A review by fainne
The Outcasts of Time by Ian Mortimer

emotional informative inspiring slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

The cover and blurb make this book seem like a fast-paced adventure in historical setting, but don't let them fool you. The book swings between a socio-economic history of southern England, and contemplations on the nature of man. Usually I'm all there for good research in historical fiction, but this book utterly failed to engage me. The main characters seem rather distant and unrelatable, which might have been the authors intention? The plot seems very contrived at moments, and is very much something the protagonists are subjected to, with almost no active role. The ending also left me rather dissatisfied. 
But if you disregard the plot and characters, and only focus on the history and philosophical moments, the book isn't all that bad. The described objects, clothes, buildings and events are very well researched, to a degree rarely found in fiction. You can tell that the author put a lot of effort in. 

So if you're yearning for a social history of Exeter and its surroundings from a first person perspective, please go for it! But I probably can't recommend it to anyone else...
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