I liked some of the ideas in this book, but overall it's shallow, predictable, and underdeveloped.I liked some of the ideas in this book, but overall it's shallow, predictable, and underdeveloped....more
I tried several times but couldn’t engage with this book. It felt shallow to me, just another romance novel without great character development, nothiI tried several times but couldn’t engage with this book. It felt shallow to me, just another romance novel without great character development, nothing new from the author to say, and no new ways to say it. I have to fall into the tiny minority that found this book entirely unpalatable. ...more
I thought I would like this, but I don't think I can finish it. (That's really rare for me.) The book became extremely predictable and fluffy - way toI thought I would like this, but I don't think I can finish it. (That's really rare for me.) The book became extremely predictable and fluffy - way too much melodrama for my taste, and no surprises. ...more
Oh, my. I do love historical fiction... but this one is a struggle for me so far. After about a week of reading a few minutes here and there, I'm on pOh, my. I do love historical fiction... but this one is a struggle for me so far. After about a week of reading a few minutes here and there, I'm on page 21, which really is just a handful of pages into the novel. I feel like so many characters were introduced in the first few pages of the story, and so many locations, all with difficult yet similar names, I am going to need a spreadsheet to keep them all straight. There are occasions in the past when I have started ignoring names in a book, and just interpreting what I am reading in generalities, and I'm afraid if I keep plugging along that may be what I have to do in this case. I should have known, since in the beginning of the book is a list of characters that is three pages long. The idea of poking my way through hundreds more pages of this book is more than daunting.
I'm having another issue, also. At times, the feel of the novel is changing too much. Sometimes it is a bit like reading a play, sometimes it seems to want to be funny, sometimes serious, sometimes informative. While these differing concepts are not necessarily exclusive to each other, the change is not smooth feeling. To have so much go on in so few pages - sometimes within a single paragraph - feels awkward and incongruous to me.
Right now, it seems a lot of effort coming from the reader to make this book work. I am setting it aside for the moment; perhaps I will get into a better mindset for this book at a later date. ...more
I tried, I really did. I couldn't embrace the fanciful characters, and the historical fiction seemed more fictional and less historical than I expecteI tried, I really did. I couldn't embrace the fanciful characters, and the historical fiction seemed more fictional and less historical than I expected. Too many of the suppositions and statements were in direct conflict with information I have about the period. I set it aside - perhaps another time.......more
I didn't enjoy this book. I managed for force myself to read about half of it, and finally gave it up.
In my opinion, this author has little talent. II didn't enjoy this book. I managed for force myself to read about half of it, and finally gave it up.
In my opinion, this author has little talent. I'm amazed she is so successful -- perhaps I picked a poor example of her work. To me, this read like a second-rate television mystery show; it makes "Murder, She Wrote" look more like "Masterpiece Theatre". The characters are shallow and typey, and similarly the language is canned goods as caviar. The story was predictable.
I have had a terrible time getting into this book. I usually like Asian and Asian-American writers, but for some reason this author has come across asI have had a terrible time getting into this book. I usually like Asian and Asian-American writers, but for some reason this author has come across as almost snobby to me. Every little thing about herself she seems to think is unusual and fascinating. I can't tell if it's my mindset or her style. I'm setting it aside (actually, returning it to the public library) and may revisit it later. ...more
I could not finish this book. For the most part, every page was a chore. The few times there was a story relayed from the husband's Civil War experienI could not finish this book. For the most part, every page was a chore. The few times there was a story relayed from the husband's Civil War experience, I was engaged. Otherwise, I found the main character far too abrasive and obnoxious to enjoy myself. She might be very entertaining to sit and talk with, or listen to on a radio program, but for some reason, by reading in this format we had a personality conflict.
Additionally, there was heavy focus on subjects that didn't feel pertinent. Page after page she went on about orderlies or what soap opera is watched in her nursing home, with less attention to her memories and husband's stories than what felt necessary. There seemed to be an imbalance in that sense. I kept finding myself wondering, "How many more pages about this?" I was continually leafing forward, looking to see how much more there would be to endure about some seemingly irrelevant subject.
I suppose in the author's defense, I must say it is probably fairly accurate to portray the conversation as rambling and with more detail about the irrelevant than what is interesting. Most of the conversations I've had with nursing home elderly are of that nature. If every few chapters repeated, it would be all the more accurate. ...more
I picked this book because I saw on a website that it contained a short story by Sharyn McCrumb. It isn't really a book of short stories, though - morI picked this book because I saw on a website that it contained a short story by Sharyn McCrumb. It isn't really a book of short stories, though - more of a set of old fashioned comics. I glanced at Sharyn's piece. I might revisit this at some point. Not interested, at least not at this time. ...more
This one will take me a while. It's short stories, and I'm reading one here and there, whenever the mood strikes. So far, so good....This one will take me a while. It's short stories, and I'm reading one here and there, whenever the mood strikes. So far, so good.......more
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