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daschneider's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
crey18's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
schaefer's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
nickel_is_neat's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I wanted to like this, but it was just hard for me to follow and sometimes felt too preachy for the narrative flow.
elenasg's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
jimbowen0306's review against another edition
3.0
This book looks at an 1860/70s court case through the eyes of a Victorian family. Through it, light is sort of shone on 19th Century populism, and conspiracy theories (to a degree).
The court case is the Tichborne Claimant case, where a man presumed lost at sea returns after a number of years, to claim his inheritance. The question is, is he the man he claims to be? This is where we see similarities between then, and what’s going on now.
The book is actually based on a real life case, and the characters mostly existed, so in a way, the books reminded me of Hillary Mantel’s fictionalised account of Thomas Cromwell’s life. I’m, assuming it’s as factual as any Victorian family drama can be, while still telling a story.
So, overall it’s an okay read, I’m just not sure I’m the target audience maybe?
The court case is the Tichborne Claimant case, where a man presumed lost at sea returns after a number of years, to claim his inheritance. The question is, is he the man he claims to be? This is where we see similarities between then, and what’s going on now.
The book is actually based on a real life case, and the characters mostly existed, so in a way, the books reminded me of Hillary Mantel’s fictionalised account of Thomas Cromwell’s life. I’m, assuming it’s as factual as any Victorian family drama can be, while still telling a story.
So, overall it’s an okay read, I’m just not sure I’m the target audience maybe?
kakrucke's review against another edition
funny
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
haudurn's review against another edition
Did not finish - did not care. At all - about the characters, the story - this feels anomalous to Smith's prior works but maybe the years of accolades have gone to her head.