the philosophy of it all. Wish I could spend more time with all three of the main characters. Consider this my request for a sequel.
craftyhilary's review against another edition
2.0
The lives of a formerly privileged but now fallen woman, a painter fleeing debts incurred to save the life of a friend, and an escaped slave with a brilliant mind but a cool heart intersect in pre-revolutionary Boston. The tale is told in alternating chapters between the painter and the woman, who has disguised herself as a boy to become his apprentice.
Sounds fascinating, right? Sadly, no.
If this book were any slower, it would be moving backwards. The wordiness of the narrators, the flogging of the "blind spot" theme, and the lengthy political sections made it seem interminable.
On the other hand, in the second half of the book, all this dry narrative was bizarrely interspersed with some very graphic sex scenes. I have no objection to sex, even explicit sex, when it's integral to the plot (and, let's be honest, when it's steamy and well-written). After the first few scenes, however, I felt like I had gotten the picture. And the romantic stuff got awfully soppy, which really wasn't any more appealing.
I hoped, about a third of the way in, that this would turn into a thrilling adventure story, but it was more like a political saga/police procedural/trashy romance novel mashup, and none of those elements ended up being very compelling.
Ultimately, I slogged through the entire novel because it was an audio-book, and I tend not to give up on those since I can't just skim to the end to find out how things turned out. Plus once you're halfway through, it seems lame to quit. And, credit where credit is due, I thought the readers (one male, one female) on the whole did an excellent job with the material they were given. That could not, however, make the experience worthwhile.
This review seems a bit mean-spirited, as I reread it, but after over 18 hours spent listening to Blindspot, I feel justified in being a bit cranky. To sum up: just not worth it.
Sounds fascinating, right? Sadly, no.
If this book were any slower, it would be moving backwards. The wordiness of the narrators, the flogging of the "blind spot" theme, and the lengthy political sections made it seem interminable.
On the other hand, in the second half of the book, all this dry narrative was bizarrely interspersed with some very graphic sex scenes. I have no objection to sex, even explicit sex, when it's integral to the plot (and, let's be honest, when it's steamy and well-written). After the first few scenes, however, I felt like I had gotten the picture. And the romantic stuff got awfully soppy, which really wasn't any more appealing.
I hoped, about a third of the way in, that this would turn into a thrilling adventure story, but it was more like a political saga/police procedural/trashy romance novel mashup, and none of those elements ended up being very compelling.
Ultimately, I slogged through the entire novel because it was an audio-book, and I tend not to give up on those since I can't just skim to the end to find out how things turned out. Plus once you're halfway through, it seems lame to quit. And, credit where credit is due, I thought the readers (one male, one female) on the whole did an excellent job with the material they were given. That could not, however, make the experience worthwhile.
This review seems a bit mean-spirited, as I reread it, but after over 18 hours spent listening to Blindspot, I feel justified in being a bit cranky. To sum up: just not worth it.