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melli80's review against another edition
3.0
It was really an interesting story I liked how the author combine truth and fiction and turned it into a good story. So why three stars well, it kinda read like non fiction and sometimes I found it hard to follow, I knew it wasn't but my train of thought kept insisting it was. Other then that I liked the idea.
mxd's review against another edition
1.0
What the heyaaaalll was this? The author has such a hate-on for Mary Shelley, like, she has some serious issues with this woman. I think the book probably had a working title of 'Mary Shelley: shut up you selfish tart!'. Oh dear, not flattering at all.
On the up side, main moody character Charles Maddox totes looks like Tom Hiddleston, which I caught onto as soon as I started reading. Tarnishing the reps of dead authors aside, I wouldn't mind seeing this as a trashy BBC drama at all.
Maddox is interesting enough, if a little too filled with mainpain and the mystery at the heart of the story is interesting enough too. In fact, this probably might have been a better book if all the characters had been completely fictional, because after a point the character assassination of Mary Shelley is quite distracting. Also, some scenes fall into almost Dickensian cliché with characters like Billy or the story's hooker with a heart of gold.
Will I read the the first instalment of this series? Dunno, depends in how much of a mood I am for mainpain Hiddleston Maddox.
On the up side, main moody character Charles Maddox totes looks like Tom Hiddleston, which I caught onto as soon as I started reading. Tarnishing the reps of dead authors aside, I wouldn't mind seeing this as a trashy BBC drama at all.
Maddox is interesting enough, if a little too filled with mainpain and the mystery at the heart of the story is interesting enough too. In fact, this probably might have been a better book if all the characters had been completely fictional, because after a point the character assassination of Mary Shelley is quite distracting. Also, some scenes fall into almost Dickensian cliché with characters like Billy or the story's hooker with a heart of gold.
Will I read the the first instalment of this series? Dunno, depends in how much of a mood I am for mainpain Hiddleston Maddox.
resareads's review against another edition
2.0
The research far outweighs the writing in the second installment to the Maddox mystery series. What could have given an interesting take on the life and mystery of Percy Shelly and his second wife Mary turns into a mangled mess of plot twists, dead end side stories, and a narrator that only complicates things further.
What Shepherd has done well in this book is her research and a fan of the Romantics may be interested in picking up this book just to see the world of the Shellys Shephed has created here. Yes, this book is a work of fiction and no reader should expect Shepherd to tell the story without any embellishments, that would leave major plot holes and keep this book from being an interesting novel. Is she hard on the Shellys and their associates? Yes. But there really wouldnât be a story if the characters were handled with kid gloves and Shepherd is very forthcoming in her authorâs notes as to what is fact and what is purely speculative fiction.
Where the book takes a turn for the worse is in the number of plot twists Shepherd tries to throw the reader. After each chapter Maddox has a revelation saying something along the lines of âit all makes sense and has fallen into place nowâ only to have nothing make sense any longer in the next chapter. What is supposed to build suspense actually just makes Maddox look like a poor detective, unable to see whatâs going on in front of him. These plot twists are also further complicated by two unnecessary side stories. The first being the relationship between Maddox and his maid, which is barely even hinted at for the first three quarters of the book only to become and bizarre (and somewhat major to the life of Maddox) plot twist in the end. Of course, as soon as itâs stated the story is suddenly forgotten and the reader is left with loose ends to a story that wasnât even part of the novel before. The second side story is the Turnbull case, which seemed to be setting the scene for a third novel only to be nothing more than a way for Maddox to uncover yet another layer in the Shelly fiasco.
This book suffers from a case of too much plot. There is a lot going on and itâs not laid out in a way that make it possible for the reader to follow coherently. The narrator, which could have been a great device for clarity, only further complicates things. The narrator goes from being omniscient observer to breaking the fourth wall in bizarre ways. Normally Iâm a fan of meta-commentary narrators, but Shepherd canât seem to decide what kind of narrator is being used. The narration changes from being present during the case, at the time Maddox lived, to randomly speaking from the future, as if the reader were incapable of knowing technology in the 19th century is different from that in 2013 and needs to be told, or picking up on references to medical diseases not yet named in Maddoxâs day.
I received a free, review copy of the edition of this book scheduled to be released August 20th, from the publisher.
What Shepherd has done well in this book is her research and a fan of the Romantics may be interested in picking up this book just to see the world of the Shellys Shephed has created here. Yes, this book is a work of fiction and no reader should expect Shepherd to tell the story without any embellishments, that would leave major plot holes and keep this book from being an interesting novel. Is she hard on the Shellys and their associates? Yes. But there really wouldnât be a story if the characters were handled with kid gloves and Shepherd is very forthcoming in her authorâs notes as to what is fact and what is purely speculative fiction.
Where the book takes a turn for the worse is in the number of plot twists Shepherd tries to throw the reader. After each chapter Maddox has a revelation saying something along the lines of âit all makes sense and has fallen into place nowâ only to have nothing make sense any longer in the next chapter. What is supposed to build suspense actually just makes Maddox look like a poor detective, unable to see whatâs going on in front of him. These plot twists are also further complicated by two unnecessary side stories. The first being the relationship between Maddox and his maid, which is barely even hinted at for the first three quarters of the book only to become and bizarre (and somewhat major to the life of Maddox) plot twist in the end. Of course, as soon as itâs stated the story is suddenly forgotten and the reader is left with loose ends to a story that wasnât even part of the novel before. The second side story is the Turnbull case, which seemed to be setting the scene for a third novel only to be nothing more than a way for Maddox to uncover yet another layer in the Shelly fiasco.
This book suffers from a case of too much plot. There is a lot going on and itâs not laid out in a way that make it possible for the reader to follow coherently. The narrator, which could have been a great device for clarity, only further complicates things. The narrator goes from being omniscient observer to breaking the fourth wall in bizarre ways. Normally Iâm a fan of meta-commentary narrators, but Shepherd canât seem to decide what kind of narrator is being used. The narration changes from being present during the case, at the time Maddox lived, to randomly speaking from the future, as if the reader were incapable of knowing technology in the 19th century is different from that in 2013 and needs to be told, or picking up on references to medical diseases not yet named in Maddoxâs day.
I received a free, review copy of the edition of this book scheduled to be released August 20th, from the publisher.
taniabotes's review against another edition
4.0
There is no problem, however intractable, that cannot be resolved by the steady application of logic and observation
I love Netgalley, it allows me to choose books I would never otherwise have read. After requesting this title, I really thought I made a mistake. Whodunit's is not really my genre, I new nothing about the romantic poets, and I belatedly noticed that this was the second book in a series. Despite all of this I really enjoyed it.
I was interested in learning more about Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary Shelley and Claire Clairmont and their contemporaries. I never realized that free love was already a concept in the Victorian age. I was glad that the author explains in detail what is fact and what is fiction in her notes, as it's always difficult reading about a new spin on historical figures if you are not familiar with the basic facts.
I love how vividly she painted London in the 1800's. I thought the writing also reflected the time period very well. It was my first time reading a novel told from a 3rd person omniscient point of view. It was a bit jarring in the beginning, but by the end of the book I quite liked it.
The suspense in A Fatal Likeness was amazing. There was twists on top of twists and layers on layers. Every time you thought that all answers were now revealed, there was yet another revelation waiting in the wings. Charles Maddox (who reminds me quite a bit of Sherlock Holmes) sees the case, and possible answers, from all the suspects point of view.
Thanks mrs. Shepherd, because of your book I've now discovered a new favorite genre - Historical Crime.
The story: When his great-uncle, the master detective who schooled him in the science of "thief taking," is mysteriously stricken, Charles Maddox fears that the old man's breakdown may be directly related to the latest case he's been asked to undertake. Summoned to the home of a stuffy nobleman and his imperious wife, Charles finds his investigative services have been engaged by no less than the son of celebrated poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and his famed widow, Mary, author of the gothic classic "Frankenstein."
minsies's review against another edition
2.0
Do you have a very serious interest in the Romantic poets, up to and including crazy-ass bizarro theories about why some of their lives were so weird?
Even if you do, I am not sure this book is for you. It was not really for me, even though I meet those Romantic poet interest levels, mostly because of the amount of time the author spent breaking the fourth wall to tell me something of (very little) interest about how London looked today vs. at the time of the book (why do I care? I do not care.) etc., etc.
Without that, it wouldn't have been great, but it would've been more than just OK.
Even if you do, I am not sure this book is for you. It was not really for me, even though I meet those Romantic poet interest levels, mostly because of the amount of time the author spent breaking the fourth wall to tell me something of (very little) interest about how London looked today vs. at the time of the book (why do I care? I do not care.) etc., etc.
Without that, it wouldn't have been great, but it would've been more than just OK.
thespiritoftheage's review against another edition
2.0
Very well written and well researched. However, I felt extremely uncomfortable while reading it. Although it is a fictional work, it presumes to fill in the gaps of the Shelley's biographies, and presents an image of the poet, the writer and their circle that is -to me, who have not researched them- problematic and extremely troubling. Of course it might be true, but if it were, I think it should be presented as a research work, not as a fictional one. If it were not, I feel so sorry for Mary W. Shelley's memory.
the_resa_p's review
2.0
The research far outweighs the writing in the second installment to the Maddox mystery series. What could have given an interesting take on the life and mystery of Percy Shelly and his second wife Mary turns into a mangled mess of plot twists, dead end side stories, and a narrator that only complicates things further.
What Shepherd has done well in this book is her research and a fan of the Romantics may be interested in picking up this book just to see the world of the Shellys Shephed has created here. Yes, this book is a work of fiction and no reader should expect Shepherd to tell the story without any embellishments, that would leave major plot holes and keep this book from being an interesting novel. Is she hard on the Shellys and their associates? Yes. But there really wouldnât be a story if the characters were handled with kid gloves and Shepherd is very forthcoming in her authorâs notes as to what is fact and what is purely speculative fiction.
Where the book takes a turn for the worse is in the number of plot twists Shepherd tries to throw the reader. After each chapter Maddox has a revelation saying something along the lines of âit all makes sense and has fallen into place nowâ only to have nothing make sense any longer in the next chapter. What is supposed to build suspense actually just makes Maddox look like a poor detective, unable to see whatâs going on in front of him. These plot twists are also further complicated by two unnecessary side stories. The first being the relationship between Maddox and his maid, which is barely even hinted at for the first three quarters of the book only to become and bizarre (and somewhat major to the life of Maddox) plot twist in the end. Of course, as soon as itâs stated the story is suddenly forgotten and the reader is left with loose ends to a story that wasnât even part of the novel before. The second side story is the Turnbull case, which seemed to be setting the scene for a third novel only to be nothing more than a way for Maddox to uncover yet another layer in the Shelly fiasco.
This book suffers from a case of too much plot. There is a lot going on and itâs not laid out in a way that make it possible for the reader to follow coherently. The narrator, which could have been a great device for clarity, only further complicates things. The narrator goes from being omniscient observer to breaking the fourth wall in bizarre ways. Normally Iâm a fan of meta-commentary narrators, but Shepherd canât seem to decide what kind of narrator is being used. The narration changes from being present during the case, at the time Maddox lived, to randomly speaking from the future, as if the reader were incapable of knowing technology in the 19th century is different from that in 2013 and needs to be told, or picking up on references to medical diseases not yet named in Maddoxâs day.
I received a free, review copy of the edition of this book scheduled to be released August 20th, from the publisher.
What Shepherd has done well in this book is her research and a fan of the Romantics may be interested in picking up this book just to see the world of the Shellys Shephed has created here. Yes, this book is a work of fiction and no reader should expect Shepherd to tell the story without any embellishments, that would leave major plot holes and keep this book from being an interesting novel. Is she hard on the Shellys and their associates? Yes. But there really wouldnât be a story if the characters were handled with kid gloves and Shepherd is very forthcoming in her authorâs notes as to what is fact and what is purely speculative fiction.
Where the book takes a turn for the worse is in the number of plot twists Shepherd tries to throw the reader. After each chapter Maddox has a revelation saying something along the lines of âit all makes sense and has fallen into place nowâ only to have nothing make sense any longer in the next chapter. What is supposed to build suspense actually just makes Maddox look like a poor detective, unable to see whatâs going on in front of him. These plot twists are also further complicated by two unnecessary side stories. The first being the relationship between Maddox and his maid, which is barely even hinted at for the first three quarters of the book only to become and bizarre (and somewhat major to the life of Maddox) plot twist in the end. Of course, as soon as itâs stated the story is suddenly forgotten and the reader is left with loose ends to a story that wasnât even part of the novel before. The second side story is the Turnbull case, which seemed to be setting the scene for a third novel only to be nothing more than a way for Maddox to uncover yet another layer in the Shelly fiasco.
This book suffers from a case of too much plot. There is a lot going on and itâs not laid out in a way that make it possible for the reader to follow coherently. The narrator, which could have been a great device for clarity, only further complicates things. The narrator goes from being omniscient observer to breaking the fourth wall in bizarre ways. Normally Iâm a fan of meta-commentary narrators, but Shepherd canât seem to decide what kind of narrator is being used. The narration changes from being present during the case, at the time Maddox lived, to randomly speaking from the future, as if the reader were incapable of knowing technology in the 19th century is different from that in 2013 and needs to be told, or picking up on references to medical diseases not yet named in Maddoxâs day.
I received a free, review copy of the edition of this book scheduled to be released August 20th, from the publisher.
bookishbecky's review against another edition
3.0
An atmospheric slow burn which I enjoyed reading. Following a fictional story set in the troubled past of the Shelley family I took a lot of the narrative with a pinch of salt and was surprised by the author's notes which showed a lot of it was developed from fact.
I enjoyed the characters of this story but the story itself was steeped in grief, anguish and loss.
I enjoyed the characters of this story but the story itself was steeped in grief, anguish and loss.