kepheus's review against another edition
2.0
This was a whole lot of exploratory fluff and not much substance. That could be a lack of patience on part, but Tolkien-esque descriptions were never my taste. I get what he was trying to do here, but it's really not what I expected or wanted.
theneoriver's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
chawlios's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
cyberelk11's review against another edition
3.0
This wasn't the kind of book I expected it to be, but it was thought-provoking. The bulk of the book is well written and nicely descriptive, although there are occasions when the narrator talks directly to the reader which I found a bit jarring.
rzahradnik's review against another edition
4.0
Great time travel story featuring HG Wells himself (as well as other real authors and other people from the period) marred slightly by overwriting. The Victorian setting might allow for some stretching of the prose, but unless you write like Dickens, cut to the chase. I was skipping and skimming some parts.
jesssika's review against another edition
4.0
I am honestly stuck between 2, 3, and 4 stars, but choose to go with the latter due to personal notions. Those notions are that I am tired of people and there incessant need to rewrite history or the continuous desire to only pick the most widely known crimes to play their novels from. Isn���t it more notable to look into something that isn���t easy to find rather than play on what everyone has already played with? It���s sloppy seconds when it comes to yet another Jack the Ripper story, but like I said, I knew that going in. So, for plot, character, and development I went with the higher score. Inventiveness gets a 0.
So, the story is not new in virtually any aspect, but the writing is good. I read before getting the book that the writer appears to ramble and give a lot of drivel for the reader to trudge through and that the writer continues to overuse adjectives. I was prepared going in to sidestep these flaws. It can be difficult to know what is enough, too much, or too little. So, throw it in there because the reader will delete what they don���t like anyhow. I wasn���t taken back so much by the overuse but that it seemed to give a melancholy air about the story. The beginning is difficult to follow, as from paragraph to paragraph I had to guess who was even telling the story (the flip-flopping between Andrew POV and the Narrator telling me to forget so and so).
Then, by the time we get to the huge dramatic event that has caused Andrew to want to end his life���it flounders. There���s no real climax because the protagonist at this point doesn���t seem as enthused about the story so why should I be? Andrew wonders throughout the story in a fog and that makes it difficult to get on board. The people in the story really have to be a part of their story or else the reader can���t. Maybe that���s why it���s gotten bad reviews?
So, the story is not new in virtually any aspect, but the writing is good. I read before getting the book that the writer appears to ramble and give a lot of drivel for the reader to trudge through and that the writer continues to overuse adjectives. I was prepared going in to sidestep these flaws. It can be difficult to know what is enough, too much, or too little. So, throw it in there because the reader will delete what they don���t like anyhow. I wasn���t taken back so much by the overuse but that it seemed to give a melancholy air about the story. The beginning is difficult to follow, as from paragraph to paragraph I had to guess who was even telling the story (the flip-flopping between Andrew POV and the Narrator telling me to forget so and so).
Then, by the time we get to the huge dramatic event that has caused Andrew to want to end his life���it flounders. There���s no real climax because the protagonist at this point doesn���t seem as enthused about the story so why should I be? Andrew wonders throughout the story in a fog and that makes it difficult to get on board. The people in the story really have to be a part of their story or else the reader can���t. Maybe that���s why it���s gotten bad reviews?
constant_reader_19's review against another edition
2.0
I thought this was going to be SO much fun....time travel, H.G. Wells, the Elephant man....BUT NO! It was slow and uneventful! :o(
richellegoodrich's review against another edition
3.0
A Rollercoaster Read
I approached this trilogy in an unusual manner because I assumed the third book was the first when I picked it up. Upon beginning the reading, I came to realize my error, but not owning the first book to the trilogy, I chose to go ahead and read through the one I did own. And it turned out that I highly enjoyed the third book enough to make me eagerly purchase the first. Sadly, the first didn't impress me as much as the final book which I unwittingly purchased initially and read. And if you have followed the backwards journey I took to come to know the ending before the beginning, then you will probably do just fine grasping the trail of logic and events that were spun to create this seriously-imaginative adventure that may or may not have happened in the end. I suppose I should now go read the second book since the filling is all I have left to taste.
I approached this trilogy in an unusual manner because I assumed the third book was the first when I picked it up. Upon beginning the reading, I came to realize my error, but not owning the first book to the trilogy, I chose to go ahead and read through the one I did own. And it turned out that I highly enjoyed the third book enough to make me eagerly purchase the first. Sadly, the first didn't impress me as much as the final book which I unwittingly purchased initially and read. And if you have followed the backwards journey I took to come to know the ending before the beginning, then you will probably do just fine grasping the trail of logic and events that were spun to create this seriously-imaginative adventure that may or may not have happened in the end. I suppose I should now go read the second book since the filling is all I have left to taste.
anibee19's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
loanereel's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75