Scan barcode
smitchy's review against another edition
4.0
Really more of a 3.5 stars (Proof Copy). This is a really interesting story, one that would make a great mini series!
But I found that Joel's (author) sense of betrayal / abandonment (not sure if that is the right word for the feeling I got from the text) on behalf of her grandmother Billie (Rosetta's daughter) and the Joel's own issues regarding the abandonment of a child (heightened by the death of her own child in early childhood / infancy) kept bringing the author back to one single fact: Rosetta leaving her child in order to get out of the life and marriage she hated.
Rosetta might very well have felt guilt / shame but the very closeness of the author to her subject and the knowledge of how this had affected her grandmother, and consequently her mother and herself, means that she also fails to consider the fact that Rosetta may simply not have been in any way maternally inclined. She also didn't leave her daughter on the street, she was in the care of her father (possible that a unwritten condition of getting a divorce was not taking her daughter?).
The fact that she didn't have any more children or reach out in any way to Billie via family or even acknowledge Billie in her will speaks to me of someone who just didn't care. Also in many ways there was a lot less stigma attached to leaving a child in those days - children were often left at orphanages if parents could not afford them.
Apart from that, the style of the book means that the 'historical' section of the story when we are seeing things from Rosetta's POV are interrupted by sections wherein Joel explains the research / documents that lead to her knowledge of Rosetta's actions. I found that this was a bit distracting - I would have prefered either one style or the other but that is just my personal preference. It did also make me wonder how she knew so much about her Great Grandma's sex life (explained to some degree in the final couple of chapters of the book).
But I found that Joel's (author) sense of betrayal / abandonment (not sure if that is the right word for the feeling I got from the text) on behalf of her grandmother Billie (Rosetta's daughter) and the Joel's own issues regarding the abandonment of a child (heightened by the death of her own child in early childhood / infancy) kept bringing the author back to one single fact: Rosetta leaving her child in order to get out of the life and marriage she hated.
Rosetta might very well have felt guilt / shame but the very closeness of the author to her subject and the knowledge of how this had affected her grandmother, and consequently her mother and herself, means that she also fails to consider the fact that Rosetta may simply not have been in any way maternally inclined. She also didn't leave her daughter on the street, she was in the care of her father (possible that a unwritten condition of getting a divorce was not taking her daughter?).
The fact that she didn't have any more children or reach out in any way to Billie via family or even acknowledge Billie in her will speaks to me of someone who just didn't care. Also in many ways there was a lot less stigma attached to leaving a child in those days - children were often left at orphanages if parents could not afford them.
Apart from that, the style of the book means that the 'historical' section of the story when we are seeing things from Rosetta's POV are interrupted by sections wherein Joel explains the research / documents that lead to her knowledge of Rosetta's actions. I found that this was a bit distracting - I would have prefered either one style or the other but that is just my personal preference. It did also make me wonder how she knew so much about her Great Grandma's sex life (explained to some degree in the final couple of chapters of the book).
bookstorian's review
3.0
More so 3.5..
The first thing that struck me about this novel was the beautiful cover. So unusual with the yellow background and striking image of Rosetta, a dark haired, pale skinned, beauty who is swathed in flowers, pearls and lace. It is one of my favourite covers on my shelves!
Things I enjoyed about this book:
-The leading lady Rosetta, certainly a character given the time in which she lived and her scandalous actions. A story that deserves to be told. She was defiantly depicted as resourceful and cunning woman, some one to admire.
- Australian setting, love reading anything with Australian history. This book also wove world events in to the characters life.
Things I didn't enjoy
-The self indulgent style of narration, I think I would have preferred if this was fiction based on the story of Rosetta as the author (Rosetta's great granddaughter) makes it clear that she has fabricated conversations (with famous people as well as family and friends) and thoughts of her great grandmother throughout. So why not do it the whole time?? I wasn't really interested in her heartfelt reflections about where she was and what she was doing and what she felt visiting the places her great grandmother left.
-Third person Rosetta! Reaaaaallllly bothered me at first. I got over it but, again, would have preferred a fictional story from first person, as mentioned above.
-Being a childless person it was difficult to connect with the authors problem of "how could a mother leave her child?" I think she perhaps spent too long on this issue and, if the book was a fictional work she could have woven that predicament more cleverly throughout. I understand that this is what motivated the author to write, but put it in the notes at the end!
In summary: I was intrigued by Rosetta's tale BUT, I wanted a fictional version!
The first thing that struck me about this novel was the beautiful cover. So unusual with the yellow background and striking image of Rosetta, a dark haired, pale skinned, beauty who is swathed in flowers, pearls and lace. It is one of my favourite covers on my shelves!
Things I enjoyed about this book:
-The leading lady Rosetta, certainly a character given the time in which she lived and her scandalous actions. A story that deserves to be told. She was defiantly depicted as resourceful and cunning woman, some one to admire.
- Australian setting, love reading anything with Australian history. This book also wove world events in to the characters life.
Things I didn't enjoy
-The self indulgent style of narration, I think I would have preferred if this was fiction based on the story of Rosetta as the author (Rosetta's great granddaughter) makes it clear that she has fabricated conversations (with famous people as well as family and friends) and thoughts of her great grandmother throughout. So why not do it the whole time?? I wasn't really interested in her heartfelt reflections about where she was and what she was doing and what she felt visiting the places her great grandmother left.
-Third person Rosetta! Reaaaaallllly bothered me at first. I got over it but, again, would have preferred a fictional story from first person, as mentioned above.
-Being a childless person it was difficult to connect with the authors problem of "how could a mother leave her child?" I think she perhaps spent too long on this issue and, if the book was a fictional work she could have woven that predicament more cleverly throughout. I understand that this is what motivated the author to write, but put it in the notes at the end!
In summary: I was intrigued by Rosetta's tale BUT, I wanted a fictional version!
hannahmayreads's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.0
I found it difficult to engage with this book. Rosetta's fascinating story was disrupted by the author's constant interruptions. Rosetta's story is meaty enough without the side notes. This difficulty to engage extends to the characters. I struggle to recall many of their names let alone the part they play.
The writing was unemotional and, at times, halfhearted with the author not wanting to commit to fact or fiction, and so I'm left feeling underwhelmed by this book.
The writing was unemotional and, at times, halfhearted with the author not wanting to commit to fact or fiction, and so I'm left feeling underwhelmed by this book.
kali's review
4.0
For Rosetta is a “conjuror’s dream”, an illusion created by weaving fact with fiction, embellishing, re-creating and invention, a penchant for which Joel admits in the postscript to have inherited from her great-grandmother. The facts upon which the story lie are contained in a child’s suitcase, filled with photographs and letters, discovered by Joel’s father when he undertook the initial family history research two decades before. He made transcripts of interviews and searched newspaper archives until the trail ended. It was he who suggested that Joel write the book. Joel approached the story with a question--how can a woman abandon a child?—and one which holds personal significance.
But as Joel progresses in her search to the answer, she becomes entranced by the “almost mythic quality” of her quest. “I desire to inhabit the same rooms, walk in the gardens, stand as Rosetta did when, flanked by a princess and an empress, she sipped Turkish coffee and looked out upon a foreign sea.”
Read more of my review here: https://kalinapier.wordpress.com/2016/03/16/rosetta-book-review/
But as Joel progresses in her search to the answer, she becomes entranced by the “almost mythic quality” of her quest. “I desire to inhabit the same rooms, walk in the gardens, stand as Rosetta did when, flanked by a princess and an empress, she sipped Turkish coffee and looked out upon a foreign sea.”
Read more of my review here: https://kalinapier.wordpress.com/2016/03/16/rosetta-book-review/
More...