This Londoner doesn't approve.
587001
I tried this and was unable to finish. When Anna came in to serve at a party with her skirt tucked into her knickers (the author says underwear--I live in England, nobody says underwear now, they definitely didn't say it then) I had to stop reading. I don't like American or modern jargon in Edwardian stories and I don't like modern plots and subplots in period pieces where they would never happen. I'm not an absolute stickler for authenticity, but it does have to be believable. No manor house would ever--EVER--have "Welcome to..." carved out in flowers and shrubbery unless the manor house was at Disneyland. This is England, and old money does not pander to theme park gardening. This story, while it may have potential, goes the wrong way too fast. It didn't take me very long to determine this wasn't a series I could get into. It just wasn't for me.
185620
Instead of covering more traditional french fares, the author chose to covers fashionable places, including some overpriced Japanese restaurants and tea shops, and she doesn't even have a good knowledge in tea. Maybe tea is the new fashion in france, but I think few english readers would spend their paris adventure in tea shops, and sushi and tempura are certainly not what the best Paris can offer.
3408519
Rome is my favorite city on earth, but Mr Murray is in a bad mood all the way through his book -- a bad mood he holds against wonderful Rome.  He sounds like a returning vacationer who can remember only the miseries of the trip and relates each and every one of them to all he meets, forgetting the beauty and pleasure of the journey.

Rome is surely not perfect, and in its imperfections lie its joy and humanity -- at least that is what I have found in my visits there over the past 30 years. On our last trip, we took a tiny apartment overlooking a lively piazza providing a never-ending parade of Roman life, a cafe-circled plaza hosting a vegetable and clothing market in the day and a gathering spot for strollers, musicians and jugglers in the evenings.  Mr Murray's take on that same piazza?  That it is annoying, loud, scruffy, blah blah.

I agree with another reviewer here that some of the book is out of date, but the gloomy attitude pervading the entire work is its worst flaw.  A better book is H.V. Morton's "A Traveller in Rome", written in the 1950s, but still an accurately charming and evocative love song for a great city and its ever-present history.

Sorry, Mr Murray. Attitude adjustment time.
1148436
I can't really explain it, but it seemed to take forever for the action to move forward - more slowly than I cared to wait around for.
I guess I couldn't really get into the British manner of writing either - the use of the word "whilst" for example - "...she noticed whilst talking on the phone," ".....he smiled whilst wondering what she was thinking." Argh - how annoying. So I did something I NEVER do - I returned the book, unfinished. It's kind of disappointing as the author, the books, the series got some pretty good reviews; the book just wasn't for me.
2921842
This book is S u c k..  Can't stand it. It drives me crazy.. I would give no rate ..
851666
I gave this as a gift.  The recipient has not been pleased for one reason: she listens go books while on trips and often has to stop for different appointments.  The Player will not bookmark her place and it makes it difficult to find her place.  Unless a person remembers  to make a mental note of the 'page', then it is a problem.
2587277
i did not like this story, i do not like this kind of thing though, someone else may be in to that kind of thing.
1204632
The cover's gross. In England they break their necks and hang em.  That's against constitutional rights against cruel and unusual punishment.  That's nutty.
1869653
the basic theme of the book was very hard to follow.  very hard to follow.  lost interest after only reading about half the book.  sorry I wasted my money.  British may appreciate it more since it takes place in the London area.
4706733
An American in London is not something the ton admires but she doesn't care.
She remains herself , accepting of all and wins the love of all around her.  It is funny and a great read.
4445737
'The Adventures of Basil and Moebius' is a collection of three adventures of a pair of ne'er do well thieves.  The art kind of threw me off as well as the over attempt at making the characters seem authentically British.

The first story tells how Basil and Moebius meet.  Basil's a former soldier who is now one of the Queen's Guard.  Moebius is an Oxford scholar with a sharp sword and a sharper sword.  When they meet, they instantly dislike each other, so you know it's the beginning of a strange friendship.  Before long they find themselves in the employ of a mysterious and threatening man.  There is also a fair amount of chasing after girls, chasing after treasure, and staying one step ahead of the law.

It's a formula that should work, but it had it's flaws.  First off is an art style that was inconsistent and sometimes not that good.  Secondly, the overuse of every British slang phrase just made the characters feel like parodies of British characters written by someone outside the culture.  Finally, I just didn't like these two.  I wanted them to be loveable rogues, and at times they came close, but they came across more as slimy and unlikeable.  It's a pity.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
2459386
This pastiche takes us once again through the fog-shrouded streets of London, where murder and mayhem lurk, but Mrs. Hudson is the star, not Holmes. It works somewhat, but I found the belittling of Holmes jarring, so in the end, the book was not quite a success for my taste.
2595108
Disliked the bloke before reading, disliked him more after. Read Neil Warnock instead, a much better read. Redknapp, a hard person to like.
3202603
The person that I gave the book to did not like it. They asked for another book in English about the history of Mexico.
420270
I do not like this version of Elizabeth; a self serving bumpkin with little sense... at least in the beginning. Ive never been so annoyed at a character! I haven't finished the book but i'm so irritated!!!!!!
1106776
It was a case of mistaken identity when dashing Nicholas Stafford ask Miss Juliet Brandon to be a lady of the evening. But Juliet was not in a position to enlighten him because she was down to her last farthings in the cruel city of London. Besides, the elegant Lord Stafford did not demand her favors for himself. He merely wished her to lead his virtuous half-brother, Sir Oliver Crane, astray. I didn't care for this book as much as I did Diana Campbell other books. Didn't hold my interest as well.
381544
It always angers me to read of the attitude of the Brits about Singapore