A review by puddlejumper
Netherford Hall by Natania Barron

slow-paced

2.5

I found this book very boring. I think the style and pacing was intended to mimic Jane Austen’s works but it falls flat. 

I didn't mind the writing style at all. It was flowery and a bit pompous but in a fun way. It was the slow pacing that I had issues with.

There was a lot of info dumping at the beginning of the book which slowed everything down. Most of it I didn't need to know, or it could have been brought up at a more appropriate place in the book.

For a book that moved at a glacial pace and was unbelievably boring for parts of it, it jammed in a lot of stuff! I do wonder if it would have been better to have saved some of the stuff for the second book. 

The romance was very lacklustre. There was no chemistry between the characters and there wasn't any build up. It felt forced. 

This isn't a witchy version of Pride and Prejudice (or if it is, it's a bad one). If you like historical fantasy with a bit of romance then you might enjoy this but don't go expecting Austen. You'll be disappointed. 

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC