What a disappointment; I wonder if Harper Lee really wrote this---and ...
594208
What a disappointment; I wonder if Harper Lee really wrote this---and if she did, who wrote "To Kill a Mockingbird"?
2767228
I completely agree with previous reviewers who expressed disappointment in this novel.  The writing was choppy and the plot was incomprehensible.  I understand that historical fiction is fiction (I do not need an authorial note to remind me of that, Ms. Erickson), but this take on Mary Stuart was bizarre.  The Rome, Flanders, and Amy Dudley's casket chapters especially disappointed me--Mary was not an action hero, for goodness sake. Also, I find it hard to believe that after years of freedom in France, she would willingly head to London.  Plus, if Cecil had spies everywhere, how did he not find Mary in Normandy (an area of France just across the Channel from England).  I am happy to suspend my disbelief when I read historical fiction, but this book was just too far out there!
3687855
I'd normally rely on positive blurbs from Lee Child and Ace Atkins but, after fighting through more than 50 pages of this hopelessly-badly-written nonsense from Jax Miller (may she never do this again .. until she learns to write), I shall hereafter have second thoughts when they praise something.

After the first descriptions of the patrons of her bar, how many more times need we be reminded that they have meth-rotted teeth?  And do we really believe that the police are that sensitive & understanding when they must deal repeatedly with the same foul-mouthed drunk of a protagonist?  I might have been curious how she got to where she ended up in the witness protection program ... but not curious enough to fight my way through to the point where I find out.
3968584
I am an avid reader and do not require a happy ending, but this one is beyond disappointing.  This is a long book that I found at times to be tedious, but the writing was good enough that I was engaged in the characters to the point I needed the ending.  Big mistake. Honestly I should know by now not to read an Oprah bookclub selection! She seems to enjoy tragedies. I would not be as disapponted if she had not built it up to be the greatest book ever written rivaling "To Kill A Mockingbird."  I don't think so.  I do not recommend this to anyone and am so grateful I utilized my local library and did not waste my money.
152804
This was a disappointment. The hunt for a lost Caravaggio, the digging about in archives, the scientific test to see "is it really?", should be fascinating. But it's not. And I cannot stand non-fiction writers who think they have to make their books read like fiction. Where is the critical analysis? Where is the index? Where are the footnotes? Non-fiction needs references. You cannot expect me to believe what you are writing unless you tell me where you got the information. A bibliography and acknowledgements don't cut it.

I'm seeing this more and more in non-fiction and it drives me right up the wall.

And who the heck had the idea of publishing a book about a Caravaggio painting with NO, I repeat NO, illustrations?
2225556
Carolly Erickson has been writing biographies since I was pretty young, and I've always had a lot of respect for her, although I have to admit that the last couple I've read have seemed pretty insubstantial compared to her earlier work, whether due to carelessness or an attempt to appeal to a broader readership by "dumbing down" her writing. I haven't read her previous novel, but this one was a terrible disappointment.

I would like to explain my expectations of historical fiction, and this novel in particular. Obviously, since there is a lot we don't know about people's lives and, after all, it _is_ fiction, I personally will give the novelist a lot of leeway. We don't know that Catherine Parr didn't have an ongoing friendship with Henry, and it's certainly possible. We don't know when she met Thomas Seymour or exactly what her and her second husband's roles in the Pilgrimage of Grace were, so my attitude on those things is, "Go for it! Imagine to your heart's content." However, unless there is good reason for it, a historical novelist shouldn't _contradict_ history or the known character of a real person. Some of the innaccuracies of fact and inconsistencies of character in this book are downright painful for anyone who knows _anything_ at all about the real history, and there are people who will take this for a realistic portrayal of historical figures and events.

The book was well written but as it went further on I was more and more distracted and annoyed by the author's flights of fancy, and I agree with other reviewers that at times it read more like a tacky romance than the story of one of the most truly pious, well-educated and level-headed queens that England ever had.
107404
Well, this was my first Anne Perry read.  I don't profess to be even close to a "professional" reviewer, but I do know when I enjoy a book and it leaves me feeling pleased that I read it. This book did not do that. I sort of feel robbed of the time I spent reading it.  By the time I had read 45% or so, I found myself shaking my head and thinking, "This is ridiculous." There were endless, far-fetched & rambling reasonings, theories which became very tiresome to read. Also (a SPOILER here): A respected member of Parliament obtained female bodies, horribly mutilated their faces, and placed them near a respected naval weapons expert to draw the police's attention to him. All because this member of Parliament suspected him of committing treason. How about just picking up the telephone (which was used numerous times in this book) and calling the police or Special Branch to tell them, anonymously if necessary?  Or, even ask to meet with them privately?  It just seemed ridiculous and senseless, and just didn't fit into the book at all, which in turned spoiled the entire story.  Perhaps Ms. Perry was running out of ideas of how attention should be drawn to a suspect's alleged crime?  I don't know, but it sure ruined the book for me. I do have to say, though, that I really liked her characters Thomas & Charlotte, as well as most of the other characters, as well.  Carlisle is not to be believed as respected, and no matter how many times the author labeled him as such, it was not backed up by his behavior. He's more like a psychopath with a tendency to goofiness.  I will still try another Anne Perry book as I did notice several reviews have stated that the quality of her books has been on a steady decline lately.  Perhaps Ms. Perry is just burned out with writing and needs some time off to clear her mind and regain a fresh sense of creativity? It can't be easy cranking out new & fresh stories year after year.  I haven't given up on her....I'll try again with one of her older books.
2452499
Being a fan of Lee Smith, I looked forward to reading The Devil's Dream, and I'm sad to say, I was disappointed.  Although Smith is a southerner, the dialect in early chapters is hardly readable and not true to the original dialect. A southerner myself, I know the dialect, and characters would not say what Smith has them saying--it's a mixture of older and more modern dialect, and a reader not from The South would have no understanding of the words or be able to put them into coherence.  I was simply uninterested in conversations in the early chapters of the book.  The attempt at recreating the southern, Appalachian (pronounced Appa-latch-chun)dialect is inconsistent at best and unintelligible to non-Appalachian readers.  I've loved her other books, but I had to relegate this one to my Kindle saved books halfway through.  Maybe I'll get through it later.  Sorry, Lee.

Addendum Jan. 25, 2013
I misjudged this book; I must've been in a bad mood, but I'm perhaps too attuned to dialect.  It WAS a good story if one doesn't know the dialect; pardon me for being a purist.
3165267
I'm a Harper Lee fan.  There's a reason this wasn't published until this year.  She knew it was just a draft and not a finished piece.  It's interesting as a literary backstory to To Kill a Mockingbird, but it is not a finished piece of literature.
2278540
Perhaps if I had been able to finish this book my review would have been different.  Unfortunately, I was unable  to sustain an interest.  Harper Lee told it much better.
3166190
I'm wondering if the author meant to write about the lesser-known author Jain Awstin, who creates 2-dimensional characters and plots that begin and end somewhere in the middle of the action.  This book is a crushing disappointment because I don't think ANYONE buys a book called The Jane Austen Book Club without hoping for something tying it to Jane Austen.  The characters are boring, poorly-developed, and annoyingly chick-lit (wow, a tough, lesbian character who speaks her mind and dresses a bit over-the-top?  How unique.).  I think the only thing I enjoyed about this book were the very few quotes from JA's books.  Not that this book is about Jane Austen.  Because it's not.
2520794
I have loved all of the JD Robb mysteries, until this one. Did the publisher push her to produce? Is she running out of ideas? Did someone else write this? I was incensed that I paid top (kindle) price for this book and found myself skipping page after page of empty speculation and schmaltzy relationship angst. I don't know if I will try another. So sad.
3745522
I read well over a hundred books a year and don't have time to review many of them, but this was so bad I felt forced to comment. Sorry Mr. Rossi, but this just isn't a book worth publishing at any price. From stilted writing, through a weak plot that made no sense, the book meandered, revisiting meaningless sadistic sex by the king to his concubines to a finale of... nothing.  As I turned the final page I uttered WTF? Is there an ending here somewhere that sums it all up? Am I missing some pages?
3273961
If this book were written by Harper Lee, it must have been as a high school sophmore composition class project.  The writing is is so far from the quality of To Kill a Mockingbird, that I and my wife put it down forever after the ten pages. The adult protagonist's voice is that of someone in middle school; it is off-center. We donated the book to our library in the hope that it will serve as a guide for future writers on how not to write. We have convinced ourselves that the manuscript originated much earlier than her first book and did not have the benefit of an editor. This publication is a disservice to the author and most likely an attempt to make money on just her name and reputation.
4914353
To begin with, I love and own a GREAT deal of JAK/AQ/JC/SJ,etc..... This book was a disappointment. The story has many idea trails begin and then seems to abandon them. (sequel set ups?)It has NO stand alone quality. The interaction between characters (primary and secondary,never mind tertiary)seems short,un-thought through and unfinished. It has a "draft" feel. If JAK needs to take more time to produce work of her usual caliber, then let it take that time! I'd rather a longer wait for a GOOD book than a short wait for a disappointing book. I'll keep my copy so I have the set, but I doubt I'll ever re-read it. There's little to no need with the book seeming to be more of a placeholder and re-cap than an integral story in itself.<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Canyons-of-Night-Book-Three-of-the-Looking-Glass-Trilogy/dp/0515149888/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Canyons of Night: Book Three of the Looking Glass Trilogy</a>
3535298
I've only read three pages, and it is frustrating.  Did the author, the editor, the proofreader fail to realize that in 1986 Brandon Lee was still alive and no one outside of certain universities could go online at all, let alone go online to find grief counselors?  I hope it gets better, but next time at least check Wikipedia for correct history!
3570527
I have been in love with the works of Jane Austen for the better part of the last twenty-five years.  Although Pride & Prejudice isn't my favorite Austen novel, what fan wouldn't be excited to discover that a "sequel" existed?  Within a few pages I realized I was in for an incredibly disappointing read.  Despite what other reviews may say, nothing of Austen's astute observations, careful characterizations, and quick wit exists in this novel.  Frankly, Chronicles reminds one of the Book of Genesis in which so-and-so begat so-and so, except that this novel has marriages and deaths thrown in haphazardly amongst the begetting.  By the middle of the book there have been so many names hurled at the reader--all of the characters so cardboard you can't tell one from the other--that you can hardly maintain any interest at all.  The author may have been a fan of Austen, but she is unable (as Austen did quite well) to maintain interest in the day-to-day goings-on of a two sisters and their families.  The primary problem that I see in Chronicles is that there is no "conflict" whatsoever in the story.  Whether it be P&P, S&S, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, Lady Susan, Northanger Abbey, Austen created conflict, often in the first page of the novel.  (Does "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife" ring a bell for anyone?) Chronicles contains no real conflict , other than a page or two of worry by this girl or that girl about whether or not she will be allowed to marry her suitor, a plot that Austen was able to draw out quite successfully over the length of an entire novel.  The author tries to maintain the relevancy of the story by continually referring to the political and social upheavals of the Regency Period in England, but a true fan of Austen would know that she purposely ignored the macrocosm of the larger world to focus on the microcosm of the family and the nature of relationships between individuals--especially those of different social statuses.  The author is unable to create any interest whatsoever in any of the characters.  Quite frankly, even Elizabeth Bennett Darcy is a bore in this book.  Where is the evidence of her vivacity, charm, and excellent understanding?  The author would have done well to focus on the Darcy family instead of turning her novel into a genealogy of the Darcys, Bingleys, and Gardiners.  Lovers of Austen should consider reading instead the lovingly written book "Presumption: An Entertainment" by Julia Barrett.  Here is where you will find the humor and language of Austen.  (Consider the first sentence: "If, as the prevailing wisdom has had it these many years, a young man in possession of a good fortune is always in want of a wife, then surely the reverse must prove true as well: any well-favoured lady of means must incline, indeed yearn, to improve her situation by seeking a husband.")  Finally, Austen was famous for stringing the reader along, often until the final page or two, before finally delivering a happy ending.  The author of Chronicles makes a horrible mistake by ending the novel with the death of a major character.  Despite her efforts in the final pages to lift the spirits of the reader, there is no way to create any kind of Austen happy ending with this disastrous story twist.