onilwyn's review against another edition
3.0
I love historical fictions so this book jumped out at me and I wanted it to be as great as it sounded and so many reviews sounded wonderful. While the writing was well done, the character development was so dry and sterile that I felt a complete disconnect to any of them. It evoked very little emotion or sympathy for a historical period during the French Revolution that was full of turmoil. I would have liked to have connected with the characters or felt some empathy towards them but I felt nothing to the point that I almost DNF it.
onilwyn's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love historical fictions so this book jumped out at me and I wanted it to be as great as it sounded and so many reviews sounded wonderful. While the writing was well done, the character development was so dry and sterile that I felt a complete disconnect to any of them. It evoked very little emotion or sympathy for a historical period during the French Revolution that was full of turmoil. I would have liked to have connected with the characters or felt some empathy towards them but I felt nothing to the point that I almost DNF it.
I love historical fictions so this book jumped out at me and I wanted it to be as great as it sounded and so many reviews sounded wonderful. While the writing was well done, the character development was so dry and sterile that I felt a complete disconnect to any of them. It evoked very little emotion or sympathy for a historical period during the French Revolution that was full of turmoil. I would have liked to have connected with the characters or felt some empathy towards them but I felt nothing to the point that I almost DNF it.
eroof514's review against another edition
2.0
I recieved a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review. This book is set in 1792 and is set in the area of Clifton near Bristol. Lizzie grows up with a mother who is an author who has lots of artist friends poets and political activists included. This book later moves onto Lizzie's marriage and the fears of schemes leaving them bankrupt. The ending leaves much unanswered but I did enjoy the menacing feel this book had throughout. I have been told that Helen's books are either love them or hate them type of books so feel free to give this one a go and make your own conclusions. This one is for fans of historical fiction for sure.
crissyh's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
2.75
monty27's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this story, but unfortunately it only started until the very end.
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
5.0
When Julia Fawkes, radical writer, dies after childbirth, her adult daughter Lizzie is left bereft. Newly married to a widower, Diner, Lizzie has to support her husband and raise her half-brother with only the help of her servant Philo. She comes into contact with a young poet but her suspicious husband thinks that more is going on than a mere friendship. Meanwhile Diner's business is collapsing, he has invested in the building of a row of houses in Bristol but the French Revolution means that no-one is interested in buying.
This is such a subtlety written book that both the minutiae of everyday Georgian life seems so much more important than the cataclysmic events across the channel and yet the ramifications are felt deeply. At one level the story is that of a young woman who discovers secrets about her husband that lead her into danger. At another level the radical followers of Thomas Paine are powerless to support their French friends as chaos reigns. The only jarring note for me was the modern day introduction. Whilst I know it was there to set the scene and introduce the reader to Julia Fawkes as a writer it was never revisited and felt superfluous.
This is such a subtlety written book that both the minutiae of everyday Georgian life seems so much more important than the cataclysmic events across the channel and yet the ramifications are felt deeply. At one level the story is that of a young woman who discovers secrets about her husband that lead her into danger. At another level the radical followers of Thomas Paine are powerless to support their French friends as chaos reigns. The only jarring note for me was the modern day introduction. Whilst I know it was there to set the scene and introduce the reader to Julia Fawkes as a writer it was never revisited and felt superfluous.
bericheri's review against another edition
4.0
There's a sense of constant doom throughout this novel however it's not exactly gripping. I almost gave up halfway through because hardly anything had happened. The plot didn't advance in anyway. But I stuck it out and found the ending to have been worth it. I won't be reading it again though.
sally_ann_t's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
chelseabarth's review against another edition
3.0
Set in 1792, Lizzie Fawkes has grown up among her mother's radical friends who support the French Revolution. But Lizzie is now married to a housing developer, John Diner Tredevant, who disagrees with the Revolution and believes that Lizzie's carefree spirit should be quelled. Diner see's Lizzie as his property and her independence as a threat, and his passion for her grows until Lizzie finds herself alone with a stranger who is not the man she married at all.
I was drawn to this book because of the time period in which it was set. However I found myself disappointed by this book. The story was well written and Helen Dunmore captured the tension of this era, however the story is set in Bristol where the characters are far removed from the political events taking place in France. The plot was sluggish and lacked any development throughout. The beginning of the story felt completely disconnected from the novel and I kept waiting to go back to that story but it was never mentioned again. So while the writing was elegant the plot was lacking too much for me to enjoy this story.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was drawn to this book because of the time period in which it was set. However I found myself disappointed by this book. The story was well written and Helen Dunmore captured the tension of this era, however the story is set in Bristol where the characters are far removed from the political events taking place in France. The plot was sluggish and lacked any development throughout. The beginning of the story felt completely disconnected from the novel and I kept waiting to go back to that story but it was never mentioned again. So while the writing was elegant the plot was lacking too much for me to enjoy this story.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
always_need_more_books's review against another edition
3.0
Set in 1792 Bristol, we follow Lizzie who is married to John Diner Tredevant a property developer. Lizzie was brought up in Radical circles where the French Revolution is followed with idealism. With the prospect of war, Diner looks to lose everything.
Described on the cover as a psychological thriller, I’m not sure that’s what it was. There is mystery and moments of thrill. I really enjoyed the historical aspects – I felt totally immersed in the period. There is childbirth and fantastic descriptions of Bristol and the social history of the time which I really enjoyed.
A book club read so it’ll be interesting to see what everyone else thinks when we discuss it.
Described on the cover as a psychological thriller, I’m not sure that’s what it was. There is mystery and moments of thrill. I really enjoyed the historical aspects – I felt totally immersed in the period. There is childbirth and fantastic descriptions of Bristol and the social history of the time which I really enjoyed.
A book club read so it’ll be interesting to see what everyone else thinks when we discuss it.