Review - I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend

Original Title: I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend
Series: Jane Austen, #1
Author: Cora Harrison
Published: January 1st, 2010
Publisher: Delacorte Press

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

I’ve had this book in my TBR for a long time, and I finally got to it. And sadly, I have to say, I didn’t like it. It fell too short. And what makes it even worse is that the whole idea sounded so promising! Even after finishing the book and reading the author’s note, I kept thinking it was a great concept, but sadly, ended up very poorly executed.

One of the things that surprised me the most is that this book’s protagonist, Jenny Cooper, is based on a real person. Apparently, there was a Jane Cooper, who was Jane Austen’s cousin in real life, that married a man named Thomas Williams, after only a couple of weeks of knowing each other. In my opinion, Cora Harrison had a golden opportunity with her, considering that she can’t exactly make up Jane Austen’s life, because there are lots of biographies on her, and she’s a well-known figure. Being virtually unknown, this Jane Cooper gave the author an enormous amount of freedom, that rarely appears in biographical fiction works. But I think it was wasted with the diary format, because we only hear Jenny’s voice. I think the story would have worked better as a dual perspective book, because it would have given us the opportunity of not only knowing the action through Jenny’s eyes, but also, through Thomas’.

One of the things I liked about this book was the way Cora Harrison scattered references to Jane Austen’s books here and there, that any fan can spot, mostly through the things and the people Jenny tells us about. For example:

- Jenny’s insufferable sister-in-law, Augusta, calls her husband caro sposo, just like Mrs. Elton in “Emma”, who is also named Augusta.
- Jane wants to marry Tom Chute instead of his older brother William, because he’s sickly and will probably die, like Edmund and Tom Bertram, in “Mansfield Park”.
- The Austen family is preparing a play to perform, also like in “Mansfield Park”.
- There are brief mentions of random people named after Austen characters, like Fanny Dashwood, Lt. Price, Mariah and Julia Bertram, Mary King, etc.
- Brief mention of a girl who “was aged barely sixteen when she ran away with an army captain”, and that when her relatives found her, they “had already been living together as man and wife”, so there was nothing left to do but getting them married. Obviously, this references Lydia and Wickham, from “Pride and Prejudice”.
- Jane tells Jenny that “If a lady doubts whether she should accept a man, then she certainly should not do so”, like Emma tells Harriet, in “Emma”.

And so on.

More than once, as I read, I thought the story seemed to have no point. Jenny kept writing in her journal about daily life scenes, without any real action going on. The most relevant thing that happens is that she meets George, Jane’s mentally disabled brother, that the family gave away because of it. I liked to see that Jane never forgot about him, and even put effort in teaching him words and sounds, in contrast with her own mother, that never even thought about educating him (but I liked that, in the end, she said he was her son, in front of everyone, and saved his life).

As I’ve said before in other reviews, I never buy insta-love, and this book wasn’t the exception. The way Jenny and Thomas meet could have led to something interesting, because they both kept it a secret, for the sake of her reputation. But I just didn’t like it. Jenny manages to sneak out of her school, around 11:30 PM, to get to the post-inn before the mail coach leaves at midnight, and in the process, she meets Thomas. And in that brief moment, between posting the letter and hurrying back before being caught, he escorts her, and basically tells her about his whole life. That he’s an orphan, that he has a sister named Elinor who was unhappy in a boarding school, that he has inherited a property in the Isle of Wight… To a total stranger! A sixteen-year-old girl, alone in the middle of the street, at midnight, wouldn’t be the person I would tell everything about my life after just a few minutes. This just doesn’t work for me.

I get that Jenny is just sixteen, but at one point I found myself begging her to please, make up her mind. After her midnight adventure, Thomas Williams is not seen again, until past half of the book (literally). Until then, and because she had been living with the Austen family, she sort of had a crush on Jane’s brother, Henry, and they flirt a little, here and there. She mentions him all the time. But the moment they attend the ball, and Thomas shows up, it’s like Henry never existed. She suddenly can’t imagine life without Thomas, and honestly, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. As a reader, felt I could cut the entire thing out of the book, and the plot wouldn’t have changed at all.

As for the moment in which Jenny’s midnight escapade is revealed, and she thinks Thomas betrayed her, it’s a typical Austen misunderstanding, although without the comedy only she could have brought to the situation. And finally, in the highwaymen scene, it bothered me that Jenny, instead of being the protagonist in the climax of her own story, was just a witness of Thomas’ heroism, getting right on time to save everyone, as the knight in shining armour. As I said before, the author had a golden opportunity with this couple, because, as not much is known about their relationship, she was free to let her imagination fly, and could have told us a richer tale of what, she imagined, was going on between them, making them both deeper, and giving us something that could justify their relationship, after just three weeks. But sadly, she didn’t.

But the one quote that made want to flush the book down the toilet, is this one:

“When you told me how you nearly died, it frightened me. I realized then that I could not live without you. I felt that I would never be happy unless you were with me.”

Oh, my God *face-palm*

They have only seen each other three or four times, when Thomas says this! Literally. And I can’t. I just can’t. No. This isn’t for me. Not even Jane Austen herself wrote insta-loves like this. However, I’m on the fence about it, because the real Jane Cooper and Thomas Williams actually got engaged three weeks after they met, and married in that very same year. But as I didn’t fully like Jenny, and didn’t know enough about Thomas as to root for them and their love, I guess that, as far as fiction goes, it’s just not the kind of romance I like to read about.

I don’t know if I’ll read more by Cora Harrison. This book was very lacking in most of its aspects, except, perhaps, in the Austen references, here and there. Even though, in general, I liked the concept of exploring the life of a teen Jane Austen, the diary format was neither well executed, nor had likeable characters. It just didn’t do it for me.

Thank you so much for reading!
‘til next one!

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Review - Surprised by Love

Original Title: Surprised by Love
Series: The Heart of San Francisco, #3
Author: Julie Lessman
Published: October 7th, 2014
Publisher: Revell

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

I finally finished this trilogy, and I have to say, I’m a little disappointed. This book wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either, and at one point I just wanted to be over with it, as I was bored from time to time, and wanted to tell the characters what to do, so the story would move forward.

Even though Megan McClare –the family’s middle sister, and a former ugly duckling turned swan– is supposed to be the protagonist in Surprised by Love, more often than not I thought she was more like a supporting character in her own story, as the plot seemed to revolve more around Cait and Logan’s story than hers. In contrast, theirs drips passion, while Meg and Bram’s felt a little too flat for my taste. At certain point, I found myself wanting to force the characters to make decisions, so the plot would move forward, instead of having to read about them stuck in the middle of the things they wanted, and the things they should want. It was tiresome. I mean, even when both Cait and Meg turned their attention to other men by the middle of the book (Andrew and Devin, respectively), it was obvious they wouldn’t end up with any of them, so I just wanted them to hurry and blow them off, so the story could be wrapped up as it was meant to the whole time. And I think that speaks for itself.

Again, family is the main focus of the book, and I have to say, it’s nice to read about people who are always there for their loved ones, and are willing to go any lengths for their wellbeing. It’s heartwarming, healthy, and wonderful. And, definitely, I liked to see that Alli was still there. Among the female protagonists in the trilogy, she was, hands down, my favourite.

Overall, I liked Megan McClare. Although she’s as brave and determined as Cassie and Allie, in their own books, it’s in a quieter way. I liked she has passions and plans for her life that go not only beyond Bram Hughes, but also beyond the roles assigned for women in the early 20th century. She is generous, and selfless, and is always willing to help those in need, and I loved her for that. When she comes back from Paris having gone through a makeover, and suddenly becoming noticeable, she turns not only Bram’s head –who always saw her as a little sister, but now realizes she’s a fully grown woman–, but also Devin’s, the guy who used to bully and torment her all the time in school, and was basically the reason why her friendship with Bram became so deep. And so, starts some sort of love triangle in which, although both Meg and Bram know they are in love with each other, they separately decide to settle for other people, because Bram warned her from the first moment, that nothing would ever happen between them.

It was good that in this book we got to know Bram through his own eyes. Until this book, he had been just a background character, always at Meg’s side, and helping others to find the right path, through his strong faith. The way he feels torn it’s raw and painful, and it got truly realistic at certain points. You can actually feel how he’s constantly doubting between doing the right thing for his family, or following his heart to the woman he knows, is the love of his life. We all have felt like that in our lives, and we will again, that’s for sure –albeit not around the same things. And through getting to know him, and uncovering his terrible past, with the sister he lost, and the way he almost got his father killed, we can find a side of him that wasn’t there in the previous books. His spiritual struggle is real, and it’s really well written. Even though it was a given that he would choose Meg by the end, one can understand the depth of his inner turmoil.

I guess that what bothered me the most about Meg and Bram’s dilemma, was that they did not fight for their love. Agreed, there were obstacles that kept them apart, but in the end, they got solved by others. Either because of Logan’s investment in Bram’s family business, or Devin’s betrayal, their problems disappeared without Meg and Bram deciding to go against all odds to be together. And that, honestly, is not the kind of love story I like to read about. They claim to love each other, but the only one willing to act on it is Meg, and even so, she hits the wall of Bram’s sense of responsibility and duty towards his father, in order to atone for his past mistakes.

As I said before, I loved Julie Lessman’s writing style. It’s really beautiful, and impactful, and she can actually stir feelings in your heart. With Bram’s story about his past, I was utterly heartbroken, and invested in what he was telling me, and when I found out about Andrew being on the list of clients copied by Ruby Pearl, from the Municipal Crib, I was open-mouthed, shocked, and wanting to slap him with all my might. However, once again, I kept wondering about the choice of words here and there, as sometimes the terms and expressions used by the characters, sounded way too contemporary for the time period.

Logan and Cait’s story is well written, but at the same time, it can be kind of exhausting, as I felt it got unnecessarily convoluted at certain points. It was good that, by the end, Logan understood that no means no, and didn’t force himself on Cait anymore, but that doesn’t take away the fact that I got really tired of their endless comings and goings, even when they both agreed they couldn’t imagine life without each other, and their love had never died. There was a point in which I just wanted to slap her so she would make up her mind, because although she didn’t want to marry him and couldn’t forgive him for not telling her he was Jamie’s biological father, she still kept throwing herself in his arms every time she got upset or emotionally disturbed, so I kept wondering, what does she mean by all these? Does she want him, or not? Damnit, woman, make a decision! However, I will say, it was definitely necessary for their development, that she got engaged to Andrew Turner, because I saw it as the way God had to give clarity to their situation. I mean, sometimes, the answer to your prayers relies on taking the wrong path, to be able to recognize the right one. Cait knew that Logan was the right man for her, through the mistake of accepting Turner without really knowing him, only because he was the sensible choice. And although I was left wanting to read the confrontation between them after she found out about his dealings in the Barbary Coast, it’s fine that it didn’t happen; for the sake of her purpose of cleaning the area, she had to keep that information to herself.

Finally, I’ll say, even though the book isn’t bad, I can’t deny that, at least around the main love story, the book was a little too boring, and it got repetitive at certain points. Overall, I found it to be raw and realistic around how difficult spiritual struggle can be, sending a good message, by saying that leaving everything in God’s hands is always the right choice; even when it can be very difficult to let go and just trust Him, convincing ourselves that He knows better than we ever will, and that He does not make mistakes, in the end, it’s what we need to do.

***

Thank you so much for reading!
‘til next one!

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Review - Dare to Love Again

Original Title: Dare to Love Again
Series: The Heart of San Francisco, #2
Author: Julie Lessman
Published: January 7th, 2014
Publisher: Revell

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

This is a great book. Honestly, I really liked it. It’s definitely better than the first one in the series, and although it’s not perfect, there were moments in which I found myself giggling, and fangirling, and I think that speaks volumes (especially when I read that the next instalment will be focused on Meg and Bram’s relationship).

I truly grew fond of the characters in this one, as they are alive and feel totally human, with both virtues and flaws, and overall, the complexity of real life, with its comings, goings, ups and downs. This is especially visible with the female characters, as all of them are strong, and not to be messed with, from Caitlyn McClare herself, in her position of power, to the humble Miss Penny, who takes care of the orphans by sheltering and feeding them, as well as with a shotgun in her hands. It’s really well done.

Allison McClare –Cassie’s cousin from the previous book– is the heroine in this one. I loved her, and more than once I felt that I could have been friends with her, to the point in which, by the second half of the book, she gets her heart broken once again and is crying her eyes out, and I just wanted to hug her, and comfort her. The best about her was that I had been promised a spunky, courageous heroine, and that is what I got, unlike in the first book in the series, in which the heroine, apparently, was like that, and I ended up disappointed with her constant weepiness, instead of her doing what she said she would (such as hog-tying Jamie like cattle, for being a jerk). Although it bothers me that Allison managed to fall in love no less than four times, and didn’t seem to have learned anything from past pain, she’s still a great character. I loved her attitude, her courage, and her determination to demand respect from people, and to be independent in order to find her own self in the world (which, back in the early 20th century, was a big deal for any woman). I mean, this girl wants to learn martial arts, for God’s sake! That is too cool. It sets her apart from any other character I’ve read in historical fiction. Bravo, Julie Lessman!

Plus, when she sets her mind to something, nothing can dissuade her. I liked that strong will, and her passion about teaching the girls in the school everything she wishes she had learned as a child. She has this fire inside that makes her an active person, that she translates into every task she takes over, and although she falls in love, Nicholas doesn’t become her whole world, to the point that she forgets about everything else (which is more than I can say from many other characters I’ve read). Although sometimes she can act like a spoiled little brat, and it’s annoying, I think it adds to her character, because we are reading about a woman who was raised in a privileged home (as Nick says, with a silver spoon in her mouth), but through teaching in the city’s red district, she gets to know a different way of life, and different people, who dwell in a world so unlike her own. So, the book is her transition from rich, naïve girl, to strong, independent woman. And it is really well done.

As for Nicholas Barone, the hero, I really liked him. His enemies-to-lovers relationship with Allison was a lot of fun to read, thanks to the name calling, and the stick whacking, that made sparks fly between them. It’s really beautiful how he slowly starts letting go of his bitterness and pain, after having lost everything and everyone he cared about, in a mysterious past that only he knows about. However, although most of the time he’s a big, old grump, with a strong temper, he’s also snuggly as a teddy bear, with a heart of gold that moves him to be the sweetest of men with the girls in Miss Penny’s orphanage. And I liked how the author was able to write both sides to the character in perfect balance, deepening his complexity, because, on the one hand, it’s understandable why he and Alli clash all the time, but at the same time, his moments with Lottie are incredibly heart-warming, and a pleasure to read.

After he was shot by the mobster’s henchmen, I truly felt worried, I just wanted the author to stop talking about Alli and the McClares, and go back to him, to tell me what had happened after everything went black. But when he comes back, the explanations about his true identity felt a little rushed. I mean, after we are left wondering whether he he’s dead or alive, he suddenly returns and spits out everything he didn’t say in a book that is over 400 pages long, in the span of only a few of them. I do understand he’s meant to be this shady person, with a lot of things to hide, but the revelations felt a little too rushed for my taste. It bothered me that he expected Alli to do as if nothing had happened, after breaking her heart and making her suffer for three months, but I liked that her attitude towards him wasn’t like he had never left. She always demands respect, and it wasn’t different with him.

Also, I felt it was very convenient that when he comes back, he has inherited his uncle’s fortune, and he’s no longer a penniless cop from the wrong side of the tracks, but a rich detective that now can marry an equally wealthy lady. It felt a little too miraculous and sudden, after he spent the whole book in poverty. But I can overlook it, because the character development was really well written.

The only thing I wasn’t totally happy about, was the constant reference to Nick’s stomach distress. I get it, the guy has ulcers and acid reflex, and his breath smells like animal crackers. Stop saying it.

Oh, and I absolutely loved the scene in which Alli uses her jiu-jitsu skills, in the dark alleys of the Barbary Coast. It was kind of oddly satisfying to read about her knocking down the thug that was holding her, and escape. You don’t see this too often in a historical fiction book set during the Belle Époque, and involving aristocrat ladies. The only thing I felt was missing, was Alli’s reaction upon finding out that Logan had secretly hired Nick to be her bodyguard, and follow her without her noticing him. She would have hated that; after all, what she sought was self-reliance, and the opportunity to fend for herself.

As for Logan and Cait’s relationship, I liked it, but also found it a little tiring, with so many comings and goings, as for them, one step forward means three steps backwards. Don’t get me wrong, though. Theirs is a realistic portrayal of a deep, complex relationship, built in the background of the book’s main plot, and I really liked how Julie Lessman wrote it, to show us that the characters have many layers and different aspects in their lives that demand their attention. Even though their story drips passion, because they never truly got over each other, in despite of their mistakes and lies, in this one, Logan understood that when Cait says no, it’s no. He now has a deeper respect for her, and lets her have the final word when it comes to their courting, which he should have done in the previous book, back when he forced a kiss on her.

In this trilogy, family is a strong point. However, at certain point I felt there were too many scenes with the family gathered together, playing cards or billiard, and mostly talking about random things that did not help to further the plot. I have nothing against such scenes, they were happy, heart-warming moments that help us see the family going through both good and bad moments, but some things were just too much. Also, the last quarter of the book has so much crying! Everyone is brokenhearted, and tears flow like waterfalls every time Alli or Cait are in a scene. But Julie Lessman managed to make it painful for the reader too, because you are able understand the character’s sorrow as you go on.

Now, about things that I didn’t like, or felt that were too much, I have to mention the scene with Maddie’s sudden disappearance. Even though everyone’s worry is really well done, and you can truly feel their raw despair, I felt that the whole thing could have been cut from the book, and the plot wouldn’t have been disrupted. I know it is meant to bring Logan closer to God, but it didn’t fully convince me, because after he was relieved that she was ok, the book says nothing more about him having a stronger faith, or anything of the sort.

Also, I couldn’t help noticing that Alli’s story was very similar to Cass’, in the previous book. Both start their stories fresh from a heartbreak caused by men, they thought, loved them, when in fact they were just a couple of gold-diggers. Both are focused on moving on, determined not fall in love again, and failing miserably at it. Even though their stories and their love interests are different, I couldn’t help noticing that it is basically the same plot (although better done than in Love at Any Cost, starting with a more interesting heroine).

But all in all, I really liked this book, especially because it gave me the chance to visit old San Francisco, and its different areas, like Nob Hill, Chinatown, the Barbary Coast, the cable cars… It’s just great. Clearly, the author did her research, to get the historical facts and the geography, correctly. And she did an awesome job with it.

***

Thank you so much for stopping by!
See you soon!

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Review - Love at Any Cost

Original Title: Love at Any Cost
Series: The Heart of San Francisco, #1
Author: Julie Lessman
Published: April 1st, 2013
Publisher: Revell

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

This is my very first book by Julie Lessman, and I have to say, I’m a little disappointed. I have this habit of not putting down books I don’t like as I read, in despite that I wanted to do that with this one every few chapters, so I just had to finish it. But the truth is that I found myself wanting to be over with it, when I hadn’t even reached the middle of it. I was honestly expecting more from a book that had such high ratings, and so many positive reviews.

Overall, I liked Julie Lessman’s writing style. However, the book itself, with that overly complex plot, just didn’t do it for me. Some things just felt out of place, like the language; it’s supposed to be 1902 San Francisco, but the words that were frequently used, sounded too modern for the time period. On the other hand, I got a little tired of Cass’ use of the Texan slang. As I’m not American myself, I can’t tell if that is well done, but yes, it gets a little repetitive (she uses the word “polecat” a lot).

Also, the names the author chose! A little variety wouldn’t hurt. This is highly personal, but honestly, having a main couple whose last names are McClare and Mackenzie, got me tripping over who was in the scene, or being mentioned, most of the time (which also happened with the two main female characters, nicknamed Cass and Cait). Again, this is just me, it may not happen to other readers. But the plot wasn’t very entertaining, so finding myself reading absently-minded most of the time, may have contributed to this.

Let’s talk about the heroine for a minute. The book opens with Cassidy McClare, stepping out from the train in San Francisco, fresh from a broken engagement to a man named Mark, who left her when he found out she didn’t have any money. In the first couple of chapters, this guy gets mentioned over and over again –albeit vaguely, and even though Cass doesn’t want to talk about him–, and at certain point I found myself thinking, either you give me more details, or you stop talking about him! The lack of information and insight in this, oh, so painful breakup, led me not to care about it, even though it is, precisely, the origin of the plot. There wasn’t enough about it as to connect with this woman whose journey I’m bound to follow through the pages. And moreover, she says over and over again that she’s done with pretty boys and their sweetened lies, which, as we find out, doesn’t stop her from falling in love for, literally, the first man she encounters.

I wish I was joking. *face-palm*

On the other hand, Cass is supposed to be this badass Texan cowgirl, who wouldn’t hesitate to hog-tie the first guy who crosses the line with her, but all that attitude was left in words. I wanted to see her doing what it was hinted she was capable of, if pissed. But other than making her good at card games and billiard, it’s like the author forgot to back up her “badassery” with actual actions.

As for the love interest, Jamie Mackenzie, he was a sounding NO for me. It’s ok that he has a temper, doubts about his faith, and at the same time, he’s willing to do anything in his power to help his family. It’s totally human, and relatable. However, I don’t like men who kiss women without their consent, and I’ll never be able to find it romantic. Their first kiss is not sweet at all, because he doesn’t listen when she says no (not once, but many times), and even struggles to get away. He takes it as she’s playing hard to get, and keeps going after her, forcing himself to make her realize that she’s in love with him, too. And this is just wrong, it sends a horrible message. Moreover, at one point, Cass’ cousin brings up the old “he bullies you because he likes you” garbage, and that is, precisely, something that even today is being fought by feminism and equality. The time period is not a justification enough for it. I honestly despise that concept.

I mean, I get that you don’t choose who you fall in love with, but Jamie is a selfish person with a too high opinion of himself, which doesn’t make him swoon-worthy at all. Moreover, he tends to contradict himself, because at certain points, he punches a man who was beating a prostitute friend of his, and later, he asks a dance from this random girl who was crying, after she was rejected, letting on that he doesn’t tolerate bullies. But he’s a bully himself, in the way he treats Cass! And her, I mean… why would you feel attracted to a man who doesn’t respect you, doesn’t listen to you, nor cares about what you care about? It’s nothing short of an unhealthy relationship. I honestly would have preferred if she had ended up with Zane, he definitely was the kind of respectful person she needed.

Plus, we are not too many chapters into the book, that it says:

“She was absolutely, unequivocally, everything he’d ever wanted in a woman”.

Really? Already? Don’t you think it is too soon? You don’t even know the woman, who, by the way, said over and over again that she didn’t want to be involved with you! And when she agrees on their courtship, she comes up with some terms he has to respect in order to go further with it, one of them being that he gets closer to God, because she won’t take a husband who doesn’t share her faith. And I think, wonderful. Nothing makes a romance sweeter than a solid, well-thought set of rules.

Great. *sarcastic applause*

Also, that horrible attitude of pressing the woman to convince her that she loves him back, gets repetitive, because it is a part of the other main relationship in the book, Caitlyn and Logan. He is her late husband’s brother, and, just like Jamie, he pushes too hard, forcing himself on the woman he supposedly loves, not respecting her when she, loud and clear, says no. What’s with the author and the lack of consent?

Plus, I thought this book had a little too much lust for a Christian novel, because one thing is admiring a woman’s eyes, and another one, drooling over the shape of her legs, over and over again. I understand that Jamie’s journey is supposed to be a redeeming arc, turning him to God, and letting go of his anger and his womanizing habits, but it didn’t work for me. The conversion scene lacked the most essential element of all, that is Jesus, and His sacrifice in the cross, turning Him into the bridge between humankind and the Lord. And because of that, it is incomplete, and not fully believable.

As for the plot twists, I think most of them were okay, but we could have definitely been saved the whole “we are cousins, but we are not cousins” thing, by the end. It’s too far-fetched, like taking an extra, unnecessary turn when you are almost at your destination, for no valid reason.

Thanks, but no thanks.

On a positive note, I liked that both Cass and Caitlyn have interests that go beyond the men they love. They believe in women, and their potential beyond marriage, both willing to dedicate themselves to teaching, and Caitlyn, doing everything in her power to help women in the Barbary Coast, especially those forced to work on brothels. Some things about both things were left unsaid, but I guess we will know more in the next books in The Heart of San Francisco series, which I’ll continue reading. I just hope they get better than this one.

That’s it for this review! Thank you so much for reading!
See you soon!

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Review - Strands of Bronze and Gold

Original Title: Strands of Bronze and Gold
Series: Strands, #1
Author: Jane Nickerson
Published: March 6th, 2013
Publisher: Random House Children's Books

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

I will start this review by saying I have absolutely no idea why I read this book. It wasn’t even in my to-be-read pile, although I’ve known it for quite some time. So basically, reading this was the epitome of a whim. Nothing more.

First, you should know, Strands of Bronze and Gold is a retelling of a French fairy tale, Bluebeard, which I read in the middle of reading this book, and it is probably one of the darkest stories I’ve ever read. As for the book, it is YA, and upon asking myself if it is historical fiction or not, I would say yes, and no. Yes, because, on the one hand, there is an entire subplot around slavery, so you can tell more or less in which time period we are in. Plus, we get an specific location for Wyndriven Abbey, in Mississippi, and an specific year (in Sophia’s letters to her sister, which not only helped us see de Cressac through her eyes, but also, was a good idea to pass through months, instead of having a row of useless chapters filled with lengthy descriptions of Sophia’s daily life). And no, because there are no specific historical facts the story could have been built around, except for what you can guess, if you have an understanding of American history.

Ok, the setting. It was amazingly done. The writing is good, the descriptions are detailed and wonderful, and the dresses, the jewels, and the rooms in the Abbey were absolutely beautiful. But sometimes they were too long. Lots and lots of descriptions forced on the reader when the story would have benefited from more action to move the plot forward. Yet, even with all those details, the creepy atmosphere is really well done. You can never shake the feeling that there’s something sinister in the air, everything is a massive gothic stage ready for the creepy to occur, including the classic element of the pretty girl running away from the monster.

Another thing I appreciated is that, even though I knew the fate of de Cressac’s wives because I had previously read the fairy tale, all those women got to have their own voice and name, and, even if briefly and superficially, a personality of their own. Just, everything was definitely creepier than I was expecting, but again, what good can come from marrying an obsessive psychopath with a redhead fetish?

As for Sophia Petheram, the protagonist… She was a test to my patience. The first thing I will say is that she could definitely have used her brain more often. I didn’t completely hate her, but I didn’t love her, either. Sometimes her naivety was too much; events would just happen right in front of her, and she still wouldn’t realize things. She and Bernard de Cressac have nothing short of an abusive relationship, when he showers her with things she doesn’t ask for, nor needs, not allowing her to have a say in the matter, and getting angry when she doesn’t react the way he was expecting. I get that, at first, de Cressac is captivating for her, and she kind of thinks herself in love with him, to the point of saying:

“It was as if I were only truly alive when I was with him.”

Even through her fascinated perception, the sense of dread continues, like there’s something really dark there, that those feelings aren’t natural. It’s easier to believe it’s a spell. And it’s not long before de Cressac reveals himself as an obsessive pervert, something that was left very clear in the scene in which Sophie and de Cressac play music together, which, if I understood correctly, it’s a metaphor for sex (starting with his cello mentioned as the “instrument between his knees”). Besides, there were moments in which I literally asked Sophie “Are you an idiot?”. She wasn’t even smart enough to shut her mouth when she had to, going to de Cressac to tell him her every thought. Plans to leave and go back with her siblings? Tells de Cressac. Meets Gideon Stone in the forest? Tells de Cressac. *face-palm* Seriously, girl, don’t make me punch you in the face, haven’t you learned so far that he’s a control freak and a jealous, dangerous man, who had no qualms about killing an innocent cat just because you were nicer to it than to him? Do I have to be the one to tell you to just act, instead of babbling about your intentions?

True is that Sophie goes through the loss of her innocence as the story progresses, but sometimes I wondered, does she really not realize how creepy her situation is? She doesn’t think for a second that what de Cressac is doing is wrong. His horrible temper aside, forcing his presents on her, making her dress for him in the outfits he chooses, his forced kisses, later licking her fingers (and other areas)… And this:

“I have told you, ma belle, you do not need to be anything but decorative.”

It can’t get more direct than that. She can’t be told in any clearer way that she’s just a doll for him. And still, she doesn’t think there’s anything shady there (let alone does something). And at one point, she thinks:

“Perhaps it wasn’t true, but it seemed as if I were as much in Bernard’s power as any slave on the plantation.”

*face-palm*

I don’t know what’s worse here. The fact that she still thinks it may not be true, or how long it took her to finally understand it. When I read that, I couldn’t help rolling my eyes, like, really, Sophia, did you JUST realized that? I honestly thought she would be smarter than that, because it’s not like he disguises his obsession, and literally calls her “decoration”. As I told you, things would happen right in front of her, impossibly clearer, and she would still doubt them. And one of the most idiotic ways in which she did that was near the end, when she goes to the garden folly (which de Cressac had previously forbidden her to visit), finds the door open and enters, not thinking for a second how strange that is, like saying “oh, this perpetually closed, forbidden place, that I shouldn’t be in, is open. Maybe I shouldn’t go in there.” Anyone with half a brain would realize it is a trap, after de Cressac left her the keys. But even that was too much to ask from Sophia.

As for finding out de Cressac actually killed his other wives, I definitely think she could have figured it out way earlier in the book, instead of needing to see things as literally as finding their teeth in de Cressac’s room. I mean, the clues were all over the place, and with the wife named Tara –who presumably killed herself–, more than with the others, as it literally says that the housekeeper doesn’t know how “she was able to use one of the armory’s jeweled knives when it was always kept locked.” *face-palm* Oh, my God, DUH!! You have to be kidding me. It can’t take you THAT LONG to figure that out. It just can’t. I mean, I get that Mrs. Duckworth refused to see her master was evil, denying his wretchedness to the very end, but Sophie, please, connect the dots, and don’t do this to me!

Bernard de Cressac is one creepy character, and I really hated him (which is pretty much the point). He has a horrible temper, is unpredictable, and multi-faceted. Right from the get-go you can tell he’s a pervert, and that being Sophia’s godfather is something he assumed as a start, his intentions being very different from the duties of a father-like figure. He’s already creepy in the way he talks, all smooth compliments, and in the topics he chooses. And if it wasn’t enough to bring up the topic of Sophie’s underwear before one of her first dinners in the Abbey, he makes her dress in the revealing outfit of an Indian dancer, when he isn’t dressed in the same fashion (bear in mind Sophia is only 17 years-old). And, to one’s surprise, Sophia’s does not catch on his dark intentions, doing as he says, without questioning.

“Last night he told me he liked me in white (“so pure and innocent”). Something white, then…”

Really? You just don’t see it? It’s not like he’s very subtle. And if that wasn’t enough, not even de Cressac being angry at her because she kept old love letters, his selfishness, his temper, his constant presents, making her believe her siblings have forgotten her by keeping their letters from her… are clues to her. None of them. He’s not a love interest, but their relationship is abusive, and insanely obsessive. And Sophia is not the strong heroine I thought she would be, ready (or at least willing) to fight it.

By saying things like “I want you simply to enjoy yourself all the day long and then dress yourself beautifully at night to please me”, he’s not only clear with his intentions, but he’s also disgusting, and completely irredeemable (which is the point of the book). Nothing happens with his character, not there’s a revelation about his past, that could possibly redeem him. He not only forces himself on her, but he also backs her into a corner by using her love for her family against her, helping them with their financial problems, so she can see that, by marrying him, she could save them. And, in a subtler note, at one point Sophia thinks roses are common in romance, and later, for the ball, her sister Anne appears with them in her hair, sent by de Cressac, which I interpreted as him marking the difference between her and her sister, like Anne is the common one, who does not stands out, and Sophia is the star of the ball, and of Bernard’s “affection”.

Am I looking to much into it? I don’t know, maybe.

As for Gideon Stone, the love interest, I don’t think there was enough about him, he felt depthless and brought out of nowhere, and aside from their friendly conversation in the forest, he does NOTHING. Not to help her, or save her, or anything. I feel the story could have been told perfectly well without him. Sophia says she loves him, but they don’t even kiss, not even after they agree to marry, and there’s not a solid reason why they like each other to the point of love. They start exchanging letters in secret, and the only one we read by him is about an incident with a man from the village and his oxen cart, and I… *face-palm* I mean, yes, it’s the start of trust between them, but it would have been better if the author had decided to show me some of the later letters in which there’s already a relationship between them, instead of dumping that random event on me.

Another thing I noticed was how many side characters the author introduced, like Talitha, Charles, Odette, Daphne, Peg Leg Joe… All of them having little to no influence on the main storyline, just like the slavery subplot. With the main characters reduced to heroine and villain, and little else, so many side characters weren’t really necessary. Among them, only Odette –Sophia’s French maid– has some meaningful role, before dying. We don’t even get closure around Talitha and Charles’s dilemma, because although they managed to escape, I really thought they would be back to help Sophia, but they didn’t.

Another thing I noticed was that the mystery seemed to be permanently growing, but without answers, and without taking the opportunities given by the circumstances, to deepen the plot. For example, more than once, de Cressac both didn’t show up, and went away, because of his business. He’s always doing something around that, and, I believe, it could have been an opportunity to make him even worse. We know he owns a plantation, and that doesn’t ask for a lot of questions, we wouldn’t really look into that, and, in my opinion, it’s a good opportunity for a shocking plot twist. You know, he’s shady, and disturbing, he’s always out in business… But that is exactly what he’s doing. The chance to make him even creepier went down the drain.

And finally, a word in a couple of things I noticed. Sophia said a million times that she was using the dead wives’ hair for the tapestry she planned to give him as a gift, and for that, I really thought one of his lines in the chapel scene would be “you thought I wouldn’t realize those are my wives’ hair”, or something around it, as de Cressac seemed to always be up to everything happening in the Abbey. But it didn’t happen. And, by the end, when de Cressac got his leg trapped in the forest, and Sophia ran away, the suspense was going great, I felt scared for her, in that dark, creepy surroundings. But when she reached Anarchy’s house, and she gave her the tea and left her alone, shaking with terror, I was not expecting such an abrupt end. You move to the next chapter, and everything is already passed. It’s a new day, the sun shines, de Cressac is dead, and she and Gideon are finally together.

WHAT?

No. It doesn’t work for me.

So, those are my thoughts on Strands of Bronze and Gold. Good atmosphere, well done setting and mystery build-up, and a terrible villain, but with a heroine who lacked a functional brain, a lot of side characters who did nothing, and an under-developed subplot that could have been interesting, but it wasn’t. Add to this a dash of wasted opportunities to make the book richer, better, darker, and there you have it: a not so great gothic retelling of an already creepy fairy tale.

As for the rest of the series, having such a start, I don’t think I’ll read them, unless I have another weird whim moment, and I pick them up.

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Thank you so much for reading! I hope lockdown is not being to harsh on you, guys.
See you soon!

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