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2.0 out of 5 stars
Sorry to disagree, April 6 2003
I am sorry to disagree with the other reviewers. As a fan of romance literature, I tried to find something good about this book and managed to come up with this: it makes for an easy read. Other than that, my specific grievances are as follows:a). Characters: vaguely reminiscent of Austin's "Pride and Prejudice". Augusta is the high-spirited maiden with a penchant for bending social rules. Harry is the overly controlled gentleman with emotions that run amok. The twist, if I may call it so, is that Augusta is also a feminist with a sense for historical justice and Harry is a former spy battling a mysterious enemy. Maybe because the characters are so schematically constructed, I found it hard to sympathize with any of them -- or indeed to care. Most of the time, the book gave me the sensation of watching a puppet show in which the strings were much too obvious. b). Story line: entirely predictable. In fact, after the first 50 pages or so, one had to wonder whether the author intentionally let the reader guess the answer to all possible questions the book might had posed, just to get them out of the way. c). Social implications: contrary to what I assume was the author's intention, the contrast between Augusta's constant queasiness with male dominance and Harry's constant insistence in being a controlling male does not make a point. Or, rather, it makes such an obvious point, that one often wishes the author would have gotten over it eventually. Even fictional characters feel the need to evolve. d). Romance: In case you wonder about the specific romantic emotions of the characters, here's the abridged version. Harry seemed obsessed with lust, in spite of his correct upbringing. Augusta seemed obsessed with love, in spite of her lustful nature. In the end, everything came together nicely and lust turned to love. How's that for a surprise. The only reason I give this book two stars instead of one is because I assume there could always be something worse.
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by Amanda Quick
by Amanda Quick
by Amanda Quick
by Amanda Quick
by Amanda Quick
