Reviews

Desmond by Charlotte Turner Smith

mfp's review

1.0

Not great, I'm afraid. The whole book is essentially a thinly-disguised political tract set up as a epistolary novel. The characters are fairly generic and bland, and their status as protagonists/antagonists is entirely based on their political affiliation: all the radicals and supporters of the revolution are paragons of virtue, all the opponents of the revolution are evil corrupt aristocrats or their lackeys. The portrayal of revolutionary France is hopelessly unrealistic and idealised - the main character discusses political philosophy and liberty with ordinary peasants, for heaven's sake. Nope - won't be reading it again unless forced.