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A review by riverborn
The Rose of Sebastopol by Katharine McMahon
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book took me a while to finish and I'm still not sure if it was worth it.
First things first, it seems that a lot of readers have a problem with the main protagonist - Mariella but in all honesty she was absolutely not as annoying as the internet would have you believe (or whoever wrote the summary of it on the background of the book).
Mariella does not know war, to her war is news papers and sewing bandages that will be sent to soldiers to the front.
Mariella also is focused on manners, appearance and decor. Or rather, Mariella is a product of her own time. But the reality is, how many people in this day and age follow atrocities only as news on their local news channel and if we're so better than the Victorians why is that we're all not volunteering to nurse the sick or even show up at our local anti - climate change protest. Facts is, most of us don't so I didn't find it right to judge a character based on a lofty deed most of the people throughout history never achieve. One thing that I really enjoyed is her sewing, though i found the rather CONDESCENDING tone towards it jarring.
*getsoon the soapbox *
Oh you know Mariella only sews IMAGINE WHAT SHE might have done if she put that energy into something else.
Hold up, is that necessary? The idea that women's skills were CRAFTS instead of as Bernadette Banner would say "a practical, technical skill" is just ridiculous.
Mariella's skills with the needle go on to help an entire camp to save their rather poor reserves of clothes, sheets, uniforms and bandages. On top of it, she teaches a handful of soldier wives to sew so they could "make a living upon returning to England". If sewing helps make a living why is it treated as a flimsy hobby? Why does she need to put her mind to "other things". Would it have been such a tragedy if Mariella went back and opened her own sewing school or owned a boutique? I for once don't bloody think so. *gets off the soapbox *
The thing it seems modern readers want is someone who is not this. Enter - Rosa. Rosa is free spirited and outspoken, courageous and valiant and manipulative.. But wait?? Is she not the main character as well.. Well yes.
The problem I had with Rosa is that she is aware of the game, she knows how the rules work she knows the kind of teaching Mariella has had and she exploited it. Shamelessly. To the point where she uses tears and flat out emotional blackmail to dump her awful mother into Mariella's care. Then she goes off to nurse only to pursue the goal to "be the savior of all", hating rules and frankly being just flat out stupid. I've disliked her more and more as the novel progressed and found it hard to be invested in her fate.
Back to Mariella. I admit her behavior irked me until I stopped expecting for her to act as a 21 century woman and gave her the benefit of her own time. In the shadow of Rosa's grand show, Mariella grew, slowly and silently, understanding herself, the world around her and finding that there is more to her than she thought. I was quite satisfied with her development.
The ending could have been better, more closed, that and the slow pace coupled with the times Rosa irritated me kicked the grade down a notch.
First things first, it seems that a lot of readers have a problem with the main protagonist - Mariella but in all honesty she was absolutely not as annoying as the internet would have you believe (or whoever wrote the summary of it on the background of the book).
Mariella does not know war, to her war is news papers and sewing bandages that will be sent to soldiers to the front.
Mariella also is focused on manners, appearance and decor. Or rather, Mariella is a product of her own time. But the reality is, how many people in this day and age follow atrocities only as news on their local news channel and if we're so better than the Victorians why is that we're all not volunteering to nurse the sick or even show up at our local anti - climate change protest. Facts is, most of us don't so I didn't find it right to judge a character based on a lofty deed most of the people throughout history never achieve. One thing that I really enjoyed is her sewing, though i found the rather CONDESCENDING tone towards it jarring.
*getsoon the soapbox *
Oh you know Mariella only sews IMAGINE WHAT SHE might have done if she put that energy into something else.
Hold up, is that necessary? The idea that women's skills were CRAFTS instead of as Bernadette Banner would say "a practical, technical skill" is just ridiculous.
Mariella's skills with the needle go on to help an entire camp to save their rather poor reserves of clothes, sheets, uniforms and bandages. On top of it, she teaches a handful of soldier wives to sew so they could "make a living upon returning to England". If sewing helps make a living why is it treated as a flimsy hobby? Why does she need to put her mind to "other things". Would it have been such a tragedy if Mariella went back and opened her own sewing school or owned a boutique? I for once don't bloody think so. *gets off the soapbox *
The thing it seems modern readers want is someone who is not this. Enter - Rosa. Rosa is free spirited and outspoken, courageous and valiant and manipulative.. But wait?? Is she not the main character as well.. Well yes.
The problem I had with Rosa is that she is aware of the game, she knows how the rules work she knows the kind of teaching Mariella has had and she exploited it. Shamelessly. To the point where she uses tears and flat out emotional blackmail to dump her awful mother into Mariella's care. Then she goes off to nurse only to pursue the goal to "be the savior of all", hating rules and frankly being just flat out stupid. I've disliked her more and more as the novel progressed and found it hard to be invested in her fate.
Back to Mariella. I admit her behavior irked me until I stopped expecting for her to act as a 21 century woman and gave her the benefit of her own time. In the shadow of Rosa's grand show, Mariella grew, slowly and silently, understanding herself, the world around her and finding that there is more to her than she thought. I was quite satisfied with her development.
The ending could have been better, more closed, that and the slow pace coupled with the times Rosa irritated me kicked the grade down a notch.